Chapter 1

During the company dinner, only two seats are left. One seat is in the corner, and the other is right next to Lana Sheffield, my secret girlfriend of three years.

I barely take a step forward before she calls out my friend's name instead. "Jasper, come sit over here."

Our coworkers erupt into squeals, and the group chat goes wild.

"He's hot, and she's gorgeous! They look amazing just sitting next to each other!"

"Ms. Sheffield has never asked anyone to sit with her before!"

"I'm telling you, she treats Jasper differently. I don't care—this ship is real!"

Throughout the entire dinner, Lana doesn't spare me a single glance, all to avoid raising suspicion. A server even burns me while setting down a dish, but she's too busy jumping in whenever someone tries to get Jasper to drink and piling food on his plate to even notice.

In that moment, one thought suddenly surfaces in my mind—I don't want to keep going with this relationship that nobody can ever know about.

Chapter 1

Declan's POV

I went to the restroom to deal with the burn and found a message my friend, Jasper Henley, had sent half an hour earlier.

"Don't read too much into what people are saying in the group chat, Declan. Our coworkers just like stirring things up. Don't let it get to you."

I dried my hands and typed back, "I know."

My girlfriend, Lana Sheffield, had texted too, just a minute ago. "That was only to keep things from looking suspicious. Don't overthink it."

I stared at the message, and something heavy settled in my chest.

Three years at this company, and I'd lost count of how many times it had played out the same way. At every team outing, dinner, and meeting, the person beside Lana was always the department manager or Jasper or some other coworker. It was never me.

Even on the rare occasion I managed to stand next to her, she'd find someone to trade spots with, all to avoid raising suspicion. She'd look right through me and brush off anything I said. The other employees picked up on how distant she was with me, and it only made them treat me like I didn't matter.

I turned off my phone and didn't reply.

When I got back to the table, everyone was still eating and chatting like nothing had happened. The only reminder that the thought had even crossed my mind was the blister forming on my hand, still quietly throbbing.

After the dinner wrapped up, a few of my coworkers nudged Jasper toward Lana. "Ms. Sheffield, there's a hurricane tonight and every ride-share app is completely jammed. Jasper shouldn't be heading back by himself. Would you mind giving him a ride?"

Lana didn't refuse. "Sure. I'm heading toward Portway. Anyone else going that direction?"

Her tone was casual, almost indifferent, but her eyes locked straight onto mine.

My throat tightened. Three years ago, I'd been followed and mugged on my way home from work, and the whole thing had left me afraid of being alone outside at night.

When Lana found out, she started making sure we left together every evening. She told me she wanted to make me feel safe.

I opened my mouth. "I'm also—"

"I'll take the rest of the group home." Another coworker cut me off, stepping in front of me and turning to Lana. "Ms. Sheffield, you go ahead and take Jasper."

Lana held my gaze for a few more seconds before looking away. She nodded and turned around.

"Thanks." Then she got in her car and drove off.

When the coworker heard the address I gave, he looked uncomfortable. "Declan, why didn't you say earlier that you're also headed toward Portway? It's already past 1:00 am.

"If I drop you off and then head home, that's going to take me forever. Why don't you just get a ride? There might not be many cars out, but if you wait a little, one will show up."

I opened the app without a word. The estimated wait time was 53 minutes.

Messages trickled into the group chat, with my coworkers checking in and letting each other know they'd gotten home safe. Then someone shifted the topic.

"Has anyone else noticed a certain someone constantly hovering around Ms. Sheffield? Does he seriously not realize she can't stand him?"

"Right? If she hadn't called Jasper over, he would've planted himself right next to her!"

"And when she asked if anyone else was headed the same direction, anyone could tell she just wanted time alone with Jasper. She was being polite. Only a certain someone actually took it seriously."

Jasper's reply was vague. "Don't say that. Ms. Sheffield's just looking out for me because I'm new."

That only made them go harder.

"When a certain new hire first started and got called out by the team lead, he dropped his files everywhere. Ms. Sheffield walked right past without helping him pick up a single one."

"And the fact that she hasn't denied any of it? We all know what that means."

I read through the messages and felt nothing but numbness.

