Chapter 5

Maybe it was just a coincidence.

I didn't overthink it and continued to focus on my work.

The Lansford Group merger moved along much faster than anticipated. We went through three drafts of the core report, and the client signed the letter of intent the same day the final version was submitted.

The project was officially ours.

Surprisingly, Ashton organized a celebratory party on the company's behalf.

Over the past eight years, I had helped him secure over a dozen major deals, and he had never once thrown me a celebration.

I sat near the middle of the long table, clinking glasses with my colleagues from the analysis department.

Eve sat right next to Ashton, smiling brightly as she repeatedly placed food onto his plate. She was fluttering around him like a happy butterfly.

"Mr. Clark, these garlic butter shrimp are incredible. You have to try one."

My hand froze around my wine glass.

Garlic.

Ashton was severely allergic to garlic. Eating it would cause him to break out in hives all over his body. In severe cases, his throat would swell shut.

I instinctively glanced up, but I immediately pulled my gaze back without saying a single word.

I wasn't sure if I had imagined it, but the faint spark that had been in Ashton's eyes completely vanished.

He set his cutlery down. His tone was sharp and laced with irritation as he said, "I'm allergic to garlic. Eat what you order yourself. Stop putting it on my plate."

Eve's smile froze, and her entire face flushed a deep crimson out of pure embarrassment.

Ashton drank heavily throughout the party. By the time the night wrapped up, he could barely stand upright.

He tried calling for a designated driver twice with no luck. Eve stepped forward to support him, but he brushed her hand off.

Ultimately, I was the one who got him back to the apartment.

I hauled him through the door, dumped him onto the couch, and tossed a blanket over him.

I didn't take off his shoes, wipe his face with a warm towel, or make him warm honey water to help him sober up.

As I turned to leave, he clamped his hand around my wrist and said, "Sylvia."

His eyes were half-open, but they were heavily bloodshot. "Are you still angry about Eve?"

I looked down at his grip on my wrist. "You're overthinking it. Go to sleep. Stop making a fuss."

The grip on my wrist suddenly went slack. He froze, utterly stunned.

Because those exact words—"stop making a fuss"—were words he had said to me at least 100 times.

Every time I felt wronged, every time I questioned him, every time I cried and told him that he didn't care about me, his response was always the same. "Can you stop making a fuss?"

In the days that followed, I stayed late at work every day.

It wasn't just because I was busy. It was because things were shifting back at the apartment.

The trash cans were no longer overflowing. Someone was regularly taking them out. The sink was no longer piled high with mugs overnight, and the fridge was suddenly stocked with my favorite brand of milk, always with a fresh expiration date.

One night, I came home past midnight and noticed a new pair of slippers sitting on the shoe rack, much thicker than my old ones.

If this had happened in the past, I probably would have been too thrilled to sleep.

But now, these subtle changes only left me feeling annoyed. Working late felt much easier.

For the first time, I finally understood why Ashton used to love staying late at the office so much.

Until one night, I fell asleep right at my desk.

When I woke up, a jacket was draped over my shoulders. Ashton was standing right beside me, his face terrifyingly pale.

I groggily sat up straight and met his eyes.

He was staring at my computer screen, which was completely black.

"You aren't actually working."

His voice was barely above a whisper, yet every single word he spoke carried a tremor. "You've been lying to me this whole time."

I glanced at the dark monitor and suddenly felt a profound wave of relief.

It was better this way. I didn't have to keep up the act anymore.

I pulled two items from my desk drawer and laid them flat on the table.

The moment Ashton saw what they were, he froze completely.