Chapter 171 Randall Broke Up With Zia

"As for my personal life," I continued, keeping my tone indifferent, "we're way past the point of you needing to comment on which woman is good or bad for me. I don't meddle in your love life, so do me the same favor and stay out of mine. "If you're really so free that you want to help, why don't you introduce me to some of the high-quality people in your circle? I'd be forever grateful. That's it. Goodbye, and good luck." I hung up without giving Yvette a chance to respond. Then, in one smooth motion, I blocked her number and deleted her contact. Before the divorce, I never dared to take such bold steps, but now that our paths were officially separate, there was no point in keeping her number. Not long after, she tried calling me again, but I wasn't about to slip up this time. I hit the block button like it was second nature. After that, it was as if Yvette had vanished from my world, leaving me with a rare sense of peace. I turned my attention back to chatting with a college friend who was also a social media influencer with a decent following. She agreed to help promote Lila's story for a fee, and I immediately said yes without hesitation. Once I finished eating, the exhaustion caught up with me. After a quick wash, I noticed a message from Lila, saying, "Owen, don't let the online gossip get to you. Come visit me when you have time, but don't rush." Kenny's words echoed in my mind, and my chest tightened as if weighed down by a heavy stone. I'd told Lila countless times that we were just friends, that there was nothing romantic between us. We were too close—practically family. Love simply couldn't take root between us. If it could, I wouldn't have fallen for Yvette the moment I met her. But now? Lila's behavior was starting to confuse me. If it were anyone else, I would've cut ties immediately, leaving no room for misunderstandings. But Lila was different. I owed her my life. That debt was something I could never repay, and I couldn't bring myself to hurt her. In the end, I decided not to respond to her message. My priority was resolving the issue with her withdrawal from the show—at least then, I'd feel less guilty. The next day, I went to work as usual and discussed the final version of a project with Nancy. She sipped her coffee while casually teasing me. "Anything you touch is gold, Owen. You know I'm 100% satisfied." She suddenly leaned forward, her voice dripping with curiosity. "By the way, Yvette knows you're the 'Owen' I mentioned. So why hasn't she tried to remarry you yet?" I let out a dry laugh. "What, she's ready to remarry just because she knows who I am now? Yvette may be short on original artists, but she doesn't need me as her ex-husband-slash-artist. We're done, Nancy. Stop linking me back to her." Nancy nearly dropped her coffee in shock. She quickly set it on the table and stared at me in disbelief. "What's that supposed to mean? If she ever wants to remarry, it's going to be next to impossible now." Her words surprised me too. Yvette wanting to remarry me? Where was this coming from? But Nancy had always been a hardcore fan of our "relationship." Trying to explain anything to her was a waste of time. "Well, if you're happy with the final proposal, I'll submit it. Once this project wraps up and the competition is over, we can roll out the collaboration skins. They'll sell like hotcakes, and your company will be swimming in profits. Nancy, I've done my part. It's time for me to resign." To my surprise, Nancy didn't react the way I'd expected. Instead of her usual dramatic protests, she looked calm, almost nonchalant. "Not happening." I tried reasoning with her. "Nancy, Yvette and I are divorced. I blocked her number last night. You know how petty she can be—she's not going to let me stick around in a company she's tied to. You're better off letting me go. I don't even have any pending projects to hand over. It's the perfect time to cut ties." Nancy's alluring eyes locked onto mine, her expression both playful and pleading. "Yvette is Yvette, but you're my employee. What she says doesn't matter. Owen, can't you just stay and help me out? I didn't stop you from pursuing advanced studies or working with Mr. Quenwell. I even approved your paid leave for it! Don't leave me hanging now—I need you, even if it's just on paper." Her sincerity was so disarming that I almost laughed. "And are you not worried about pissing Yvette off anymore?" She shrugged, her tone light. "This is a different situation. If she's mad, she can take it up with me later. But you're staying put for now." I still planned to leave, but her earnestness got to me. I reluctantly agreed to help her find a replacement before officially resigning. As I left her office, it hit me—I'd been played. Nancy was no fool, even though she came off as a spoiled rich kid. Her emotional intelligence was off the charts. She'd never been outright harsh with me; she always managed to sweet-talk me into doing what she wanted. But I knew the truth. Nancy only started treating me differently when she realized I was Owen. If she didn't know that, she would've been just like she was in my past life—condescending and dismissive. This time, I wouldn't let history repeat itself. I'd build my own empire, establish my own territory, and rise to their level. Then, they'd never look down on me again. Back at my desk, I noticed Zia sitting nearby, her face pale and drained as she stared blankly at her screen. I glanced at her computer. She was working on a "New Year's Event Proposal," but her expression gave her away. Something was clearly bothering her. "What's wrong?" I asked casually. Startled, she looked up and forced a weak smile. "Oh, Owen… it's nothing. I'll be fine." I frowned. "Are you sure? Is the proposal giving you trouble?" She hesitated, then shook her head. "No, it's not that. It's personal. Sorry, I'll snap out of it soon." Her energy was so low it was almost painful to watch. My instincts told me this was about her love life. She hadn't found Randall yet, had she? That would explain it. She didn't even know I'd run into him because of Yvette. I gave a noncommittal grunt and went back to work, not wanting to get dragged into their drama. The room was quiet except for the sound of typing, but then I noticed Zia's tears dripping onto her keyboard. Her voice, shaky and filled with frustration, broke the silence. "Owen… Randall finally agreed to see me yesterday, but he broke up with me as soon as we met. I went to his dorm to talk it out, but he wasn't there. His roommate said he left with some gorgeous woman, laughing and smiling, and they drove off in a luxury car together."