Ezra, trying to sound considerate and a little eager to please, added, “How about we go watch the sunset on Mount Ashmore for our anniversary? You’ve been wanting to go for months, and I finally have some free time.”
Shermaine’s expression grew even more distant. She forced a strained smile. “Forget it. I’m tied up with a group project. I can’t get away.”
Ezra hesitated, his dark eyes briefly clouded with a rare trace of hurt.
“Shermaine, don’t you remember? Your project is almost finished. The final tasks can be handled by my department.”
He paused, then asked, almost timidly, “Shermaine, did I do something to upset you?”
Shermaine didn’t answer. She just looked at him coolly, a chill spreading inside her.
If he hadn’t mentioned it, she might have forgotten.
As a mentor, Shermaine had been overseeing a project with several students. The school hadn’t supported it at first, but Ezra had kept pouring money into it.
In fact, to ease some of Shermaine’s stress, he’d even set up a project department to collaborate directly with her team, allowing him to fund it without question.
At the time, Shermaine had been touched by his gesture.
It wasn’t until she started investigating Ezra and Melanie’s relationship that she had a rude awakening.
The night that marked the beginning of their affair—the night of passion—was also the night Ezra had announced the creation of the project department.
So, Ezra didn’t establish that department just to help her. It was more about making it easier for him to have an affair with Melanie.
All those sweet memories from the past, the ones that had once filled her heart with warmth, turned into slaps to her face, one after the other, as realization hit.
Now, seeing Ezra’s eager, affectionate expression, Shermaine only found it laughable.
He was still pretending.
A quiet, bitter laugh escaped her throat before she nodded. “Alright, let’s go together.”
After all, she had her own “gift” to give Ezra on that day.
