After a drunken night with my best friend’s older brother, I became his secret, off-the-books girlfriend. For eight long years, I lived in the shadows. Finally, my family handed down a harsh ultimatum: I had to marry this year, or they would arrange a match for me. “Austin,” I told him, as we lay in the quiet dark of our bedroom. “My parents gave me an ultimatum. I need to get married this year.” He paused, his body tensing, before he pressed a soft, distracting kiss to my forehead. He gave me the same old line he always did. “Just wait a little longer.” But the very next day, I opened my social media and saw a post from our new office intern, Lily. It was a photo of her and Austin holding up a fresh marriage license outside the city courthouse. Her caption read: Got the handsome CEO locked down. Eight years of begging for a crumb of commitment, and she got the whole damn loaf in three months. Swallowing the bitter lump in my throat, I tapped the heart icon. Then, I left a comment: Congratulations! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. Within the hour, I called my mother and accepted the match they had arranged for me. My phone rang almost immediately. For the first time in eight years, Austin’s voice sounded panicked. “Sydney, don’t get the wrong idea. It was just a stupid dare. I lost a bet with the guys, and Lily and I went to the courthouse as a joke…” I cut him off. “Austin, I’m getting married.” 1 There was a sudden, heavy silence on the line. Then, Austin’s voice returned, laced with his usual irritation. In the background, I could hear a girl’s soft, playful giggles. “Here you go again,” he sighed. “Are you really that desperate to walk down the aisle? The company’s cash flow is practically dry right now, Sydney. Can you please stop making a mess of things?” I stood on my balcony, watching the city lights flicker in the cool evening wind. My voice was flat, empty of the warmth I used to give him. “I’m not making a mess. I’m actually getting married.” He let out a sharp, mocking laugh, as if I had just told the most ridiculous joke. “You don’t even have a guy in your life. Who are you marrying? The wind?” I opened my mouth to say Nate’s name, but he was already in a hurry to end the call. “Look, I have to take this. I’m telling you, the license was just a stupid dare at a party. Don’t overthink it.” The line went dead, replaced by the cold drone of the dial tone. Eight years. He had spent eight years telling me to “don’t overthink it” while I quietly withered away in his shadow. The next morning, I walked into the office carrying two boxes of luxury, imported wedding chocolates. The open-plan office was buzzing with noise. A crowd of colleagues had gathered around Lily’s desk, and her face was flushed a deep, self-satisfied pink. “Lily, you are unbelievable! Austin is always so cold, and you managed to lock him down in three months?” “Does this mean we have to start calling you the boss’s wife? You have to look out for us now!” Lily covered her face with her hands, giggling. Her voice was just loud enough to carry across the entire room. “Oh, stop it, guys! It’s not like that. We just got hitched on a silly dare during a game. Please don’t spread it around.” I felt a cold sneer tugging at my lips. She had already broadcasted the marriage license to her entire social network, yet she wanted people to “not spread it around”? Her sharp eyes caught sight of the chocolate boxes in my hands. She practically bounded over in her designer heels, wrapping her arm tightly around mine. “Sydney! Are these the wedding chocolates Austin asked you to prepare for us? Thank you so much for the hard work!” Before I could open my mouth to correct her, she snatched the boxes right out of my grip. She tore open the expensive gold packaging and began stuffing the truffles into our coworkers’ hands. “Everyone, try some! Austin went out of his way to get these imported chocolates for the celebration!” The office erupted into cheers, praising Austin for being a romantic, attentive husband. Right on cue, Austin stepped out of the elevator. The crowd immediately started chanting, “Thanks for the wedding chocolates, Boss!” Lily looked up at him, her eyes wide and glittering with girlish adoration. Austin froze for a fraction of a second. Then, his lips curved into a smooth, easy smile. “I’m glad you all like them.” “The chocolates are mine,” I said. My voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the room like a blade. The entire office fell into a dead, suffocating silence. Every single pair of eyes pinned themselves to my face. Austin’s expression darkened instantly, a flicker of