The next morning,I arrived at the office as usual.
I placed my briefcase on the desk and turned on my computer,preparing to begin my transition work.For the first time in years,I didn’t stop by the break room to brew coffee for Fredric.
Normally,I’d hand-deliver him a perfectly customized Americano first thing in the morning.
But today,I sipped my own bitter black coffee alone at my desk,reviewing contracts in silence.
When Fredric stepped out of his office,his eyes instinctively scanned my desk and froze.
Only one cup of coffee.Mine.
He paused.Just for a second.But said nothing and continued walking past.
The entire office felt unusually still.
In the past,I’d be chattering away like a sparrow,breaking up the dull workday with a cheerful voice that filled the silence.
But today,I didn’t even look up.
Fredric lingered by my desk.
“Is there anything giving you trouble at work?”His voice was low,unreadable.
“No.”I didn’t look up.
He stared at me a moment longer.There was something sharp,almost probing,in his gaze.I thought maybe,just maybe,he’d bring up the contract he signed without reading.
But then,a loud gasp rang out from the hallway.
Fredric jerked his head toward the sound,eyes narrowing in alarm.
I followed his gaze toward the glass window and felt my stomach drop.
Deana stood at the stairwell,hugging a large,unstable box of documents.One of her heels was caught in the step.Her body tilted dangerously over the edge.
There were at least ten steps behind her and a cold cement floor below.
Her arms trembled and the box wobbled.She could fall any second.
“Deana!”His voice cracked,raw and frantic,more emotion than I’d ever heard from him.
He shoved my chair out of the way and took off like a bullet.
“Fredric!”I called after him.“Don’t run like that,it’s dangerous!”
I reached out to grab his arm,terrified that he’d slip.I didn’t care about Deana,all I cared about was him.
I even shouted for security to help,but he didn’t even look at me.
Instead,he yanked his arm away from mine.The back of my hand burned red where he’d slapped it aside.
He sprinted up the stairs faster than the guards could react.
I watched as he reached out,grabbing Deana just in time to pull her into his arms.
But the momentum knocked them both backward.
The box tumbled and they fell together.
Boom!
The crash echoed through the hall.
I rushed forward,frozen as I reached the top of the stairwell.
Fredric was sprawled on the ground,shielding Deana with his own body.His shoulder had slammed hard into the iron railing.I heard him grunt in pain.
But his eyes,when he looked at her,were unbelievably soft.Like the ice had finally thawed.
My hands were trembling.
The fall wasn’t deadly,but it could’ve been.If his head had hit the floor instead of his shoulder,he might have died on the spot.
And yet…he didn’t hesitate.Not for a second.
I looked down at my reddened hand,the one he flung away moments earlier and let out a broken laugh.
There was no warmth in it.Only something bitter and freezing.
I turned and walked back to my desk.
My fingers trembled as I pulled the wedding ring off my finger.
This ring,the one his mother had personally chosen for us,was the one I used to sneak kisses at when he wasn’t looking,pretending it was a symbol of love.
“Enough,”I whispered to myself.
I stood up,walked to the break room and dropped the ring into the trash.
It made a faint clink as it hit the bottom.
Like the sound of something breaking.
Final and irrevocable.
I pushed open the hospital room door and warm light spilled out.
Fredric was sitting up in bed,one arm wrapped in bandages,but his gaze was soft as he whispered comfort to the teary-eyed Deana beside him.
“I told you,it’s not your fault,”he said gently.“I shouldn’t have rushed like that.”
Deana sniffled,her eyes red like a weeping child.“But if I hadn’t slipped,you wouldn’t have gotten hurt…”
Her voice trembled and her posture was timid like she was trying to shrink herself into nothing.
His mother sat by the bedside,patting Deana’s hand with affection.“You’ve always been too kind.When you were younger and lived in our house,you cried over breaking a bowl.”
“And Fredric…he used to be so cold.If not for you,he would never have learned to smile.”
His father chuckled,nodding.“Exactly.You even cooked for him in high school.It was awful,but he always finished it clean.Said he couldn’t hurt your feelings.”
“Back then,we all thought the two of you were bound to end up together.”
The entire room radiated warmth,like they were one happy family.
I stood at the doorway,gripping the fruit bag until the plastic handles cut into my skin.
For years,I’d been the one cooking,cleaning,supporting Fredric through every storm.I’d taken care of his parents,endured their coldness and smiled through it all.
But not once did I receive a kind word.
Fredric finally noticed me and his expression cooled immediately as he questioned,“What are you doing here?”
