Chapter 3

The next day, I went back to the office to pack up my things.

I didn't have much at my desk—just a few books, a small potted plant, and a framed photo of Vincent and me.

I slid the photo out of the frame and threw it into the trash can without a second thought.

My coworkers looked at me in shock.

"Chloe, what... what are you doing?"

"I'm resigning," I replied calmly.

The news spread like wildfire. Within ten minutes, Vincent stormed into my office.

He grabbed my wrist, his brow furrowed.

"Chloe, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now?"

His voice carried a hint of impatience.

I shook his hand off and kept packing.

"I'm not throwing a tantrum. I'm serious."

"Is this because of last night?" He looked at me as if I was being completely unreasonable. "Bree and I were just discussing work. As the Creative Director, you should focus on the project instead of letting these petty emotions get to you."

"Petty emotions?" I stopped what I was doing and turned to look at him. "Vincent, to you, your heart rate being 80 at the launch was a 'petty emotion'? You ignoring me to chat happily with someone else at the after-party was a 'petty emotion'? You guys showing off matching couple's keyboards late at night in the office was a 'petty emotion'?"

My voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the open-concept office heard it loud and clear.

Vincent's expression shifted.

He grabbed my arm, trying to pull me out of the room.

"Let's talk outside."

"We can talk right here," I said, staying rooted to the spot. "Let everyone hear how our brilliant Lead Programmer sacrifices his relationship for the 'purity' of the project."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with disappointment.

"Chloe, I thought you understood me. Bree is incredibly talented. Her ideas can make our game perfect. I just admire her talent. Why do you have to make everything so dramatic?"

"I'm making it dramatic?" I let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "Vincent, do you remember when we first started this company?"

He blinked, startled.

"Back then, I wanted to go public with our relationship. What did you say?"

I answered for him.

"You said, 'We're a startup. We need to keep a flat structure and avoid workplace romance so we don't mess up the team dynamic.'"

"And I believed you. I stayed by your side for five years as your 'best partner.' Everyone thought we were just highly compatible co-founders."

"But look at this now." I pointed toward Bree's desk nearby. "You're totally fine letting the air get thick with tension between you two? You're fine with people calling you guys 'soulmates'?"

"That's different!" he defended himself. "Bree and I are just having pure technical discussions!"

"Is that so?" I looked into his eyes. "Do your technical discussions require matching couple's keyboards?"

Vincent was completely silenced.

His silence was the loudest answer.

I packed the last of my things into the box and stood up, holding it.

"Vincent, we're done. From today on, we owe each other nothing."

I walked right past him, not giving him a single glance.