Divorce Was One Word—But It Destroyed Him

Chapter 1 Ditch Her There

"I agree to marry you." Outside the city hall, Britney Santos stared at the already closed doors, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number.

Today was supposed to be the day she and Aaron Galloway got their marriage license.

But she'd waited from nine in the morning until five-thirty in the afternoon, ending up with over a dozen queue tickets clutched in her hand. Aaron never showed.

He was the one who'd suggested getting married, and he was the one who'd stood her up. This was already the third time he'd flaked on her.

Britney tossed the useless tickets into the trash, turned on her heel, and called her longtime rival, Fredrick Pollard.

She still remembered how, the first time she'd been ditched here, Fredrick had straight-up asked her to marry him instead. But she'd turned him down.

The second time played out the same way.

This morning, Fredrick messaged her about marriage again. And this time, she said yes.

Just a moment ago, she'd spotted a post in her social media feed. It was from Aaron's old flame, his crush.

In the photo, Aaron sat ramrod straight, meticulously slicing an apple, with the caption: [Whenever I need him, he's always there. That's true favoritism, the kind of confidence only he can give me.]

Britney let out a self-mocking smirk, gave it a casual like, and commented: [Locked in forever. Wishing you eternal bliss.]

To her surprise, her heart felt completely at peace.

In the past, she would've screenshot it immediately and confronted Aaron, demanding to know what the hell it meant. It would've sparked a huge fight. And it always ended with him slamming the door on his way out.

But now, she didn't even feel like getting angry. She was truly done with Aaron.

The voice on the other end snapped her back to reality. "I'm on a business trip. I'll be back in a week. If you're still up for it, meet me at the city hall at nine."

Fredrick's words lingered in her ear, and it finally clicked why Fredrick, the guy who'd waited outside the hall to propose the last two times, had only sent a message today.

She thought, 'A week, huh?' She could read between the lines. He was giving her time to wrap things up with Aaron, and a chance to back out if she wanted.

Softly, she replied, "I'll be there."

After hanging up, Britney drove back home.

She lived in a vintage apartment in the city center. When Aaron found out, he'd bought the unit next door and knocked down the wall to connect them.

They shared one big space but still had their own private areas. He'd put the whole place in her name when he bought it.

Now, as she stared at the sprawling apartment, every corner was littered with reminders of their time together.

Photos of the two of them, matching couple's stuff everywhere, even the layout tailored to his tastes. What used to feel like bliss now just seemed bitterly ironic.

In a few hours, she gathered up everything tied to her and Aaron, stashed it in the storage room for now, and planned to toss it all tomorrow.

Gazing at the newly emptied space, she called a real estate agent to list the place for sale. If she was really letting go, there was no point holding onto anything connected to him.

"Yeah, price isn't an issue. Just sell it as quick as you can," she said firmly, cutting off the agent's hesitant questions.

"What house?" The familiar voice from behind made her freeze.

She ended the call and turned to face Aaron, who'd been MIA all day, casually replying, "A friend wants to sell theirs and asked me to handle it."

Before the words were even out, she spotted Patti Medina standing behind him, and her expression darkened.

Aaron didn't pay much attention to Britney's words. He just turned to her and said, "Patti's depression has flared up again. I didn't feel right leaving her home alone, so I brought her here to stay for a few days. Go ahead and tidy up the guest room for her."

As he spoke, Patti nervously latched onto his arm, casting a timid glance at Britney. "Aaron, if it's too much trouble, let's just forget it. Ms. Santos doesn't seem very happy about this."

In one fell swoop, Patti shifted the blame onto Britney, who hadn't said a thing, her eyes filled with a subtle hint of hurt.

At that, Aaron's expression darkened instantly. "Britney, even your tantrums have limits. You know damn well Patti's not in a good place, yet you still left that snarky comment on her post.

"Now you're trying to block her from staying here? When did you turn into such an unreasonable person? I can't stand women who are so petty and small-minded."

He doubled down, laying it out flat. "Don't forget, this place is mine too. I decide who stays here. I'm just letting you know, not asking for your approval."

Through it all, Britney hadn't said a single word, but somehow she was stuck in the middle of their tag-team accusations. She found the whole thing absurd. "Suit yourselves."

Aaron had clearly forgotten the house was in her name. But if he insisted on having Patti move in, she couldn't really argue against it.

She looked away indifferently and headed upstairs.

With Patti in the picture, Aaron's focus would never shift to her, like how he'd come home without a word about standing her up, only rushing to get Patti settled.

He'd probably even forgotten they were supposed to pick up their marriage license today.

Britney wasn't holding out any hope anymore.

Back in her bedroom, she showered and overheard voices from the next room, realizing Aaron had given up his own space for Patti.

It didn't stir much emotion in her. Even if Aaron and Patti slept together, it wouldn't shock her. She could accept it without batting an eye.

Britney had come to see that, once she'd truly let go of him, all those things that used to drive her crazy now felt like nothing. She didn't care at all anymore.

With her mind at ease, she soon drifted off, her eyes fluttering shut.

Right on the brink of sleep, she felt a soft movement beside her.

The next instant, she was enveloped in a warm hug. Her body stiffened just a bit.

Aaron held her close from behind, his cheek nestled against her neck as he murmured, "Sorry, I didn't mean to flake today. Patti's situation was dire. If I'd shown up any later, she might not have made it.

"Britney, she's got no one else but me. I can't just leave her hanging. Let's hold off on the marriage license for now. Once she's stable, we'll go get it.

"Then I'll give you the grand wedding you deserve. While she's here, can you just not make waves? Focus on her needs for a bit? I'll make it up to you afterward, I swear."

Hearing him postpone things yet again for Patti's sake, Britney stayed calm, a wry smile curling her lips.

His every word revolved around Patti. Even in this supposed apology, he was really just fretting that she'd mistreat her.

Britney had intended to fake sleep, but his arms around her now turned her stomach.

Finally, she slipped out of his grasp without a fuss, keeping her back to him as she said, "Whatever's between you and Patti is your business. Do what you want. You don't have to run it by me."

"Britney." Aaron's voice edged with irritation. To him, she was obviously just pouting.

In the past, anytime Patti came up, she'd pull this same sarcastic routine. He figured he'd already swallowed his pride, so her carrying on like this was just immature.

Britney picked up on his anger but kept her back turned, saying nothing.

Seething, Aaron bolted upright in bed, his face contorted as he geared up to lay into her.

Before he could say a word, a figure dashed in from the doorway and wrapped him in a tight hug from behind.

Chapter 2 You're Boring

"Aaron, I'm a little scared being alone." Patti's voice trembled from behind him.

Aaron reached out right away, taking her hand and soothing her softly. "What's the matter? Not comfortable in a new place?"

Patti just nodded faintly.

As he saw her like that, Aaron's heart ached. "I'll stay with you. Don't worry."