panic darting through his eyes. “Sydney, this is a place of business,” he muttered, his voice dropping into a harsh warning. “Don’t start acting out here.” “I’m not acting out,” I replied, looking him straight in the eye. “I bought those chocolates. I am getting married next Saturday.” His face turned so dark it looked like a thundercloud. He took a predatory step toward me, his voice a low, furious hiss. “Do you really have to push me like this?” Beside him, one of the junior marketers scoffed under her breath. “Honestly, Sydney, we’ve never even seen you with a guy. Who are you marrying? Are you just so jealous of Lily that you’re losing your mind?” Lily’s eyes welled with tears on command. She bit her lower lip, looking incredibly wronged. “Sydney, I know you used to have feelings for Austin. But he never felt that way about you. He even cleared up those rumors privately, telling us that you two were strictly professional colleagues.” The moment those words left her mouth, the collective gaze of the office shifted. They were looking at me like I was a desperate, pathetic side-piece who had tried and failed to home-wreck her way to the top. I looked at Austin. He turned his head away, staring out the window, refusing to offer a single word of defense. During our eight years in the shadows, I had ruined my liver drinking with clients to secure his contracts. I had pulled his company back from the brink of bankruptcy more times than I could count. When people whispered that I was desperately throwing myself at him, he had stayed silent. And now, he wouldn’t even grant me the dignity of the truth. “Seriously, Sydney,” another coworker chimed in, eager to please the new boss’s wife. “Austin and Lily are legally married now. If you keep throwing yourself at him, you’re just a homewrecker. If clients hear about this, it ruins our reputation.” “Exactly. Trying to steal your own intern’s husband? Have some self-respect.” I looked at these people, most of whom I had personally trained and mentored. A bitter laugh bubbled up in my chest. I had originally planned to invite them to my wedding, but now I realized they didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as my fiancé. I squeezed my phone in my hand and swept a cold glance over the room. “Since everyone is so desperately curious, I suppose I should introduce my fiancé.” I tapped my screen, preparing to pull up the photo of Nate and me. Suddenly, a hand clamped down on my wrist. Austin snatched the phone out of my hand, his face pale and twisted with rage. “Everyone, get back to work!” he roared. He gripped my arm tightly, dragging me toward his private office. Behind us, I could hear the team instantly whispering comfort to Lily, paired with the disgust they threw at my back. 2 He slammed the office door shut, aggressively loosening his tie as if he were suffocating. “I told you the courthouse was a stupid game!” he snapped. “Do you really have to make a scene and embarrass everyone?” “If it was just a game,” I said, staring at him with eyes as cold as stone, “why didn’t you clear the air? Why did you let them brand me a homewrecker?” He choked on his words, his jaw tightening. When he spoke, his tone carried that familiar, infuriating entitlement. “Lily is a young girl. She’s sensitive. I couldn’t just humiliate her in front of the entire company, could I?” So her feelings were precious, but my dignity was fair game to be dragged through the mud. I reached out, snatched my phone back from his grip, and turned toward the door. With my hand on the brass handle, I paused. I didn’t turn around. “My wedding is next Saturday. You and Lily are more than welcome to attend.” I walked down to the parking garage, my heels clicking sharply against the concrete. Before I could unlock my car, my phone buzzed. It was the executive recruiter who had been trying to poach me for months. “Sydney, about that director position at the multinational firm we discussed. They are willing to bump the starting salary by another twenty percent. Will you please reconsider?” The offered figure was at the absolute ceiling of the industry standard. “I accept,” I said, my voice steady. “Furthermore, I will be bringing a ten-million-dollar account with me. I expect the standard commission structure to apply.” The recruiter sounded like she was about to scream with joy. “Absolutely! I will have the contracts drafted immediately!” After hanging up, I sat in the driver’s seat. My thumb hovered over Nate’s name on my contact list. I sent him a quick text: Hold off on signing the contract. Wait for my word. Austin had complained about how hard things were for the