Jasper had transferred here in the first place because he heard I was being singled out. He said he wanted to be there for me.

Now he was everyone's favorite, and all I ever got from him was the same lukewarm advice to stop overthinking things and to stop assuming the worst about our coworkers.

When the rumors started about him and Lana being together, all she told me was to focus on improving myself and stop wasting energy on things that didn't matter.

Things that didn't matter. Maybe that was something only someone who didn't care would say.

The night wind cut cold against my face. I left the group chat and submitted my resignation.

Since I'd already decided to walk away, there was no reason to keep putting myself through this.

Chapter 2

Declan's POV

It was past 2:00 am by the time a car finally accepted my ride request.

When I walked through the door, Lana got up from the couch. "Why didn't you say you were heading the same way? I could've brought you back with me."

She asked it so naturally, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I wanted to ask her if she really hadn't noticed a coworker deliberately cutting me off to push her and Jasper together. I wanted to ask why she couldn't have just offered to give me a ride home herself.

But the words sat on the tip of my tongue, and I swallowed them back down.

"I forgot."

I walked closer and noticed she was wearing a matching pajama set, the kind meant for couples. Before tonight, Lana had never worn anything that matched with me, not even at home. It was always about keeping things from looking suspicious.

Something in my chest softened. "I thought you said you'd never do the matching thing."

Lana opened her mouth to answer, but before she could get a word out, Jasper strolled out of the bathroom wearing the other half of the set.

"I asked her to put it on," he said casually. "The brand gives a discount if you buy the couple's pack, but I didn't know the sizing for the women's version. I figured I'd have Lana try it so I could see how it looked."

My expression froze. Whatever warmth I'd just felt vanished completely. I'd thought Lana was wearing the matching set because she'd seen my resignation letter, that maybe she was ready to go public with us. But it was for Jasper.

He looked Lana up and down, studying the fit. "The women's cut still doesn't look quite right. Forget it, I won't buy it. It's not like I have a girlfriend to wear the other half anyway."

Lana picked up on the disappointment in his voice and answered without hesitation, "Then just take this set."

Jasper's eyes lit up. "Seriously?"

Lana's face stayed neutral, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Declan never wore his anyway, not even once. It was just sitting there taking up space."

I kept my head down, clenching my fist and then releasing it. She was right. It was taking up space.

A couple's set wasn't much of a couple's set when only one person wore it, so I'd left mine buried in the closet collecting dust. I used to think I was waiting for the day Lana would finally be willing to go public and put hers on too. Instead, I'd waited long enough to watch her give it to someone else.

"Take it. I won't be wearing it."

Jasper threw his arm around my shoulder, grinning. "Declan, you're the best! Oh, and with the hurricane going on, do you mind if I crash here with you guys for a few days? I promise it won't be long."

I turned and walked away. "Stay as long as you want."

It didn't matter. I'd be gone soon anyway, so however long he wanted to stay made no difference to me.

After I got into bed, Lana spoke up in the dark. "What's with you tonight? You're so quiet. You used to get upset whenever I gave away any of that matching stuff."

I stiffened. When Lana and I first got together, I'd been so happy that I went out and bought matching mugs, matching slippers, matching umbrellas, and even matching pens. I replaced everything I could see with a couple's version.

The very next day, Lana turned around and gave away all the women's pieces as random prizes at work. Some coworkers noticed the items matched with mine and started calling me her little lapdog behind my back. I became the office joke overnight.

What hurt wasn't that she didn't like matching things. She could have just told me that. What hurt was that she chose the most humiliating way possible to get rid of them.

And after that, she took avoiding suspicion even further. She wouldn't even ride the same elevator as me.

I gave her the cold shoulder for days afterward, and Lana's way of making it up to me was to take me down to her wine cellar.

She pointed at an entire wall of bottles and told me every single one was priceless because they were all from the year I was born. She said they would only be opened on our wedding day.

I'd always believed Lana's love lived in the things she didn't say and that she just wasn't good at showing it.

But tonight, watching her jump in whenever someone tried to get Jasper to drink, pile food on his plate, and try on matching pajamas for him, I finally understood.

