The Love I Begged For Was Never Real novel Chapter 429

Arthur turned his head to look at the gloomy sky outside the window. "The lawyers' letters from all the major partners are already piled up on the desks out there. The atelier's accounts have been frozen, and the penalty fees are an astronomical figure."

"The atelier's reputation is entirely destroyed. In this industry, once your name is dirty, you can never wash it clean again."

"This is the mutual termination agreement between you and the company. Sign it. You don't need to pay the breach of contract penalty, just consider it a formality."

Nora stared at the agreement, the black ink on white paper looking painfully harsh under the fluorescent lights.

Arthur had arranged an easy way out for her, yet there wasn't a trace of the former warmth in his tone.

Her unbending fingers couldn't even grip a pen, let alone muster the strength to open the document.

"Professor, you don't believe me either."

Looking at the old man before her, tears swam in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Nora, I'm old. I fought tooth and nail in this industry my entire life, only to end up with a ruined reputation in my twilight years."

Arthur walked over to the desk, his fingers gently brushing against the brass nameplate engraved with "Lawrence Atelier."

This studio was his life's work. From a tiny workshop with just two people, he had fought his way up to establish it in the metropolis, exhausting decades of his youth and energy.

He treated this place like his home, and every employee like his own child.

Now, this towering building had collapsed entirely.

"Lawrence Atelier is closing its doors."

"We enter bankruptcy liquidation this afternoon. All equipment and blueprints will be seized to pay off the debts."

Nora stood completely still, her body shaking violently.

"Professor, I'm so sorry..."

Nora broke into sobs, her knees buckling as she dropped straight onto the freezing floor of the office. "I dragged the atelier down. I brought this upon you. I'm sorry..."

She couldn't prove her innocence and could only watch helplessly as her mentor's life's work was utterly destroyed because of her.

That suffocating sense of helplessness made her feel more despair than when her hands were crushed.

Arthur didn't step forward to help her up. With a heavy sigh, he turned around and slowly closed the lid of the cardboard box.

The old man's back looked indescribably lonely and desolate.

"My old bones will just have to accept this fate."

With his back to her, Arthur spoke in a low voice, delivering his final verdict.

"Nora, leave. Don't ever come looking for me again."

He paused, every word laced with a cold, absolute finality.

"From this moment on, stop calling yourself my student."

That definitive sentence exploded in the quiet office. Arthur had personally severed all ties between them, stripping away her last sense of belonging in this industry.

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