Chapter 2

Looking back on the five months since Beatrice joined the company, Frederick had practically dumped all of her work on me.

Beatrice had never gone to school and only got in through connections. She made a mess out of every assignment, and I had to clean up after her every time.

She once replaced the fine wine prepared for a client with a milkshake.

At a business dinner, she swapped the main dishes with caramel pudding and strawberry cake.

When the client saw that, he turned around and left, causing the deal I had spent two weeks negotiating to fall apart instantly.

In the end, I had to drink with the client until my body couldn't take it anymore, just to seal the deal.

However, at the year-end awards ceremony, Beatrice still outshone me and walked away with the Best Employee award.

I was the one doing all her work, yet I got nothing, while she raked in bonus after bonus.

One time, she got drunk at a banquet and made a scene. The media caught it on camera, and it damaged the company's reputation. Yet Frederick blamed me for not stopping her from drinking.

All the blame fell on me, while all the credit went to her. How was that fair?

I was shaking all over with rage.

I had been with Frederick for five years, but he never once admitted publicly that I was his fiancee. There wasn't a single photo of us on social media, and he acted as if he didn't even know me at every banquet.

I had asked him about it before, but all he said was, "I like to keep a low profile. When we get married, I'll make it public and let everyone know you're Mrs. Scott."

For the sake of that promise, I waited year after year. Even now, everyone in the company still thought I was nothing more than his mistress.

"She's just Mr. Scott's secret lover, and yet she actually has the nerve to act like his wife."

"Who knows how messy her private life is? Mr. Scott must know she isn't presentable, which is why he never acknowledges their relationship in public."

I could only pretend not to hear their gossip, yet my heart grew colder with each passing day.

I should have known all along. Everything Frederick did made it clear that he didn't love me, so there was no need for me to keep humiliating myself.

Frederick noticed my darkening expression and coaxed me gently. "Ellie, don't worry. I won't keep you waiting long. Once Beatrice is promoted next year, I'll make you the department manager."

I stayed silent. In my heart, I no longer had a shred of trust in Frederick.

Frederick said, "Alright, stop sulking. You're already the CEO's fiancee. For a small position like this, be gracious and let the newcomer have it.

"Look at Beatrice. It's not easy for her to care for her younger brother all on her own. It's only right that you help her out a bit."

My chest felt unbearably tight. In Frederick's eyes, Beatrice always came first, even far above me, his own fiancee.

At that moment, Frederick received a phone call. His face immediately softened into a gentle smile. "Beatrice, have you finished handling everything on your end? Great, I'm coming over now."

He left with a radiant smile. It was the kind of warmth he had never once shown me.