The day I found out I was dying, Byron broke up with me. I have been Byron Evan’s “contract lover” for five years, until his true love came back. He canceled our contract and told me to get lost. I thought that after five years, his frozen heart would thaw for me. How wrong I was. So I packed my things and left. Without telling him… I only had three months left to live. —— Byron Crawford’s private jet landed at LAX international airport at 7:00 PM. By 7:30 P.M, Athena Newton was taken to the Silver Tower Penthouse as requested. Per their contract, she had to be thoroughly cleaned “inside and out” without any traces of perfume or makeup. She strictly followed his preferences, thoroughly cleaned herself, changed into a silk pajama, and then went to the bedroom on the second floor. Byron was already working on his computer. When Athena entered the room, he gave her a casual glance. “Come here,” he demanded. His voice was cold and emotionless, weighing heavily on Athena’s heart. Byron was enigmatic, Athena didn’t dare to hesitate for a moment, worried that he might get angry with her, and quickly walked over to him. Before she could steady herself, he pulled her into his arms and lifted her chin with his long fingers. He lowered his head and kissed her ruby lips, the kiss was aggressive, without any traces of warmth. Byron might seem noble and restrained, but he showed no such thing when it came to sex. He was never tender with her. No sweet talk, no soft kisses. Just sex. He had been abroad on a business trip for three months, he probably wouldn’t let Athena go easily tonight. As she had expected, he was rougher than usual. Byron didn’t stop his thrusts until she was too exhausted. … When Athena woke up, she found herself alone in bed, but the sound of running water came from the bathroom. She looked in the direction of the water sound and saw a slender figure reflected on the frosted glass. Athena was surprised because Byron usually left without waiting for her to wake up after their encounters. But this time, he didn’t leave. She struggled to sit up from the bed and quietly waited for the man to come out. A few minutes later, the sound of running water stopped abruptly, and Byron came out wrapped in a bath towel. Water droplets from the tips of his hair fell onto his bronze skin, slowly sliding down his abs, the firm and strong lines carrying a deadly temptation.His face was finely chiseled, exquisitely handsome, with sharp, distinct features. His eyes, almond-shaped in hazel in color, were aloof and distant, deep and unreadable. Byron’ charm armed him from head to toe, and so did his cold aura. In one glance, you can tell this man was not easy to get along with. Seeing that Athena was awake, he gave her a cold look and said, “You don’t need to come anymore.” Athena was stunned. What did he mean by “No need to come anymore?” Byron withdrew his gaze from her, turned around, and handed her a document. “I’m canceling our contract, you’re fired.” He said fired. Not break up. Because that’s their relationship, the employer and the employee. Nonetheless, his words stung. As soon as Athena saw the document laid out before her, she understood. He didn’t leave early today because he didn’t want her to be his secret lover anymore. After being with him for five years, Athena always knew this day would come, but she didn’t expect it would end so abruptly—No reason or explanation. It was five years ago when the debt collector came knocking, and her grandma, Romy Lewis, fell seriously ill, desperately in need of money. Just when all hope seemed lost, Byron came in. Word had it that Athena bore a striking resemblance to his one true love, Freya Bates, , who went abroad and married a renowned European aristocrat after Byron’s accident left him in a coma. It was difficult for him to move on when he recovered and realized he had been cast aside. And then, Athena came into his life. He helped her settle her family’s debts and arranged for the best medical care for her grandmother. And so, she took on the role of Byron’s secretary, while secretly becoming his lover. Suppressing the sharp pain in her heart, Athena slowly raised her head and gazed at Byron, who was now fully dressed. “The contract will expire in six months. Can’t we wait for a little longer?” she asked, somewhat pleading. The doctor said she only had three months left and she wanted to stay with him until the end of her life. Byron didn’t respond, just looking at her with a cold gaze, showing no regret at all, as if he was kicking away a toy he had grown tired of playing with. His silence was all she needed, it meant, his decision was final. After five long years of trying, Athena had failed to thaw Byron’s frozen heart. She knew it was time for her to wake up from her illusion. Athena took the contract and put on a fake smile, attempting to feign indifference. “Don’t be so serious, I was just joking.” she teased. “I’m glad this is over, I get six months off, how perfect!” Athena added as if to convince herself. Byron paused as he adjusted his shirt sleeves, then lifted his cool gaze to size up Athena. On her face, there was no sadness, only a hint of excitedness… or relief? Byron frowned and asked, “You’re glad it’s over?” Athena nodded like she didn’t care. “Yes, I’m not young anymore. It’s time for me to get married and have children. I can’t always be with your contract lover, can I?” What a perfect lie. She laughed at herself in her mind, it was impossible for her to get married or have children, but in front of Byron, she had to leave with dignity and grace. She forced a smile and asked Byron, “Does that mean I can finally have a normal boyfriend once I leave here?” Byron’ eyes were filled with deep and unidentifiable emotions. After staring at her for a while, he put up his watch and turned to leave. “Do whatever you want.” Those were the last words he said before he left. Looking at his back, Athena’s smile faded. Byron hated it when other people touched his things, including his woman, but he didn’t react when he heard she wanted to have a boyfriend. Seems like… He really is sick of her.
