Cecilia had always believed Sven was the responsible type, so why was he acting like this?

    "Want me to ask around for you?" she offered.

    Charlotte shook her head. "Don''t. If he found out, he''d be furious. He''d think I was digging into his life behind his back."

    She loved Sven so much that, even knowing their rtionship felt skewed, she refused to expose the cracks; she only wanted to keep going.

    Cecilia sensed that and dropped the subject.

    That afternoon, Sven returned-not to see Charlotte, but to walk straight into Cecilia''s office.

    "Something''se up at home," he said bluntly. "I can''t be your bodyguard anymore. I''ve trained a solid team; they''ll handle your safety from now on."

    Cecilia blinked. "You''re leaving all of a sudden? What happened at home?" The question slipped out instinctively; it was pure concern, not prying.

    "It''s family business. Nothing serious," Sven replied.

    Since he put it that way, Cecilia couldn''t push further.

    After working together for so many years, she was deeply grateful. "I wish there were something I could do."

    She produced a bank card and held it out to him.

    "Please take this. It''s a small token of my thanks."

    Sven''s sry was generous, yet to Cecilia, her life was worth far more.

    He shook his head. “No. I was paid to do a job. I''m resigning on my own; I don''t needpensation."

    Cecilia''s hand froze awkwardly in midair.

    "It''s my personal gratitude for all these years."

    "Still unnecessary," he refused, firm as ever.

    Cecilia withdrew the card. "All right, then I owe you a favor. If you ever need anything, promise you''ll ask."

    This time, Sven nodded. "Okay."

    He was always straightforward.

    With everything settled, Sven turned to leave; no paperwork was required.

    Watching his retreating back, Cecilia called after him again.

    "Have you told Charlotte yet?"

    Sven paused. "I''ll go tell her now."

    "All right."

    She still couldn''t understand.

    If he was leaving, why wait until now to inform his girlfriend? Did he truly not care about Charlotte?

    Meanwhile, in the assistants'' office, Charlotte sat at herputer, unease twisting inside her, and her

    eyes kept flicking toward the.ne

    doorway.

    Atst, she saw Sven walking toward her.

    Her stomach tightened, yet she forced a casual tone, “So you finally decided toe back?"

    Sven stepped in, swung the door

    shut behind him, and only then

    replied, "Yeah, but I have to hel

    again this afternoon." Contoo

    Swe

    out

    "What? Why?" Charlotte frowned. "Didn''t you settle the family business while you were away?"

    "No." Sven shook his head, a flicker of somethingplicated passing through

    his eyes.

    After sitting down, he added, "Once I leave this time, I''m noting back to Tud."

    The words struck Charlotte like a bolt of lightning.

    A chill seeped into her hands and

    feet

    the

    heat flooded her cheeks,

    in her chest almost

    unbearable. Content be cheebet

    "What do you mean? If you''re noting back to Tud, what happens to me? What am I supposed to do?"

    She worked in Tud with Cecilia; there was no way she could drop everything and follow him.

    Wasn''t he basically announcing a breakup?