Chapter 7
I pretended not to hear and kept digging through the old filing cabinet.
That thing had been around since the company first started–left behind by whoever used to rent the space before us.
Back then, we had nothing.
So this beat–up cabinet became our most “valuable asset” and sat in Emily’s office to make the place look legit.
As the company grew, it got pushed aside and eventually forgotten.
But since it still had a bunch of old files, they didn’t toss it–just shoved it into a dusty corner of the design department.
Inside, I found more than just my old proposals.
I found the original paperwork from when Emily and I founded the company together.
The pages had yellowed, like they’d been waiting there just to remind me how much time had passed.
“Lucas… wow. Didn’t think I’d see you here.”
Emily forced a smile and walked up to me like nothing was wrong.
པ་ ་་་་་་ེས་ལབ་དང་
“I called you a bunch of times. I thought you’d gone home.”
I handed her the paperwork.
“If I’m not mistaken, this company’s got my name on it too.”
Right there on the signature line–mine and Emily’s.
She looked just as gorgeous back then as she does now.
Except now, she was more polished. More distant.
Chapter 7
She wasn’t that carefree girl who used to jump into my arms anymore.
And she definitely wasn’t someone who looked at me like I was her whole world.
“Let’s not do this here. We’ll talk at home.”
She glanced around and, under the whispers of our coworkers, led me out of the design départment.
As we left, I noticed Alan glaring at me.
His face was tight with anger and frustration.
I almost laughed.
What was he so mad about?
Shouldn’t I be the one who’s pissed?
Shouldn’t I be the one falling apart?
Losing our daughter had drained all the color out of my world.
Everything around me still looked the same, but something essential was missing.
M
And right now, I didn’t even have the energy to be angry anymore.
N
Emily took me into her office.
8
3
R
M
=
“I’ve still got work to finish. Wait for me, okay? We’ll go home together.”
She didn’t care that I looked cold and distant.
She just wanted to smooth things over like always.
“Fine.”
I agreed, not because I wanted to, but because blowing up at work wouldn’t do me any good
either.
12:09
The Internet’s Favorite Couple Was My Marriage’s Worst Nightmare
21.3%
Chapter 7
I sat there quietly, flipping through my old project plans.
This office used to be mine–I decorated it myself.
Now, there was no trace of me left.
Everything screamed Alan.
A framed photo of the two of them sat on her desk.
Even the throw pillow on her chair had Alan’s cartoon face on it.
No wonder people were so shocked when they saw me.
I texted Jack and asked if there were any active projects I could jump on.
He hesitated for a long time before finally admitting most of the big accounts had already
been handed to Alan.
Like the one we’d just discussed over lunch.
“But Alan’s been screwing up left and right,” Jack added.
“Clients complain all the time.”
“Isn’t he just her assistant?”
“What gives him the right to manage entire projects?”
“Emily’s grooming him to be more than that.”
“Most of the projects technically have his name on them, but she’s the one cleaning up after
him.”
Now it made sense why Alan had been moved into the design team.
It also explained why Emily had been working late every night–fixing his mess.
Guess she really is putting her heart into this.
12:09
The Internet’s Favorite Couple Was My Marriage’s Worst Nightmare
71.526
Chapter 7
I waited in her office for what felt like forever, but she didn’t come back.
Emily was always like this when she worked–completely locked in.
And for the first time in a while, I realized something.
Maybe I wasn’t wrong about her back then.
Maybe she really did love me… once.
But she’s not the same person anymore.
12:09
