"Mr. Mercer, how well do you know your fiancée?" Lionel asked, his face serious as he looked at Lance.
Lance raised an eyebrow at the question. "What are you trying to say, Mr. Grant?"
"Miss Jones is one of the most promising researchers I've ever met. She loves pharmaceuticals, but external factors have hindered her from fully pursuing her dreams. Do you understand what I mean, Mr. Mercer?" Lionel finished, locking eyes with Lance.
For a moment, their gazes burned with intensity.
Lance's expression turned colder. The reason was clear: this man had the audacity to try to poach his fiancée right in front of him and even insinuate that he was holding her back.
Lance smirked. "Mr. Grant, if you think I don't understand my fiancée, I should return the sentiment. No one knows her better than I do. If she wants to do research, I can provide the best equipment and facilities in the world for her to study anything she desires."
Lionel was left speechless, his face turning an unpleasant shade.
Seeing Lionel's discomfort, Lance's cold demeanor showed a hint of satisfaction. He then noticed Deanna reaching for a shrimp and quickly intercepted it. "Let me peel that for you. You can eat something else first," he said gently, placing the shrimp in her bowl and starting to peel it.
Aniyah, watching from the side, couldn't help but express her envy. "Mr. Mercer is so good to you."
Deanna smiled happily at Lance's attentiveness.
Lionel watched this scene with growing bitterness.
Throughout the meal, Deanna and Aniyah enjoyed themselves, while only Lionel and Lance seemed tense.
As they were parting, Deanna invited Aniyah, "If you have time, come visit me in Cloudmere."
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Deanna felt a strong connection with Aniyah, who seemed to have a clear understanding of life.
Aniyah nodded. "I'll visit you when I get the chance."
Deanna smiled and then turned to Lionel. "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days, Mr. Grant."
"Miss Jones, you don't need to thank me. On the contrary, you've helped me a lot," Lionel replied, looking at Deanna with unspoken words.
Lance, standing nearby, noticed Lionel's lingering gaze and grew even colder. "Deanna, the car is here. We should go."
"Alright," Deanna responded, bidding farewell to Lionel and Aniyah.
Lionel could only swallow his words and forced a smile. "Take care on the road. Let's stay in touch."
"Goodbye," Deanna said as she waved.
Soon, Deanna and Lance got into the car and left.
Lionel watched the car disappear into the distance, lost in thought.
Aniyah stood beside him and remarked, "Stop looking. She's gone, and you'll never have a chance."
Lionel remained silent and motionless.
Seeing this, Aniyah decided not to say more. Instead, she brought up another matter in a calm voice. "By the way, I sent my resignation letter to your email this afternoon. I'm leaving the research institute to explore other opportunities."
Lionel finally reacted. "You're leaving?!"
He looked at Aniyah in surprise.
Aniyah met his gaze and took a deep breath. "Yes. You know why I've stayed at the institute all these years. I had hoped that since there were no other women around you and you weren't interested in anyone outside of research, one day you might notice me. But Deanna's arrival made me realize things aren't as I thought. After ten years of unfulfilled hopes, it's time to let go for both our sakes."
Lionel looked at her with complex emotions in his eyes.
He opened his mouth as if to say something but was interrupted by Aniyah.
"Don't try to persuade me. I've made up my mind. To move on completely, I've already bought a ticket to travel around the world. Take care of yourself," she said with a sense of relief.
Without waiting for his response, she turned and left.
Meanwhile, on the way back, Deanna noticed that Lance seemed upset. His handsome face had been tense since they got into the car.
"What's wrong? Did someone upset you?" she asked curiously.
Lance looked down at her but didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled her into a tight embrace.
Deanna was puzzled by his sudden action. What had happened? He was fine just a moment ago.
She asked again, "Did something happen?"