company, telling me not to add to his stress. But for eight years, which of his crises hadn’t I personally resolved? This multi-million-dollar deal with Vanguard Group was something I had secured by swallowing my pride and pleading with Nate three separate times. It was the very lifeline Austin’s company needed to survive. As I drove out of the dark garage, the city blurred past my window. It felt like a metaphor for the last eight years of my life, a fast-forward reel of wasted youth. I met Austin outside my college dorm. He was Brooke’s older brother, arriving in a crisp white shirt to pick her up for summer break. He had stood under the shade of an oak tree, smiling, a tiny mole catching the light near the corner of his eye. My heart had skipped a beat. Later, at a graduation party, we both drank too much and ended up in bed. It felt natural to join his startup, beginning at the very bottom as a low-paid intern. At first, he said we couldn’t go public because he didn’t want people thinking I got promoted through favoritism. I believed him, so I waited. Once I became the top-performing manager in the marketing department, he said he was worried it would ruin my friendship with Brooke. I believed him again, so I waited. I foolishly believed that if I just kept quiet and worked hard, he would eventually give me a ring. It wasn’t until I saw Lily’s post that the fantasy shattered. He didn’t hate the idea of marriage. He just hated the idea of marrying me. 3 I drove back to the apartment we had shared for the last five years. My resignation would take a few days to process, but I wanted my personal belongings out of his space immediately. I dragged my suitcase out of the closet and opened the wardrobe. His clothes occupied more than two-thirds of the rack. In the past, I had complained that his style was too stiff and corporate. I had bought him bright, casual hoodies, but he had always shoved them to the back, claiming a CEO needed to look serious. Yet, hanging in the most prominent spot of the wardrobe were several brand-new, expensive designer hoodies in vibrant colors. He wasn’t incapable of changing. He just hadn’t wanted to change for me. I began folding my dresses into the suitcase. The sound of the front door unlocking cut through the quiet apartment. Austin walked in. Seeing the open suitcase and the bare hangers, his brow furrowed. “Sydney, there is absolutely nothing going on between Lily and me. Can you please stop throwing a tantrum?” He walked over, reaching out to grasp my hand. “The marriage license was a mistake. I’ll take her to the courthouse to file for divorce this afternoon.” “Once the Vanguard contract is signed and the company is stable, we can go public. Okay?” I parted my lips to say We are over, but he cut me off, scanning the room. “By the way, where did you put the keys to the Maple Heights townhouse?” I paused. “In the bottom drawer of the nightstand.” I looked at him. “Are you selling it to cover the company’s debts?” He blinked, then offered a casual, dismissive shrug. “Why would I sell it? It’s just sitting empty. Lily’s lease is up, so I told her she could stay there for a bit.” My chest tightened, a dull, throbbing ache spreading through my ribs. He had bought the Maple Heights house last year on my birthday, whispering in my ear that it would be our future home. And now, he was handing the keys to another woman. Before I could process the sting, he continued, entirely oblivious to my pale face. “Also, once you finish up the Vanguard contract, transfer the account details over to Lily. Her probation period is ending, and this deal will secure her permanent position. Don’t worry, I’ll still make sure you get the full commission.” My phone remained silent as his began to ring. He glanced at the screen and answered immediately, his voice instantly softening into a tone I hadn’t heard in years. “Yeah, sweetie. I’ll text you the address. Just have the movers head straight over…” He walked out toward the balcony to finish the call, never once looking back to see the expression on my face. The heavy thud of the glass door closing echoed in the quiet room. I stood in the center of the apartment and let out a soft, humorless laugh. Eight years of my youth, my sweat, and my devotion. In his eyes, it wasn’t even worth more than a three-month intern. I zipped my suitcase and walked out, never once looking back. I went straight to my parents’ house. Ever since I had agreed to the marriage with Nate, my mother hadn’t stopped smiling. The moment I walked through the door, she rushed to take my bag. “I always knew Nate was the one,” she beamed. “We watched that boy grow