Chapter 1

My resignation letter was halfway out of the printer when someone pushed open the office door.

Evelyn walked in on seven-centimeter heels, tossed a document onto my desk, and ordered me around.

“Ethan, redo this report.”

She didn’t even look at me. She lowered her head and scrolled through her phone, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.

I knew that smile.

She had worn the same expression in college when she received a reply from Julian.

Seven years had passed, and I had almost forgotten that she could show such a soft expression.

It had simply never been for me.

“Ms. Evelyn,” I said calmly, “the finance department already approved this report yesterday.”

She finally looked up, her brows drawing together slightly. “I said redo it, so redo it. Do you have a problem with that?”

I lowered my eyes, my fingertips unconsciously rubbing the body of my pen.

It was a birthday present she had given me during my first year at the company. It wasn’t a designer brand, but she had chosen it herself.

“Fine. I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

“I need it before the end of today.” She turned to leave, then seemed to remember something.

“Oh, right. Order me a box of chocolate truffles. They have to be imported from Belgium. I’m giving them to someone.”

My heart sank. “A client?”

“What’s wrong, Ethan? Are you jealous?” She raised her brows, her eyes carrying a hint of teasing. “Relax. They’re for a client.”

“If you like them, order a box for yourself too. Charge it to the company.”

“No need. I’ve given up sugar.” I lowered my head in silence and wrote down her request in my notes.

Satisfied, she turned and left, the click of her heels fading into the distance.

Outside the window, the streamers from the listing celebration had yet to be completely cleared away.

Just yesterday, we had been raising our glasses together to celebrate the greatest victory of our seven years.

I thought it marked the beginning of our new life.

I never expected it to be the end of something I had imagined alone.

At four in the afternoon, I sent the revised report to Evelyn’s email.

At five-thirty, I left the office right on time.

As I passed her office, I saw through the half-open door that she was touching up her makeup in front of a mirror, with the white roses I had ordered sitting on her desk.

They were vibrant and delicate, just like her face at that moment.

My assistant, Noah, leaned over and lowered his voice. “Ethan, does Ms. Evelyn have something going on?”

I tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Mind your own business.”

In the elevator, I stared absently at the reflection of the thirty-year-old man on the mirrored wall.

The light that had once shone in my eyes was long gone. All that remained was the exhaustion of one day after another.

When Evelyn first started the company, I invested every penny of my savings.

At our poorest, I didn’t even have a hundred dollars to my name.

When the two of us were crammed into a tiny office, eating instant noodles, she looked into my eyes and said seriously:

“Ethan, we’re going to make it. Once we start making money, I’ll give you a salary even higher than a million dollars.”

I believed her.

Not because I believed she would give me that much money, but because I believed that one day, she would finally see me, the man who had always stood behind her.

Seven years had passed. The company was now worth billions, yet she no longer needed me.

My phone rang. It was Evelyn.

“Ethan, tomorrow morning’s meeting is canceled. I have some personal business to take care of.”

I already knew what she meant, but I still asked, “Do you need me to arrange a car?”

“No. Julian is coming to pick me up.”

Julian.

She said his name so naturally.

“Okay. Is there anything you need me to prepare?”

“No, you…” She paused. “You should get some rest.”

Before she hung up, I heard Julian’s voice in the background.

“Evelyn, who’s calling you so late?”

“It’s the company secretary. I just had to give him some instructions.”

Secretary.

Those two words drew a line through every boundary between us.