Raphael halted, casting a cold glance at Sharon.

"You're overthinking it," he stated before departing.

Sharon choked back tears and exclaimed, "Raphael, you can't deny it. You've rejected me all these years because you still love her, don't you? Now that you see her wealthy background, how could she ever return to you? She dumped you back then because she thought you were beneath her. She was just playing with you."

Raphael ignored her.

Later that afternoon, Sharon received a notice from the human resources department instructing her to relocate to the overseas branch for two years. Furious, she promptly phoned Kiley, Raphael's mother.

She was certain Kiley would take her side.

In Kiley's eyes, Sharon was the ideal daughter-in-law for their family.

After departing the mall, Olivia was in a sour mood.

Seated in the car, she remained silent. Cecilia turned to her and said gently, "It's been years, but you still haven't let go! If you truly care for him, go get him back. He and the woman beside him don't seem compatible. See the way he looked at her? I doubt they're in a relationship."

Neither Mark nor Cecilia was aware of Raphael's family background.

Olivia remained silent on the matter.

Her relationship with Raphael had dissolved over time. She opted for silence on the matter.

Exhausted, she sought solace in her mother's arms, murmuring, “Mom, it's been eight years, and I thought I'd moved on, but ever since I return to Duefron, he's always been there, taunting me!"

Perhaps she hesitated earlier, but now she was resolute.

She resolved to return to Czanch.

With aging parents and a brother occupied in Duefron, she committed to caring for her family in Czanch. Marriage prospects, whether fueled by love or not, seemed inconsequential; one impulsive choice sufficed.

Cecilia had shown courage in her youth.

Preferring to spare her daughter's pain, Cecilia remained silent, offering only a comforting touch and honoring her daughter's decision.

Soon, Olivia and Cecilia returned to Czanch, laden with belongings, opting for their own transportation.

In the chilly wintry morning, the frigid air transformed each exhaled breath into a fleeting mist, dissipating into the breeze.