"Sorry, I... did I interrupt you and Britney?" Patti's gaze shifted to Britney, as if she'd only just noticed her presence.

Her voice quivered with anxiety. "I know Britney doesn't really welcome me here, Aaron. This is all my fault. Please don't argue with her because of me. I'll just leave."

Aaron glanced instinctively at Britney. "No, she's not that petty..."

Before he could finish, Britney stood up, her smile laced with sarcasm. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

She hadn't uttered a single word, yet Patti kept dragging her into the middle of it time and again. Even a saint had limits, and Britney had never been the type to roll over and take it.

Patti seemed stunned at first, clearly not expecting the typically patient Britney to outright tell her to go. She blinked back her reddening tears, looking pitifully at Aaron beside her.

As he saw Patti reduced to tears by Britney's words, Aaron's expression turned stormy. "Britney, you're going too far. I brought Patti here. Who gave you the right to throw her out?

"Her depression's acting up, and you're still coming at her like this? How did you become so hostile?"

Without giving Britney a chance to respond, he turned and gently wiped the tears from Patti's cheeks. "It's alright, Patti. As long as I'm here, I won't let Britney bully you."

Patti leaned softly into his embrace. "I know you care about me, Aaron. After all, Britney's your fiancée. It's my fault. I've been leaning on you too much.

"I realize this isn't right, but you're the only one I have left. I don't know who else to turn to. Please don't fight with Britney over me."

As she said this, her eyes flicked toward Britney with a defiant glint, silently mouthing: You lost. Admit it. You can't beat me.

Britney had convinced herself that her heart was numb to it all by now.

But as she watched Aaron jump to Patti's defense without hesitation, a fresh wave of pain stabbed through her chest.

She couldn't be bothered to engage with Patti's provocation. Her stare turned cold as ice as she fixed it on the two of them. "Get out."

Britney was issuing an eviction notice, plain and simple.

Aaron locked eyes with her, calm and devoid of any ripple, and for no clear reason, a surge of unease crept over him.

He knew full well how deeply Britney felt about him; otherwise, she never would have tolerated his repeated no-shows.

In the past, when she'd get worked up, a bit of gentle coaxing from him was all it took to calm her down. But this time, he could tell something had shifted in her.

Aaron started to say more, but Patti disentangled herself from his arms.

She approached Britney timidly and extended a hand. "Britney, are you still upset? It's all my fault. I'm sorry. Don't take it out on Aaron."

The instant Patti's fingers grazed toward her, Britney jerked back sharply. She couldn't stomach the idea of her touch; it turned her stomach.

With that abrupt yank, Patti yelped in surprise and stumbled backward. She hit the floor with a thud, right at Aaron's feet.

"Patti." Aaron dropped to a crouch and swept her up in a princess carry.

Almost in the same moment, Patti whimpered through her tears. "Aaron, don't blame Britney. I upset her. It's my fault. It's understandable she'd snap like that. Don't hold it against her."

With just a few words, Patti pinned the blame for her fall squarely on Britney.

She hadn't even made contact with Britney. But her phrasing made it crystal clear to Aaron that Britney had shoved her.

Sure enough, after hearing that, Aaron glared furiously at Britney. "Britney, you've gone too far. Apologize to Patti right now."

He'd swallowed Patti's version wholesale, convinced Britney had struck first, and he barked out the order for her to say sorry.

Faced with his blind, unquestioning defense, Britney could only laugh. "I didn't push her. Why should I apologize? Aaron, if those eyes of yours are useless, donate them to someone who needs them."

No way was she admitting to something she hadn't done.

Her response sent Aaron into a full-blown rage. "Britney, you're impossible."

Britney just scoffed coldly, clearly done debating the point with him.

Patti tugged at his sleeve, murmuring, "Aaron, I think I sprained my ankle. It hurts so bad."

Before she could finish, fresh tears welled up. Those sobs tore at Aaron's heart.

He shot Britney a venomous look. "You'd better hope Patti's alright."

Then he turned, scooped her up, and stormed out.

Watching his frantic, protective figure retreat, Britney found it both jarring and bitterly ironic.

She knew how deeply Aaron cared for Patti, but witnessing it up close hit differently.

Right then, she couldn't even name the emotions swirling inside her. A dull throb. Then, just numbness.

Britney gradually came back to herself and sank onto the bed, any trace of sleep long gone. Even with her eyes shut, her mind replayed Aaron's furious, accusatory glare on loop.

She spent the whole night restless and uneasy.

Come morning, she woke up with a foggy, aching head.

As she headed downstairs, her temples pulsed faintly. She wandered toward the kitchen.

Usually, by this time, she'd already be in there, cooking oatmeal for Aaron.

He'd had a sensitive stomach since childhood, and ever since they'd shacked up together, she'd handled all three meals with careful precision.

She'd never cared for oatmeal herself, but she'd stuck with it alongside him for years.

As she automatically reached into the cabinet for ingredients, she froze. She thought, 'Old habits really do die hard.'

Britney stashed the ingredients away and opted for a quick breakfast instead.

In no time, she'd brewed a black coffee and brought her sandwich to the table.

Just as she was about to sit, a bubbly figure popped up in front of her.

Patti sported a low-cut dress, her tone chipper. "Ms. Santos, you're in fine form this morning. I figured you'd be tossing and turning all night, heartbroken after yesterday."

As she spoke, Britney's gaze drifted to her collarbone. A cluster of vivid marks jumped out, impossible to miss.

Catching the look, Patti lifted her chin triumphantly, tittering. "Aaron's such a beast. I begged him to go easy last night, no marks, but he just wouldn't listen.

"Britney, he says you're so dull he can't even stand to touch you. How sad is that? If I were you, I'd want to smash my head into a wall and call it quits."

Patti basked in her gloating. But Britney didn't bat an eye.

This deflated Patti, who'd been gunning to provoke her. It was like swinging at air. She clenched her jaw in irritation.

Shooting Britney a hateful glare, Patti spotted Aaron descending the stairs from the corner of her eye. In a few quick steps, she closed in on Britney.

Chapter 3 I'm So Sorry

Patti grabbed the coffee from Britney's hand and dumped it straight onto her own face.

Next, she hauled off and slapped herself hard across the cheek. Her delicate frame then "accidentally" crumpled to the floor.

Her forehead banged against the table's edge, sending a warm, sticky trickle spreading into her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. I shouldn't be hanging all over Aaron like this. I apologize. If smacking me around will make you feel better, then go for it. I won't lift a finger to stop you." Patti huddled on the ground, shaking her head as she sobbed and wailed.

Aaron had caught the racket from the dining area even from upstairs.

He bolted down the steps, only to find Patti in a complete mess, her desperate pleas echoing in his ears. Fury hit him like a tidal wave.

"Patti." He raced over to her.

Spotting the coffee streaks mingled with blood on her face, plus the stark red handprint, his temper exploded.

