Chapter 1

In the sixth year of my secret relationship with my boss, Ethan Wells, he suddenly announced his engagement to another woman.

I sent him a message.

"Do you have time? We need to talk."

I'd barely hit send when someone suddenly pulled me into a secluded alcove off the hallway.

I looked up and found myself pressed against a familiar chest. His scent filled my senses, and I immediately pushed Ethan away.

"No. You're engaged now."

But he pinned me against the wall and leaned closer.

"I'm only engaged. I never said I was breaking up with you. Nothing between us has to change."

I froze.

Was that all I was to him? A mistress?

My chest tightened, and a wave of helplessness washed over me. The strength drained from my hands as I tried to push him away.

Ethan took the opportunity to seize my wrists, leaving me unable to move.

Beyond the glass wall, our colleagues came and went.

He didn't seem to care. He kept me pinned against the wall, and once he'd gotten what he wanted, he simply turned and walked away.

I stayed hidden in the corner, straightening my collar and skirt before touching up my lipstick. Only then did I push open the door and step outside.

There, I ran straight into his newly announced fiancée, Chloe Bennett, who was cheerfully handing out engagement cakes to everyone.

"To celebrate the happy news, I've decided we're all getting off work an hour early today!"

I stood rooted to the spot, staring at Ethan.

He merely smiled, letting Chloe happily recount the sweet memories they'd shared over the years.

At that moment, regret washed over me.

I regretted ever agreeing to keep our relationship a secret.

I regretted believing in the future he'd promised me.

Most of all, I regretted turning down promotion opportunities elsewhere, time and time again, just to stay by his side.

I'd spent six years putting him before myself.

But my future belonged to me, not to him.

And it was time I took my life back.

……

After handing out the cakes, Chloe turned around and hooked her arm through Ethan's, acting coquettishly.

"Shall we take a picture and post it in the family group chat?"

Ethan remained silent, and Chloe took that as tacit agreement.

She glanced around and finally handed the phone to me.

"Could you please take a picture for us?"

I bit my lip and stiffly accepted it; Ethan's face instantly darkened.

I never imagined that the person who was whispering sweet nothings to me last night would become someone else's fiancé today.

In the photos, they were close together, with happy smiles on their faces.

All I could do was hide behind my phone and press the shutter button.

During our six-year relationship, he consistently emphasized avoiding any appearance of impropriety, saying that if our superior-subordinate relationship were made public, it would negatively impact our careers.

To avoid suspicion, we had never taken a single photo together in the past six years.

He had said, "Wait for me a little longer. Once our relationship is public, I'll let you take as many pictures as you want."

But instead of announcing our relationship, I received news of his engagement.

After the photos were taken, Chloe came over and nodded in satisfaction.

"Great photos! How about you work part-time as a photographer for my wedding?"

The moment I looked up and met Ethan's gaze, I panicked.

He casually avoided the question and instead smoothed Chloe's stray hair.

"Didn't you have a shopping appointment? You still have the nerve to poach my employees?"

Chloe then dropped the idea.

After the excitement subsided, I had just sat back down at my workstation when my colleagues surrounded me, eager to gossip.

"Team Lead Sienna Reed, who is she? How did she manage to snag Mr. Wells? Tell us about her!"

I lowered my head, avoiding their gaze.

"Don't discuss the boss's personal life during work hours."

A few people I didn't get along with started making sarcastic remarks.

"What's so impressive about her? You're usually pretty good at throwing yourself at him."

"Now that his real fiancée has shown up, she's probably afraid her little scheme will be exposed. She must wish the ground would swallow her whole right now."

Their words were like a dull knife, slowly cutting into my heart.

I couldn't refute it.

When I got off work, I didn't wait for Ethan at the intersection as usual.

As I approached the subway station, his car stopped in front of me.

I hesitated for a moment, but then opened the car door and got in.

If I couldn't make things clear that morning, I would make them clear today.

He gripped the steering wheel with one hand, turned to look at me, and asked, "Why didn't you wait for me?"

"I forgot."

Without thinking, I made up an excuse while considering how to start the conversation.

Ethan wasn't annoyed. He started the car and continued talking.

"It's your birthday today, so I made a reservation at that restaurant you've wanted to go to for a long time."

His tone was so calm that it was as if nothing had happened during the day.

While waiting at a red light, he answered a phone call.

"Ethan, we're having a family dinner today to celebrate the end of our six-year courtship. I've personally cooked your favorite dishes, so remember to come home."