up. He’s decent, polite, and his family is wonderful. Your father and I can finally sleep easy.” Nate and I had been inseparable since childhood. Our mothers were best friends, and they used to joke about arranging our marriage when we were still in diapers. If I hadn’t met Austin in college, I probably would have married Nate years ago. I knew he loved me. He had always loved me. When Austin’s company was bleeding cash and on the verge of ruin, I had swallowed my pride to beg Nate for a lifeline. He had stayed silent for a long time before finally agreeing to the deal. Now, I realized just how incredibly foolish I had been. After dinner, I retreated to the study to organize my client files. My phone vibrated. A text from Austin: I’ll be late tonight. Don’t wait up. I stared at the screen for a moment, then deleted the chat thread entirely. By the time I finished organizing my files, it was past ten. I lay in bed, aimlessly scrolling through my social feed. The very first post on my timeline was from Lily, posted thirty minutes prior. The photo showed the living room of the Maple Heights townhouse. Austin was laughing, his arm slung over a friend’s shoulder as they played a drinking game, surrounded by empty beer bottles. Her caption read: He called me ‘kiddo’ in front of all his bros. Does he think I’m too childish? The comment section was filled with squeals and teasing, everyone gushing about how sweet and protective Austin was. I stared at the screen, then closed the app. There was no anger left, no tears. Whatever love I had carried for him for eight years had been burned to ashes the moment he let his employees call me a homewrecker. A new message popped up. It was from Nate. Are you free tomorrow? The bridal shop finished the alterations on your dress. Want to go try it on? I typed back a single word: Yes. The next morning, Nate arrived early to pick me up. My mother sent us off with a warm smile, stuffing two boxes of his favorite pastries into his hands. As we drove, I cleared my throat, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Nate, about that Vanguard contract… could you hold off on signing it? I’m moving to a new firm, and I’d like to use that account to make a strong first impression.” He glanced at me, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “Why don’t you just come work for Vanguard?” “I think it’s better if we keep our professional and personal lives separate,” I replied, smiling back. At the bridal boutique, the consultant welcomed us warmly, presenting a stunning, elegant mermaid-cut gown. “Mr. Nathaniel insisted on having the measurements adjusted three times to ensure it fits you perfectly, ma’am,” she said. When I stepped out of the dressing room and looked at myself in the mirror, I froze. Years ago, whenever Austin and I passed a bridal shop and I lingered at the window, he would pull me away, promising he would hire a world-class designer to make me a one-of-a-kind gown when the time was right. I waited eight years for that promise. Instead, I was standing in a custom gown Nate had quietly prepared for me. “Do you want to take a photo and post it?” Nate asked, standing behind me, his eyes full of warmth. I nodded and handed my phone to the consultant. “Could you take a photo of us, please?” Nate seemed slightly taken aback, but a brilliant, genuine smile quickly spread across his face. He stepped up beside me, gently placing his hand near his waist without fully touching, a gesture of pure respect. The photo was breathtaking. I uploaded it to my social media with a caption: Next Saturday, at the Apex Hotel. We would love for you to join us as Nathaniel and I celebrate our wedding. Within a minute, the comment section exploded. Oh my god! Is that the Nathaniel from Vanguard Group? Sydney, you’ve been holding out on us! And people actually thought she was chasing after Austin? Talk about a reality check! Nate makes Austin look like a boy playing dress-up! While I was scrolling through the comments, my phone rang. It was Austin. I picked up, and his voice came through, thick with alcohol and dripping with bitter sarcasm. “Nice move, Sydney. Dragging Nate into your little game just to force my hand? You really are desperate for a ring, aren’t you?” Before I could answer, Nate reached out, took the phone from my hand, and pressed the speaker button. His voice was calm, steady, and filled with an undeniable authority that echoed through the room. “Austin, we are actually getting married.” “She waited for you for eight years. I have been waiting for her for twelve.” “Thank you for letting her go.”
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