He shot Britney a scorching glare. "Britney, have you lost your mind? Apologize to Patti now."

Britney locked eyes with him, speaking slowly and deliberately. "If I say it wasn't me, would you believe it?" She waited, bracing for his verdict.

"You're seriously claiming Patti doused herself in coffee, slapped her own face, and flung herself down?" Aaron ground out through clenched teeth.

He let out a derisive snort. "Britney, I saw the whole thing. Think I'm an idiot?"

In those few blunt words, it was obvious: Aaron didn't buy her story one bit.

She'd expected as much, but hearing it straight from him still sent a sharp pang through her chest.

For whatever reason, Aaron glimpsed the raw sorrow flash in her eyes, triggering an instinctive surge of panic.

"Aaron, it hurts so bad. Is my face burned?" Patti staggered up, wobbling unsteadily before slumping against him.

The coffee had been piping hot, and now a few tiny blisters were forming on her cheek. She grabbed at him desperately, yanking his focus back to her.

Aaron buried that twinge of doubt, his stare now deadly as it fixed on Britney. "Britney, apologize."

"Aaron, forget it. If it calms Britney down, I can handle a bit of pain and embarrassment." Patti looked up at him with those big, woeful eyes.

She tilted her head just so, making sure he got a good look at the slap mark while she played the part of the suffering saint.

Her words only dialed up the chill in his gaze toward Britney.

Watching Patti direct her own little melodrama, especially on top of Aaron's knee-jerk blame game since last night, left Britney feeling utterly frozen inside.

She squinted slightly, a sardonic smile curling her lips. "You really want that apology from me?"

If he'd been tuned in, Aaron might have picked up on the heavy sarcasm lacing her tone. But his mind was all on Patti, so naturally, it flew right over his head.

Even Patti figured Britney was caving and about to grovel. Out of his line of sight, she smirked smugly, shooting Britney a look brimming with victory.

"Apologize," Aaron ordered, his voice like steel.

Britney just smiled, pivoted on the spot in front of them, and strode into the kitchen. She came back with a fresh cup of coffee and approached the two.

Aaron and Patti eyed her warily, puzzled about her game.

A beat later, Britney delivered the punchline. Stone-faced, she hurled the coffee right at Patti, who had just started to sense trouble.

"Ah..." Patti never saw it coming. Britney actually doused her face with coffee right there in front of Aaron. The scalding liquid hit her full-on, pulling a bloodcurdling scream from her lips.

But that was just the start. Britney followed up with a sharp slap to Patti's uninjured cheek, then yanked her free from Aaron's arms and shoved her hard.

Right in his face, Patti hit the floor with a thud. Her mind went blank. She couldn't process Britney's whirlwind of moves.

Even Aaron was completely caught off guard. He didn't have time to react, just stood there gaping as Britney went after Patti.

Only now, staring at the crumpled Patti at his feet, did it all click. He bent down and scooped Patti up in a princess carry.

Britney crossed her arms, eyeing them coolly. "There you go. The charges stick now. Consider that my apology.

"Ms. Medina, I'm so sorry. Since you've already pinned those crimes on me, it'd be a shame not to make them real. How else could I apologize properly? I should really thank you for the opportunity."

With that, she flashed a faint smile at the visibly furious Patti.

Patti was apoplectic, her eyes bulging with rage, like she wanted to devour Britney whole. If Aaron weren't holding her, she'd probably have lunged at Britney already.

Britney could read the fury in his glare loud and clear.

She just gave them a casual glance and tossed out some "helpful" advice. "Hey, Ms. Medina, maybe get those wounds on your face looked at? Wait too long, and they might heal up all by themselves.

"Oh, wait, no, they could leave scars instead."

Britney smiled sweetly. "Afraid you won't be able to flaunt that harmless little act anymore, scamming your way through life. What a pity."

Spurred by the jab, Patti burst into sobs against Aaron's chest, wailing, "I'm disfigured! It hurts so much, Aaron. My face, is it really ruined..."

Aaron rushed to calm her. "No, it won't be. I'm taking you to the hospital right now."

As he soothed Patti, he shot Britney a vicious warning. "I'll deal with you when I get back."

Before the words even settled, he was out the door in a flash, Patti in his arms.

Britney watched his retreating figure, her expression dripping with sarcasm. His threat? She couldn't have cared less.

In the old days, she'd have desperately clung to him, begging him to listen and let her clear her name. But now she was over it.

Britney had discovered that truly letting go, putting herself first, had lifted her spirits in ways she hadn't expected.

She'd been such a fool before, blinded by love and constantly compromising herself. Never again.

As she headed out in high spirits, her phone rang. It was the real estate agent.

Someone was interested in the apartment and wanted to know if they could swing by for a viewing.

"Sure, no problem, bring them over," she replied.

After hanging up, she texted the apartment code to the agent. She needed to head back to the Santos family home anyway.

To offload the place quickly, Britney had slashed the price to rock bottom, tossing in all the furniture too, basically giving it away.

She was fine letting the agent handle showings, knowing Aaron wouldn't be back during the day.

Whenever Patti was involved, he dove in headfirst. It gave her the perfect window to seal the deal.

She wasn't afraid of him finding out about the sale. She just wanted to cut ties with him and Patti for good. Now that she'd moved on, there was nothing left worth holding onto.

Chapter 4 I Won't Allow It

On the drive back to the Santos family home, Britney got a call from Aaron.

His voice exploded through the line, full of fury. "Britney, get your ass to the hospital right now and apologize to Patti."

In the background, she could faintly make out Patti's sobs. She didn't need to think twice. She knew he was aching for Patti and itching to unload on her.

Without hesitation, she tuned out the ranting and hung up.

But Aaron kept calling nonstop, clearly hell-bent on harassing her until she caved and showed up to grovel.

Annoyed as hell, Britney blocked his number. With the silence finally settling in, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Back at home, she immediately caught her mother Deidre Santos's sour look.

Before she could even say a word, Deidre charged over, grilling her angrily. "Did you upset Aaron again? Britney, I told you, no more being stubborn. Just smooth things over with him. Why do you have to be so immature?

"He just called me, saying you blocked him. Call him back this instant and apologize. Come on!"

As she spoke, Deidre reached for Britney's phone.

In the past, Deidre never would've pushed her to debase herself like this. Back then, before the Santos family fell on hard times, they were on equal footing with the Galloway family.

But three years ago, Britney's father, Solomon Santos, made a catastrophic business call that nearly bankrupted them.

They'd clawed their way back and saved Santos Group, but the company had been teetering on the edge ever since.

Now, with her and Aaron together, the Galloway Group's support offered a lifeline. That was how their relationship had stealthily turned lopsided.

The second Aaron got even a little miffed, Deidre would snap at her to apologize first and baby him, terrified that if the Galloway Group yanked their funding, the Santos family would be done for.

