I stormed out, ready to confront Stephanie—only to run straight into Dean.

He bumped into me deliberately, sending a box tumbling to the floor. Pink foil packets spilled everywhere.

“Oops, sorry, Director Jones.”

He bent down to gather them and I instinctively knelt to help—only to freeze when I saw what they were.

Condoms.

“This isn’t something you should bring to the office,” I said sharply. “Mind the image you're projecting.”

Trying to be civil, I kept my tone neutral.

But Dean just grinned wider.

“No choice,” he said casually. “My girlfriend's needs are... intense. No matter where we are, she expects me to be prepared.”

He gave me a pointed look, rubbing his waist dramatically.

“I heard you're President Myers’s fiancé? We're all adults. Don't you ever need these?”

I flushed and turned away, coughing to cover my discomfort.

Looking back now, I realize, everything he said was on purpose.

I didn’t sleep a wink that night.

Sometime before dawn, I opened my phone for the third time and saw Dean Henry’s new post.

A hotel bed with white sheets.

A woman’s bare shoulder in the foreground.

His abs front and center, flashing a peace sign at the camera.

The caption:

[Told you, no woman can resist me. Even the most ascetic ice queen ends up begging in my bed.]

My heart turned to ice.

Then, the next update popped up.

[Promotion unlocked. From now on, it’s Director Henry to you.]

I stared at my phone for what felt like hours.

Pain gripped my stomach, yanking me back to reality.

The medicine was gone. I dragged myself out at dawn to buy more, dark circles under my eyes.

Then I waited at the neighborhood gate.

For the past five years, Stephanie had picked me up every morning without fail.

But today was different.

Ten minutes passed.

Just as I decided to call a ride, her voice rang in my ear.

“Liam, sorry, I overslept. Can’t pick you up. And didn’t I tell you? You’re heading to the branch now, Vice President.”

I said nothing.

Through the car window, I saw her step out of a hotel, hand-in-hand with Dean Henry.

The buttons on her white shirt were undone, hair a mess.

Dean grinned as he pulled her close and kissed her.

I hung up, heart turning in my chest, stomach in knots.

Stephanie had chased me all through college.

She brought me breakfast daily. On Valentine’s Day, she covered the entire field with roses, holding up a sign that read: [I love Liam Jones.]

She chased off any girl who approached me.

“Liam Jones belongs to Stephanie,” she’d say proudly.

Even as her career soared and socializing became inevitable, she’d smile and say, “My boyfriend’s too strict.”

One time, she was even drugged at a party. Instead of caving, she called an ambulance and had herself hospitalized to avoid being touched.

Later, she clung to me with tears in her eyes, like a hurt puppy.

“I saved myself for you, Liam. You have to marry me.”

Our wedding was set for next month.

And yet, she still betrayed me.

I tried to suppress it all—pushed the images, the sounds, out of my mind—and headed to the office like normal.

“Vice President Jones?” someone called out in surprise. “Why are you back here?”

Even my assistant looked stunned.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at the branch office? As Vice President?”

“I was planning to talk to President Myers today,” I said. “The current project is at a critical stage. It’s a multimillion-dollar deal, I brought the client in, I’ve maintained the relationship.”

But when I walked into my office to pour water, I froze.

The office was completely changed.

My chair had been replaced with a luxury massage chair. My cup was gone. Flowers and plants covered the windowsill.

“Where are my things?” I asked.

“Over here,” came a voice from behind me.

It was Dean Henry.

He crossed his arms and gestured at a cardboard box by the door.

“I had my assistant pack them up for you. Been ready for an hour.”

He was still in a white shirt, several buttons undone.

A red hickey marked his neck.

As if afraid I’d miss it, he tugged his collar down even more.

I asked him, voice strained, where my project files had gone.

He smiled provocatively.

“President Myers gave them to me. All of them.”

I stared him down.

“I want to see Stephanie.”

Dean leaned in close, voice low and mocking.

“She was up all night and needs rest. Besides, she’s satisfied and has no desire to see you.”

“Want to know what we were doing when you called last night?”

I turned to leave.

He grabbed my hand and shoved it against his abs.

“That icy goddess of yours? She was desperate, pulling me in, begging—”

I lost control.