Deana jumped up nervously,giving a small bow.“Brittany…I’m sorry.Fredric got hurt because of me.”
“Please don’t blame him.It’s my fault,not his.I…I didn’t mean to…”
Her voice was soft,birdlike and trembling with innocence.
Before I could even speak,Fredric stepped forward and gently pulled her behind him,blocking my view of her completely.
“Don’t say that,”he said,his voice firm.“It was my choice to protect her.It has nothing to do with Deana.Brittany,don’t take it out on her.”
His mother sighed when she added,“Don’t cause a scene.This isn’t Deana’s fault.Fredric chose to save her,so don’t need to be angry,okay?”
I looked at all of them standing on her side like it was the most natural thing in the world and I laughed.
Not out loud.Just a quiet,bitter twist of my lips.
As if I were the jealous ex-wife.The evil,possessive woman plotting against the poor,fragile mistress.
Deana stepped forward,wanting to apologize again,“Brittany…”
But I cut her off with a cold smile that could slice skin.
“Just be glad you’re not dead,”I said calmly.“I came to see for myself.That’s all.You can go back to playing house now.”
I turned on my heel and walked out without another word.
“Brittany!”Fredric called after me.
But I didn’t stop.
Outside,I pulled out my phone and dialed.“Edward?”
His warm voice came through the line.“Hey,long time no hear.Is everything okay?”
I stared at the blinding white lights in the corridor.
“I want to move out,”I said quietly.“Can you help me?”
“When?”He asked calmly,as if will agree with anything I said.
“This afternoon.”
***
Back in the hospital room,silence had fallen.
Deana’s eyes welled with tears as she wailed,“Did I upset her?I…I didn’t mean to…”
His mother grabbed her hand gently and calmed her,“Sweetheart,you’ve done nothing wrong.Fredric cares about you.He wouldn’t have risked his life if he didn’t,so don’t take this to heart.”
His father nodded as he added,“Exactly.Brittany’s always been…high-strung.”
Fredric stood there silently,staring at the closed door,a strange pressure tightening in his chest.
“Fredric…”Deana’s voice was small.“The apartment I’m staying in isn’t safe.My ex keeps showing up.I’m scared.”
“Can I stay with you for a while?Just like in high school?”
Before he could reply,his mother answered for him,“Of course,she can.Right,Fred?”
Fredric looked at Deana.
He hesitated.
Logic told him that this was wrong to bring a single woman to a married couple's house.
But when he saw the vulnerability in her eyes,he finally murmured,“Alright.You can stay with me for a while.”
***
That evening,he brought her home.
“She’ll stay with us temporarily,”he told me.“Her place isn’t secure.Don’t overthink it.She’s just a friend now.”
“Oh,”I said simply,without looking at either of them.
His brows furrowed slightly,thrown off by my unexpected calm.
The old me would’ve been furious,argued and cried as if the world ended tomorrow.
But now,I looked at Deana’s faintly red eyes as if watching from behind a thick wall of glass,emotionless and detached.
That was when the door opened again.
Footsteps echoed into the hall.
“Finally done moving,”a familiar voice called out.“You hoard more crap than a prepper.”
Edward stepped inside,dragging two suitcases.
He walked straight over and draped his arm over my shoulder without hesitation.
“You owe me dinner for this,”he said with a teasing grin.“And I mean the expensive one.”
Fredric’s face darkened instantly.
His voice was low,tight with fury.“Brittany,what the hell is this?”
I didn’t flinch.
“What do you mean?I couldn’t move all my stuff alone.So,I asked a friend for help.”
I didn’t even lift my head as I explained more,“Relax.You know Edward’s like a brother to me.”
Fredric’s jaw clenched,throat working like he wanted to say something,but choked on it.
Because just yesterday,he told me Deana was“just a sister.”
Funny how it sounded so different when I said it.
Edward looked him up and down with a faint smirk,mocking,“Dinner?Nah,save it for the divorce party.”
“What did you say?”Fredric’s voice rose,eyes blazing.
I paused for a beat.
“My cousin’s father and stepmom are divorcing,”I said calmly.“We’re throwing a celebration.”
A flicker of relief passed over Fredric’s face.I also felt relieved since he actually bought it.
After all,in his mind,I would never divorce him.
In his mind,he only knew me loved him too much…right?
The next morning,I woke later than usual.
By the time I came downstairs,the kitchen was already filled with the heavy scent of pork broth.Deana was at the dining table,gently ladling soup into a bowl,her face glowing with effort and sweetness.
