A blurry photo was leaked on the company’s anonymous Blind app. It showed a silhouette of our CEO, Nicholas Vance, kissing a woman under dim lighting. Nicholas’s profile was clear as day, but the woman’s face was completely hidden in the shadows. The only thing clear and blinding was the pair of blue diamond earrings on her earlobes—rumored to be worth ten million dollars. That very night, Bianca Sterling, a senior marketing manager, was spotted in the break room wearing an identical pair of earrings. The company’s WhatsApp group chat exploded. Everyone was privately congratulating Bianca on finally bagging the billionaire CEO and securing her ticket into high society. Only I knew she was posing as me. I was just an ordinary administrative assistant at the headquarters, working here for two years doing basic support tasks. This wasn’t because I lacked ability or ambition. I hid my identity and started from the bottom purely to understand the company’s operations inside out. It was just a warm-up phase before I took over my own family’s conglomerate. So, after two years, I was still an invisible nobody in the office. My manager assigned me to help coordinate some of this year’s Annual Gala, and even had me participate in some of the stage games to pad my resume. Today, one of the interactive games required me to share the stage with Bianca Sterling, the high-flying marketing manager. And Bianca was the “future boss’s wife” who wore the identical earrings. The gala was highly interactive. The host stood on stage with a mic: “Next, we’re going to play a little game! Everyone can draw a card to get their challenge task.” Since it was a corporate event, all the segments were loosely scripted. Bianca went first and drew the pre-arranged card: [Mix a drink on stage and invite a colleague or friend to taste it with you.] As soon as the task appeared, the employees below started whispering: “This was made for Bianca! She’s definitely going to invite the CEO!” “The gala is going to break the internet! If the CEO comes up, we’ll be the top trending topic tomorrow!” “Omg, I want to see Bianca and Mr. Vance show some PDA so bad!” The “Mr. Vance” they were talking about was Nicholas Vance. With his jaw-dropping good looks, ruthless business instincts, and mind-boggling wealth, he was a legend in our social circle. His “rumored romance” with Bianca started about a year ago when she “accidentally” posted a picture of herself using the same limited-edition fountain pen as Nicholas on Instagram. Over the past year, Bianca had “coincidentally” posted several other items identical to Nicholas’s personal belongings. Recently, she even secured a major project that the CEO had personally overseen. Naturally, rumors began to spread that this beautiful corporate elite had successfully captured the ultimate billionaire bachelor. The climax happened three days ago. Someone posted a blurry silhouette of a kiss on the company’s Blind forum. Nicholas’s sharp jawline was unmistakable, and the blue diamond earrings on the woman’s ears sparkled brilliantly. That same night, Bianca “carelessly” showed off her identical earrings in front of her colleagues. The office went wild. Many assumed it was the CEO’s silent way of making things official, and some had already started congratulating her in advance. But I knew it was a lie. Because the woman in that photo was me… Those earrings were mine… And that photo was taken by him on our anniversary when I leaned in to kiss him… In the original photo, my face was buried in his shoulder, smiling so hard my teeth showed. It was saved on my phone. Nicholas had cropped out the top half, leaving only our touching lips and that sparkling earlobe. I had no idea how Bianca got her hands on a replica pair of those earrings, but looking at her behavior now, it was definitely no coincidence. Holding the task card, the host asked Bianca, “Bianca, who are you planning to invite on stage? Will it be *that* special someone everyone is waiting for?” Bianca glanced at the whispering crowd, putting on a hesitant look before speaking. “Well… Nicholas is usually extremely busy. But whenever I call him, he usually makes time for me.” Her cheeks flushed with a soft pink, looking incredibly shy. “Let me give him a call.” The host, eager to stir up the crowd, played along. “Can we see what his contact name is on your phone?” Bianca showed her screen to the audience. The contact name was just one word: [Nick] A wave of giggles and excited murmurs rippled through the crowd, everyone teasing her for being so bold. Bianca smirked and dialed the number.
