CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 20: I QUIT!

Back in the room, I was already exhausted, with no energy left to cook.

I casually grabbed a small loaf of bread from the drawer to fill my stomach a bit, then dialed Victoria Monroe’s number.

The first few calls were hung up by her.

Later, unable to resist my persistent calling, she finally picked up.

"Zoe Ellison, have you had enough? Didn’t I tell you, I’m socializing tonight. What urgent matter must be said right now?"

Victoria Monroe’s voice was very impatient.

I said coldly, "I’m just letting you know I’m quitting. Please send my journalist ID and academic certificates to me tomorrow!"

Since I joined the company, my journalist ID and degree certificates had to be kept in the company’s personnel office.

But I didn’t want to go back to get them, nor did I want my colleagues or Victoria Monroe to see the wounds and embarrassment on my face.

"What?" Victoria Monroe’s tone increased a bit, asking, "Why?"

"You know it yourself."

Although I didn’t know what relationship Victoria Monroe had with Serena Sawyer, I just couldn’t believe such a coincidence existed in this world?

Victoria Monroe didn’t assign anyone else to pick up Serena Sawyer, she had to send me?

After the call with Victoria Monroe, a burning pain came over my face.

I took out a mirror, carefully peeled off the band-aid, and the two obvious scratch marks looked like the injuries I suffered in this marriage, strikingly visible.

From childhood to adulthood, this face of mine had always been praised, and I had always been confident in my appearance.

But now, I wasn’t confident anymore.

The existence of Serena Sawyer had overshadowed all my light.

Made me live like a clown in this family.

I looked in the mirror and lightly dabbed at the wound with an iodine swab.

Although the doctor in the police station had disinfected it earlier, I feared it wasn’t thorough enough, in case of further infection.

Just then, Timothy Xavier pushed open the door and came in.

I saw him in the mirror but did not turn around, still focusing on what was in my hand.

He walked up to me, took the swab from my hand, and said to me, "Let me do it."

"No need, please leave."

I stood up, not wanting his swab to touch me, even less wanting him to touch me.

Timothy Xavier thought I was sulking and said to me, "I’ve already asked Jack Sullivan to find a lawyer. Those who hurt you will get a heavy sentence."

Those who hurt me?

Timothy Xavier, do you really not understand or are you just pretending?

The ones who hurt me were never those abusers, but the hand that pushed me towards them!

But now I don’t know why, the words in my heart I didn’t want to say to him, anyway, he didn’t really care.

So, whatever he says goes!

I nodded calmly, "Hmm, you’ve taken the trouble. Is there anything else?"

Seeing that I didn’t make a fuss, Timothy Xavier thought his handling of the matter had made me very satisfied, so he nodded and said, "Then rest early."

After he left, I rubbed my eyes hard with the back of my hand, wiping away the moisture.

...

The next day, I didn’t go to work.

Victoria Monroe called me, "The company is not a marketplace! If you want to quit, go through the proper approval process!"

My journalist ID and academic degree certificates were held by Star-Rise Media, and she refused to send them to me, so I had to make a trip myself.

In the afternoon, when I appeared in front of Victoria Monroe with my face hurt, she was truly shocked and asked, "You... what happened?"

I said sarcastically, "Can you stop pretending? Didn’t your friend tell you what happened last night? Didn’t thank you for sending a person to vent her anger?"

Victoria Monroe took a moment to react, "You... you mean Serena Sawyer? She did this to you?"

I couldn’t bear it anymore and said, "Do you dare to say you didn’t deliberately send me to pick her up yesterday? Do you dare to say it wasn’t planned with her?"

"Zoe Ellison, don’t randomly blame me for your troubles!"

Victoria Monroe was angry, shouting, "To tell you the truth, Serena Sawyer is my boyfriend’s sister. It’s that simple, how did you develop so many conspiracy theories?"

I was stunned, but Victoria Monroe didn’t seem to be lying.

