In the east-side hallway on the third floor of the Meizishuang Group building in Jiangnan City, Flyne Thornton stood by the window.

“Flyne… the internship is over.”

The voice belonged to a long‑haired, strikingly pretty girl—Monica Carter.

Her height was decent, her fitted shirt pulled tight across her chest as if it might pop at any moment, giving her an effortless allure. She held a folder in her arms, her right hand tucked inside it like she was hiding something. When she looked at Flyne, there was a flicker of guilt—quick, soft, almost like she hoped he wouldn’t notice.

“Monica… are you able to stay? I mean… will they keep you?”

Flyne’s outfit was simple: a faded blue shirt, cheap slacks that barely cost more than pocket change, and a pair of shoes polished to a shine even though anyone could tell they were worth next to nothing. But his eyes—when he looked at her, they were full of warmth, tender enough to melt someone on the spot.

“I… I think so. Probably.”

“That’s great! Really great.”

Even though Monica’s tone carried hesitation, Flyne completely missed it. The joy on his face lit up instantly—pure, sincere, the kind of smile someone makes when their loved one succeeds, even if they themselves don’t.

“What about you?” she asked.

“I… I’m not sure yet.”

At her question, something dimmed in Flyne’s gaze. A tiny shadow of hurt flickered there, gone almost as soon as it appeared. He didn’t tell her the truth—he didn’t want to drag her mood down.

Just moments earlier, he had received a message from Chester Brooks, the deputy head of HR in charge of the interns.

He didn’t need to come back tomorrow.

Reason—

Internship failed.

Not eligible for hiring.

Since the first day of his internship, Flyne had always been the first to arrive and the last to leave. He had no connections, no impressive background, yet among all the interns in the sales department, he ranked first in performance—top five in the entire company, even.

In his mind, staying on at the company had always felt like a done deal.

Every time he thought about it, he couldn’t help getting excited.

Meizishuang Group was the biggest lingerie brand in all of Jiangnan Province, and one of the highest‑paying companies around. It was the kind of place young people dreamed about.

And it had another… very well‑known feature—

There were gorgeous women everywhere.

But for Flyne Thornton, a guy from a small county town, none of that mattered. He wasn’t here to chase girls. All he wanted was to land a real job and work side by side with his girlfriend, Monica Carter.

Whenever he saw Monica, every other woman instantly faded into the background. Even Melissa Sheffield, the legendary “No.1 Beauty of Jiangnan,” looked just average to him.

Monica was the woman he loved with his whole heart.

Right now, even though he already knew he wasn’t getting hired, the frustration eating him alive eased for a moment when he heard Monica could stay. The gloom in his chest scattered, and a spark of joy lit up his eyes.

Monica quietly exhaled in relief. Chester Brooks from HR had just told her Flyne wasn’t being kept on, and now it looked like he wasn’t lying.

There wasn’t a shred of sympathy in her heart.

If anything, the thought of Flyne leaving made her feel… lighter.

Because then—

She could finally be with Chester openly.

Ever since she started her internship at Meizishuang, Chester had been coming after her hard. At first, she resisted.

But between his sweet talk and the steady stream of gifts and cash, she’d fallen fast.

She’d even slept with him behind Flyne’s back—more times than she could count.

Meanwhile, she’d been with Flyne for four years… and the most they’d ever done was hold hands.

Thinking about how Flyne had been cheated on so miserably while still clueless about everything, the last flicker of guilt in Monica’s heart vanished without a trace.

Leaving Flyne Thornton was, without a doubt, the smartest move she’d made.

“Monica, let me treat you to some mixian tonight,” Flyne said. He looked genuinely thrilled, completely missing the shift in her mood.

Mixian?

Monica Carter almost laughed out loud, but the smile never reached her eyes. Back when they first started dating, mixian had been their so‑called luxury meal. Every time, Flyne would quietly push all the kelp and mushrooms—her favorites—into her bowl, then drink the soup down to the last drop like it was some kind of reward.