Some things looked like love without a single word. Others could be called love a thousand times over and still never feel like it.

My voice stayed even. "Didn't you say all that matching stuff was useless? If it's useless, then giving it away shouldn't matter."

Lana went quiet after that and didn't say another word.

Chapter 3

Declan's POV

The next day, everyone was crowded around Jasper in the break room, gossiping.

"Jasper, that photo you just posted is definitely not your place. Don't tell me it's what I think it is!"

"You spent the night at Ms. Sheffield's!"

"And those pajamas look like a couple's set. Things are moving fast!"

"I told you Ms. Sheffield was into you! She personally walked you in on your first day, and even back then, it had that whole 'this one's mine and I'm looking out for him' energy."

"And remember a few days ago when your blood sugar dropped and you almost passed out? The company added afternoon snack breaks the very next day."

My hand froze on the door handle.

That day, I'd stayed through lunch helping Jasper fix data and hadn't had time to eat. That afternoon, I passed out right there in the break room. Lana saw me, but she stepped right past me to catch Jasper instead, and the panic in her eyes didn't look like an act.

When she noticed I was upset about it afterward, her explanation was simple. "You have me, but Jasper doesn't have anyone. If he gets hurt at my work, that's on me. I only look out for him because he's your friend. What, you're going to be jealous of your own buddy?"

I stopped listening to the noise coming from inside and turned to leave.

Tommy Novak from HR came barreling past me. "Okay everyone, I have two massive pieces of news! Ms. Sheffield might be getting married! I'm pretty sure I just heard her on the phone ordering wedding rings!"

The cheering around Jasper only got louder. "Look at you, Jasper! Big things are coming!"

Tommy cleared his throat. "And the second piece of news is that Ms. Sheffield just signed off on a promotion, and word is it's from your team!"

Everyone around Jasper lost their minds. "Who else could it be?"

"I'm calling it now, future Mr. Sheffield!"

Jasper smiled modestly. "It might not be me. Declan's been here longer."

I didn't stay to hear them keep guessing.

Phil Dayton in HR had received my resignation and called me into his office. "Declan, from your project work to your performance numbers, everything across the board is solid. Why are you suddenly leaving?"

I kept my head down. "Phil, that promotion Ms. Sheffield just approved, is it mine?"

He went quiet.

"I've been here three years. Everyone who started around the same time has moved up to team lead at least. I'm the only one still in the same spot."

Every year, HR submitted my name to Lana, and every time, she found some minor issue to use as an excuse to kill it.

Phil frowned. "Declan, did you do something to get on Ms. Sheffield's bad side? Maybe you should go talk to her and smooth things over."

My smile was bitter. I hadn't done anything to offend her. I'd just been stupid enough to get into a relationship with her that nobody was ever allowed to know about.

Phil didn't push it. "Entry-level resignations don't need leadership sign-off. If you've made up your mind, I'll process it."

After the conversation, Lana called a staff meeting. Her expression was stern.

"The report Team Two submitted two days ago had data errors that the client caught on the spot."

She looked up, scanning the room. "Declan, that was your team, correct? If you can't handle acting team lead, the position can go to someone else. You'll be docked one month's pay, and Jasper will take over as team lead."

A few coworkers could barely contain their excitement and quietly congratulated Jasper on the spot. But I just stared at the data sheet. That report was the one Jasper and I had worked on together during overtime a few days ago, and Lana knew full well that the project wasn't my responsibility.

My jaw tightened, and something inside me went cold. He made the mistake, I took the fall, and she stripped me of my position to hand him the promotion.

I let out a quiet, hollow laugh. The irony was almost funny.

Lana noticed the look on my face, and her brow furrowed. After the meeting, she called me into her office.

"The data errors were Jasper's fault, yes, but when a team member makes a mistake, it means the team lead failed to manage. Do you have a problem with the demotion and the pay cut?"

My expression didn't change. I kept it professional.

"No. You have your own judgment to make, Ms. Sheffield."

Lana's frown deepened, but she didn't say anything else. She just waved me out.

When I stepped out of her office, Jasper was waiting. He walked up to me carefully, holding out a cup of coffee. "Declan, want some coffee?"

