Chapter 3

Sean told me his pride couldn't handle being with a woman who made more money than he did. At the time, he gave me two choices.

I could break up with him, and we could stay friends. Or I could hand over my shares and decision-making power, step down as his business partner, and become a director instead.

For the sake of our relationship, I chose the second option.

After that, Sean treated me better than ever, which only made me more afraid to tell him the truth about my family.

Back then, I was too blinded by love to question any of it. But now that I was finally seeing our relationship for what it was, another possibility occurred to me.

Maybe Sean's pride had never been the real reason. Maybe he had simply known I would give in and used it as an excuse to get me to hand everything over.

Once I realized he didn't love me, everything that had never quite added up suddenly made perfect sense.

When I got home, I started packing, then stopped.

Why was I the one leaving? The house was mine. If anyone had to move out, it was Sean.

I pulled out my phone, ready to have a serious talk with him, only to find a message waiting for me.

"Sorry, Cheryl. A last-minute business dinner came up, so I can't have dinner with you tonight."

I scrolled back through our chat. There were countless messages just like it.

Sean used to have dinner with me after work all the time. But ever since Hannah came along, he always seemed to have something going on.

He was constantly leaving early and coming home late, and the house grew quieter by the day. Not that it mattered to me anymore.

Since I knew he wouldn't be home anytime soon, I decided not to wait for him.

I had just finished getting ready for bed when my phone started buzzing nonstop. When I checked it, I saw that Hannah had posted a video in the company group chat.

In the video, Sean was sitting at a dinner table, knocking back drink after drink for Hannah whenever someone tried to pressure her into drinking.

Hannah laughed over the noise in the background. "Mr. Conway, you saved me again tonight. You're such a great boss!"

Everyone in the group chat started gushing about how lucky she was.

I was the only one who knew Sean had serious stomach problems and wasn't supposed to drink at all.

I had spent countless hours looking up foods that would be easier on his stomach and brewing herbal remedies for him, but he never seemed to get any better.

I kept thinking I just hadn't found the right way to help him yet, so I asked around and tried anything that might work.

It never occurred to me that all that effort had been pointless because he was secretly drinking for Hannah behind my back.

Sean didn't seem worried about his health in the slightest. He even replied cheerfully in the group chat.

"No need to thank me. It's what a good boss should do. Besides, it's only natural for a man to look out for a woman."

I didn't bother reading the rest of their conversation. I left the group chat, pulled the covers over myself, and went to sleep.

Late that night, my phone suddenly rang. Still half asleep, I answered it and heard Hannah's voice on the other end.

"Cheryl, Sean's been drinking. Come pick him up and take him home."

That snapped me awake, but I had no intention of going to get him. I didn't even bother responding. I hung up, buried my face in the pillow, and went back to sleep.

I had no idea how much time had passed when the bedroom door was suddenly kicked open. A second later, the covers were yanked off me, and the rush of cold air jolted me awake.

I looked up to find Sean glaring down at me, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Cheryl! I got drunk, and you couldn't even be bothered to come pick me up. Did you ever love me at all?"

I had no idea where all these accusations were coming from.

I used to worry about his safety all the time. Whenever he went out, I asked where he was going and offered to pick him up afterward.

But instead of appreciating it, he accused me of being controlling and complained that I embarrassed him in front of his friends.

Now I was finally giving him the freedom he wanted, and somehow that meant I didn't love him.

What a joke.

I couldn't be bothered arguing with him. I reached for the covers, ready to go back to sleep.

Sean lost his temper. He snatched the covers away and threw them onto the floor.

"Cheryl, how long are you going to keep this up? You deliberately showed up at the annual party in a wedding dress and proposed to me in front of everyone, humiliating me, and I didn't even hold it against you. So why are you still giving me attitude?"