Didn't that count as love? Darcy's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Zane, are you short on money? No, you're not! Buying expensive gifts, buying luxury items... those things are valuable to others, but to you, they're a drop in the bucket. Giving me things that hold no real value to you isn't thoughtful. It's perfunctory! "And you staying clear of temptation is commendable, sure. But wasn't I the same? I faced plenty of temptation too. I never crossed the line, always maintained boundaries with men. That's just basic decency! It has nothing to do with whether you love me or not!" Zane was speechless. A wave of frustration rose in him. He gritted his teeth and retorted, "How the hell does love even matter?" Darcy let out a scornful laugh.Forget it. They were fundamentally incompatible. Talking was pointless. Darcy turned on her heel and walked away without a backward glance. Zane wanted to call her back, but she moved quickly, disappearing into the residential complex entrance within moments. Furious, he kicked the car tire. He smoked two more cigarettes, stewing in his irritation, before finally driving off. The flashing neon lights from the roadside illuminated his profile in shifting light and shadow. Zane consoled himself. It's fine. She just quit, and she can still act tough for a while. Once her savings run out, she'll come begging to me. ... The Easemark Ventures tender was opening in three days. Even though Darcy felt their chances of winning were slim, she still had Frank and the team optimize their product proposal one more time.Frank scratched his head. "Ms. Gale, do we really have a shot at the Easemark project? It seems like nothing's happened since your POC demo." Darcy was honest. "Not a high chance. But the bid documents are already submitted. We've done all we can. Whatever the outcome, we can be proud of our effort." "If that's the case, is further optimization even necessary?" "Yes. On the tender day, we need to present. A well-optimized proposal makes for a better presentation." "Oh, I see." Frank had a programmer's mindset. He thought a goal with such low odds of success should be abandoned to focus energy on the next project. But Darcy was the one in charge, so he had to do as she said. Recalling the gossip in the small group chat, Frank also began to wonder—Is Ms. Gale really involved with Mr. Blackwood? Did she really sleep her way to the CEO chair?... Cindy had received a sales bonus for the successful renewal of that old client contract, all thanks to Darcy's guidance. Treating her to a meal was a must. On top of that, Cindy wanted to buy Darcy a gift. They agreed to meet for dinner and then go shopping. Dinner was at an upscale restaurant. Cindy, on a diet, ate very little. Darcy ended up eating most of it. Cindy rested her chin on her hand, completely envious. "Same woman, same stomach. Why do you eat so much and still look amazing? I'm dying here." Darcy laughed, "I don't stress too much about my figure. Being healthy is enough." Curious, Cindy asked, "Then what do you care about? You don't seem very materialistic, nor overly competitive. You're kinda chill about everything."It was true. The old Darcy cared most about three people: her mother, Kaia, and Zane. Now, it was down to just her mother and herself. If her mom was safe and well, and she herself had a steady job that kept rising, then if she had any extra time and energy, she'd rather pour it back into herself. Loving herself was more important. Hearing Darcy's answer made Cindy's heart sink. So, Darcy really was heartbroken and didn't want a relationship? Cindy felt a pang of sympathy. Darcy and her brother were a great match. Two such wonderful people, both having suffered so much in love. They say people deeply hurt by love take a long time to heal. What a shame. Darcy couldn't be her sister-in-law.After dinner, they went to a shopping mall. Cindy insisted on buying Darcy a gift. After numerous refusals, Darcy finally gave in. They entered a luxury boutique. "Pick whatever you like," Cindy said to Darcy with reckless generosity. Darcy looked at the prominent Hermès logo and pressed her lips together. Cindy's sales bonus probably couldn't even buy the smallest wallet here. She braced herself and asked the sales associate, "How much are the scarves?" The associate greeted her with a smile. "Anywhere from two grand to seven." "...I'll take the two-grand one." Unlike Darcy's cautious picks, Cindy went wild. By the time they walked out, both of them were hauling big shopping bags. Cindy had bought so much that Darcy ended up holding many of them.Exiting the store, Cindy sighed happily, "Haven't shopped this freely in ages. Shopping is definitely more fun with a girlfriend." Cindy needed to use the restroom. She handed her armful of bags to Darcy. "Hold these for me, I'll be right back." Darcy waited outside. She looked up and found herself face-to-face with two people. Kaia and Zora had a client to entertain later. Before the formal meeting, Zora had brought Kaia here to buy a gift for the client.