After Byron left, his assistant walked in with the pill. He handed the pill to Athena and said respectfully, “Ms. Newton, please take it as usual.” This was a birth control pill. He didn’t love her, let alone allow her to get pregnant. After having sex, Andrew would always come with the pill and he would stand there watching to make sure she took it. Staring at the pill, Athena’s heart started to hurt. She wasn’t sure if the pain was caused by heart failure or Byron’s cruelty, but regardless, it was so intense that she struggled to take a breath. “Ms. Newton…” Seeing that Athena didn’t take the pill, Andrew urged her with a nervous expression, afraid that she would cause trouble on the last night with Byron. Athena glanced at him, took over the pill, and put it in her mouth. She didn’t even drink water with it and forced it down. Andrew let out a breath of relief, then he took an apartment deed and check from his briefcase and placed them in front of Athena. “Ms. Newton, this is Mr. Crawford’ compensation for you. In addition to real estate and luxury cars, he also gave you 5 million dollars. All yours.” How generous. Too bad, he never knew what she truly wanted. “I don’t want it,” Athena looked up at Andrew with a smile and said. Andrew was stunned and confused. “Do you think it’s not enough?” Hearing this, Athena felt heartbroken. Even Andrew thought she was doing it for the money, let alone Byron. He offered her such a high breakup fee. Was it because he was afraid she would pester him again for more money in the future? Athena picked up the bag beside her with a bitter smile, took out a debit card, and handed it to Andrew. “This is all the money Byron paid me over the years, I never spent a single penny. You can give it all back to him. Oh and the pin number for this card is his birthday.” Andrew was dumbfounded. Did Ms. Newton really never use any of Mr. Crawford’ money in the past five years? Athena didn’t care whether Andrew believed her or not. She placed the card on the pile of documents Andrew brought for her. Then she turned around and left the Silver Tower Penthouse At the same time, she submitted a letter of resignation to the company. … Winter was cold in the city. Athena walked alone on the empty street. Her thin figure was cast on the ground by the street light, looking gaunt and fragile. She tightened her beige coat, gritted her teeth, and walked back to her apartment in her high heels. She pushed the door open. It was huge inside, taking up an entire floor. Despite the luxurious decorations, the apartment couldn’t seem to dispel the chill that permeated Athena’s heart. She sat on the sofa, stared blankly at the surroundings for a moment, then Athena began to pack. This apartment was also given to her by Byron. Since he did not want her anymore, she would not take anything that he gave her. Athena took out her suitcase, opened the closet, and put all her clothes into the suitcase. She didn’t bring many things here, and after a quick pack, she left the apartment with her suitcase. After getting into the car, she sent a text message to Andrew. [Andrew, the password of Hudson Apartment is 0826.] Andrew was smart. He immediately understood when he saw the text message. Not only did Ms. Newton not spend a penny from Mr. Crawford, but she also didn’t want the apartment Mr. Crawford gave her. She had packed her stuff promptly and efficiently, she was nothing like the girl from five years ago. The crying girl who needed Mr. Crawford to save her grandma. Andrew returned to the company, handed the things back to Byron, and told him what Athena said. With an indifferent gaze, Byron glanced at the items on his desk. Then, his cold gaze was fixed on the debit card. “There is an added one million dollars in there?” he asked Andrew coldly. “Yes.” Andrew nodded. Before Andrew returned to the company, he went to the ATM to check the balance on the card. Other than the money that Mr. Crawford transferred to Amilea every month, there were another million dollars in it. Obviously, Athena paid him back the money he had spent on helping her with her grandma’s medical expenses. Byron frowned. After pondering for a while, he stretched out his hand, picked up the card, and snapped it in half He pushed the pile of deed certificates and other things towards Andrew and said in a cold voice, “Get rid of it then.” Andrew opened his mouth and wanted to say something nice for Athena, but Byron had already turned on his computer and started to work. Andrew sensibly shut his mouth, picked up the pile of documents, and left the office.
