Chapter 1

On the fifth anniversary of the day we got together, the custom engagement diamond Samuel Weiss had ordered was delivered to the desk of Elaine Donaldson, his childhood friend.

We had been together in secret for five years.

At first it was to avoid gossip; later it was for the funding. He had promised we'd go public the moment the project contract was signed.

Once, he'd stayed up all night pulling security footage to cut a partner who'd been giving me a hard time in front of a client. So I kept believing him.

The package went to the default address, and the recipient was still Elaine.

Everyone immediately assumed the three-carat pink diamond was her bonus.

Elaine flushed and asked, "Mr. Weiss, is there some mistake?"

Samuel saw me. He only paused for a second.

"The project just closed. Consider it a special reward, from me personally."

The photo was already in the client group chat. He chose to save face.

Amid the cheering, Elaine slid the ring on.

I knew the inside of that band was engraved with my birthday, and that the size had been measured three months ago.

In the break room, my last question was, "Are you going to get the ring back?"

He twisted the cap off a bottle of water for me. "Take it back now and Elaine's humiliated, and the company has no clean way to explain it. I'll order you a new one, or convert it to cash."

He still remembered what I'd wanted. He just assumed I would go along with his arrangement.

If five years had all been about clearing the way for appearances, then this time, I wasn't going to wait.

……

"Convert it to cash?"

I didn't take the water Samuel was holding out.

Outside the break room, the celebration music thumped against the glass doors, and in the client group chat they were all praising Samuel's generosity, calling Elaine Prosper's lucky charm.

Elaine had been with the company six months. She was the girl next door Samuel had grown up with, and she also handled receiving project supplies.

For a long time Samuel had put private custom orders and valuable deliveries under Elaine's name and let her sign for them.

After she joined Prosper, the default shipping address had been changed to her desk.

Samuel set the water down.

"Ten million. Tomorrow I'll have my assistant transfer it to you from my personal account."

"Under what heading?"

He frowned.

"Lola Fox, don't say things you don't mean."

"The ring was delivered by mistake. That could be explained."

"The photo's already gone out to the clients and the investors. Walk it back now, and everyone just keeps asking questions."

"So?"

"Get through tonight first."

He said it calmly, like he was managing a PR incident.

Six months ago, he'd had me try on ring sizes, asked what color I liked.

Every time the designer sent a revision, he'd pretend he was choosing a gift for a client.

I'd played along and kept his surprise hidden for three months, and now even one word of explanation was too much to ask.

"The inside says LN0912."

I asked, "What happens when she sees it?"

"She probably won't look. I'll tell her after it's over."

"Are you going to get the ring back?"

Samuel didn't answer.

The door opened.

Elaine was in her evening dress, the pink diamond on her ring finger, a little loose.

"Lola, does this ring bother you?"

She held it against her knuckle. She didn't take it off.

"They just showed me the inside."

"LN is your name. 0912 is your birthday. I know that."

She looked at Samuel.

"But Mr. Weiss says it's only a design serial number."

"If it's meant for you, I can give it back, but Mr. Weiss has already told the clients it's a project reward, and if we change the story now, I'm not the only one who ends up embarrassed."

"You don't need to take it off."

Samuel avoided my eyes.

"Since it's already been called a project reward, we'll keep it consistent."

Elaine let go of the band.

"Then I really am keeping it?"

"Keep it."

She smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Weiss."

The door closed again.

I'd still been waiting for him to say, "I'll get it back after it's over."

Only now did I understand: what he called steadying things wasn't a delay. He'd made the decision for me.

The delivery going to the wrong desk was an accident. Claiming it in front of everyone was the first choice.

Elaine had already given him the chance to walk it back. He still hadn't chosen me.

"Go on back and rest."

Samuel touched my shoulder.

"There are toasts coming, and the clients love asking about personal things. If you're upset, no one gets out of it gracefully."

I turned aside, out of reach.

"The urban-development plan and the negotiations were all mine."

"No one's denying what you did."

"But to keep up the lie you told, I have to disappear."

He was quiet for a moment.

"Tomorrow, come look at that place on the South Side. The deed will be in your name."

"We'll talk tomorrow."

I picked up my bag and walked out of the break room.

In the banquet hall, Elaine stood beside Samuel's spot, showing the ring to the crowd.

"The inside is the brand's design serial number."

The cheering rose again around her.

I didn't stop.

Back at my desk, I fed the fifth-anniversary trip plan into the shredder.

The blades caught the paper, and "fifth anniversary" tore into thin strips.

A month ago, Mr. Chavez from Qihua Group had asked whether I'd be willing to head their newly formed East Coast Division.

Back then I'd said I needed to think about it.

Now I opened the chat.

"Mr. Chavez, the East Coast Division head position, I accept."

The call came through quickly.

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"What about your contract and the non-compete?"

"My contract expires Friday. There's no non-compete in effect, and I won't take a single file with me."

"Can you start next week?"

Through the glass, I watched Samuel and Elaine stand side by side to receive the toasts.

"Yes."

After I hung up, I found the renewal contract the company had chased me for three times.

"Manager Finch, when my contract expires, I won't be renewing."