“Fredric,”she said softly,“I remember you loved this kind of pork rib soup.Back in high school,you used to drink two big bowls at once.I simmered it for three hours just for you.”
Fredric didn’t say anything.He simply took a sip,then another.His gaze,as always lately,was gentler when it landed on her.
He even let her fix his collar and adjust his tie like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I froze at the bottom of the stairs.
I had tied his ties before—clumsily,perhaps,but with love.He used to brush my hands away,feeling annoyed and saying I was too slow or that the scent of my perfume bothered him.
But now,with Deana,he didn’t flinch.Though he knew if her hands were still warm from cooking and directly touched his collar with those dirty hands.
I forced my eyes away and walked to the table.
I picked up my spoon and took a bite of Deana’s soup.
It was…awful.The smell alone turned my stomach and the taste made my throat burn.But I forced it down.
Seconds later,I couldn’t hold it anymore.
I jumped from the table and rushed to the sink,retching.
Deana gasped behind me,her voice trembling,tearful.“Was it…that bad?Did I do something wrong?Should I leave…?”
She wrung her apron,eyes shimmering and her voice barely above a whisper full of guilt and innocence.
I wiped my mouth calmly.“I’m just not used to it.I’ll make something else later.”
Before I could sit back down,Fredric slammed his spoon on the table.
Clack!
The sharp sound made the room still.
“She spent hours making this,”he said coldly.“If you didn’t want to eat it,you could’ve said so.No need to be so cruel.Cook your own food from now on.”
His words hit harder than any slap.
There was warning in his eyes,as if he felt annoyance and disgust at the same time.
I didn’t even have the energy to feel angry.
I simply turned away and walked to the kitchen.
Behind me,Deana whimpered,“Fredric,maybe I was too forward.I shouldn’t have…”
He didn’t go comfort me.Instead,he patted Deana’s shoulder and said,“Don’t overthink it.She’s just like that.”
I stopped in my tracks.
My hands,hovering over the cutting board,began to tremble.
He didn’t even try to hide it anymore.
For five years,I cooked,burned my hands and studied his tastes.I flipped through cookbooks until the pages wore thin just for one word of praise.
But I never got it.
Deana simmered a pot of lukewarm sludge and he calls it“effort.”He shielded her from my reaction like I was the villain.
When we arrived at the office,they stood side by side in the elevator.
I stood behind them and pressed the button for my floor.
A few colleagues joined us,whispering just loud enough for me to hear.
“Did you see that video yesterday?The way the CEO rushed to save that girl looked like a scene out of a drama!”
“She’s his old classmate,right?They look so good together,like a perfect couple.”
“I thought the CEO was secretly married?Don’t tell me,it’s her?”
Deana’s cheeks turned pink.She waved a hand,laughing softly,“No,no.We’re just classmates.Really!”
The way she said it in a gentle,shy and delicate way was worse than a confirmation.
She didn’t need to say yes.She let their imaginations run wild.
Fredric didn’t say a word to clarify or to stop the rumors.
I remembered the time I draped my jacket over his shoulders at work.He pulled me aside that night and said,voice like ice,“This is a workplace.Don’t do anything that could cause misunderstandings.”
But now?
He stood there while they guessed she was his wife and said nothing.
I turned,stepped out of the elevator and walked straight to HR.
“I’d like to hand in my resignation,”I said.
The HR manager blinked in disbelief.“You’re quitting?”
I handed over the envelope.“Yes.”
She lowered her voice.“Is it because of the‘new lady’?But I thought you were…”
I smiled faintly and said nothing.
Everyone in the company had already decided who the real‘Mrs.Gilbert’was.
And it wasn’t me.
Just as she was about to respond,a staff member rushed in and reported,“There’s a fight outside.Mr.Gilbert is in a fight for Deana!”
I bolted.
A crowd had gathered at the front gate.Three or four thugs surrounded Deana.One of them was swinging a metal pipe.
Fredric stood in front of her,shielding her with his own body.Blood dripped from a cut above his brow.
His voice was ice as he shouted,“Get lost!”
Then he lunged—fist connecting with one of the attackers,fighting bare-handed.
My heart nearly stopped as I saw this,so I ran toward him and yelled,“Fredric,are you crazy?!You could die for this girl?!”
He turned,eyes blazing and shoved me away.
“What?”I gasped.
He took a step forward,fury twisting his face the time he asked coldly,“Brittany,was this you?”
