Chapter 1

I’d just sealed another major client for the company, yet, once again, my promotion fell through.

I felt a fierce indignation bubbling up inside me. I was about to confront my boss – who was also my boyfriend – and demand an explanation.

But as I reached his office door, I overheard him talking to a friend:

"Skylar is so capable, why aren't you letting her get promoted?"

Adrian let out a mocking laugh.

"Skylar? She's just a fling, a bed warmer. What real 'capabilities' could she possibly have? That promotion is earmarked for Camilla."

"Aren't you afraid she'll leave if she finds out the truth?"

Adrian laughed even louder this time:

"She practically begs me not to use protection in bed. You think she'd ever walk away from this?"

I clutched the promotion application in my trembling hand, crushing the papers. I called my mom.

"That marriage you mentioned? I'm in!"

Camilla snatched the document from my hand.

"Skylar, you've failed five times already. You seriously think you'll get promoted now?"

She scoffed, flicking shredded paper onto my face.

"Lack of ability. You could apply a hundred times, it wouldn't matter!"

Lack of ability?

In seven years, I'd closed six multi-million dollar deals for the company.

I'd been the top performer for thirteen consecutive quarters.

I'd even landed in the ER twice with stomach hemorrhages from fixing my colleagues' messes.

No client I'd ever worked with had called me incompetent.

Every time before, I'd get into it with Camilla about my competence.

But now, I was just tired.

It would just end up in front of Adrian, and I'd get some wishy-washy, half-hearted remark.

"Past performance isn't relevant. If your overall capabilities aren't up to par, you just have to accept it."

Then, under his smooth persuasion, I'd go back to working my butt off, closing deals, desperate to prove myself.

All while fulfilling his goal of getting high returns with minimal investment in me.

Only now did I realize that the one who received the least fair treatment was myself.

Adrian, you truly played your cards perfectly, didn't you?

Tears, uncontrolled, splattered onto my phone screen.

*Ding-dong*. The screen lit up.

[Come to my office.]

My quieted heart fluttered, clinging to a fragile flicker of hope.

Until I reached his door and heard Camilla’s muffled sobs from inside.

"It's okay, stop crying. I said you deserve it, and you do. I'll take care of her."

Adrian's gentle, patient tone was like a dull knife twisting in my heart, gutting me, tearing open old, festering wounds.

Six months ago, when Camilla spread rumors that I slept my way to contracts, and I ended up getting beaten black and blue by a jealous wife who thought I was the other woman, unable to stomach anything but liquids for two days—

I'd looked at him with the same aggrieved expression, pleading for him to clear my name.

But he had only left me with one sentence.

"You're not new to the corporate world, you know you can't be so delicate and naive."

A bitter taste spread through the fresh wounds.

I had to admit, his affections hadn't truly meant much to me either.

I pushed open the door, feeling numb.

Adrian’s hand, wiping Camilla’s tears, froze. He looked at me with displeasure.

"I hear you're unhappy about Director Camilla's promotion? Has no one ever told you that the workplace isn't about being articulate? Is it really that hard to admit someone's more skilled?"

I stared, stunned.

"I didn't..."

He cut me off before I could finish.

"A thousand-word apology letter, and a public apology at the afternoon staff meeting."

He demanded an apology letter and a public apology for an unverified complaint.

It made all the real rumors that reached his ears, only to be ignored, seem like a cruel joke.

Before, I could still comfort myself by thinking he kept his professional and personal lives separate.

But after realizing I was nothing more than his cheapest labor, an expendable asset, I didn't even have the courage to argue.

I swallowed the bitterness, lowered my gaze, and forced a light laugh.

"Yes, you're absolutely right."

"I admit I'm less skilled. I apologize."