“Mr. and Mrs. Holt, I’m leaving.”
“Ethan never loved me. I made him my whole
world, but you can’t force feelings.
“He loves Serenity. I’m done chasing him. I’m letting him go, and I’m letting myself go.”
“From now on, I’m living for myself. I’ll visit
<
you both when I can.”
- 3.
When I was a sophomore in high school, my
life blew up.
My parents died in a car wreck.
Ethan’s parents, who were best friends with
mine, took me in.
They treated me like their own daughter.
When I turned eighteen, they tried to set me
up with Ethan.
But he was already in love with Serenity.
After college, I joined Star Corp.
Star Corp was built by my parents and the
Holts. I inherited my parents‘ shares, giving
me a big chunk of the company.
I worked my ass off, wanting to make my
parents proud, wanting to help Ethan.
I had a knack for business. My investments
paid off big time. I earned the respect of
some major players.
<
If it wasn’t so obvious I was obsessed with
Ethan, my phone would have been ringing off
the hook with marriage proposals.
When I turned twenty–five, Ethan’s parents
died in an accident while traveling overseas.
Their will stated that Ethan had to marry me.
They only wanted me as their daughter–in-
law.
I cried, mourning them like my own parents.
Ethan, though? He barely looked at me during
the funeral. He blamed me for their deaths.
I mean, my parents died a few years before,
then the Holts died suddenly. It made sense
that Ethan hated me.
But I still loved him.
I felt lost, like he was the only thing holding
me together. He was my world.
Ethan did what his parents wanted. We got
engaged, planning to marry in a few months.
I dreamed of our happy life together.
<
But reality hit me hard.
Serenity came back from overseas and joined
Star Corp. Ethan promoted her to his
personal assistant.
She’d been in contact with Ethan all those
years. I knew it, but I ignored it.
I was too confident. I didn’t think she was a
threat.
But once Serenity became Ethan’s assistant,
it was obvious to everyone that they were
hooking up.
People were snapping pictures of them
together, posting them online.
I confronted Ethan.
He just brushed it off. “It’s the competition,
Hailey. They’re trying to cause trouble, smear
our company!”
“They’re stalking me and Serenity, taking
pictures that look suggestive. You can’t
believe it.”
“I’m sending my lawyers after them, making
them take the pictures down. Serenity just
got back. She doesn’t know anyone here but
- me. I have to help her adjust.”
I wanted to believe him. I did.
Then, photos of Ethan and Serenity checking
into a hotel, late at night, surfaced online.
I was furious. I demanded Serenity’s firing at
a company meeting.
Serenity looked all innocent and wounded,
biting her lip.
Ethan slammed his fist on the table, yelling,
“No one fires Serenity without my say–so!”
“Hailey, Serenity is my assistant. You’re just a
- VP. You can’t fire her.”
That meeting ended in disaster.
From then on, Ethan hated me even more.
If it wasn’t for his parents‘ will, he never
would have married me.
Or, more accurately, I held a big chunk of
く
Star Corp’s stock. If I left, the company would
take a hit.
