I was Declan’s personal secretary for five years. We never talked about love but shared intimate moments until the person who held his heart returned. He let me go. I had anticipated this day, so I calmly packed my things without causing a scene. The next day, he regretted it and cried. Half an hour ago, the news from HR was a heavy blow: I was fired. A colleague sympathetically patted my shoulder, saying, “We did our best, but the outcome couldn’t be changed.” The news didn’t shock me; instead, I felt a sense of calm acceptance. Last week, whispers began circulating around the company: Declan, our CEO, got engaged to the heiress of White Corporation, his ex-girlfriend and the unforgettable love of his life. Now that his dream had come true, the “extra person” by his side naturally had to be removed. Even though my relationship with Declan was never made public, everyone in the company knew there was something between us. Because of this, no one dared to touch me except Declan himself. I received the notice in the morning and completed all handovers by the afternoon. The colleague taking over my role looked worried, constantly lamenting, “Adeline, what will the secretary department do without you?” Declan’s temper is notorious—unpredictable and irritable. Even the wrong temperature for his coffee could set him off. As the department closest to him, we often bore the brunt of his outbursts. However, since I arrived five years ago, things changed. From making coffee to ordering meals, delivering reports, and even calming his temper when other departments made mistakes, I handled it all. My colleagues often said these past five years were the easiest under Declan. I smiled and demonstrated once, “Get the water temperature right, and Mr. Declan won’t complain.” “I heard there’s someone in the company who knows Declan particularly well, even called his exception. That’s you, right?” said a voice from behind. I turned around. Phoebe removed her sunglasses, her gaze sharp. The colleague holding coffee quickly lowered her head and left. I smiled and greeted her, “You’re joking, Ms. White. If I were an exception, I wouldn’t be standing here today.” “In the company, isn’t it only those who are lacking who get fired?” That remark seemed to infuriate Phoebe. She suddenly grabbed the kettle on the table and splashed hot water towards me, sneering, “Let’s see if your sharp tongue can handle this hot water!” The hot water splashed on me, and my skin turned red instantly. Luckily, Declan always preferred his coffee not too hot; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. At that moment, Declan appeared. He walked over to Phoebe with a smile, gently adjusting the hair on her forehead. Phoebe clung to his arm, openly saying, “I had a little conflict with a company employee and couldn’t help but splash her with hot water.” Declan finally glanced at me, his eyes cold and indifferent, as if looking at a stranger. “If she’s splashed, she’s splashed. I’ll have someone compensate her. No need to delay our plans over someone insignificant.” “I’ve ordered your favorite crawfish, let’s go soon.” They walked past me, Phoebe’s gaze full of ridicule. Whether it was the sting of the hot water or the hidden pain in my heart, my chest felt like it was being cut by a knife. But this pain—I never want to feel it again…
After leaving the company, I didn’t go straight home. Instead, I walked into a quiet café. Asher was already there, absentmindedly stirring his coffee. “Hello, Mr. Zhou,” I greeted softly. “I’ve resigned from Declan Corporation and can join your company anytime.” Hearing my voice, Asher stopped what he was doing, looked up, and gave a gentle smile. “Welcome, Miss Adeline. But no rush about work. I understand you had a special relationship with Declan. Now that he’s getting married, you might need some time to adjust. I’ll give you three days to sort out personal matters. Can you start after that?” I frowned slightly. Although I knew my situation with Declan couldn’t remain entirely secret, I didn’t expect everyone in their circle to know. Asher was the one who reached out to me after I left Declan Corporation, offering very favorable terms. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it at first After all, at Declan Corporation, I was just a secretary with an ambiguous status—not worth such treatment. “Mr. Zhou, may I ask why you’re offering me such generous terms?” I couldn’t help but ask. Asher remained calm, took a sip of coffee, and gave me an answer that made me half-believe. “I understand Declan. If Miss Adeline can be his secretary for five years, then being a department manager in our company is more than enough. Also, I hope Miss Adeline won’t have any ‘unexpected’ entanglements with our partners after joining.” After some thought, I finally accepted Asher’s offer. After all, the benefits were tempting, and I needed the money now. Just as I nodded in agreement, a familiar cold laugh came from behind. Declan walked into the café, holding Phoebe’s hand. I knew him too well. Whenever he laughed like that, it meant he was angry—really angry. “Mr. Zhou, long time no see. Even the people my company doesn’t want, the Zhou Corporation is willing to take?” “But let me remind Mr. Zhou, this person isn’t honest and loves money. Be cautious as an employee.” I listened quietly to every word Declan said about me. My fingers