bChapter /b2

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The noise outside gradually faded. Jessica didn’t bother to check what bwas /bgoing on out there. With her earplugs and sleep mask on, she slept straight through to morning.

Since she’d already decided bto /breturn and im her inheritance, she had to resign from Atkinson Group.

After giving birth to Jacob, she had rarely shown up at thepany. But back when Brian had taken over the family business, she had been right there beside himb, /bhelping him build everything from the ground up.

Atkinson Group’s rise to the number–one spot in the country had a lot to do with her. So even though she didn’te in regrly, she still received a generous annual bonus and profit share.

bEarly /bin the morning, bJessica /blooked at herself in the mirror. Her thick, wavy hair framed a wless face. She bwas /bstunning, but her eyes carried no light.

She had always been beautiful. Even after bing ba /bstay–at–home mom, even after all the sleepless nights andbor, her looks had barely changed.

But the morning sickness, the emotional strain, and the cold treatment from her family had taken their toll. Her eyes were dull, lifeless–like fish washed up on the shore.

On the top floor of Atkinson Group, Jessica bwas /bwaiting for her resignation papers to be printed.

Just then, a few employees behind her started chatting, their voices drifting into earshot.

One said, “Did you see Madeline’s Instagram post?”

Another asked, “No, what did she post this time?b” /b

Someone else added, “She posted a bunch of stuff. Looks like she was throwing someone a birthday party. You should check it out.”

They wereughing as they teased each other, but when they looked up and saw bJessica/bb, /btheir smiles froze.

One of them gasped, “Ms. Grant?”

Another asked, “Ms. Grant, what brings you here to the office?”

Jessica gave a casual nod. As soon as the employees finished greeting her, they dashed away in a hurry. More whispers followed as they left.

Someone sneered, “What a buzzkill. What’s the executive secretary Jessica doing back here at thepany?”

Another said sarcastically, “She’s already the CEO’s wife. What’s the point of showing off in front of bus/bb?/bb” /b

Someone else snorted, “I don’t think Mr. Atkinson’s that close to her anymore. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re getting a divorce.”

bJessica /bdidn’t react. She had never been popr in thepany and had long gotten used to this kind of talk.

If she hadn’t gone through so much workce bullying in the past–if Brian hadn’t stepped in and helped her so many times–she wouldn’t bhave /bfallen for him to begin with

Bored from waiting, bJessica /bopened Instagram on her phone. The first thing that popped up was ba /bnine–photo post from Madeline.

The first image was taken at Jacob’s birthday party bst /bnight. The decorations were extravagant, and the giant three–btier /bcake in the center was impossible to miss.

What caught bJessica’s /beye was a photo taken in a hospital. Three hands, all different sizesb, /bstacked on top of each other–it looked so warm and loving.

bJessica /bthought, ‘It was just a burn. Why’d they go to the hospital again?‘

She found it ridiculous and scrolled through thements. Most of them bwere /bfull of envy and well–wishes.

Onement read: [Wowb, /ba birthday party for the little one? Looks so happy.]

Another joked: [Showing off again–so who’s your husband anyway? Not gonna show your bestie?b] /b

Someone else wrote: [No matter what happensb, /bbas /blong as the family’s together, that’s what breally /bmattersb./bb] /b

bJessica /bwas speechless. She knew Madeline had posted those on purpose, just to bget /bunder her skin and push her into snapping at Brian.

bIf /bbit /bhad been before, bJessica /breally wouldn’t have been able to stand this pretentious bact/bb, /bwatching her own husband and son leave bher /bat home to

care for a woman who had done nothing but poorly imitate her from the start.

5:57 AM

But now that she was about to leave, she naturally didn’t care anymore.

Jessica gave a dry smile and tapped the screen lightly to give the post a like.

After getting her resignation papers, Jessica went straight to the CEO’s office and handed them to Brian’s current personal assistant.

The people in the Secretary’s Office, just like the ones who had been whispering earlier, looked down on her for showing up as if she were trying to brag. But the moment they saw the resignation papers, they gasped in shock.

Someone asked, “1–I didn’t read that wrong, did Ib?/bb” /b

“Ms. Grant is quitting?” another eximed.

The assistant froze, visibly panicked. “M–Ma’am, Mr. Atkinson is in a very important meeting right now. Maybe we should wait and let him have a look at these until he’s done.”

“No need. I’m just a figurehead executive secretary. You have the authority to process this. No need to bother him,” Jessica said with a light smile.

People around them sighed under their breath.

“Is the rumor true? Jessica and Mr. Atkinson are getting a divorce? And the other woman is Madeline?”

Why Madeline? Doesn’t she have a family?”

“Are you dumb? Did you even see that Instagram post? That hand is clearly Mr. Atkinson’s. Who else in Hartdale could wear a Rolex that expensive?b” /b

“Exactly. Didn’t you notice Madeline took over all of Jessica’s work after she went on maternity leave?b” /b

“Now that Jessica’s quitting, maybe she’s handing the position over.”

Jessica knew exactly how nosy these people were. In the past, hearing things like this would’ve crushed her. She would’ve curled up in bed at night, crying quietly under the covers.

But now, she suddenly realized that once she let it go, none of it really mattered.

She smiled at everyone like she couldn’t hear a word and said, “Thank you all for your hard work these past ten years. I hope Atkinson Group continues to thrive for many more toe.”

Everyone fell silent in embarrassment. Only then did Jessica return to her desk and begin packing up everything she’d umted over the years.

She had worked here for ten years, and her workspace was filled to the brim with books she’d bought when she first started out and notes she’d taken while learning to understand Brian as his secretary,

On one page, it clearly said: “1. He needs a cup of hand–ground coffee every morning. 2. He hates beingte. 3. He doesn’t allow any woman to wear perfume around him.”

There were many notes like that. Every single one of them had been built with Jessica’s effort.

She had poured so much into doing her job as a secretary well, but people always assumed the role was just a man’s ything–that all it took was a body, not a brain.

Only Brian had seen her workingte into the night–reviewing contracts, building presentations, digging into the background on everypetitor of Atkinson Group, and reciting business reports like they were second nature.

bIt /bwas because she worked hard enough that someone as untouchable as Brian hade down from his pedestal to get close to her.

Jessica had once believed Brian was the one person who truly understood her. She was wrong. After ten years, all those memories and feelings had turned to dust.

She focused on packing her things. Just then, the meeting ended, and Madeline walked out first.

She had been beaming, but the moment she saw Jessica, her smile froze. Madeline thought, ‘Why bis /bJessica here? Did she see my Instagram post? bIs /bshe here to lose it on me?

Just thinking about it made her excited. She went back to her bdesk/b, restlessb, /bwaiting for the storm to hit. On the outside, though, she kept her head down, her eyes turning red, like she’d just been horribly wronged.

Brian was thest to walk out. As he passed the Secretary’s Office, he saw Jessica there at the office.

Her desk was the closest to his office, a setup that once symbolized her status and their past affection.

But now, just the sight of her annoyed him especially when she looked like she was in a good mood, flipping through a book with a faint smile on her face.

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Right next to her, Madeline sat with her head down, looking dejected, quietly dabbing at her tears with a tissue.

Brian frowned, tapped the corner of bJessica’s /bdesk, and ordered, “Come in.”

bJessica /blooked upb, /bcalm andposed. “Okay.”

Once she stepped inside, Brian got straight to the point. “Thepany doesn’t need you right now. If there’s no special reason, don’te to Atkinson Group again.”