Chapter 3

Caleb Doyle stared at Camille's resignation letter.

As one of Damien Harrington's personal secretaries, Caleb belonged to the small group who knew Camille was not merely the head of the secretarial department. She was Damien's wife, though the marriage had never looked like one.

Camille had joined Harrington Group because she wanted to be near him. Damien refused to make her his personal secretary even after Russell intervened, so she accepted an ordinary position and worked under the same rules as everyone else.

Caleb had expected entitlement and disruption. Instead, Camille became the hardest-working person on the team. Through pregnancy, childbirth, and every family crisis, she never asked for special treatment. She earned each promotion until she led the department.

Damien never asked about her progress.

Years earlier, when management hesitated over promoting her, someone had mentioned the matter to him. His answer became policy.

"Handle it by the book. Don't mention her to me again."

Caleb had believed Camille would keep enduring that indifference forever.

"I've received your resignation," he said carefully. "I'll arrange a replacement."

"Thank you."

Later, during an online meeting with Damien, Caleb nearly reported it. Then he remembered the standing rule: Camille's employment was never to be brought to Damien.

Damien noticed his hesitation. "What is it?"

"Nothing, sir."

The meeting ended.

At lunch, a colleague asked Camille why she had not called Chloe.

"Not today."

Everyone on the team knew Camille used to call her daughter twice a day. None of them knew that daughter was Chloe Harrington.

After work, Camille bought groceries and several potted plants for the apartment. That evening, instead of waiting for Damien, she researched the coming technology exhibition.

Then she made a call.

"Reserve a ticket for me next month."

The man on the other end sounded unimpressed. "The last two times I got you a ticket, you never appeared. People would fight for those seats."

The annual exhibition was one of the most important events in the technology industry. Her old company received only a handful of invitations.

"If I miss this one, I'll never ask again."

The line went silent, then disconnected.

Camille smiled. He had agreed.

Before her marriage, she had been a partner in an AI company. She stepped away for Damien and Chloe, costing the team opportunities and leaving colleagues who once trusted her furious. She had been gone for six years. Returning would require more than an apology.

For the next several days, Camille worked at Harrington Group by day and rebuilt her technical knowledge at night. She did not contact Damien or Chloe.

Neither contacted her.

In Lucerne, Chloe called Selene every morning. One day the call ended in tears.

"I'm returning home soon," Selene had told her.

Chloe immediately called Damien. "Did you know?"

"Yes."

"I don't want her to leave! If she goes, I want to go home too."

Damien turned a page in the document before him. "It's already arranged."

Chloe sniffled. "What is?"

"We're leaving next week."