clenched under the table, almost piercing into my skin. In fact, the moment Declan fired me, I didn’t hate him. After all, what we had was just a five-year transaction. He gave me money, and I accompanied him in bed. But I didn’t understand why, even after leaving Declan Corporation, he still had to be so aggressive. I bit my lip hard, holding back the sting in my nose, trying not to let tears fall. “Mr. Declan, if I really stole from Declan Corporation, you can call the police. But don’t slander me!” Declan glanced at me coldly, saying nothing more. But Phoebe laughed and stepped forward. “Miss Adeline, it’s just a joke. Why so serious? Are you saying today’s compensation isn’t enough and you want more?” Saying this, she pulled out a wad of cash from her bag and threw it at me. “I heard your mom is still in the hospital waiting for money to save her life, right? But don’t throw away your dignity. This money is a reward for you!”
As Phoebe finished her words, the wad of cash hit my face harshly. One of the corners cut my right cheek, leaving a shallow scratch. The surrounding gazes focused on me—some sympathetic, some mocking, and some undisguised malice. “She’s now an employee of Zhou Corporation and has nothing to do with Declan Corporation,” Asher said coldly, suddenly looking at Phoebe. Phoebe instinctively stepped back, hiding behind Declan. It was the first time I saw Declan so tense about someone. He immediately protected Phoebe, facing Asher. Finally, he glanced at me nonchalantly, saying, “Isn’t it just a scratch on the face? Consider this compensation, she still profits.” With that, Declan squinted at me. I knew he was warning me to stop while I was ahead. If I didn’t accept it, he had ways to make things worse for me. The five years of feelings never left any mark in his heart. He never had any true feelings for me. I forced a smile, humiliated, and picked up the money from the ground piece by piece. “Don’t worry, Mr. Declan, I profited.” Each word was squeezed out through clenched teeth; my gums were bleeding. Phoebe sneered, “Really like a lapdog!” I clenched my teeth, the soft flesh inside my mouth nearly bitten through, the metallic taste of blood spreading on my tongue. I didn’t dare look up, knowing how pathetic and ridiculous I must seem. In the end, Asher sighed, took my hand, and led me out of the café. “Take a good rest for three days. I’ll be waiting for you at Zhou Corporation.” Back at the apartment, Declan’s jacket was still on the messy bed. I began tidying up, collecting all his things, and putting them in a box. I planned to return them to him or just throw them away. After a few hours, I realized the whole apartment was filled with traces of him over the past five years. The toothbrush and towel in the bathroom, the plants on the windowsill, the apron in the kitchen… Unknowingly, I had treated him as a real boyfriend over these five years, not just a part of a transaction. Although I didn’t want to admit it, this was the reality. The lock clicked, and the familiar figure appeared before me, as always. Declan immediately noticed the things I packed for him, coldly mocking, “Found a new backer, and now you can’t wait to kick your old patron out?” “Adeline, are you that cheap? Can’t live without money?” I bit my lip hard, the deep imprint clearly visible. So, in Declan’s heart, I was just that kind of despicable person. But none of this mattered anymore. Although I don’t want to admit it, this is the reality. The door lock suddenly clicked, and a familiar figure appeared before me, just like always. Declan glanced at the things I had packed for him and scoffed, “Found a new patron already? Can’t wait to kick your old benefactor out, huh?” “Adeline, are you really so desperate? Can’t live without money?” I bit my lower lip hard, leaving deep, visible teeth marks. So, in Declan’s mind, I’m just this despicable person. But none of this matters anymore. A heart that’s already dead can’t be brought back to life. “We agreed on five years from the start. Now that the time is up and you’re getting married, I won’t hold you back.” “Besides, I’ve already resigned from Declan Corporation. Mr. Declan, you have no reason to stay with me anymore, right?” He said nothing, his face frighteningly grim as he sat on the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. I quickly pushed the packed things in front of him. “I’ve packed everything. You can take it when you leave.” As soon as I finished speaking, Declan’s expression darkened even more. I had no idea what had upset him. Just like a reflex from the past five years, I quickly ran through all the possible reasons he might be mad. Finally, I remembered something and said to him, “I’ll also give up this apartment, don’t worry. As for the past five years, I won’t say a word, nor will I spread gossip in front of Miss White, and I won’t bother you again.” Declan paused, his expression unreadable in the dim light. Soon, he sneered, leaned over, and pinched my chin. In no time, a red mark appeared on my chin. “It’s best if you’re this sensible, or you’ll regret it!” “I don’t want these things. You’ve touched them, and I find them dirty!” With that, Declan turned and walked out. His words took my breath away, and I couldn’t hold back the tears in my eyes, which fell one by one. I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall. And he never looked back.
