Chapter 2

I gathered my thoughts and headed straight to the company with the resignation letter I had written overnight.

Countless eyes turned towards me as I entered the office.

"Liam Evans actually dares to show up for work?"

"I heard he tried to get an advance on his salary from Mia Winthrop last week, but the finance department rejected him outright."

"His monthly salary probably can't even buy one of Mia's handbags."

The whispers of my colleagues reached my ears clearly.

I walked through the hallway with an expressionless face.

Throughout our marriage, Mia Winthrop never allowed me to make our relationship public. She even deliberately placed me in a low-level position.

I worked tirelessly, even drinking myself into the hospital to secure clients, just to make more sales.

I thought that one day I could stand proudly by her side and make our daughter proud of me.

But every time I submitted a promotion request, she would dismiss it casually.

I confronted her about it more than once.

She would always wrap her arms around mine and coo softly, "Liam, it's for your own good."

"Besides, I make enough money for this family. Don't you trust my abilities?"

Her words left me with no rebuttal, and I could only believe she had other plans.

Until the day Julian Valentine returned.

She booked the entire VIP section of the airport and welcomed him with a million-dollar fireworks display.

The next day, Julian was directly appointed as the company's Vice President.

At that moment, it all became clear to me.

The difference between love and indifference could be so stark.

If that was the case, there was no need to continue this marriage.

I swiftly completed the resignation process.

As I walked out of the company building, I surprisingly didn't feel the weight I expected.

Instead, it felt like a thousand-pound burden had been lifted.

For years, I had been like a bird with clipped wings, trapped in a gilded cage.

Now, I could finally breathe the air of freedom.

I visited the cemetery to see my daughter.

I gently placed the new doll and picture book in front of her gravestone.

I stayed and talked to her for a long time, until the night fell before I headed home.

When I opened the door, I was surprised to find Mia sitting in the living room.

"You finally decided to come back? Do you know what time it is?"

She sat on the couch with her arms crossed, her brows furrowed.

This was her usual expression when she was angry, and in the past, I would have immediately tried to soothe her.

But today, I just glanced at her indifferently.

Strangely, Julian was hospitalized, yet she wasn't there with him?

But that was no longer my concern.

I asked calmly, "Did you need something?"

Mia was visibly taken aback.

Ever since she returned from her trip, I had become a different person.

I no longer showed her concern, and even my gaze was distant.

She softened her tone and said, "Are you still upset about the trip with Julian?"

"How about I take you and our daughter next time, okay?"

Her words sounded like a compromise, but they were filled with condescension.

To her, my daughter and I were nothing more than accessories to be summoned and dismissed at will.

Mia suddenly seemed to remember something and looked around.

"By the way, where's our daughter? I don't see her."

"Did you send her to your mom's again?"

My heart sank completely.

She had been back for two days and only now thought to ask about our daughter?

What did this family even mean to her?

Before I could answer, the bathroom door suddenly opened.

Julian walked out wearing my bathrobe.