As a senior marketing manager, it wasn’t hard for Bianca to get the public contact info of the CEO’s office. Soon, the call went through. On the other end, a highly professional male voice answered, completely different from Nicholas’s deep, magnetic baritone. “Hi, Manager Sterling. How can I help you?” I recognized the voice. It was Arthur, Nicholas’s executive assistant. Bianca explained that she was playing a game at the Annual Gala, only to receive a formal reply: “I’m sorry, Manager Sterling. Mr. Vance is currently in an important board meeting and is unavailable to take calls.” With that, the call was disconnected. Bianca hadn’t put it on speakerphone, so only those of us on stage could faintly hear the robotic, professional rejection. But even after being rejected, her face didn’t betray her. She put on a sweet, slightly annoyed pout and complained to the host, “He’s just too busy. He’s stuck in a board meeting and can’t make it.” The crowd immediately started buzzing again: “The rumors are real! Bianca and Mr. Vance are definitely together!” “She can call the CEO’s office directly. That status is unmatched!” “Beautiful and capable, Bianca is living the dream!” The host smoothed things over. “That’s a pity. Who are you going to invite next, Bianca?” Bianca tilted her head, acting cute. “Let me think. I have too many options.” While Bianca was “thinking,” the host seized the opportunity to keep the program moving and had me draw my card. As fate would have it, I drew the exact same task. The host obviously didn’t care about a low-level admin like me. Her smile was purely polite and superficial. “So, Chloe, who are you going to invite? A colleague?” I shook my head. “No, not a colleague.” The host asked again, “A friend or family member then?” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “May we ask who it is?” I thought about the stubborn guy at home… If I invited someone else to a stage game like this, he would definitely throw a tantrum… So, I said his name: “Nicholas Vance.” The host’s smile froze instantly. Immediately, the whispers below erupted into a loud roar, and countless mocking eyes locked onto me. “What is wrong with Chloe?” “How does she have the nerve? The CEO belongs to Bianca. Why is she inviting him?” “Is she trying to clout-chase? She must be desperate for attention!” The admin team and the planning crew standing backstage were both thrilled and stressed. Thrilled because my shocking declaration had instantly made the crowd’s attention skyrocket, making the atmosphere incredibly tense. Stressed because the gossip was getting nasty. Bianca’s loyal followers were pointing and laughing at me, and they were worried it would ruin the company’s image. Loving the drama, the host said to me, “Then, Chloe, can you show us your contact name for Mr. Vance?” I looked at the massive crowd below and shook my head reluctantly. “This number is not for public eyes.” This was Nicholas’s private personal number. It couldn’t be displayed in a place like this. The crowd erupted into loud jeers and laughter. “She’s lying through her teeth!” “How could a nobody like her have Mr. Vance’s private number? What a joke!” Only one or two reasonable voices tried to defend me. “Well, she has a point. If she showed a private number, his phone would be spammed to death…” Unfortunately, those sensible comments were quickly drowned out by the wave of mockery. Bianca’s face darkened, and she spoke in a sarcastic tone. “Some people really need to know their place. Chasing clout might get you attention, but the backlash will ruin you.” I didn’t bother to reply. I just dialed the number on my screen.
The phone rang three times. Nicholas didn’t pick up. My brows furrowed. It rang three more times, and then he declined the call. My mouth twitched. I suddenly remembered what Arthur had said earlier: “Mr. Vance is currently in an important board meeting.” Nicholas took his work very seriously. It wasn’t the first time he set his phone to “Do Not Disturb” during critical meetings, though he always called back immediately afterward. Still, being hung up on in front of everyone made me feel incredibly annoyed. Meanwhile, the crowd’s mocking reached a fever pitch. “This is hilarious! Did she really think she could get the CEO’s attention?” “What was she thinking? Why would Mr. Vance ever care about a nobody like her?” Bianca looked at me with a patronizing smirk. “Chloe probably just wanted to spice up the gala, so she played a little prank on us.” She intentionally flipped her hair, exposing her diamond earring fully to the audience. “But honestly, you don’t seem to have a sense of humor. This joke isn’t funny at all.” As she said this, the temperature on stage dropped a few degrees. The host laughed awkwardly to break the tension. “Bianca, have you decided on your guest?” Bianca nodded and looked toward the crowd. “I’ve invited an important business partner. He said he’s on his way.” The crowd showered her with compliments again. “Our Bianca’s connections are on another level!” “I wonder which handsome young billionaire it is?” The host played along, asking for the identity of this mysterious friend. Right then, my phone vibrated. I received a text from Nicholas. Nicholas: [Honey, I’m in a board meeting. Your dad is here too, so I have to behave.] My dad was a major board member. He had only found out about our relationship because of that leaked photo, and he had hauled Nicholas in for a stern talk that very day. In the end, he reluctantly accepted our relationship. Last night, Nicholas was still whining to me at home, saying my dad had grumbled about him giving me his late mother’s heirloom but still not giving me a public confession. My dad said it was unacceptable. Back then, Nicholas had wrapped his arms around me, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. He kept insisting that since my father had given the green light, we should go public. I finally gave in under his relentless pleading. And then, this perfect opportunity fell right into our laps. Thinking about how he just hung up on me and made me lose face, I didn’t really want to reply nicely. I simply texted him the details of the gala task and gave him an ultimatum: [This is our best shot to go public. If you miss it, we’ll have to wait. Your choice.] This time, his reply was instant: [I’m on my way.]
