Chapter 2:  You Don’t Need Me Any More

She was back. What did that make me? The other woman? Prisley felt a wave of sadness.

She agreed to the contract because of the money and because Heath was handsome, but the main thing was he was single at that time.

No matter how poor Prisley was, she would never get involved in someone else's marriage or relationship. That was her bottom line.

Now that Filla had been back and they were so close, Prisley was just the extra person. Heath’s trip this time was really to see Filla, wasn’t it? Otherwise, why didn’t he take her along?

The business trip…thinking of it now…

Heath had just left Filla’s arms and then came to her for sex? No wonder she felt something was off about him today, something she couldn’t put her finger on, but it was definitely there.

Disgusting!

Prisley rushed back to the bathroom. The intimacy and excitement moments ago seemed like a joke now!

Applying several times the usual amount of shower gel, she scrubbed her skin hard with a sponge, removing the scent of perfume and his touch until her skin was slightly red. She washed her hair again, letting it return to its natural wavy curls. Then she picked up a dark red lipstick instead of the bright red one which was used to imitate Filla. Even her eye makeup was redid in the way she liked.

Ten minutes later, a completely different Prisley walked out of her office.

Four years ago, naive and inexperienced, Prisley signed the contract and only read the terms afterward. That’s when she learned she had to mimic another woman. Though her pride was hurt, as a recent graduate burdened with student loans, she bowed to reality.

Later, she learned that the woman was Heath’s ex-girlfriend, Filla.

He was in a coma for several months after a car accident, with little hope of waking up. Filla left him and married a wealthy businessman abroad.

Months later, Heath miraculously woke up. He was depressed for a while after Filla’s departure, then selected Prisley as his contract lover.

The reason Prisley was chosen, besides standing out among the competitors, was that she resembled Filla a lot.

Over the years spent together, Prisley secretly fell in love with Heath, but she couldn’t say anything. To Heath, she was just the other party to the contract, someone he could always deal with by using money.

Heath, as the new head of the powerful Warner Group, was high above, and wouldn’t easily change what he set his mind on. He definitely didn’t want any stories beyond the contract.

Prisley used to think it was enough to love him secretly. After all, apart from his occasional bad temper, erratic personality and frequent coldness, he was quite nice to her. But now, with Filla back and they being so intimate, Prisley felt like a rat that couldn’t see the light of day. It was a horrible feeling.

She had already wasted some work time on personal matters and couldn’t afford to be distracted any longer. Prisley quickly adjusted her mood.

"Eric, is the report ready for the meeting?"

"Just finished double-checking the data."

"Send me a copy, the meeting is about to start."

"Lisa, expedite the contract with SSA Company."

She worked like a precision clock, busy and accurate. As always, she did her job as an executive assistant perfectly. Any emotional pain was well hidden beneath her strong exterior.

After assigning tasks to her team, Prisley returned to her office. The vibrant sparkle in her eyes was completely gone. She took out a few jewelry boxes from her drawer and opened them, feeling a bit lost.

Inside were pieces from major brands, each worth a fortune. They were all gifts from Heath. Prisley didn’t like wearing elaborate jewelry, only putting them on when accompanying him to events.

She picked a ring from the box. It was a custom-made piece she and Heath had designed together, and they each had one. Of all the jewelry, this was the only piece she intended to keep. She would return the rest to Heath.

Prisley walked into the CEO’s office and handed over some documents. “Mr. Rynn, these need your signature.” Her tone was professional and devoid of any emotion.

Heath looked up at her and seemed to be taken aback. His gaze didn’t leave her face. “What’s going on?” He took the documents, glanced at them briefly, then tossed them aside, still staring at her.

Prisley felt uncomfortable under his gaze. “Nothing, this is how I originally looked. And, Mr. Rynn, this is how I’ll be dressing from now on.”

Heath seemed to understand. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes still fixed on her, now with a hint of coldness.

“Why?” he asked.

Prisley only called him Mr. Rynn in formal settings, but now he sensed something he’d never felt before - she was unhappy.

“Mr. Rynn, I saw the news just now,” Prisley said calmly, though her heart ached. “I think you no longer need me in this role.” She felt her breathing grow heavier. She tried hard to control it so that he wouldn’t notice.

“So?” he asked, showing no particular expression, as his hand slowly opened the drawer beside him.

“So...I want to quit.” “This is for you.” They spoke simultaneously, each handing over something.

Prisley placed a resignation letter on Heath’s desk, while Heath handed her a check of five million dollars.