On the day of the company's annual gala, I spotted a sign posted at the entrance of the banquet hall.

“Annalise Stewart and dogs prohibited.”

I asked the staff to take down the sign just as Liliana Guzman strolled up, looking smug.

“Annalise, it's just a harmless joke, right? You’re cool with it, aren’t you?” she said.

I frowned, ready to retort, but before I could speak, Wesley Castro came out from the banquet hall.

“What's the commotion here? Liliana’s just having a bit of fun. You shouldn’t take it so seriously.”

Liliana threw me a triumphant look.

As the awards ceremony was about to start, I decided not to argue with Wesley and made my way inside.

To my surprise, the grand prize meant for me was given to Liliana.

I stood there, expressionless, watching them on stage, arms linked, feeling a deep bitterness.

Amidst the applause, I turned and left.

I thought to myself, if this is the sum of a four-year relationship, it’s better left behind.

---

Wesley returned home at two-thirty in the morning and seemed surprised to find me awake in the living room.

In previous years, no matter how late the gala went, I’d wait in the hotel garage to drive home with him.

My sudden departure tonight must have annoyed him.

“Annalise, why did you leave without saying anything? You know how hard it is to get a cab late at night and how cold it is outside?”

He tugged at his tie, trying to hide what looked like faint lipstick marks on his neck.

“Well, if it’s cold, maybe you should dress warmer.”

A month before the gala, I had custom-ordered a suit for Wesley, yet today, he opted for a thin shirt to match Liliana's Victorian-style dress.

I asked whom he was trying to impress, but Wesley simply replied, “Liliana’s just young. Why are you getting worked up over her?”

My words clearly made Wesley uncomfortable.

“Annalise, what's gotten into you?” Wesley pointed a finger at my face, his expression furious.

“Am I wrong?”

I responded calmly, avoiding any shouting.

Wesley’s face shifted through shades of red then pale.

“Annalise, you’re upset about that sign Liliana put up, aren’t you? She’s just young; you’re an adult. Aren’t you embarrassed to be upset with her?”

Wesley assumed my unusual behavior tonight was entirely because of Liliana’s prank.

For four years, Wesley and I kept our relationship secret from everyone at work.

I suggested going public, but Wesley disagreed.

His career was on the ascent, and disclosing our relationship would hinder his chances for a director’s position.

Since I was a manager in another department, it would definitely spark rumors that Wesley's promotion was due to our relationship.

Yet today, at the gala, he openly held hands with Liliana, without clarifying anything, leaving everyone to assume they were involved.

“Wesley, I’m supposed to be your girlfriend, yet you let her pull such a childish prank at the entrance?”

Wesley was at a loss for words.

He walked over and wrapped an arm around mine, his way of conceding.

The lipstick marks on his neck were even more visible now, along with a lingering perfume.

A scent that only Liliana wore.

I sniffed and casually said,

“What happened to your neck?”

Wesley’s face registered panic for a moment.

“Just a little bump at the party, nothing serious.”

Regaining his composure, Wesley pulled out a certificate from his bag.

“This is the certificate the company awarded to you. You weren’t there, so I collected it for you.”

The project bonus, originally meant for me, had ended up with Liliana through a rigged raffle.

“You fixed the raffle, didn’t you?”

A trace of guilt crossed Wesley’s face before he loudly countered.

“Annalise, it’s just a hundred thousand. You don’t need the money.

Liliana, who just graduated, needs it more than you do.

Why are you making a fuss tonight? You were never like this before!”

I stood up, disappointment evident on my face from Wesley’s words.

Without another word, I headed to the guest room.

That night, Wesley didn’t hear a knock on his door from me, nor did he come to disturb me.

The following morning, when I got up, Wesley had already made breakfast. It was his way of making amends. Normally, I should have shown gratitude and eaten everything he prepared.

“Get ready and come have breakfast,” Wesley said, smiling as if last night's unpleasantness had never happened.

I walked over to the table and saw the breakfast he had laid out. It was unusual for him to make breakfast since I usually rise an hour earlier to prepare it.

I reached for the neatly packaged box he had, but he pushed my hand away.

“This isn't for you. You're having this,” he said, handing me a plate with just a piece of toast and a fried egg.

“But I want granola,” I said.

Wesley's expression grew stern as he looked at me. “You've always had toast in the morning. What's gotten into you?”

He never made breakfast. Toast and eggs were just the quickest option. “You got up early to make granola. Isn't that for me?”

I looked him straight in the eye, keeping my expression neutral.