For years, Britney had played along, swallowing her pride for the bedridden, stroke-stricken Solomon and to dodge Deidre's endless meltdowns.

But now she got it: no matter how much she groveled, sacrificing every shred of self-respect, Aaron wouldn't spare her a glance, much less show any real concern.

He'd figured out he had her cornered, so he kept bulldozing over her feelings like it was no big deal.

"Mom, I'm breaking up with Aaron," Britney finally said, laying her cards on the table with Deidre.

She knew Deidre would flip out. But keeping quiet wasn't an option, not if she wanted to head off more drama like today's. Honesty was the only way.

The word "breakup" lit Deidre's fuse. "Britney, what the hell did you just say? Who said you could break up? I won't allow it! Quit joking around. I told you to apologize to Aaron, so do it!"

She clamped down on Britney's wrist. "I'll go with you to the Galloway family. We'll apologize together and get him to forgive you. You little brat, I warned you not to let your moods take over, but you never listen."

"Mom." Britney wrenched her arm free. "I didn't do anything wrong. Why apologize? I've said it before: Aaron doesn't care about me. I don't want to drag this out anymore."

She'd brought up splitting before, only for Deidre's waterworks and hysterics to shut it down. But this time, Britney wasn't backing down.

Deidre stared at Britney in disbelief, her voice sharp with anger. "Britney, what kind of nonsense is this? How is the Santos family supposed to survive without the Galloway family's support? If Aaron didn't have feelings for you, why would he have dated you for so long?

"It's just that he forgot about you at the city hall yesterday and didn't show up, right? Be more forgiving. He had important things to take care of. How can you be so unreasonable?"

It was clear that Deidre had known all along about Aaron standing her up the day before.

What Britney hadn't expected was that Deidre had known but hadn't even called to offer a word of comfort. Instead, today she was expecting Britney to own up to some imagined fault. But she hadn't done anything wrong.

Britney met Deidre's gaze calmly. "Mom, snap out of it. Aaron is in love with Patti. Yesterday was the third time he's ditched me for her. Mom, I'm exhausted too."

Her cool, clear eyes showed no hint of emotion. Because Britney knew that even after hearing this, Deidre would just tell her to suck it up and move on.

And sure enough, Deidre listened, then jabbed a finger at her forehead in frustration, like she was dealing with a hopeless case. "Britney, if you can't hold on to a man yourself, who else are you going to blame? Either way, I won't let you break up with Aaron.

"I mean, come on. The Galloway family would never accept Patti anyway. Even with that in your favor, you still can't make him forget her and marry you? Why don't you take a good look at yourself and figure out why you can't keep him?"

The more she talked, the more furious Deidre became.

The Santos family desperately needed the Galloway family's backing right now, and here was Britney, failing to step up. It was enough to drive her crazy.

Britney could only laugh bitterly. "Mom, I—"

"Don't call me Mom." Deidre shrieked, completely losing her cool. "Britney, if you still consider me your mother, you'll listen to me. You're not breaking up with Aaron. I forbid it.

"Listen to me carefully: if you split up with him and it causes Santos Group to collapse, I'll kill myself right here in front of you. And even as a ghost, I won't forgive you." Deidre glared at Britney, seething.

She'd thrown out threats like this before, whenever Britney had even hinted at breaking up, and she'd always said them without a second thought. And in the end, Britney had always given in.

Now, with a growing headache, Britney locked eyes with Deidre's stubborn stare, her heart filling with a bleak emptiness at the sheer obsession.

In Deidre's view, Britney's happiness paled in comparison to the Santos family's future. Whether marrying Aaron would make her happy didn't matter. What mattered was keeping Santos Group afloat.

The two of them stood there, staring each other down, neither one willing to budge.

Britney was about to speak when Deidre grabbed her wrist like a woman possessed and yanked her toward the door.

Today, come hell or high water, she was dragging Britney to apologize to Aaron and beg for his forgiveness.

At first, Britney fought back hard as she was pulled along, but eventually she gave up and let Deidre haul her away. Deidre dragged her all the way to the hospital.

Standing outside the ward, Britney watched the scene inside, her sense of irony sharpening.

In the room, Aaron was leaning over slightly, gently dabbing ointment on Patti.

Patti flinched, whimpering softly. "Aaron, it hurts!"

"It won't hurt. Let me blow on it for you." Aaron coaxed her tenderly.

At that, Patti managed a small smile.

Aaron's gaze softened, and he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

Patti blushed instantly and threw her arms around him. "Aaron, it's so good having you here."

Aaron stroked her hair with a chuckle. "Silly girl."

As he spoke, Patti leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Deidre pushed the door open and walked straight into the intimate moment. For a second, she felt awkward. And mixed in with the awkwardness was a hint of unease.

Chapter 5 Juggling Two Women

Aaron heard the noise outside as well. His smiling face turned stone-cold the moment he saw Britney. His icy glare was laced with irritation and accusation.

Britney caught his look too, standing impassively behind Deidre, her expression unchanging.

"Aaron, it's Britney who's been out of line. I've brought her here to apologize to you," Deidre said, plastering on an ingratiating smile, her voice full of appeasement.

As she spoke, she pushed Britney forward until she was right in front of Aaron.

He just stared coldly at the whole scene, with no intention of speaking up. He was waiting for Britney to make the first move and say sorry.

In all their previous arguments, it had always been her who backed down first and tried to make nice. This time should be no exception.

That thought eased his pent-up frustration just a bit.

When Deidre saw Britney staying quiet, she nudged her arm. "Britney, come on, apologize." She gave her a meaningful glance.

Britney merely curved her lips in a faint smirk. "Apologize for what? Aaron, you're the one who's bailed on me time and again, not the other way around. If you can't let go of Patti, then go ahead; I'll step aside and let you two be together."

She met his annoyed glare head-on and pressed on. "Aaron, juggling two women like this, doesn't it wear you out? It tires me just watching. Why bother?

"If you can't move on from her, just tell me straight. I'm not the type to cling. I haven't done anything wrong, so no apology from me. Breaking up was a decision I thought through carefully."

Noticing the rage building in his expression, Britney no longer cared. "Whatever twisted love story you two want to play out is on you. I'm not desperate enough to be a pawn in your drama."

"And frankly? The whole thing disgusts me!" Britney called them out bluntly, no punches pulled.

As soon as her words hit, Aaron exploded. "Britney, what Patti and I have is totally aboveboard, not the sleazy nonsense you're implying. Even a temper tantrum has its limits.

"You're a woman too. Throwing dirt on Patti's name like this. Don't you realize how vital a girl's reputation is? I demand you apologize to her."

With that, Patti started crying all over again. "Britney, how can you slander me like that? Even if you don't believe me, can't you at least believe Aaron?

"Aaron and I dated once, sure, but that's old news. He's only helping me as a friend. If it upsets you, that doesn't give you the right to drag my reputation through the mud like it's nothing."