I slapped him.

He stumbled, clutching his face dramatically—just as Stephanie appeared and caught him in her arms.

Tears welled in his eyes as he played the victim.

“President Myers, don’t blame him. It’s my fault. He hates me for getting the director position... I must’ve pushed him too far...”

Stephanie looked up, her eyes cold.

“Liam, this is a company, not a place for your tantrums.”

I trembled with rage, yet still held myself back.

“At least let me finish this project. It’s only a few more days. I can’t let all that work go to waste.”

Her tone was firm. Dismissive.

“Even if you’re my fiancé, you still have to follow company policy.”

“You’re transferring to the branch. Effective immediately. You won’t be staying here.”

A clean sweep.

Get me out of the way, so she could flaunt her affair in peace.

I took a long breath, the exhaustion settling deep in my bones.

“Stephanie, you know how much I sacrificed to become Director.”

She knew how obsessed I was with my career.

I could give up anything, but not my work.

Even if she no longer loved me, even if she had someone else.

She had no right to take away everything I built with my own two hands.

I was on the verge of begging.

“Stephanie, I know you have your plans. Maybe you can’t wait… but could you at least give me a few more days?”

“No.” Stephanie cut me off sharply, her tone firm and cold.

She noticed how flushed and miserable I looked. Only then did her expression soften slightly as she stepped forward, trying to coax me.

“Liam, don’t be unreasonable. You’ve been working so hard that you barely even look at me anymore. We’re getting married next month. You should take a few days to rest…”

“Dean is my friend’s younger brother. She asked me to help him and I can’t just turn her down, can I?”

It felt like a giant hand was squeezing my heart.

I was in so much pain. I could hardly breathe.

Was it really about doing a favor for a friend?

Or was it because he pleased you so well in the hotel last night?

I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head, stepping away from her touch.

“If there’s no room for discussion, President Myers, then I suppose it’s fine if I resign.”

Her expression changed instantly. “Are you kidding?”

“No. I’m serious.”

I pulled a resignation letter from my bag and tossed it onto her desk.

“Approve this. Also, remember the 20% equity I hold in the company—it should be included in my final payout.”

Without waiting for her response, I turned and walked out of her office, ignoring her voice calling after me.

I took out my phone and texted my brother Timothee, asking him to pick me up.

While I waited, Dean strolled by with a cup of water and seized the opportunity to provoke me again.

“Liam Jones, what are you so proud of? Everyone knows you only held that director’s seat because you were Stephanie’s fiancé.”

“Let’s be real, old-fashioned, uptight guys like you aren’t attractive to women anymore. Stephanie prefers someone like me.”

He lifted his chin smugly, looking pleased with himself.

I nearly gagged.

“Well then, good luck using your body to climb to the top. Just make sure you don’t lose your soul on the way up.”

I looked down and focused on my phone, editing and submitting my resume.

But then came a wave of chatter from the coworkers around me.

“Come on, everyone knows Liam Jones is Myers’s fiancé. She used to treat him like a god, what’s he pretending for now?”

“Exactly! Vice President of a branch office is already a great position. If it were me, I’d be thrilled.”

“He’s just too much. No wonder they’re not married yet and look at Director Henry, he’s got that sultry face. Even I’d drool over him. No wonder she chose him!”

“Bet you anything, Liam is just throwing a tantrum. He’ll still end up going to the branch. Even if he knows Myers is having an affair, can he really give up that wealthy, cushy life?”

I smiled bitterly.

Before I could say anything, someone suddenly barked back on my behalf.

“What the hell do you people know?”

Timothee had arrived five minutes early—and had clearly overheard the entire conversation.

He didn’t hold back.

“If connections were all that mattered, then why the hell did my brother work his ass off for years and still only make it to Director? He’d be Chairman by now!”

“That damn Stephanie thinks giving her boyfriend a title is favoritism? What a joke.”

“She’s nothing but a shameless, conniving woman playing boss. If you all love it here so much, stay. We’re out of this dump!”

Timothee was like a firecracker, firing back at each one of them without hesitation.

When he finished, he grabbed my hand and led me out with a flourish.

My heart warmed.

Watching him stand up for me like that, I couldn’t stop my eyes from turning red.