Chapter 4

I didn't say a word and walked back to my desk.

Anna seemed to purposely leave the office door slightly open. "Ethan, Lily looked really upset just now."

"Whether she's happy or not has nothing to do with me," Ethan's voice carried a heavy tone of annoyance. "If she can't do her job, she can pack her bags and leave!"

To Ethan, I was absolutely nothing.

As I was fixing the mess Anna left behind, my assistant tiptoed over. "Lily, everyone is in the conference room. We're just waiting for you."

This was the first meeting I hadn't prepared myself.

"That concludes this week's business report," the department head said, carefully closing the presentation.

The atmosphere in the room was suffocating.

Ethan sat at the head of the table, his arms crossed, eyes closed as if he were resting.

"I expect all inappropriate gossip in this office to stop immediately."

Everyone knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Especially some people—know your place. Don't make assumptions you shouldn't be making."

He might as well have called me out by name.

"Ethan."

After the meeting adjourned, Ethan walked ahead. I called out to him.

He paused but didn't turn around.

Even looking at me seemed like a waste of his time. I had truly overvalued myself in his heart.

"Why did you have to call a company-wide meeting just to say that?"

I wasn't ready to let it go. To make me leave, he was willing to humiliate me in front of the entire company.

"Anna was upset by the rumors."

With that, he walked away, disappearing down the corridor.

Fine.

Wonderful.

But how could he use *that* heart to love another woman?

The night grew deeper.