I gave my heart to the bright moon, but the moon shines on the gutter

The moment I heard those words, my gaze locked onto Christopher.

I had stepped back earlier only to avoid repeating my past mistakes—not because I feared him.

My stare seemed to sting Christopher.

Gritting his teeth, he sneered, "What? You’re just an outsider. You wouldn’t dare lay a hand on the Smith family’s future son-in-law right in front of the patriarch, would you?"

But Mr. Smith immediately cut in with a cold snort.

"Hmph! If you hadn’t said that, I would’ve thought you were the one running this family! You sure sounded comfortable giving orders just now."

I understood—Mr. Smith was still on my side.

Humiliated twice in a row, even Christopher’s shamelessness had its limits.

"Come on, baby, say something for me!"

He immediately grabbed Isabella’s arm, shaking it pleadingly.

Though hesitant, Isabella finally turned to me. "Matthew, the choice is yours."

"Either do as Christopher says, or—"

"No need for the ultimatum. I never planned to stay."

My words made Mr. Smith rise to his feet.

"That’s out of the question!"

He gripped my shoulder.

"You’re the Smith family’s chief pharmaceutical expert! If you leave, what happens to the unfinished drugs? Those are your life’s work!"

Mr. Smith smiled bitterly.

I knew he wasn’t worried about the company’s profits being affected if the research failed.

He was just looking for an excuse to make me stay.

"Mr. Smith, all the finalized drug data has already been recorded. The Smith family’s expert team will assist you in completing the remaining research."

I smiled, completely devoid of the anger one might expect from being cast out. If anything, I felt lighter than ever.

"As long as professionals handle the follow-up, there won’t be any issues."

"It’s just a shame I won’t be able to help you anymore. I hope you find a true successor soon."

I made sure to emphasize one thing—the Smith family’s experts were competent enough to finish my work, but only if meddlers like Christopher were kept far away.

"What the hell do you mean by ‘true successor’? Are you implying that Isabella and I aren’t fit to inherit the family?"

Christopher was fuming.

But I didn’t even grant him a glance in response.

"Mr. Smith, I take my leave."

With that, I turned to walk away for good.

"Stop!"

Christopher spread his arms, blocking my path.

"If you’re really leaving, then do it clean!"

"However you came to the Smith family, that’s how you should leave!"

"The clothes on your back, the watch on your wrist, even the car you’ll drive out—which of these wasn’t bought with the Smith family’s money? How shameless are you to take them with you?"

Christopher raised his chin defiantly.

Clearly, he was just nitpicking now.

"If you’ve got nothing better to say, shut up."

I shot him an icy glare.

"Let’s not even talk about the past. Just in the last two years, I’ve developed three commercialized drugs for the Smith family, each averaging over a billion in profits."

"Thirty billion—isn’t that enough to cover these things?"

I stared straight at Christopher, watching his lips twitch in frustration.

He had lost again.

I wanted him to know—I was leaving of my own will, not because some worthless fool had driven me out.

But what I didn’t expect was for Isabella to suddenly bite her lip and step in front of me.

"Matthew, everything you just mentioned was merely repayment for the Smith family raising you all these years."