Chapter 12
628words
The venue was the company's rooftop garden. The event was lavish, attended by virtually all executives and colleagues who knew Sylvia.
Champagne flowed, gourmet food circulated, music played—yet beneath the festive veneer ran an undercurrent of tension.
Everyone understood this was no ordinary farewell. The past month's events had transformed Sylvia's departure into corporate legend. Everyone wondered: Would Grayson try to keep her? Where would Sterling ultimately land?
Sylvia wore a knee-length pearl white dress, moving through the crowd with elegant poise, exchanging farewells with perfect composure.
She received countless flowers, gifts, and well-wishes, maintaining a perfectly calibrated smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Garrett stood in the shadows nearby, untouched champagne in hand, his gaze magnetically fixed on Sylvia.
He watched her chat animatedly with colleagues, accept compliments graciously, and effortlessly control the gathering's rhythm.
She radiated confidence and poise, as if embarking on a grand adventure rather than leaving a seven-year position. This realization seared Garrett's heart like a branding iron.
He noticed her gaze sweeping toward the entrance repeatedly. Who was she expecting? Lawrence Langford, perhaps?
As if confirming his suspicion, a stir at the entrance heralded Lawrence Langford's arrival. He wore a casual suit without tie, looking effortlessly handsome. He walked directly to Sylvia and presented an elegant bouquet of magnolias.
"Congratulations, Miss Sterling. Or perhaps I should say, best wishes on your new journey," Lawrence said with a genuine smile.
"Thank you, President Langford. You're too kind." Sylvia accepted with a gracious smile.
Standing together in quiet conversation, they made a striking pair that prompted immediate whispers.
"Look, Langford from ClearCore actually showed up!"
"So Sterling to ClearCore is confirmed?"
"Grayson looks like he's about to explode…"
These whispers pierced Garrett's ears like needles. Watching Lawrence look at Sylvia with undisguised admiration and determination drove him nearly mad with jealousy!
As the party reached its climax, the host invited Sylvia to give her farewell speech.
Sylvia ascended the stage with graceful poise, taking the microphone as the room fell silent.
She surveyed the audience, her gaze sweeping over familiar and unfamiliar faces. Her eyes rested on Garrett for barely a second before moving on, as if he were just another face in the crowd.
"Thank you all for coming today," her clear, composed voice carried throughout the space. "These seven years at Grayson Enterprises have been invaluable to my professional journey. I'm grateful for the platform this company provided and for the support from all my colleagues…"
Her speech was flawless—thanking appropriate people, sharing select anecdotes, offering measured optimism about the future. It was perfect, like a textbook example.
Yet throughout the entire ten-minute address, she never once mentioned "Garrett Grayson," nor offered him a single word of thanks—despite his being her direct superior for seven years.
This deliberate omission cut deeper than any direct criticism could have.
The audience's expressions grew increasingly awkward, with glances darting toward Garrett, who stood frozen in the corner.
Garrett stood there, feeling his blood turn to ice. She wouldn't grant him even this small dignity. Was she erasing every trace of their connection, publicly excising him from her narrative?
Sylvia finished with a slight bow. The audience erupted in enthusiastic, if somewhat awkward, applause.
The host quickly took over: "Thank you, Secretary Sterling, for those heartfelt words! Next, we'll—"
"Wait!"
A hoarse, strained, yet commanding voice cut through the room.
The entire gathering froze.
All eyes turned to see Garrett setting down his glass and emerging from the shadows, moving deliberately toward the stage. His steps were unsteady, his face pale, his eyes alarmingly red-rimmed.
He mounted the stage and, to everyone's astonishment, took the microphone from the stunned host.
His hand trembled visibly.
