Chapter 1

At the company dinner, the new intern suddenly stood up and confessed to my husband in front of everyone. We'd been secretly married for three years.

She didn't spare a thought for me, the underground girlfriend who had hidden it from everyone for five years.

For five years on the job, Burton Sanchez said we had to avoid the appearance of favoritism. He wouldn't even say more than a few words to me.

Now, without a shred of that caution, he pulled the intern into his arms.

When the dinner ended, he was the one who took the drunk, staggering intern home, half-carrying her the whole way.

An hour later, a message came through explaining himself.

"The girl's sensitive. Getting turned down in front of everyone would have humiliated her."

"She threw up all over herself after I got her home. I'll be back later. Be good."

But Burton never came home that night.

The next day, the intern was promoted three levels and became my direct superior.

I handed in my resignation on the spot.

Burton brushed it off and pushed it right back at me.

"Promoting Genevieve Harding was a decision the board made together. Don't read into it."

"You've been number one in sales for five years, that's true. But to avoid any appearance of favoritism, I can't say much."

I looked at him quietly, and it struck me as absurd.

He was the one who recruited me back then, promising that once the appearance-of-favoritism period passed, he'd promote me on my own merit.

And now he was the one keeping me, the top performer year after year, stepping aside to make room for an intern.

Maybe because I didn't make the scene he'd expected, something like surprise flickered across that cool, aloof face of his.

"Be good. I'll push for your promotion next time."

He didn't know there wouldn't be a next time.

I forced the tears back down, said nothing, and turned back to my desk.

I sent a message straight to the chairman of Sanchez Group's largest supplier.

"I accept the offer. That Sanchez Group project—give it to me to handle."

……

Half an hour later, Burton walked over and handed me a hot latte.

I froze for a second. In five years, this was the first time he'd handed me anything directly, without the usual caution.

Something in me softened despite myself.

Then, the next second, Genevieve poked her head out from behind him, tugging at his sleeve.

"To celebrate my promotion to Director, Mr. Sanchez is buying lattes for everyone."

I went stiff. So the latte he gave me was just part of the round.

"Ursula Winfield's taught me the most, so Mr. Sanchez brought yours over himself."

Burton nodded as if it were only natural.

"That's right. You're the senior one here, so you'll keep running the project. Just send the approvals to Director Harding."

Which meant I'd keep doing the work, but the credit would go to Genevieve.

The latte in my hand suddenly felt hot enough to burn my palm.

It just felt absurd. So the first time he dropped the caution wasn't to comfort me.

It was to press me into doing another woman's work.

Seeing I said nothing, Genevieve put on a wounded little pout.

"Ursula, don't you want to help me celebrate? Maybe I should just give the promotion back to you."

Burton patted her hand, his voice going soft.

"The board's already decided. It won't change. And no one's giving anything back to you."

"Sit tight in your position. Anything you don't understand, I'll teach you myself."

He turned to me, and his tone went cold in an instant.

"Don't think seniority means you can defy your supervisor."

"Drink the latte and apologize to Director Harding."

All I'd done was not drink that latte.

All I'd done was refuse to cover for Genevieve and clean up her messes.

Yet somehow I'd committed some unforgivable crime.

My chest closed up until I could barely breathe, but I didn't back down.

"I didn't do anything wrong. And I don't want the latte."

Burton's face darkened further. As if by accident, he touched the side of his waist.

"Think again. Are you sure you did nothing wrong?"

The blood drained from my face.

When we'd first gotten together, there was a car accident. Burton had shoved me out of the way with everything he had.

He was thrown two meters, took over a dozen stitches in his side, and barely made it out alive.

I collapsed crying at his bedside, and he'd said, face white as paper,

"Silly. It's my honor to protect you. Thank god it was me that got hit."

Now he was reminding me it was time to repay that debt.

Time to trample my dignity so Genevieve could establish her authority.

"Fine. I'll drink it."

I let out a bitter laugh, lifted the latte, and tipped my head back to drink.

Genevieve cut in again, holding out a glass of iced lemon tea with a bright smile.

"I just remembered—I'm on my period, I can't have anything cold."

"Ursula, could you switch with me?"

It was a naked provocation, hinting that I was just jealous and petty.

Burton looked at me, opening his mouth as if to speak, then stopping.

It seemed we'd both remembered I was allergic to lemon.

I'd once drunk a glass of lemonade he bought without thinking, and ended up in the hospital getting my stomach pumped.

After that, anything with lemon in it was banned in our home.

I looked at him with one last flicker of hope.

He turned his head and avoided my eyes.

Still, he didn't stop it.

The last string inside me snapped.

Fine. If he wanted me to repay the debt, then I'd repay it all at once.

I took the iced lemon tea and drained it in one go.

Genevieve pulled Burton away, satisfied.

"Looks like you're very happy about my promotion too, Ursula. I'll be sure to look after you from now on."

The coworkers watching whispered among themselves.

"Mr. Sanchez turns Genevieve down out loud, but look how he dotes on her."

"Not like that one. No one backing her, five years of hard work, all of it sewn into someone else's wedding dress."

Wiping at lips that had already started to go numb, it suddenly came clear to me.

So when Burton truly favored someone, he didn't bother avoiding any appearance at all. The whole world knew he doted on her.

A message from Burton came in.

"Don't read into it. I was just avoiding favoritism just now, backing what's right, not who's close to me."

"Don't worry. I ordered antihistamines using your phone number."

I let out a cold laugh and closed the chat.

Then I lowered my head and typed carefully to a lawyer.

"Please draft divorce papers for me. I need them today."

……