Chapter 3

With Antony's handwritten signature, Renee submitted her resignation once again.

What had been a perfectly clear, sunny day suddenly turned to rain as the workday came to a close.

Her apartment was only a ten-minute walk from the office. Without an umbrella, she decided to walk through the rain and head home.

By the time she arrived, she was drenched. As she opened the door, a cold draft rushed in, and she stood frozen, shivering.

When she first rented a place, it was far from the company, and her commute took three hours each day.

She still remembered the day she missed the subway and was five minutes late.

Before the end of that workday, Antony had handed her the deed to an apartment with her name on it.

When she hesitated, he simply said, "My time is valuable. Don't waste it on unnecessary things."

After she moved in, Antony initially stayed over only occasionally, but eventually, except for business trips, he stayed every night.

Her eyes swept across the apartment. Every corner held memories of the time they spent together.

Sometimes, they'd sit on the couch and watch movies. When the characters on screen kissed, they would kiss too, lost in the moment, caught up in passion on the couch.

Other times, she'd curl up in his arms, the two of them sitting by the window reading. As they read, his hand would slip under her shirt, gently pressing on her waist.

Sometimes, after closing a big deal, he'd be in a good mood. They'd go to the nearby supermarket together to buy groceries, then return home to cook together. She'd wrap herself around him like a koala, hanging onto him as he smiled indulgently. He'd turn to feed her the food they'd just made, and before long, their tasting turned into something much more.

Now, Renee crouched by the door, her body curled into a tight ball, a small puddle of water at her feet.

At first, she stifled her sobs, but eventually, she couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down, crying uncontrollably.

She wasn't sure how long she cried before her phone rang — it was Antony calling.

Feeling numb, she answered the call.

But it wasn't Antony's voice on the other end. It was Ramon.

"Renee, Antony is drunk. You need to come pick him up."

Renee replied in a calm voice, "Send me the address."

She quickly changed her clothes and arrived at the entrance to the private room.

Just as she was about to open the door, loud cheers and whistles erupted from inside, so deafening it felt like the roof would collapse.

Everyone clapped and cheered in unison.

"Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!"

Renee peered through the glass window of the private room and saw Antony and his childhood sweetheart, Kara, surrounded by a crowd.

Amid the cheers and teasing from the onlookers, Antony reached into his pocket and slowly dropped to one knee in front of Kara, holding out a diamond ring.

"Kara, this is the hundredth time I've proposed to you, and the hundredth ring I've designed just for you. I've waited as long as you've been abroad, and now that you're finally back, I hope you can see my sincere feelings."

So, all those times he'd suddenly gone on business trips over the years… he'd actually been traveling abroad to propose to Kara.

Renee remembered once seeing a large ornate box in his safe, neatly filled with over a hundred rings and design sketches. She had assumed… it was just a hobby of his. She had even imagined that he might one day design their wedding rings himself.

Antony gazed up at Kara with the kind of reverence one reserved for a beloved deity.

Even from just the side of his face, Renee could still feel the depth of the affection he had for Kara.

So this was what his true love looked like.

It wasn't just about passion in bed; it was about a willingness to set aside his pride and treat the woman he loved as sacred.

Around them, Antony's friends were all urging Kara to say yes, each of their words laced with the deep love he held for her.

"Kara, just say yes already. Remember when he wouldn't let you do extreme sports because he was worried you'd get hurt? You fought, and then you left for abroad. Antony was frantic, drinking himself into the hospital with stomach bleeding."

"Every time he had a chance, he'd fly overseas to see you. Anything you wanted, even if you didn't ask for it — if you just glanced at it, he'd find a way to get it for you."

"When you were hospitalized after your surgery and in a coma, he was beside himself with worry. He climbed thousands of steps in the pouring rain to pray for your safety…"

Each word felt like a knife slicing through Renee's heart, leaving her trembling with pain.

How could she not understand now? Antony probably didn't even want to bother telling her they were over. Instead, he had Ramon bring her here so she could see firsthand the depth of his feelings for Kara — a clear hint for her to recognize her place.

The more he loved Kara, the more heartlessly he had treated her.

Renee stumbled as she turned and walked away.

Inside the room, Kara watched the figure leaving through the door. She smiled faintly before taking the diamond ring from Antony's hand, looking up at him with a beaming grin.

"Antony, I'm yours now!"