I pushed his hand back. "No."

Chapter 4

Declan's POV

Jasper looked a little uncomfortable. "Declan, are you upset about the demotion? Promotions and demotions are the boss' call. There's nothing I can do about her decisions."

My expression didn't change. "I'm not upset. Ms. Sheffield's staffing decisions have nothing to do with someone at my level."

Jasper's face went pale at my flat tone. "You say you're not upset, but you won't even take the coffee. That's obviously you being angry."

The coworkers nearby saw how hurt Jasper looked and jumped in to defend him.

"Are you seriously jealous that Jasper got promoted, Declan?"

"After the meeting, he bought coffee for the whole team. That cup was the one he set aside just for you, and you can't even be grateful."

"Jasper, honestly, just forget about him. He clearly wasn't cut out for the position. Why else would Ms. Sheffield have blocked his promotion for three years?"

"And that whole thing three years ago when he was throwing himself at Ms. Sheffield? She probably couldn't stand him even back then, and he still hung around at the company for another three years anyway."

The scorn hit me from every direction. I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"I didn't take the coffee because I'm allergic to caffeine. And not once, from start to finish, did I say a single word about being unhappy with your promotion."

Jasper's hand froze in midair, still holding the cup. "I'm sorry, Declan. I didn't know you were allergic."

The coworkers saw the embarrassment on Jasper's face and turned on me even harder.

"What's with that attitude, Declan? You couldn't just say you're allergic like a normal person?"

"And for all we know, you are jealous of Jasper—jealous that Ms. Sheffield favors him and that she's buying wedding rings for him."

I couldn't hold it back anymore. I held up my hand and showed them the plain band on my finger. "Lana's my girlfriend. Why would I be jealous of him?"

The room went dead silent for a second. Then someone laughed.

"He actually thinks he's Ms. Sheffield's boyfriend?"

"This is borderline harassment at this point. Did he buy himself a ring and everything?"

I turned around, furious, ready to find Lana and make her tell them the truth. But she was already stepping out of her office.

I looked her straight in the eyes. "Lana, you tell them. What are we to each other?"

She was quiet for a moment.

The coworkers nearby started whispering. "She's not denying it. Is Declan actually her boyfriend?"

"Then what was all that with Jasper?"

Hearing those whispers, Lana's expression hardened, and her voice went cold. "What are we to each other? We're superior and subordinate. That's it.

"Declan Monroe, you're spreading false claims about a superior and refusing to respect your team lead's authority. That's a seven-day suspension, effective immediately."

At the sight of the icy look on her face, whatever was left inside my chest went completely cold.

I forced the corners of my mouth up, pulled the ring off my finger, and said, "Lana, we're done."

Her fingers twitched, but she held herself back and didn't come after me.

The coworkers heard what I said, and their contempt only deepened. "The boss literally denied it to his face, and he's still going with 'we're done'?"

A few of them mimicked my expression, sneering. "If she were actually dating anyone, it'd be someone like Jasper. The second Jasper gets treated unfairly, Ms. Sheffield steps in to protect him."

"Next time you want to be someone's little lapdog, Declan, pick someone in your league."

They all burst out laughing.

I didn't respond to any of it. I just packed up my things in silence.

Seven days wasn't going to be long enough. We were never going to see each other again.

…

Third-Person POV

Lana watched from the upper floor as Declan walked out of the building. She typed out a text to explain, deleted it, typed it again, and deleted it yet again. By the time the workday ended, she still hadn't sent it.

When she got home and found that Declan wasn't there, she frowned and tried to message him, only to realize he'd blocked her.

When Jasper found out, he looked a little hurt. "Is Declan mad about what happened today? But you already announced the engagement. Did he really have to be so aggressive about it?"

Lana frowned, remembering the look on Declan's face as he left her office. An unsettling feeling flickered through her, but she forced it down.

"He's throwing a tantrum over the demotion. When he comes back, I'll give him the promotion."

But seven days passed, and Declan never showed up.

Lana told Phil to reach out to Declan. Hearing that, he said, "Promote Declan Monroe? But he's already resigned."