Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 25

The next day as she entered the company, Scarlett wrapped herself in a long coat, trying to tread lightly, but the wounds on her feet still pulled painfully with each step.

Just as she reached the design department, she saw the receptionist awkwardly standing there holding a bouquet of white lilies.

"Ms. Seymour, these are from Mr. Gomez's assistant as an apology," the receptionist extended the flowers along with a gold-embossed card.

Scarlett didn't accept them. Her gaze fell on the white lilies—flowers commonly used for funerals. Was Max wishing her dead? 

She let out a cold laugh, snatched the bouquet and tossed it into the nearby trash can. The card, crumpled into a ball, followed it in.

"Tell him I can't afford to accept his 'apology.'"

Whispers immediately erupted around her, with several malicious glances shooting her way.

"Isn't this Ms. Seymour who was supposed to resign? Why is she back?" Nina from Marketing walked by clutching a folder, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I knew it. Who would willingly give up this job?"

"Exactly. Yesterday she made such a scene, going on about not taking any more mistreatment, and today she's crawling back with her tail between her legs. Who does she think she's fooling?"

"I heard she went out drinking with men last night. Some older guy must have roughed her up—why else would she be limping?"

These words were like poisoned needles, piercing Scarlett's eardrums. She didn't need to guess who was behind this—definitely Edith's handiwork. 

That woman was an expert at destroying reputations, turning white into black, making victims look like clowns.

"What nonsense are you spreading?" Tom jumped to his feet, pointing angrily at Nina. "Scarlett was forced to come back by Ms. Edith Seymour! You're running your mouths without knowing anything!"

"Exactly! That creep Max harasses people, and instead of criticizing him, you're badmouthing Scarlett. Have you no shame?" Patty's eyes reddened as she clenched her fists, ready to confront them.

"Enough." Scarlett held them back, her voice as still as stagnant water. "Don't argue with them. They're not worth it."

She looked at those mocking faces and suddenly smiled. "Let them say what they want. We can't control what comes out of other people's mouths, but we know what's right and what's wrong, and that's enough."

She patted Tom's shoulder, her gaze sweeping over her team members' reddened eyes. "Thank you for believing in me, but please don't get upset on my account. People who only gossip behind backs don't deserve your anger."

Her team members watched her feigned composure, their hearts aching, but they could only swallow whatever words they had prepared to say.

During lunch break, Chris suddenly burst into the design department, looking disheveled as if he had rushed back from somewhere. 

He immediately spotted the bandage on Scarlett's ankle and hurried over, his voice trembling.

"What happened to your foot? Did that bastard Max do this? I'm going to destroy him right now!"

"Chris!" Scarlett grabbed him, her palm turning white from the force. "Don't go! He's not worth it!"

"How is he not worth it?" Chris's eyes welled up as he pointed at her foot. "He hurt you like this, and you expect me to let it slide?"

"Let it go," Scarlett's voice dropped, tinged with exhaustion. "I just want to quietly get through the remaining days here without causing any more trouble."

Chris was about to say something when Scarlett suddenly turned to look out the window. 

In the parking lot below, Sebastian's black sedan pulled up slowly.

The door opened, Sebastian got out first, then walked around to open the door for Edith, his movements gentlemanly and attentive. 

Edith wore a cream-colored dress, smiling radiantly as she took his arm. They walked toward the building, laughing and talking, the sunlight bathing them in a perfectly staged portrait of a loving couple.

Chris followed her gaze and immediately understood, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. "Is this how he treats you? Watching you get bullied while he's out there living it up with Edith?"

Scarlett remained silent, slowly withdrawing her gaze as the light in her eyes gradually dimmed. She should be used to this by now, shouldn't she? 

Sebastian's tenderness never belonged to her. His protection was reserved only for Edith. She was nothing but an ugly prop in their love story, a contrast to highlight their "deep affection."

"I'm fine," she released Chris's hand, forcing a smile worse than crying. "You should get back to work. Don't waste your time here."

Chris looked at her brave facade, his heart feeling like it was being sliced open, but he ultimately said nothing, just sighed heavily before leaving.

Late that night, just as Scarlett had lain down, her phone vibrated once. It was an anonymous text containing only a photo and a news article.

In the photo, Max was lying in a hospital bed, his leg in a thick cast, his face swollen, and his forehead wrapped in bandages. 

The news was simple—Max had apparently started trouble with someone, gotten beaten badly, had his genitals crushed, and would be facing jail time after recovering from his injuries.

Scarlett's heart skipped a beat. Who did this? Chris? Unlikely. Chris was impulsive, but he wouldn't have been this discreet. 

Was it Sebastian?

She stared at the photo for a long time, her fingertips ice-cold.

Why would he do this? If he cared about her situation, why had he ignored her distress last night, only to turn around and comfort Edith?

Almost compulsively, she opened her conversation with Sebastian and sent him the photo with the question: [Did you do this?]

After sending the message, she stared at the screen for a long time, so long she thought he wouldn't reply, when suddenly her phone lit up.

[Don't let me catch you fooling around with other men again.]

He neither confirmed nor denied it. No explanation, no concern—just a warning, as if what he'd done was merely handling an insignificant nuisance, and her questioning was nothing but unreasonable nagging.

Scarlett stared at those words, the anger in her chest igniting like gasoline had been poured on it. Her fingers flew across the screen, typing so fast she nearly punctured it:

[Fooling around? That bastard was harassing ME. This was all Edith's scheme, all deliberately planned. Don't tell me you didn't know.]

[You crippled Max, destroyed his testicles, and now he's locked up at the police station. Should I thank you for 'standing up for me'?]

[You are so powerful and impressive, aren't you?]

[What about Edith? As the mastermind behind all this, why didn't you cripple her too?]

She stared at the screen, her fingertips white from pressure, each word like a poisoned blade, aimed at Sebastian but also piercing herself:

[You didn't deal with Max for my sake. You did it because you felt he touched your 'property' and made you lose face! Isn't that right? And Edith? She's your fiancée, so no matter how much she torments me, you think it's justified, don't you?]