The other side,Athena decided to buy a plane ticket back to her hometown. Once she arrived in Greeli City, she purchased a bouquet of roses and purple daisies, along with two bottles of wine. She hailed a taxi and headed towards Colwi Cemetery. It started to drizzle as soon as she arrived. The security guard spotted Athena from a distance and hurried over with an umbrella. “Athena! I didn’t expect you today!” “I just wanted to pay a visit,” she explained. After a brief chat, she left a bottle of wine as a token of appreciation for the guard. With an umbrella in hand, she walked alone into the depths of the cemetery. The guard, holding his wine, gazed at her slender figure and sighed with sympathy. “What’s the matter? Do you know her?” a janitor leaned in and asked. The guard shook his head and sighed again, “Poor girl. She was just a little kid when she laid her mother to rest here. Then at the age of ten, she bid farewell to her grandfather, and just six months ago… her grandmother passed away. At her grandmother’s funeral, she stayed by her grave all day without eating a thing.” Athena quickly located the tombstone. Her grandparents lay side by side, with her mother nearby. The roses were for her grandma. When her grandfather was alive, he would bring a rose for her every single day. The purple daisy was for her mother, her favorite flower. Finally, Athena poured a glass of wine for her grandfather. “Grandma, Grandpa, and Mom. I have something to talk with you…” She was silent for a few moments. “I’m terminally ill and only three months to live.I’ll be with you soon.” In Girard City, the President’s Office at Imbe Group was abuzz with gossip today. News of Athena’s resignation had spread like wildfire. Everyone knew that only Athena could handle the difficult president. As suspicions grew, the new secretary arrived early this morning, led by Liam straight into Athena’s old office. The arrival of the new secretary, Ruby Holland, caused quite a stir in the company. She bore a striking resemblance to Athena. Rumors about the relationship between Byron and Athena had been circulating in the company. With Athena resigning and someone so similar to her appearing out of nowhere, wild speculations began to fly. Byron had a morning meeting with the overseas project department. By the time the meeting ended, it was already noon. Upon returning to the President’s Office, Ruby approached him, looking upset. “Byron! Is Miss Newton unhappy because I took her place? I didn’t see her at all today.” He furrowed his brows and glanced at Liam. “Where is Athena?” As soon as Liam heard Ruby’s words, he realized the game she was playing. “Mr. Crawford, Miss Newton had some personal issues and requested time off,” He quickly explained. “I apologize for forgetting to inform you. I was busy preparing for the meeting this morning.” “She has personal issues? Hmm, she left so abruptly without telling Byron. It must be serious,” she feigned concern for Athena and tried to approach Byron. He distanced himself immediately. “If she’s not here to train you, you can go now. Come back when she returns to work.” Ruby instantly sensed Byron’s foul mood. She was always good at reading people. So, after exchanging a few sweet words, she promptly left, shooting an annoyed glance at the secretary’s room on her way out. Athena must purposely be making things difficult for her. She didn’t buy the excuse that she had something urgent to attend to; she thought it was a deliberate attempt to teach her a lesson. “Just you wait! You started this. I’ll get back at you someday!” Liam began reporting Byron’s schedule. “Mr. Crawford, you have a golf game with Mr. Franco, the president of Colas Construction, at three o’clock this afternoon…” From the corner of his eye, he could see that Byron’s eyes were getting darker by the second. After taking a sip of his coffee, his expression grew even more grim. “Call Athena and tell her to come back immediately!” With her gone, the office staff couldn’t even make a decent cup of coffee anymore! “Yes sir!” Liam quickly grabbed his phone to make the call. Byron’s frustration intensified as he glanced at Liam. Since she had left so