Chapter 3

The hand holding my phone kept tightening until my fingertips went white.

So the kiss just now had been about the three seconds that hadn't gone his way today. Nothing more.

I lost count of how many times I read it. Then I curled my lip, picked up the stack of test reports on the desk, and fed them into the shredder.

Then I grabbed the ceramic figurine from the cabinet, the one we'd painted together six months ago, and hurled it at the lamp.

The light flickered a few times, then died.

The figurine hit the floor and shattered into pieces.

I walked to the window, scrolled my contacts to the very bottom, and opened the chat.

【One week from now, I'll start.】

The reply came fast.

【You've decided? If you come, the wedding gets pushed back, you know.】

I typed back quickly.

【I only agreed to marry him because I'd lost my head. I'm awake now.】

The other side sent a smirking dog emoji.

【All right. Looking forward to having you on board, Ms. Matthews. Good night.】

Early the next morning, I'd barely reached my office when I spotted a box of soup dumplings on my desk, from the old place I loved most.

Ken Salazar set the coffee down and answered before I could ask, following my gaze.

“Mr. Carr left those.”

For six years, everyone at the company knew about me and Marlin Carr.

But at work, he never had a fiancée in his sights. Only the job.

Which was why nothing but files had ever landed on my desk from him.

I was about to toss the box in the trash when Marlin pushed the door open.

“What? Still angry with me?”

“Yesterday was my fault, I'll admit that.”

He came around behind me and looped his arms around me from the back, the way he always used to, and fastened a delicate diamond-chip necklace at my throat.

My nose stung, sharp and sudden.

All these years, every piece of jewelry he'd given me, I'd chosen myself and he'd paid.

I'd complained about it a few times, said I wanted a surprise.

He always laughed it off.

“I've got no eye for it. Afraid a surprise would turn into a shock.”

Even the engagement ring, I'd picked out.

Now I'd finally gotten something he chose himself, and the style happened to be exactly to my taste.

Except it came the morning after he'd spent the night wrapped around another woman.

The nausea surged up again and lodged in my throat.

I bit down on the tip of my tongue and swallowed the words back, one by one.

The people under me had followed me since graduation, in perfect sync, loyal to the bone.

I couldn't let my private feelings derail their careers.

I had to take them with me.

Seeing me stay quiet, Marlin assumed I'd been coaxed around, just like every time before.

He let go, and his tone slid naturally back to work.

“The theme illustrator for the app update, have you settled on one?”

I stepped out of his hold, took a sip of coffee, and only then did my whole body ease.

“Not yet.

He nodded and said softly,

“You've had it rough lately, handling the wedding prep. Leave this one to me.”

The phone on the desk buzzed. A message from the equity contact. The terms were reasonable, it just meant I'd have to fly out.

Setting everything else aside, when it came to business, Marlin was flawless.

This software was the company's flagship. He knew exactly what it was worth.

I nodded.

“Fine. I'll scout the southeastern market while I'm out there.”

With his answer, he turned and left the office.

I took off the necklace, looked out the window, and murmured,

“One last time. Here's hoping it's a pleasure doing business.”