Patti wept, her face flushing deep red. "Britney, what are you playing at, trying to set me up and tarnish my name? Fine, I'll stop bothering Aaron from now on. I'll stay far away from both of you. Does that work?

"You've spread vicious lies about me; you owe me an apology. I... I..." She didn't finish. Patti's face drained of color, and she collapsed back onto the bed. Just like that, she fainted dead away.

The instant Aaron saw her pass out, his face changed, and he slammed the call button.

Doctors and nurses hurried in, checked her, and said it was just a faint from emotional overload, nothing serious, before leaving the room.

Aaron fixed Britney with a dark scowl, and before she could react, he swung his hand at her.

Britney stepped back swiftly. She could have dodged the slap completely.

But Deidre, standing right behind her, sensed what she was doing and blocked her retreat, even giving her a shove straight toward Aaron.

Slap! The sharp sound rang out.

In truth, Aaron regretted it the second he raised his hand. Rage had clouded his judgment for a split second.

As his arm shot out, he was already trying to reel it back. But then Britney lurched forward unexpectedly, right into its path.

The slap landed on her face after all. Aaron's hand hung frozen in the air, his voice a soft mutter. "I..." He wanted to say he hadn't meant to.

But now, looking at Britney's cheek tilted to one side, especially the clear red handprint blooming across it, all his words stuck in his throat.

He realized he couldn't even muster a single apology.

Her slapped cheek burned with numbness and pain, but it was nothing compared to the razor-sharp ache tearing through her heart.

She got why Deidre was so desperate to hold onto Aaron for the Santos family's sake. But she never dreamed Deidre would push her right into the path of that slap, making her take it head-on.

Deidre realized what she'd done too, and for a brief second, guilt flooded her eyes as she looked at Britney. She clenched her fists, staying silent.

The room fell into an awkward hush.

Britney took a deep breath, and when Aaron tried to reach for her, she slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me."

A faint sting shot through the back of his hand, and whatever guilt he'd felt evaporated, replaced by annoyance. He must've been crazy to feel sorry for her even for a moment.

Pulling his hand back, he clenched his fists and gave her a icy stare. "Britney, you had that coming, for what you did to Patti."

Britney just laughed bitterly at that. She met his frosty gaze head-on and said it again. "Aaron, one last time: we're through."

Her constant push for a breakup made his face darken dangerously. "Britney, don't bite the hand that feeds you. Think hard about this. What makes you think you can dump me?

"If you end things, don't expect the Galloway family to keep bailing out the Santos family. You're not that high-and-mighty Ms. Santos anymore. Lose the spoiled princess routine."

"I can pamper you, or I can take it all away in a heartbeat." Aaron was driving home her new reality.

His words made it sound like she'd be ruined without him. They grated on her nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

Once he finished, Deidre jumped in, hastily insisting she wouldn't let the breakup happen.

Britney sneered. "Pamper me? Aaron, hand on heart, doesn't saying that make you feel even a little guilty?"

Ever since the Santos family fell on hard times and the Galloway family stepped in, Aaron had acted all superior around her.

He'd belittle her in front of his friends, even bet on her like some kind of game a few times. And he'd constantly vent his frustrations on her.

Things got worse when Patti returned. He always took her side, treating Britney like an afterthought. As for the "pampering" he was going on about? She'd never seen a hint of it.

Aaron caught her sarcasm, and thinking back on how he'd treated her, a lump formed in his throat.

It hit him. He really hadn't been kind to her at all. But he thought, 'So what?' The Santos family depended on the Galloway family. After her tantrum blew over, she'd come crawling back, same as always.

With that thought, his remaining guilt vanished, and he stared at her blankly. Her stubborn refusal to give in irked him to no end.

"Britney, on this breakup thing, I don't..." He was about to say he wouldn't go along with it.

She cut him off before he could finish. "I'm telling you, not asking."

That bruised his ego, and he ground his teeth. "Fine, we're done. Can't wait to see how you and the Santos family manage without us."

Even now, he was using her family as a bargaining chip to force her hand.

But Britney didn't care anymore. Her lips curved faintly. "Don't trouble yourself, Mr. Galloway."

With that, she tuned out Deidre's curses and attempts to stop her, spun around, and walked out.

Aaron was left seething, his face thunderous as he glared at her back. He couldn't believe she'd actually defy her mother and leave him.

He gave Deidre a meaningful look. All he heard was her groveling assurances that she'd go home and whip Britney into shape. He just smirked sarcastically, saying nothing.

Chapter 6 They Are Outdated

Britney had just stepped out of the hospital when her phone buzzed with a call from Deidre. She ignored it, letting it ring until it went to voicemail, over and over again.

Deep down, Britney knew Deidre wouldn't give up until she answered. Finally, she caved and picked up.

"Britney, the Galloway family is yanking their investment, and every single partnership is getting axed. Are you satisfied now?" Deidre's rage poured through the speaker.

She just couldn't wrap her head around why Britney, who'd endured it all for so long, was suddenly digging in her heels.

Britney's fingers tightened around the phone as she listened. Deidre's wild, cutting insults? Par for the course by now.

After a long beat, Britney spoke quietly, "If they're bailing, fine. I'll come up with a plan for the company..."

"Easy for you to say! Just let them bail? Britney, have you even considered the fallout? What about the tens of thousands of people at Santos Group? Don't they have families to feed?" Deidre snapped, cutting her off.

Those words hit home, leaving Britney lost in thought. She stayed silent, just absorbing Deidre's no-holds-barred blame.

She knew if Deidre didn't get it all out today, the coming days would be nonstop misery. So, she let her vent.

At last, Deidre ran out of steam and dissolved into heartbroken sobs over the line.

Britney let out a soft sigh. "I'll figure out the money somehow, Mom. Talk later."

She hung up and immediately dug into Santos Group's current status.

Confirming that the Galloway family were truly pulling funds and wrapping up the shared projects, Britney saw it for what it was: Aaron cornering her into a choice.

Aaron, the man she'd once held so dear, was now twisting the knife. It felt like her heart was being ripped apart, bit by bit.

When the stabbing pain finally dulled, she grabbed her phone and dialed the real estate agent to check on the apartment sale.

Fortunately, all the viewers from today were keen and ready to make offers. A few were still waffling, though.

For the others, if Britney was good with it, she could choose a buyer herself. After that, it was simply sorting out the title transfer.

Britney furrowed her brow at the agent's price quotes. "Money's not the holdup. I need the cash in my account ASAP."

She had zero plans to hog the proceeds from the apartment. Sure, it was titled in her name, but half belonged to Aaron, and she'd wire him his cut once it hit.

The agent caught her drift and said they'd hustle, promising to keep her posted.

Call over, Britney made her way back to the apartment. With the sale in motion, there was no point sticking around.