abruptly, Byron assumed her grandmother was unwell. Athena hadn’t visited her grandma for over six months. “Forget it.” Byron impatiently pushed away his coffee, grabbed a document, and stared at it with a brooding expression. Liam held his phone tightly, afraid to utter a word. He quietly stepped aside and sent Athena a WhatsApp message: [Athena, Mr. Crawford has been in a terrible mood all morning. Finish up and come back to save us!] After visiting the cemetery, Athena had nowhere else to go. When she received Liam’s message, she realized it would be best to complete the handover quickly and leave. The next morning, the people in the President’s Office were thrilled to see her. “Athena, why did you quit?! What are we going to do without you?” “That’s right! Mr. Crawford is terrifying when he’s angry. I was too scared to even breathe yesterday!” “Miss Newton, please don’t leave. We can’t handle Mr. Crawford without you!” As they chatted, the president’s elevator lit up. They immediately straightened up and stood neatly at the elevator entrance. A moment later, the doors opened. Byron, dressed in a black designer suit, stepped out with Ruby by his side. “Good morning, Mr. Crawford,” everyone greeted in unison, including Athena, who was standing at the back. She was still wearing her usual work attire, with her long hair cascading down her shoulders. She no longer looked timid and submissive, but indifferent. Byron led Ruby towards her. “This is my new secretary, Ruby Holland,” His voice was ice-cold, devoid of any emotion. “Show her the ropes and fill her in on all your responsibilities.”
Athena raised her gaze and locked eyes with Ruby. She couldn’t help but notice that Ruby resembled Freya, even more than herself. “I will,” Athena nodded in agreement. “Thank you, Athena. I’ll put in my best effort to learn quickly!” Ruby’s voice dripped with sweetness. “You’re welcome,” she replied politely, as she always did. Byron couldn’t detect any signs of displeasure or jealousy from her. “She doesn’t care because she’s not jealous…” These words echoed in Byron’s mind, irritating him. “I need coffee,” he grumbled, storming into his office . Later, in the break room, Ruby and Athena were finally alone… “Miss Holland, Mr. Crawford is quite particular about his coffee’s taste, so—” “Athena, I suggest you avoid being around Byron in the future. Whenever he sees you, it puts him in a bad mood. He is my man now, and I don’t want him to be unhappy,” Ruby interrupted, crossing her arms and staring at Athena with arrogance, as if she were Byron’s girlfriend, not his secretary. “Miss Holland, if you want me to leave quickly, you might want to stop talking and focus on learning,” Athena calmly responded, grinding the coffee beans. Ruby had said those words to provoke Athena, hoping to trigger her anger and make Byron hate her even more. But Athena didn’t take her words to heart at all. Ruby gnashed her teeth in frustration. The truth was, Ruby was sent to Byron’s side several months ago. Athena blocked Ruby’s path, capturing his attention first. She believed Athena must have used some underhanded tactics to gain his favor, even though Ruby resembled his love Freya more. So far, Byron hadn’t shown any interest in Ruby whatsoever. Aside from occasionally zoning out while staring at her, he rarely smiled. She glared at Athena with resentment. “You’re just a loser who got dumped by Byron. What are you so proud of?!” Ruby sneered. Athena looked at her with piercing eyes, as if she could see her inner thoughts. “Today is our first meeting, right? Why do you hate me so much?” Ruby was caught off guard and instinctively retorted, “I— I don’t!” “Is it because you haven’t slept with Byron yet?” Athena teased. “D-Don’t be ridiculous!” Ruby was clearly frustrated at being exposed. “On the desk in the secretary’s room, there are two sets of notes,” Athena plainly explained. “One is Byron’s secretary handbook, and the other is his lover’s handbook, which contains all his preferences.” “What do you mean?” Suspicion was evident in her voice. She couldn’t believe Athena was being so helpful. “I’m just handing over my work. What do you think I mean?” Athena added with