With our guests confirmed, Bianca and I needed to choose the liquor base and ingredients for our drinks. I quietly made my selection, while Bianca kept chatting with the host. Amidst the host’s constant flattery, Bianca finally revealed her guest’s identity. “It’s Brandon, the son of the Hayes family. Our families go way back.” She looked at the audience. “He’s a mutual friend of Nicholas and me. Many of our custom outfits for formal events are tailored by his family’s luxury brand.” The crowd went wild. “I heard the Hayes family is a long-time partner of the Vance family!” “She called him ‘Nicholas’ so naturally. That’s so intimate!” “She really is the future lady of the Vance family. Her connection with Mr. Vance is undeniable.” I glanced at Bianca. The smug smile on her face was starting to get on my nerves. The “Brandon” she spoke of was a client she had desperately tried to keep. In reality, the true mastermind of the Hayes family business was his self-made father, not Brandon. The brand only grew this big because they secured crucial investments from Vance Enterprises due to their stable partnership. Bianca called him “Brandon Hayes,” but Brandon actually hated his full name, to the point where some new hires thought he grew up abroad and only went by his first name. As the crowd gossiped excitedly, the host turned to look at me, who was waiting quietly on the side. By this point, I understood the game. This segment was designed to compare me and Bianca, using a dramatic contrast to create drama and hype up the gala. The host smirked and asked me, “Chloe, since you couldn’t get Mr. Vance to come, did you manage to invite anyone else?” She walked over, pretending to be helpful. “If you don’t have any friends available, you can always invite a colleague, you know.” Following her words, the crowd began mockingly whispering again. “She has zero friends. No one likes her.” “She was bragging about inviting the CEO, and now she’s left high and dry.” “Just a low-level clerk. How could she know anyone important?” I sliced my lemons, not even looking up. “Who said Nicholas Vance isn’t coming?” The host froze, completely shocked. She looked back at the event planners, thinking this was a scripted surprise. She played along: “So, Mr. Vance is really coming?” “Just wait and see,” I said, looking up to give her a calm smile. The host looked like she was ready for some drama, while Bianca looked absolutely furious. Bianca glared at me coldly. “Honesty is a very precious virtue, Chloe. I hope everyone can possess it.” Meanwhile, the whispers below turned into outright shouting. “Is this Chloe girl out of her mind?” “Bianca already said Mr. Vance is in a board meeting! What is wrong with her?” “Ugh, this delusional girl is so annoying. How does she even work here?” I felt a bit helpless looking at the crowd, so I just focused on prepping my ingredients. My silence only made the crowd bolder. “Is Bianca mad?” “Honestly, even if Mr. Vance does show up, he’ll be here for Bianca. He’ll expose this fake girl right on the spot!” I ignored the voices and ignored Bianca’s glaring face. Whatever. Nicholas would be here in thirty minutes anyway. Everyone would find out who the real clown was. I started mixing my drink. As I layered the liquors and juices in a specific order, the host noticed something and gasped, “Oh! Bianca and Chloe are both making the ‘Sunset Bay’! What a coincidence!” Bianca said coldly to the crowd, “The ‘Sunset Bay’ is Nicholas’s favorite cocktail. It’s also my specialty.” She was clearly implying that I was copying her.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “446916”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster
Leave a Reply