At that moment, there was a sudden knock on the door. Seraphina, panicking, quickly pushed Zachary away and cleared her throat before responding to Niamh outside, "Mom, I'm already in bed."
Niamh's voice came through the door, "Seraphina, I need to talk to you."
Seraphina's heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She hurriedly pulled Zachary into the walk-in closet.
The next second, Niamh opened the door and walked in. Seraphina quickly sat down on the couch.
She tried to steady her breathing and softly asked, "Mom, it's so late. What's up?"
Niamh sighed gently and said, "Seraphina, ever since the car accident, my headaches haven't stopped, and I'm getting older. The company needs to be managed by someone trustworthy."
Seraphina hesitated for a moment but then agreed, "Mom, I'll give it a try."
Niamh smiled with relief and added, "I'll take you to the company tomorrow to get familiar with the business. Get some rest."
With that, she left the room happily.
After seeing Niamh out, Seraphina quickly walked back to the closet.
"Tomorrow, I'll meet with Della and explain about calling off the engagement," Zachary said, stepping out of the closet with a serious expression.
Seraphina's heart tightened, and she quickly asked, "How are you going to tell her?"
Zachary paused before answering, "I'll tell her the truth—that I have feelings for someone else and hope she'll agree to break off the engagement."
Seraphina looked troubled and pleaded, "Please don't mention me. Try not to hurt her."
Zachary looked at her and nodded, "Don't worry. For your sake, I'll be as gentle as possible."
Then, feeling a bit down, Zachary stepped forward and gently hugged her, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry, we have plenty of time."
Seraphina, with teary eyes, watched him as he moved towards the balcony and softly reminded him, "You should either use the front door or go through the basement."
Zachary glanced back at her and refused, "No need."
With that, he leaped off the balcony.
Seraphina ran to the balcony and watched his figure disappear into the night, her worries easing.
That night, Seraphina tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, with Zachary's image constantly in her mind.
Early in the morning, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was Della calling, she quickly answered, only to hear Della's excited voice, "Seraphina, Zachary asked me to meet him!"
Della eagerly asked, "Seraphina, how should I dress?"
Seraphina felt a mix of emotions but reassured her, "Just be yourself."
After hanging up, Seraphina checked the time—it was 8:30. She chose a pink suit, ready to accompany Niamh to the company.
After breakfast, the mother and daughter arrived at the company. Niamh's company was large, with numerous real estate projects.
Seraphina diligently took notes on important matters.
At 11:00 AM, Seraphina glanced at her watch, worried about how Della would react to Zachary's news.
Meanwhile, Della, dressed in a white off-shoulder dress with elegant makeup, arrived at the restaurant on time. From a distance, she saw Zachary sitting there, his presence making her nervous as she fidgeted with her dress.
After sitting down, Zachary politely said, "Order whatever you like."
Della blushed slightly and softly replied, "You order. I'm fine with anything."
Zachary took the menu and ordered a few simple dishes, then poured Della a cup of tea.
After a pause, he looked serious and said, "Della, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?" Della's heart raced, her hand trembling as she held the teacup.
"I want to call off the engagement," Zachary said calmly.
"Why?" Della was shocked and hurt, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.
Her hand shook, causing the teacup to spill tea on the tablecloth.
Zachary took a deep breath and confessed, "Because I have feelings for someone else."
Della was devastated and unwilling to accept it, biting her lip as she asked, "What kind of person is she?"
Zachary's eyes softened as he replied, "She may not be as accomplished as you, but in my heart, no one can replace her."
Della couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
At that moment, the waiter brought the food, looking awkward at the scene. Della, lost in her sorrow, didn't notice.
"You'll find a better man," Zachary said, trying to comfort her, though his voice was cold.
A few minutes later, Della, holding back her tears, grabbed her bag and quickly left the restaurant.
She ran to a nearby café and immediately called Seraphina, crying about the broken engagement.
Hearing this, Seraphina was anxious. She checked the location and quickly drove over.
When she found Della, her eyes were swollen from crying, her face full of sadness.
Seraphina's heart ached. She walked up and hugged Della tightly, comforting her, "Della, it's better to know now than to suffer later."
"Della, what kind of girl do you think he likes?" Della asked, sobbing in her arms.
Seraphina gently stroked her back and advised, "Don't dwell on it. It's not worth it."
"Della, what if my family finds out?" Della said, choking on her tears.
Seraphina softly reassured her, "They'll find out eventually. Don't worry."
Knowing Della hadn't eaten, Seraphina was angry, "How could he do this!"
Della quickly defended Zachary, "Seraphina, it's not his fault. I just lost my appetite."
Then, with a determined look, Della said, "Seraphina, I want to eat the most expensive food. I need to eat away my sadness."
"Alright, I'll join you," Seraphina said, taking Della to a five-star restaurant.
As Della devoured her food, Seraphina had little appetite.
They talked about Seraphina's breakup with Nico, and Della angrily said, "Seraphina, Nico was such a jerk. You're better off without him."
"I have nothing to do with Nico anymore," Seraphina said angrily, gritting her teeth.
Seraphina then told Della about her plans to take over her mother's company.
Della praised her, "Seraphina, you'll do great!"
After finishing his task, Zachary planned to spend some time with Atlas. He approached Atlas and took a deep breath, saying, "Grandpa, I told Della and called off the engagement."
Atlas was shocked and scolded, "Why didn't you discuss such a big decision with me?"
"Grandpa, because I have feelings for someone else, that's why I called it off," Zachary said firmly.
"Who is she?" Atlas asked, frowning.
"It's a secret for now," Zachary replied, shaking his head.
Atlas reluctantly informed the York family.
"Grandpa, I'll personally apologize to the York family for the trouble I've caused," Zachary said, knowing his actions had damaged the Baker family's reputation with the Yorks.
Atlas waved his hand, "No need, but you must bring that girl home for dinner in a week."
Zachary hesitated but nodded, "I'll try."
Due to the broken engagement, the York family gathered for dinner at the York Villa.
Hawk gently comforted Della, "Della, don't worry about it. I'll introduce you to other great men."
He then turned to Verity and advised, "Don't hold any grudges. If it's not meant to be, it's better to find out now."
Verity wanted to say something, but Niamh quickly explained, "Zachary's job is too dangerous. We've met before, and Della would be constantly worried if she married him. It's better this way."
Della looked up, sniffled, and said, "I don't want to get married for now. I want to travel abroad and relax."
Seraphina, feeling awkward, slipped out to the garden for some fresh air.
She looked up at the stars, her mind drifting to the times she and Zachary watched the stars at the camp. But she quickly pushed those thoughts away, feeling it was unfair to Della, and sighed deeply.