She'd packed everything up last night; now she just needed movers to cart it away, and she'd be out for good.

But she never expected to walk in and bump straight into Aaron. Britney froze, thinking, 'Shouldn't he still be at the hospital?'

Her gaze drifted to his right hand, clutching a small pink suitcase.

Aaron was just as surprised to see her back home so quickly. Not even an hour had passed.

He pressed his lips together, eyeing her with a chilly stare. "Why's everything cleared out like this?"

Patti was still under the weather and had to stay for monitoring, so after sorting her hospital stay, he'd swung by to grab some of her things.

Aaron hadn't picked up on it last night, but now, stepping back inside, he noticed all the joint photos of them and their shared stuff were missing.

Her bullheaded push to break up just amped up his already foul mood, flooding it with raw anger.

He thought, 'How long is she planning to keep up this cat-and-mouse game?'

At his core, Aaron flat-out refused to accept that Britney could really walk away from him. She'd loved him so fiercely.

Britney flicked her gaze up to his sour expression and answered flatly, "They were outdated. I tossed them."

That simple line made him scowl, unsatisfied. He sensed an undercurrent in her words.

Aaron eyed her for a drawn-out second. "Britney, got nothing you want to say to me?"

He just couldn't buy that the Santos family would hold up without his backing. She had to be back here to cave and patch things up.

He figured he'd throw her a lifeline. She ought to grab it and quit while ahead.

After he spoke, Britney met his eyes, her tone completely flat. "Nope." She saw no point in hashing anything out with him anymore.

Aaron's face went rigid. "You..." He couldn't fathom why she wasn't biting on his olive branch.

Still, she wouldn't own up or yield. She was dead set on holding her ground. This wasn't the Britney he remembered.

It wasn't like she missed the opening he was giving her. Back in the day, she'd have leaped at it with glee.

Now, staring down his humiliated fury, she just murmured a gentle nudge. "Shouldn't you be heading back to the hospital to look after her? Go on, don't want your little darling flaring up again because you're MIA."

All she wanted was for him to get out of there fast.

In the past, anything involving Patti would have him spinning on his heel and vanishing. No reason this time would buck the trend.

Aaron's face clouded over, his voice edged with irritation. "I already told you, Patti and I are strictly platonic. What's with the snarky digs?"

Britney mentally facepalmed at his spot-on misunderstanding. But she wasn't about to burn time debating it.

She shrugged it off casually. "That's not how I meant it. Take it however. I'm going upstairs."

And with that, she headed up the stairs, right past him.

As her back turned, Aaron called out once more. "Britney."

She halted mid-step, glancing over her shoulder. "What is it?"

He went quiet for a beat, then dialed back his tone. "Look, I get that I've sidelined you over and over for Patti. Let's carve out some time to really talk this through. I..."

His phone cut him off mid-sentence. He fished it out and picked up without missing a beat. "Patti, you okay? Alright, I'm heading over now. Hang tight."

That velvety, comforting tone rang in Britney's ears.

She watched him stride toward the door, a wry, self-deprecating smile creeping onto her face.

There it was. Every single time Patti cropped up, he'd drop everything, respond in a flash, and bail on her without a backward glance.

This tired routine had looped so often, she'd grown numb to it. She averted her eyes coolly and kept climbing the stairs.

Aaron had only ducked out to keep Britney from catching his chat with Patti. He figured it'd just rile her up and kick off another spat.

Once he'd soothed Patti at last, he pivoted back, ready to pick up where he'd left off with Britney.

But the spot behind him was bare. No sign of her anywhere, and anger flared across his features.

Finally, he huffed out of the apartment in a rage.

Chapter 7 Anytime You Need Me

As soon as she got back to the bedroom, Britney's phone lit up with a flood of messages from Deidre.

Deidre: [Britney, do you really have to be this stubborn? Are you seriously going to abandon the Santos family? Generations of your father's blood, sweat, and tears, do you have the heart to watch our century-old foundation just collapse like this?]

Deidre: [If you do this, how are your dad and I supposed to face the world?]

Deidre: [I know you've been through hell with this. That Patti is the one Aaron can't forget, like a scar on his heart. Can't you just suck it up and tough it out?]

Deidre: [Men fool around all the time. If you can't have the love, at least hold on tight to the money, right?]

Deidre: [Britney, please, I'm begging you. Your dad's still in the hospital. If Santos Group goes under for real, I don't know how I'd face him or the rest of the family.]

Britney's expression stayed blank as she stared at the wall of texts from Deidre. She could feel the helplessness and desperation laced through every line. Each pleading word hit her like a knife to the chest, twisting deep.

She eyed the phone blankly for a second, then locked the screen. She wasn't in the mood to dive into this with Deidre right now.

Truth be told, the Santos family' businesses were still tangled up with the Galloway family' in too many ways. Unraveling it all wouldn't be quick or easy.

For now, the best she could do was hustle to neatly slice and separate their joint dealings as fast as possible.

With that thought, Britney scrolled to her assistant's contact and was about to hit call. Her phone vibrated.

She checked. It was a number she knew all too well. Fredrick.

She hadn't bothered saving it, but after his calls before, it'd stuck in her memory.

She answered, and his low voice came through. "Britney."

For whatever reason, the way he said her name always had this subtle, lingering intimacy to it.

She snapped out of it fast and murmured, "Yeah, I'm here."

Not sure why he was calling, but it definitely wasn't just to shoot the breeze. She waited for him to spill.

Fredrick got straight to it. "If you need a hand with anything, just say the word."

His meaning didn't register at first. Then it hit her all at once. "You..."

She hadn't figured him, away on some far-flung business trip, for being so in the loop.

He'd already heard about the fallout between the Santos family and Galloway family, hence the call.

His intent was obvious: if she asked right now, he'd jump in to help sort out the Santos family's mess. It'd be a real lifesaver for them in this crisis.

But Britney hesitated, second-guessing herself.

She thought back to years ago, when the Santos family were on the ropes after a huge setback, and the Galloway family' help had been like a raft in a storm.

It got them back on solid ground. But from then on, they'd been boxed in by the Galloway family every step of the way.

She had her doubts. Yeah, Fredrick's involvement could free them from the Galloway family while keeping things stable. But that wasn't what she was after.

Trading one overlord like the Galloway family for a powerhouse like the Pollard family? They'd still be dancing to someone else's tune.

At the end of the day, it was the same old story as now. Still leaning on outsiders to keep the family afloat.

She knew better than anyone that in that kind of arrangement, the Santos family wouldn't have a shred of true control.

After finally breaking free from the Galloway family, Britney was determined that the Santos family would never again survive by clinging to someone else's coattails.

She had to prop it up herself, all of it. Truth be told, she still wasn't sure she was strong enough.

Aaron's betrayal had been a brutal wake-up call: the person you counted on could disappear. In the end, the only one you could truly rely on was yourself.

