Raphael had been extremely upset recently. If not for Kiley's intervention, he might have given Sharon the boot already.

And though he hadn't outwardly punished Sharon, he had reassigned her to the advertising department where securing a contract with Flora was now her primary responsibility-a task made all the more difficult by Olivia's interference, Sharon suspected.

Olivia straightened in her seat, addressing her former classmate with a detached tone, "Sharon, it's been eight years since Raphael and I split, and you've gotten what you wanted... There's no need to flaunt your relationship in front of me every time; I truly don't care about it anymore."

A strange smile flickered across Sharon's face, possibly a reaction to her bruised ego.

At that moment, the window by the back seat rolled down, revealing a somber face. It was Raphael, sitting in the vehicle.

Olivia was surprised to see him there but stood by her words.

Their breakup had been long ago.

She caught Raphael's eye briefly, rolled up her window and drove away.

Inside the car, Raphael remained silent, brooding.

Sharon turned to look at him, offering a nervous smile, aware that Raphael had yet to move on from Olivia.

His feelings for Olivia were complex-hate mingled with incessant thought.

Sharon's voice trembled as she proposed, “Let's get married, Ray."

Raphael's silence was a quiet rejection.

After a painful pause, he said coldly, “Get in the car!"

Instead of complying, Sharon crouched down, hiding her face in her hands as tears trickled through her fingers. For eight years, she had dedicated herself to supporting Raphael, yet she received no compassion in return.

He was still fixated on Olivia.

After watching her silently for a moment, Raphael instructed the driver, "Hit the road."

As Sharon refused to get in the car, Raphael directed the driver to leave, showing no sign of hesitation or compromise-typical of his treatment of Sharon over the years.

Raphael's reasons for keeping Sharon close were pragmatic rather than romantic.

Initially, he was drawn to Sharon because she stood out in their circle. Curious, Raphael wondered if he could fall in love with such a remarkable woman, perhaps then he could marry her and erase Olivia from his thoughts.