Over the next two days, I contacted the landlord to give up my old apartment. Then I found a new one near Asher Corporation. After finally moving, I took some time to visit the hospital. Mom was the same, lying in bed, unable to wake up. Ever since a car accident five years ago, Mom has been in a coma. She relies on hospital equipment to barely stay alive. As usual, I massaged her body to improve circulation. Then, as the doctor instructed, I slowly told Mom about my recent events. “Mom, I’ve left Declan Corporation and got a new job.” “This time, the new job pays better, so don’t worry about me. Just focus on recovering and waking up soon.” After everything, the equipment monitoring Mom showed no significant changes. Leaving the hospital, I rushed to Asher Corporation. Even though it hadn’t been three days, I chose to start working early. With Asher’s instructions, I breezed through the onboarding process at Asher Corporation. To quickly get familiar with the job, I worked overtime on the first day and stayed late. By the time I got home, it was already very late. Lying in bed, I took out my phone, and former colleagues from the Declan Corporation’s secretary department started complaining in our small group chat. [Mr. Declan seems off today, his temper’s terrible. Without Adeline, we can’t manage him!] [One moment it’s the temperature, the next it’s the lack of water, and then not enough coffee. Adeline, I followed your notes exactly, yet he still found a bunch of faults.] [Same here, got yelled at all day. I don’t want to work here anymore!] After reading for a while, I didn’t reply to any messages and turned off my phone. Since I’ve left Declan Corporation, Declan’s habits are no longer my concern. In the following days, I fully immersed myself in work at Asher Corporation. Soon, Asher assigned me a task to create a proposal. Fortunately, I’ve always worked in the secretary department, so handling proposals is something I’m used to. After several days of overtime, my dark circles couldn’t be hidden, with my eyes looking bruised. On the day of the project bidding, Asher asked me to attend with him. The main competitor for this project was Declan’s Declan Corporation. At this project event. Declan and Phoebe were the center of attention, with many people congratulating them. It seemed like they had already won the project. When Asher and I appeared, we quickly caught the attention of Declan and Phoebe. Our eyes met, each harboring our own thoughts. Phoebe smirked, directly mocking me. “Mr. Asher, your proposal isn’t done by Miss Zhang, is it? You better be careful; this Zhang woman only knows how to scam your money and can’t make any proposals. Otherwise, why would Declan Corporation have fired her?” “And she’s not a good person, trying to seduce our Declan but got rejected. Now she’s tricking Mr. Asher.” Her voice was loud, as if afraid others wouldn’t hear. Soon, it drew a lot of attention, with murmurs rising. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth in defense. “I wasn’t fired because of my skills, and I didn’t try to seduce Mr. Declan!” As soon as I finished speaking. Phoebe took out her phone and played an audio clip. The clip was edited, leaving just one sentence from me and one from Declan. I said, “I won’t speak of anything between us.” Then Declan’s refusal followed. “I find it dirty!” I turned sharply to look at him. Declan’s eyes avoided mine. Phoebe laughed arrogantly and asked me. “With evidence, Adeline, what else do you have to say?” 5 The laughter at the banquet suddenly intensified. Everyone was giving me malicious looks.
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