With that thought firmly in mind, she gently turned him down. "Really, it's fine. I can take care of it. Thank you for the offer, Mr. Pollard."

A low, amused chuckle drifted through the phone. "Suit yourself. But I'm right here whenever you change your mind."

Even after her refusal, Fredrick still left the door wide open.

Britney pressed her lips together. After a long beat, she murmured, "Thank you."

Silence settled between them, thick and awkward.

Fredrick cleared his throat first. "So… any thoughts on the wedding? Anything you want?"

He'd given her seven days to decide whether to register the marriage, but a quick trip to the city hall and nothing more was never part of his plan. If they were doing this, they were doing it properly.

Britney blinked. She thought, 'A wedding, with Fredrick?' The idea had literally never crossed her mind.

Even when she and Aaron had talked about getting married, the Galloway family had shot down the idea of a ceremony from day one. Aaron had brushed it off, saying weddings were exhausting and he'd rather just travel somewhere romantic instead.

Back then she'd bought it. She thought he simply hated fuss. Now the truth was painfully obvious: he hadn't wanted Patti to find out, or maybe he'd never actually planned on marrying her at all.

A bitter smile tugged at Britney's lips. She shoved the memory aside and answered lightly, "I don't really care. We don't have to have one."

After everything Aaron had put her through, her expectations for marriage had shrunk to almost nothing.

Fredrick's voice cooled a few degrees. "Absolutely not. You're marrying me, Fredrick. We're doing this with style, or not at all."

Britney froze. For a second she almost reminded him that the seven days weren't up yet and she still hadn't agreed to anything. The words hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them.

Now was not the moment to poke the bear. When she stayed quiet, he continued, "Fine. I'll plan it my way. Once I'm back, we'll sit down and go over the details together.

"And while I'm gone, think about what you actually want. Because, Britney, I don't do secret marriages, and I definitely don't shortchange my wife."

Even she could hear the edge in his voice. He was genuinely annoyed.

Unsure whether it was her fault or not, she answered quickly, "Okay. Whatever you decide is fine."

That seemed to placate him; his tone softened. "Good. Talk soon." He ended the call before she could say anything else.

Britney stared at the phone, shook her head with a helpless smile, and a second later it buzzed again.

A message from Fredrick: his flight details. Back in Breim in five days. Translation: Come pick me up.

She typed a simple "Got it," then immediately dialed her assistant.

Chapter 8 She Won't Give Up

In addition to the conglomerate, Britney and Aaron also jointly owned a game studio. So far, the studio remained unaffected.

As she listened to her assistant's update, Britney sank into thought.

It wasn't as if she hadn't seen this coming. With the way things were headed, it was only a matter of time before the studio would have to be dissolved.

She needed to come up with a plan before that happened. Whether to push forward or let it go, Britney had to decide.

Deep down, she already knew what she wanted to do. Britney steadied her emotions and drove to the nursing home.

Ever since her father, Solomon, had suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed, he'd been recovering there.

When Britney arrived, a caregiver was wheeling him outside for some fresh air and sunshine. So she waited in the room.

About ten minutes later, the caregiver pushed Solomon back inside.

The caregiver smiled and greeted her. "Ms. Santos, you're here. I just took Mr. Santos out to the garden for a bit of sun. He's in a good mood today."

Solomon's stroke had been brought on by a sudden rush of stress, leading to hemiplegia. Fortunately, it was only partial paralysis.

At first, he couldn't get out of bed at all, and his speech was garbled.

But he'd been diligent about his therapy and rehabilitation. Now, leaning on a cane, he could manage a short walk, and his words were much clearer, though they still came out slowly.

Britney helped the caregiver settle him back into bed. She smiled back. "I brought some fruit for everyone. Mind passing it around?"

"You're too kind, Ms. Santos. I'll take care of that. Just ring the bell if you need me." The caregiver grabbed the fruit and headed out, closing the door softly behind her.

Britney always brought fruit or small treats on her visits. After the first few times, the staff had stopped politely declining.

She sat on the edge of the bed and started gently massaging Solomon's legs to help with circulation.

All the while, she mulled over how to tell him about the split with the Galloway family.

She knew something this major couldn't be kept from him, and truthfully, she had no intention of hiding it.

Solomon gazed at her and let out a sigh. "Britney... unhappy?" His speech was slow, but his eyes brimmed with fatherly concern.

She was his daughter, after all. He could pick up on her mood in an instant. Even without her saying a word, he figured it had to do with Aaron again.

Remembering how Aaron had acted before, Solomon reached for her hand and patted it gently. "Again... for... Aaron?"

In one simple phrase, he'd nailed it.

Britney met Solomon's worried gaze and managed a small smile. "Dad, how've you been feeling lately?"

"Good. No need to worry," he replied truthfully.

That eased her mind a little. She paused, gathering her thoughts, then went on. "Dad, Aaron and I have broken up. I want to fully separate our families' businesses. What do you think?"

As she spoke, Britney kept a close eye on his expression.

She hadn't forgotten the doctor's advice: no more shocks for him. But his face stayed calmer than she'd expected. And that only heightened her worry.

Seeing his blank look, she assumed her news had angered him. She was reaching for the call button when he squeezed her hand tighter.

He held her gaze and sighed. "Britney, my girl... all these... these years... you've suffered." His voice cracked with emotion.

He could see the sacrifices Britney had made for the conglomerate, and the injustices she'd suffered. Now, his heart was filled with nothing but pain for her.

Britney shook her head. "I'm not suffering. I've just had enough. Dad, Aaron isn't the one for me. I know this decision is selfish. I'm sorry; I've been too stubborn about it."

All the emotions she'd bottled up finally came crashing down in front of Solomon.

Her eyes grew red as tears pooled, but she stubbornly held them back, refusing to let them fall in front of Solomon.

That only deepened Solomon's heartache.

His hands trembling, he wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and soothed her. "You are... so good. Not stubborn at all. No... no more holding on. We won't hold on anymore."

With that, he leaned in and wrapped her in a gentle hug, patting her back. If anyone should apologize, it was him.

Without his mistakes, the Santos Group wouldn't be in this predicament, and his cherished daughter Britney, the light of his life, wouldn't have had to swallow her pride for the company's sake, groveling before the Galloway family.

He ached for Britney, but more than that, he despised himself for those flawed choices from the past.

At his words, Britney nestled into his arms and let out quiet sobs.

She knew Solomon would back whatever decision she made, no questions asked. That was exactly why she avoided showing him her vulnerable side unless she absolutely had to.

Hearing her stifled cries tore at Solomon's heart too. He held her close, offering silent comfort.

Once she'd calmed down, Britney eased out of his embrace.

She met his gaze and said, "Dad, don't worry. Even without the Galloway family' support, I won't let the Santos Group go under. I'll give it everything I've got to keep us going."

With the Santos Group in its current shape, Britney wasn't sure how long she could hold things together. But she wasn't about to give up without a fight.

