Errol hesitated as he and Annie stepped out of the elevator and headed toward the parking lot. Finally, he spoke, his tone careful. "I know I made a mistake. Please don't be angry, Annie."
Having worked and lived together, he could tell that Annie was upset, but Annie's expression gave nothing away.
It wasn't until they were in the car that she finally broke her silence. Her voice was calm but cutting. "Are you sure you didn't take money from them?"
Errol's heart skipped a beat, but he stubbornly denied it. "No, I didn't. How could you even think that?"
Annie nodded slightly in acceptance of his response.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the office—a company Annie had built from the ground up. In just a few short years, she had carved out a name for herself in the industry, achieving financial independence and commanding respect.
The Silver family might have tried to stake a claim on her success, but Annie was unshaken. However, she was tired of the games, the expectations, and the constant balancing act. All she wanted now was to enjoy her life.
Once inside the building, Annie turned to Errol and said, "Let's break up. Go to HR and arrange your resignation. I'll transfer the money to your account shortly. Let's part on good terms."
Errol froze, disbelief etched across his face. "What did you just say? Break up? Annie, our relationship is solid. I'm ready to spend my life with you, and now you're saying you want to end it?"
"Yes," Annie replied simply.
"I won't agree to this! You know how much I love you! When I pursued you, I promised you I was sincere."
It was as though Errol couldn't hold back, baring his soul in the hope that Annie would see how deeply he cared.
He knew that without Annie, he'd never find someone like her again. She had opened doors to a world he never imagined, and he wasn't ready to let that go.
Over the course of it, she had occasionally offered him sincere affection, though she had always been reluctant to part with him, especially since he resembled Steven. Still, she knew an imitation could never replace the real thing.
It was time to let go, to set herself free.
"Is it because of my humble background? Or because I'm younger than you?" he asked bitterly, grasping for answers.
"Don't overthink it," Annie said, her patience wearing thin. "My ex-boyfriend last year handled our breakup with dignity. I had expected the same from you."
She had once thought Errol was sharp and self-aware. That belief had made her indulgent, forgiving even. But now, she realized he had grown complacent, forgetting the boundaries they had set from the beginning.
In an instant, Errol came to his senses, and a rush of realizations hit him.
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