But Chester Brooks didn’t take her to cramped noodle shops. It was always steakhouses, high-end hotels—two worlds apart. And looking back now… the contrast was almost ridiculous.

“Flyne, forget it. I’m here today to give you this.” Monica’s voice was calm as she held out a white vivo phone.

Flyne froze. His eyes darted between the phone and Monica, confusion clouding his face.

Half a year ago, he’d spent two months doing part-time gigs, scraping together three thousand yuan, all to buy that phone as her birthday gift.

And now she was handing it back?

“Monica… don’t you need it anymore?”

“No. I’ve got this.” She pulled out the latest Apple phone and waved it lightly, the disdain in her gaze practically dripping off her lashes. She couldn’t even hide how much she disliked the old vivo now.

“You… how did you afford an Apple phone?” Flyne asked, panic creeping into his voice. He knew her family situation; there was no way she could casually buy something that expensive.

Monica looked at him, a tiny sigh echoing in her heart. They were already standing at the edge of the cliff, and he still didn’t get it.

Pathetic.

Her contempt for him deepened.

“We’re breaking up.”

“Monica, you… you’re joking, right?” Flyne’s voice shook, like he was clinging to the last thread of hope.

Flyne Thornton forced out a small, awkward smile as he asked the question.

Four years together—he knew Monica Carter could get touchy or snap at him when her vanity was poked. In his eyes, that was just normal human stuff. Nothing worth taking to heart.

So even now, hearing her say “let’s break up,” he still thought she was just throwing a tantrum again.

But Monica’s eyes, already dim with disappointment, sank even deeper. This man… she’d already cheated on him, already said it was over… and he still—

“Monica, you’re way too soft. Just tell him straight we’re together. Saves everyone time.”

A calm male voice cut in.

A man in his late twenties walked over, gold‑rimmed glasses gleaming, hair combed like it was measured with a ruler. White shirt, black trousers, Rolex limited edition watch—every step carried a sense of “I’m rich.”

Chester Brooks.

Deputy Director of HR, Meizishuang Group.

Deputy director wasn’t an emperor-level title, sure—but this guy’s backing was.

His father: Theodore Brooks, Vice Chairman of Meizishuang Group.

With that kind of family name, Chester was someone the whole company lined up to flatter.

And this was the same man who’d told Flyne just minutes ago: “Tomorrow, don’t come in.”

Hearing Chester’s voice now, even if Flyne were an idiot, he’d get the message.

Unfortunately… he wasn’t an idiot.

Monica barely gave Flyne’s face a glance before she stepped to Chester’s side and slipped her arm around his like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Chester straightened his not‑quite‑one‑seventy frame, trying to look taller, but still couldn’t reach Flyne’s jawline.

“Monica… is this true?” Flyne’s voice trembled.

“It’s not just true,” she replied, lifting her chin, eyes firm and clean of any guilt. “It’s reality.”

Flyne Thornton’s vision suddenly blurred, a wave of dizziness crashing over him. The whole world spun like a broken carousel, and then—thud—he hit the floor hard.

“Someone! Get this guy out of here. Throw him outside the company gate!” Chester Brooks shouted down the hallway, his voice sharp and cold.

A rush of footsteps followed.

A group of employees—who had clearly been eavesdropping at the door just moments ago—scrambled out of their offices. Two of them hurried over, grabbed Flyne by the arms, and dragged him away without the slightest hesitation. His legs trailed limply across the floor, like he weighed nothing.

Monica Carter watched it all happen. Her eyes were emotionless, colder than any passerby’s. Seeing Flyne hauled out like discarded trash didn’t stir even a flicker of guilt on her face.

If people say a woman’s heart can be the cruelest blade, she fit that saying perfectly.

…

By the roadside outside the gate of Meizishuang Group.

Flyne lay there motionless, completely unaware of the world.

“Money-Making System loading, please wait…”

“Loading complete. Converting attributes into data, please wait…”

The mechanical voice echoed out of nowhere, and Flyne’s consciousness sank into an unfamiliar space.