I stood frozen, shock pressing against my ribs. My powdered lips trembled before I pressed them into a thin line.
"Is this Jeremy's order?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," Jason replied without hesitation.
Of course. Jason had never liked me. To him, I was a stain on Skylight Corporation's pristine floors—a woman who had clawed her way into marriage by underhanded means. At least, that was the story everyone believed. Audrey Anderson, the schemer who forced herself on the CEO.
Jason's voice was cold, detached. "Mr. Gillian said you are not to leave until the situation is under control. Remember, Skylight Corporation doesn't keep useless employees."
My chest hollowed at the words. I had always known Jeremy didn't care about me. But this… this was different. On the brink of divorce, he had actually ordered me—his rightful wife—to clean up the reputation of his mistress. And worse, the rumors were true.
A surge of fury stabbed into me, mixing with the sharp ache in my stomach. I gripped the desk for balance, steadying myself before my legs gave out. My gaze drifted down to the employee badge sitting there, cold and metallic. Slowly, I picked it up. Without hesitation, I tossed it into the trash.
"Skylight Corporation may not keep useless employees," I said evenly, my voice low and steady, "but I'm not the right person for this job."
Jason's brows twitched.
"I resigned," I said, lifting my chin. I submitted the paperwork last night, right after I printed the divorce papers. Perhaps it hasn't reached Jeremy yet, but either way, "I won't be handling this matter. Not today, not ever."
I let the silence sink in before finishing, "Don't come to me for anything regarding Adel again. Please have Mr. Gillian assign someone else. Skylight Corporation is big enough—I'm sure it can manage without me."
For a heartbeat, Jason stood there, utterly still. Was she serious? Audrey Anderson was walking away—from the only job that kept her tethered to Jeremy? Or was this just another manipulative stunt, a desperate ploy to make Jeremy chase after her?
Jason said nothing more. His expression unreadable, he turned sharply on his heel and strode back toward the top floor.
Jeremy Gillian's shadow loomed large in the boardroom as he flipped through the structural contract. His presence dominated the space, cool and suffocating.
"Mr. Gillian, here is the structure contract for your review."
Jeremy's eyes scanned the pages lazily, his voice low and steady.
"How is the PR department handling Adel's situation?"
Jason froze for half a beat before answering. "Ms. Anderson…"
Jeremy's gaze sharpened. "Speak."
Jason swallowed. "Ms. Anderson says she can't handle this matter. She submitted her resignation—said not to come to her with anything regarding Miss Bosten from now on."
Jeremy's hand stilled mid-page. His eyes lifted, dark and unreadable.
"She came in today to submit it?"
"No," Jason replied carefully. "She was actually on leave today. I called her in. HR said she submitted her resignation yesterday, while still on leave."
Jeremy didn't ask about the resignation. He asked about the leave.
Jason blinked, confused. But Jeremy was already elsewhere in thought. Audrey had never taken leave in three years. She had built her reputation on precision, discipline, relentless perfection. For her to suddenly take time off—and resign without warning—something was wrong.
His brows drew together. For a fleeting second, there was an almost imperceptible tension in his gaze. Then, just as quickly, the ice returned. Jeremy shut the file with a snap and stood, the motion abrupt, final.
"Approve her resignation," his voice was glacial, "after she takes care of Adel's situation. If she refuses, let her deal with the consequences when it gets out."
Jason stiffened. That wasn't the reaction he'd expected. Jeremy should've been relieved to see Audrey go. Instead, he was tethering her, dragging her back into the fire. Why?
Before Jason could respond, Jeremy's phone rang. Without glancing at the screen, he waved his hand dismissively. That gesture meant: ignore it.
Over the years, Audrey had sent countless things to his office—ties, suits, hand-stitched gifts, even a delicate model prototype she had crafted to complement Skylight Corporation's newest tech project. He had never opened a single one. They sat untouched in a cabinet, collecting dust, discarded like meaningless tokens. Only when pressed for time had he ever noticed them.
Jason, unbothered, tossed the unopened file Audrey had sent onto the pile. To him, all of Audrey Anderson's devotion, all her effort, was nothing more than wasted scheming.