Solomon patted her shoulder. "Don't... don't pile on so much... pressure... I have faith in you."

Then he offered her a warm smile. "Dad's behind you... all the way. You are so... talented. You'll make it work."

He had complete confidence in her. If the Santos Group couldn't be salvaged, it would be on him, not Britney.

His reassurance lifted some of the weight from Britney's shoulders.

She drew in a deep breath and urged him not to fret over her—just concentrate on his recovery and let her handle the rest.

Before long, she steered the talk elsewhere, sharing lighthearted stories from recent days. She wound up spending the whole afternoon at the nursing home.

Only when Solomon began nodding off did she help him settle into bed, lingering until he drifted asleep before slipping out quietly.

From the nursing home, Britney drove straight to the downtown office tower. That was where she and Aaron's game studio was based.

She'd made up her mind to step back in and run the Santos Group. As for the studio...

It had all begun because of Aaron's passion for gaming. That was what drew her into the industry to start with.

The studio boasted a few blockbuster PC and mobile titles.

Above all, the romance mobile game she'd invested countless hours in was just about ready to launch.

She'd been hands-on from start to finish, and the moment Aaron learned of it, he'd pumped in a substantial investment through the Galloway Group.

Only a handful of loose ends remained before beta testing could kick off. They'd planned to finalize the game's name once beta rolled around.

Britney could never have foreseen splitting from Aaron like this. And this game... She was ready to walk away from it too. Britney was set on severing every single connection to Aaron herself.

Chapter 9 Let's Talk

As Britney walked into the studio, her assistant Yolanda Pierce fell in step right behind her.

"Britney," Yolanda said, "what's going on with the Galloway Group pulling their funding out of the blue?"

It turned out the ripple effects weren't limited to the Santos Group. Even the game studio she shared with Aaron had taken a hit.

Britney had seen it coming, in a way, but facing the reality still stung. She'd poured her heart and soul into this place, and Aaron had been there to witness every bit of it. Now, just like that, he was yanking the rug out.

Even though she'd already been leaning toward letting it go, the abruptness threw her off balance.

"Pull up the original contract we signed with Galloway Group," Britney instructed. "I'll head over there later."

Buried in the agreement was a key clause: if Galloway Group withdrew for non-studio-related reasons, full rights to the games would revert back to them. They could pivot and partner with someone new.

Yolanda had been by Britney's side since the studio's inception. She knew Britney's style inside out and could anticipate her next move.

The moment word of the withdrawal hit, she'd already dug out the contracts and flagged the relevant section.

Britney skimmed the tablet Yolanda handed her, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Let's roll."

Yolanda kept pace. "I reached out right away. His assistant claims Mr. Galloway's not in the office and won't be taking any meetings for a while."

Classic evasion tactic to dodge her. Britney paused, piecing it together.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Aaron. It rang through to voicemail. She tried a few more times, same result.

Pocketing the phone, she turned to Yolanda. "It's the weekend anyway. Tell everyone to wrap up what they're doing and head home early. We'll pick up on Monday."

The team had been grinding non-stop on this project amid the funding drama; might as well give them a breather.

Yolanda nodded, but concern lingered in her eyes. "Britney... you and Mr. Galloway, you two are married, right? How could the Galloway Group side just—" She trailed off, regretting the intrusion.

They'd all seen the spark between Aaron and Britney. He didn't swing by the studio often, but when he had free time, he'd show up to drive her home.

Now that she thought about it, Yolanda realized he hadn't done that in ages. She wondered, 'Has something gone wrong between them?'

She kicked herself for asking such a dumb question and was about to brush it off when Britney replied matter-of-factly, "We never made it official, and we won't. I'm severing all business ties with him too, Yolanda."

Yolanda blinked, caught off guard. "But... what about the game?"

She knew better than anyone how much blood, sweat, and tears Britney had invested in that romance mobile title.

The plan had been to launch the beta, then roll it out fully alongside the PC version. She thought, 'How could we move forward now?'

Britney considered it for a beat. "Let's gauge Galloway Group's stance first."

If he was dead set on bailing, she could handle taking it solo, no problem. But deep down, she knew Aaron wasn't one to make things that simple. She sometimes really couldn't figure out Aaron.

He obviously couldn't let go of Patti, yet he'd swear up and down that there was nothing between them, that she was just imagining things. And by the end of every fight, Aaron would get all flustered and angry.

Since she'd laid it out like that, Yolanda didn't push it. "I'm totally on your side."

With that, she headed out to let the team know they could head home early for the weekend.

The bustling studio went quiet in seconds.

Britney sat alone in her office. Her computer screen showed a scene from that game: a couple in matching outfits, standing side by side under a blooming tree, facing a swing wrapped in petals.

Clicking the swing launched an animation, petals dancing through the air as the boy pushed the girl, her face beaming with joy.

She kept clicking the mouse, replaying the interaction endlessly, just like she'd done a million times before.

Back then, though, she'd find herself smiling along with it. Now? She'd looped it at least a hundred times, but the sweetness was gone, leaving only a sour knot in her chest.

The Santos family villa had a back garden with a century-old peach tree just like it, complete with a little swing.

Little Aaron had built it for her himself. As a kid, her favorite thing was plopping down on that swing and begging him to push her higher.

Push after push, they'd grown up. She couldn't fit on it anymore. And he never pushed her like he used to.

Those memories were hers alone now. The thought brought a bitter smile to her face.

She was the one frozen in time. The bright-eyed boy from her past was long gone, replaced by someone she barely recognized.

It was her own denial, her own self-deception, that had kept her hanging on. Finally, she stopped clicking.

On screen, the girl tumbled off the swing, hitting the ground hard, while the boy vanished.

The dreamy petal shower turned into a pounding rainstorm. This was the hidden feature she'd coded in.

After ninety-nine plays, the hundredth unlocked the secret ending. The boy left anyway, stranding the girl to cry alone in the drenching rain.

What was destined to fade would always slip away, no matter how sweet it started.

Britney just stared quietly. That was when the office door swung open.

She looked up slowly, locking eyes with the figure in the doorway.

Aaron frowned, looking annoyed. "Where'd everyone go? Why aren't they at their posts?"

"Early weekend dismissal," Britney said flatly.

She'd been wondering how to hunt him down, but here he was. Clearly, he hadn't heard about the Galloway Group's funding pullout yet.

After Patti's call had dragged him off, he'd told his assistant to hold all calls. So naturally, he had no clue her missed calls were about the studio.

He figured it was the usual: her flipping out over him being with Patti and blowing up his phone. Truth be told, it stirred up that familiar irritation in him.

This was what he hated most about her. It made him feel suffocated, like he had no room to breathe.

But Britney couldn't care less about any of that now. She grabbed the contract and strode over to him. "Good timing. Let's talk."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Funny, I've got something for you too."