“Tiana had quite a bit to drink at the company party last night. She needs something warm this morning to ease her stomach,” he replied.

I stood up, leaving the untouched toast and egg on the table. Wesley's face showed a flicker of frustration before he burst out.

“Annalise, eat it if you want! There's a limit to how much drama you can cause!” Wesley snapped, grabbing his packed bag and slamming the door behind him.

I tossed the toast and egg into the trash. After tidying up, I contacted a friend in real estate. I told him I wanted to sell the house quickly, with no specific requirements. This house was initially bought with the intention of being Wesley's and my marital home. Its location was perfect, both in terms of the neighborhood and the proximity to work. Now that I've decided to move on from this relationship, there's no need to keep it.

Understanding my urgency, my friend promised to find a buyer within a week.

Once the call ended, I finally prepared to head to work. As soon as I arrived at the office, I noticed a group gathered in the break area.

"Wesley is really thoughtful. He even made granola from scratch," someone commented.

“We're all so envious. When will we ever find a boyfriend as wonderful and considerate as Wesley?” another added.

Wesley just gave a modest smile, making no attempt to clarify.

Tiana sipped her granola, looking at Wesley with admiration. “Wesley is one-of-a-kind. I'm lucky to have his affection,” she said, catching my eye from across the room. As I turned to leave, Tiana called out to me.

“Annalise, did you have breakfast? Wesley brought too much, and I can't finish it all,” she offered.

Everyone figured she was just being polite since I was her direct supervisor, yet it was hard to miss the smug satisfaction in her eyes.

“He made it especially for you. You shouldn't waste his thoughtfulness; eat it all,” I replied, not bothering to decipher Wesley’s expression or his intentions, and headed towards my office.

Once I arrived, the crowd slowly dispersed. As some colleagues passed by my door, I overheard snippets of their conversation about the prize won last night.

An hour later, Wesley Castro walked into my office, catching me off guard with his unexpected visit. I couldn't hide my surprise.

"Is there something you need?" I asked, keeping my tone strictly professional in line with our agreed boundaries. My cool demeanor seemed to irk him.

"Can't I come by just because I want to see you?"

"Wesley, have you forgotten? You were the one who insisted we keep personal matters out of work."

He paused, visibly startled by my reminder. I expected him to react negatively, but instead, he handed me two concert tickets.

"They're for your favorite rock band. How about we grab some dinner after work and then catch the show?"

I couldn't deny my favorite band, and tickets were like gold dust. I nodded quickly, eager to use the outing to talk about our breakup.

"Let's take my car after work," he suggested. "We can head to the office together in the morning."

Despite working at the same company, we'd never commuted together. Wesley was determined to keep our relationship under wraps, always insisting on driving separately, even if we left at the same time. I had never argued against it.

After leaving the tickets on my desk, Wesley walked out. When work was over, I went straight to the parking lot, scanning for his car but not spotting it. I pulled out my phone to call him.

It took him a while to pick up. "Annalise, go ahead and get started. I'll be late; something came up."

As I was about to hang up, I heard Liliana's playful voice in the background.

"Wesley, am I going to kick the bucket?"

"What on earth are you saying? The doctor said it's just a cold—fever and dizziness, nothing serious."

Wesley's tenderness towards Liliana was something I never experienced. Not wanting to hear more, I disconnected the call.

By the end of the concert, Wesley still hadn't shown up. Whenever Liliana was involved, his priorities always shifted towards her. Still, the concert was even more thrilling without him.

Afterwards, I found a street vendor and indulged in fast food Wesley always banned at home, deeming it unhealthy and lacking nutrition. He was supposedly concerned about my health, though he'd recently shared some with Liliana. During our four years together, I had given up everything Wesley disliked, sacrificing countless things I loved just to keep him happy.

As soon as I stepped through the front door, there was Liliana lying on the couch, her head resting on Wesley's lap.

Wesley hurried to explain. "Liliana caught a cold. I couldn't leave her alone in her small apartment, so I brought her here to care for her."

I glanced at Liliana, unable to see any signs of illness.

"Wesley, I should probably head back. Ms. Stewart, don't get any wrong ideas," Liliana's tone was fake innocent, but her eyes betrayed a smug satisfaction.

"If you're sick, you should take the master bedroom. It'll be easier for him to take care of you," I said, catching them both off guard.

Before they could respond, I retreated to the guest room and shut the door. My phone buzzed with a text. It was from a real estate friend, letting me know that my house had been sold.