We need not meet again for the rest of our lives

I was disengaged. On the day I was to compete in the jewellery design competition finals. Ross declared I'd plagiarised, disqualified me from the competition, and simultaneously called off our engagement. I dialled Ross's number. "I didn't plagiarise." "Fakes have no place at the table." "Please don't break off the engagement, I..." Before I could finish, he cut me off. "Everything about you is disgusting. Get out of my life." I couldn't believe Ross was saying this to me. What devastated me more than my painstakingly designed piece being dismissed as plagiarism was Ross's lack of trust in me. I'd believed that after all these years together, after dedicating myself to him, his agreement to marry me wasn't merely because I was useful, but because he genuinely cared for me. We'd built seven years of mutual trust and support. In the end, it was all just my own delusion, my misplaced affection. "What about my position as chief designer?" "You're dismissed." "What rubbish you design. I've wanted to say it for ages – it's ugly. If it weren't for the Ross family name, who'd pay for your designs?" He trampled my last shred of dignity underfoot. He knew better than anyone how hard I’d fought to become chief designer. My pride and joy—my talent—was worthless in his eyes. “Ross…” “If it’s nothing important, don’t bother me. I’m busy.” "I... I'm... pregnant..." "Beep beep beep..." He hung up impatiently. He didn't want me anymore, nor the baby growing inside me. I'd planned to tell him today at the jewellery finals—along with presenting my award-winning trophy—that I was expecting. At eighteen, I fell head over heels for Ross. To become Ross's right-hand woman, I spent seven years climbing from intern to chief designer in the Ross family jewellery design department. My dedication earned Ross's trust. He proposed, intending to harness my talent to build his jewellery empire. Through my efforts, the Ross family rose to dominate the jewellery world, their influence shaking the entire industry. On the very day they reached the pinnacle, they discarded me. I hailed a cab back to the Ross residence immediately. Finding the original sketches of my designs and the surveillance footage of me drawing at home would clear my name. As the cab sped along, I glanced out the window and saw a large screen displaying the popular actress Anna attending an event arm-in-arm with Ross. The taxi radio announced Ross's official declaration of Anna as the Ross family jewellery ambassador. Before I could ponder why they appeared so intimate, we arrived at the Ross residence. Rushing to retrieve the design sheets, I discovered they had vanished. The surveillance footage clearly recording my sketching had disappeared. My heart sank. The only other person with unrestricted access to the Ross estate was Ross himself. I refused to believe he’d stolen my original designs and erased the evidence. If his sole aim was to annul our marriage, it seemed an extraordinary measure—especially given my value to him. Yet beyond him, I could think of no one else who could freely enter the Ross estate and take my sketches. "Who visited the surveillance room before me?" I pressed the security guard, refusing to give up. "Ross was here." The guard's words confirmed my suspicions. I didn't want to believe it, but the truth was staring me in the face. In a daze, I made my way to Ross's study. He never liked being disturbed while working, so I'd rarely set foot in there before.