a smile. “Miss Holland, I don’t care about Byron as much as you think. It’s just a job. I’ve always been professional when it comes to work, and I’ll teach you everything I know. But how much you can learn and whether you can please Byron… that’s up to you.” Ruby furrowed her brows and looked at her skeptically. She still couldn’t fully trust Athena. After a moment, Ruby finally said, “You better do as you say!” Athena brewed the coffee, pushed it towards Ruby, and flashed a gentle smile. ” Since you’ve been talkin’ so much, I’ll give you a heads up too. I’ll let it go this time. Just go on and do whatever pleases Byron, and steer clear of me. Don’t mess with me, or I can’t promise what might go down.” Under her piercing gaze, Ruby felt a shiver run down her spine. She never expected Athena to fire back, considering everyone always said she was forgiving and non-confrontational. But right now, she seemed completely different. Just then, there was a knock on the door. “Athena, the head of the sales team 1 is looking for you!” “Coming!” Athena lightly tapped the table and said, “Why are you still standing there? Take the coffee to Mr. Crawford.” With that, Athena left the break room. “Athena!” As soon as she left, the director of the sales department rushed in. “No wonder you screwed up so badly. Looks like you’re on the verge of quitting! If we hadn’t scheduled a meeting to go over the plan ahead of time, you would’ve bailed ages ago! I bet you took some cash from our rivals and deliberately sabotaged our agreement so we would lose this partnership!” Eric Lane, the sales department director and leader of the first team, was known for being blunt and hot-tempered. He had been working closely with Athena in the past few days. “Mr. Lane, can you please calm down? What’s going on?” Athena asked. “The contract data and the list from Maxwell Electronics were provided by you, right?” Eric replied angrily. “Yes,” she nodded. “I carefully checked all the data and handed them over to your sales department after making sure there were no issues.” “Nonsense!” Eric shouted. This order was crucial for his team. Losing this order meant losing out on significant commissions, and the company’s resource priority for the next quarter would be given to other teams! “Take a look at your massive screw-up! This order is worth billions. Do you even have a clue about the blood, sweat, and tears our team’s poured into this?” Eric slammed a stack of documents onto the table in front of her. She picked them up and examined them closely. The problematic sections were marked with a red pen. There were a total of six errors, all of which were difficult to spot, and two of them involved numbers. This wasn’t right… “This isn’t the one I gave you,” Athena stated firmly. “So what, you’re saying our sales department created this to set you up, at the cost of giving up our big commission?” Eric slammed his hand on the desk . “What’s all the commotion about?” Byron emerged from his office at that moment. “Mr. Crawford!” Eric rushed over and angrily explained the situation to him. Beside Byron, Ruby put on a surprised expression. She gave Athena a quick glance and said, “Mr. Lane, it seems like Athena’s got some family stuff going on lately. Maybe that’s why she’s not herself and messed up. You should go easy on her. You’ll get another order. It’s not worth getting yourself worked up!” Athena stared at her angrily. It seemed like Ruby wasn’t taking her warning seriously… “Miss Holland, I didn’t mess anything up. Are you accusing me without any proof?” she asked sternly. “Athena, you’ve got me all wrong! I’m just trying to lend you a hand… Byron, I’m just trying to clear things up for Athena! She’s being so rude!” He looked at Athena with narrowed eyes, and thought to himself. Athena had finally shown her true colors. “I see.” Byron said to Ruby. She quickly hid behind him, pretending to be terrified. Athena was at a loss for words. “If Ruby can’t blame you, then what about me?” His words felt like a sharp knife stabbing her heart. For a moment, she froze, her eyes slightly turning red. Byron didn’t believe her…
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