Several days went by. Hannah buried herself in her work at the design studio, pushing herself until she was completely exhausted. It was the only way she could keep the pain in her heart from overwhelming her.

The entire studio had been working overtime because of Valerie's wedding, and as the owner, Hannah worked harder than anyone else.

Around noon, Lucy pushed the office door open with a worried expression. "Hannah, Ms. Clarke is asking for the bridal shoe fitting. I still have to oversee the floral arrangements, and I can't handle both at the same time. Could you...?"

Hannah stopped cutting a loose thread with her scissors but never lifted her head. "Send me the address. I'll go."

She gathered several pairs of bridal shoe samples before driving to the location Valerie had given her.

When the navigation announced that she had arrived at Harrison Group headquarters, Hannah's grip on the steering wheel slowly tightened.

She had been with Colton for three years, yet she had never once entered this building.

He had always kept his work and personal life completely separate. She used to believe he was protecting her. Only now did she understand the truth—she had never truly belonged in his world.

Her destination was the CEO's office on the thirty-third floor.

The weight of the shoe boxes made Hannah's arms ache. As soon as she stepped into the office, she froze.

Standing beside the floor-to-ceiling window, Colton leaned slightly toward Valerie. His fingers carefully moved behind her neck as he fastened a necklace for her with familiar gentleness.

Something sharp pierced Hannah's heart the instant she saw it.

Without thinking, she reached for the necklace hidden beneath her shirt.

Colton had personally fastened that diamond necklace around her neck on the night she graduated from college.

It was the same gentle gesture. It was the same tenderness. Now it only brought pain.

Hannah suddenly felt like an intruder. She wanted to leave immediately, but her feet refused to move, and her thoughts went completely blank.

"Colton, Ms. Mitchell is here," Valerie said as she turned around. A bright smile spread across her face, but there was something sharp beneath it.

Colton raised his eyes and looked at Hannah. The warmth that had remained in his expression disappeared the moment he saw her pale face, and only coldness remained.

"Ms. Mitchell, thank you for everything you've done for the wedding." His voice carried no emotion.

After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the office.

Hannah quietly forced herself to stay calm while placing the shoe boxes on the floor. "Ms. Clarke, once you've picked the pair you like, just send me a picture. I'll be leaving now."

"So eager to leave?" Valerie grabbed Hannah's arm. Her grip was unexpectedly firm, giving Hannah no chance to pull away. "You're the professional. Please help me choose."

Several pairs of custom-made luxury bridal heels had already been arranged across the floor, their polished surfaces reflecting the office lights.

Valerie casually pointed at one pair before lightly tapping it with the tip of her heel. A gentle smile rested on her lips. "Ms. Mitchell, would you mind helping me try these on?"

The room instantly fell silent.

Hannah straightened her back, and her nails dug deeply into her palms. "Sorry; that's not part of my job."

"But the design is so complicated. I really can't figure it out." Valerie's voice sounded innocent, yet the look in her eyes was openly provoking. "Please... you need to help me."

"Fine. I'll help you." Hannah clenched her jaw and slowly crouched down.

Just as her fingers reached toward the shoe, Valerie suddenly brought her sharp stiletto heel down onto the back of her hand.

A cry of pain slipped from Hannah's lips. She immediately pulled her hand back and held it tightly against her chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Valerie lifted an eyebrow as she looked down at Hannah. Her voice was filled with fake concern. "I didn't notice your hand was there."

Anger flashed across Hannah's face. She was about to answer when Valerie suddenly frowned. Then she impatiently kicked the shoe aside. "What's wrong with these? They're too small. I told you I wear a size seven, didn't I?"

Hannah slowly rose to her feet, her voice calm but icy. "Ms. Clarke, we already confirmed your measurements. Mr. Harrison personally requested a size six."

Size six was Hannah's size.

She remembered all the nights when Colton had held her foot in his hand, smiling as he teased her about how small it was.

Valerie's face darkened. Her eyes slowly shifted to Hannah's feet, and jealousy mixed with resentment filled her gaze.

Just then, Colton walked back into the office. His narrowed eyes swept across the room before settling on the two women. A cold look appeared in his eyes. "There's no need to keep trying them on. We'll go with this pair."