Anyway, I’m already her subordinate now, and since I’ve torn my face to resign, she doesn’t have to lie to me.

I warned, "I just want to tell you, Serena Sawyer is my husband’s cheating partner. From now on, don’t look for me for anything related to her!"

After saying that, I ignored the shocked look in Victoria Monroe’s eyes and left her office.

Victoria Monroe did not approve my resignation report. If I left without authorization, they would have the right to withhold all my documents.

So in the end, I did not leave.

Moreover, because I didn’t go to work in the morning, the half-day’s work that piled up still had to be done, so I had to stay at the office and work overtime.

The director’s office lights were also on.

At nine at night, when I was about to finish my work, Victoria Monroe walked up to my desk and tentatively asked, "What you said in the afternoon, is it true? Serena Sawyer found a married man?"

I looked at her and said, "It seems like your relationship with this little sister-in-law is just so-so. You don’t even know who she’s currently with."

Victoria Monroe snorted coldly, folded her arms, and said sinisterly, "To be honest, if it weren’t for this sister-in-law, my boyfriend and I would have been married long ago. I’ve put up with her long enough! Zoe Ellison, maybe we can form an alliance. After all, we have a common enemy."

Faced with Victoria Monroe’s proposal for an ’alliance’, I replied with three words, "Not interested."

After all, Victoria Monroe is going to become family with Serena Sawyer in the future.

The reason she dislikes Serena Sawyer now is that she is blocking her marriage, but what if one day Serena accepts her as a sister-in-law?

Then I would immediately be pushed out by Victoria Monroe as a sacrifice.

I finished my work and was ready to pack up and leave. Victoria Monroe pulled me and curiously asked, "Isn’t your husband the one who promoted her to debut? I heard that man spent money, found connections, allowing her to stand out from that pile of Celadon trainees. Without that man, there wouldn’t be the Serena Sawyer today."

Hearing her say this, I subconsciously calculated the time.

Previously, as an entertainment reporter, I had done my research on Serena Sawyer’s history. She was only 16 when she was a trainee, and she debuted when she was 18.

According to Victoria Monroe, six years ago, Timothy Xavier knew Serena Sawyer and invested resources and connections for her?

If he liked Serena Sawyer back then, why did he propose to me and marry me four years ago?

Victoria Monroe saw that I wasn’t in a hurry to leave and smiled, "That man, could it be your husband?"

I suddenly started, realizing it was quite unlikely to be Timothy Xavier, and more likely was my brother.

Six years ago, my brother was cooperating with a Korean company, flying to Celadon all the time.

The reason I remembered so clearly was because I once liked a male Korean star and asked my brother to get me a signature.

Could it be that the one who invested resources in Serena Sawyer and promoted her debut was my brother?

I asked Victoria Monroe, "Do you know what that man’s last name is?"

She looked displeased, "That I don’t know. All I know is that Serena Sawyer’s family was middle class, not enough resources to promote her. But now, things have changed! Her father, her brother, are prominent figures in the academic field."

"Then you make sure to deal with your sister-in-law soon."

I politely declined Victoria Monroe’s suggestion because I didn’t want to be used by her.

After saying so much and seeing that I wasn’t tempted, Victoria Monroe probably felt embarrassed and said, "Zoe Ellison, I haven’t not given you a chance, you’re the one who didn’t cherish it. Don’t forget, you’re still in the probation period!"

As I walked towards the door, I waved at her without turning back, "Feel free to fire me anytime!"

...

On the way back, my mind was chaotic, increasingly sure that Serena Sawyer might have been with my brother for a long time.

Only I’m not clear if my brother knows whether this woman has already given birth to a child with Timothy Xavier.

I took out my phone and called The Ellison Family.

Mrs. Ellison answered.

"Mom, didn’t you say my brother is bringing his future wife home this week? Have you confirmed which day it will be?"

I was getting a bit anxious.