LOGINKanya Klopper gave three years of her life to one man, her boss and her first love. When they got together, he made it known to the whole office. He held her hand in front of everyone and looked proud to have her. Now, he barely looks at her. Yesterday, he ended it. He said he cheated. He said there was another woman. He broke every promise he once made like it meant nothing. Today, Kanya still has to walk into the same office, still work under him, and still answer every time he calls her name. She does not know how long she can keep doing this, seeing him every day and watching him act like a different man, like their three years never happened. But Kanya can’t bring herself to walk away. Because if he really cheated… why does it feel like he’s hurting too?
View MoreKanya’s POV
We broke up yesterday.
And somehow, the world didn’t end.
The sun still rose this morning, slipping through the curtains like it always did. The city was still loud. People still laughed. Cars still moved like nothing had changed.
But everything had.
I stared at my reflection for too long, brushing my hair with slow, mechanical movements. My eyes were puffy from crying last night, and the skin around them was red and sore from hours of tears.
My phone buzzed on the table, and for a split second, my heart reacted before my mind could intervene. I dropped the brush and snatched the device, desperate to see his name on the screen.
It was just a work notification. The meeting had been moved to 9 AM, serving as a cold reminder that I still had to face Zane Knight today.
Of course.
He was the boss. I was the secretary.
I wondered if he slept just fine or if I ever crossed his mind at all.
I shook my head and grabbed my bag. None of those questions mattered. He had been clear yesterday. He admitted he cheated. The other woman was pregnant. And he had to end things with me to focus on her and the child.
I took a deep breath and stepped out of the hotel room.
*****
The lobby of Knight Enterprises was busy as usual. I kept my head down and walked past the receptionist, forcing my legs to move even though my chest felt tight. Every step felt heavy, but I told myself I could do this. I had to.
Three years ago, Zane stood in this exact spot and announced we were dating. He wanted the world to know I was his.
Now, I just wanted to be invisible.
Taylor Rosewood, my closest friend and the only person in this building I actually trusted, was waiting by my desk. She didn't say a word. She just handed me a large cup of coffee and squeezed my shoulder. I had called her last night, sobbing so hard she could barely understand me.
"You don't have to stay," Taylor whispered. "Call in sick. I'll cover for you."
"I have to work, Taylor," I said. My voice sounded thin. "I can't let him take my job too."
The elevator doors opened. Zane walked out with his coat over his arm. He looked perfect. His suit was pressed and his jaw was clean-shaven. He didn't look like a man who had destroyed a three-year relationship twelve hours ago.
He stopped at my desk, his expression unreadable and cold.
"Miss Klopper," he said. The name felt like a slap. He used to call me love in front of everyone, never caring about being professional. Now, he used my title like a wall. "The reports for the 9 AM meeting. Are they ready?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I stood up and handed him a folder. "They are right here, Mr. Knight."
He took it carefully, making sure his fingers didn’t brush mine. His gaze never lifted to my face, never lingered on my swollen eyes. He only gave a brief nod before turning and walking toward the conference room.
"Asshole," Taylor muttered under her breath.
I spent the next six hours pretending to be a machine. I filed papers. I answered calls. I booked his flights for next month, performing every task with precision while my mind stayed elsewhere.
Every time I looked at him through the glass walls of his office, I remembered how it used to be. I remembered him pulling me onto his lap during late-night shifts and promising me that he would spend the rest of his life making me happy.
At 3 PM, he called me into his office.
"I need you to cancel my dinner reservation at Bellucci’s," he said, typing on his laptop without looking up.
"That was for our anniversary next week," I said. My professional mask slipped for a second.
"I am aware," he said, tone clipped. "Change it to a table for two at Delmaro’s for 8 PM. Use the name Sydney."
I gripped my notepad. "The woman you told me about?"
"Yes. Miss Klopper, I have a conference call in five minutes. That will be all."
I walked out and sat at my desk. I didn't cry. I felt numb. I did my work until the clock hit 5 PM. Taylor tried to get me to leave with her, but I told her I had more filing to do. I waited until the office went quiet and the cleaning crew started their rounds on the other side of the floor.
I couldn't go home yet. The math didn't add up. I knew every version of Zane. I knew the CEO and the lover. I knew the man who couldn't even hide a surprise birthday gift from me. If he had been cheating for months, I would have seen it.
I needed to hear the truth one more time.
Maybe this time it would sound different.
I stood up and walked toward his private office. Light spilled from beneath the door. I didn’t knock. I grabbed the handle and pushed it open.
"Zane, we need to—"
The words died in my throat.
Zane wasn't at his desk. He was standing by the window. A woman with long blonde hair had her arms wrapped around his neck. He was holding her waist, his head tilted as he pressed his lips hard against hers.
I stood there, and for the first time in three years, Zane Knight didn't care that I was watching.
Kanya's POV I didn't sleep well. Sydney’s words played on a loop in my mind, echoing through the empty spaces of the room. Zane had lied. He hadn’t been at the boutiques at all, and he hadn’t been with her. But why? Why did he lie? Was he trying to make me jealous, or was he simply trying to make me suffer more by letting me believe he was with her? I tossed and turned for most of the night, my mind racing with questions I couldn't answer. I had only managed a few hours of restless sleep when the insistent ringing of my phone alarm jolted me awake. I reached for the device, squinting at the screen. The date stared back at me: April 19th. A notification popped up on the calendar, a cruel reminder of what was supposed to be our fourth anniversary. I sat on the edge of the bed and felt a sharp pang of grief. It stung that he had ended everything just days before this milestone. Now the date was nothing more than a ghost of a life we no longer shared. It stung more than I was willing
Kanya's POV I woke up at noon. The room was dark, but a sliver of light cut through the heavy curtains. My body felt lighter after the sleep, but my chest felt heavy. I stared at the ceiling and thought about Zane’s expression in the car. The coldness in his eyes had cut deeper than anything he said. The silence of the room was too much. I reached for my phone and called Taylor. "Kanya? Are you okay?" Taylor asked as soon as she picked up. "I just woke up," I said. My voice was raspy. "Oh no. What did he do this time? Did he say something else to hurt you?" I closed my eyes. I didn't want to recount the hallway fall or the meeting or the way Zane had practically handed me over to Enrique. "It doesn't matter. I have the day off. He is taking Sydney to the boutiques." "He gave you a day off in Paris? That's a first." "He doesn't want me around," I said. "Where can I go today? Somewhere beautiful, but without a lot of couples. I don't want to see people holding hands right now."
Kanya's POV "It was an accident," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on my laptop screen. "I turned the corner too fast and ran straight into him. I lost my balance and fell. Mr. Blake was kind enough to help me up." Enrique sat down across from us. He didn't take his eyes off me. “It may have been a fall, but you didn’t look well. Are you sure you shouldn't be in bed?" "I appreciate you looking out for my staff, Mr. Blake," Zane said smoothly. "But Miss Klopper is perfectly capable of managing her own health. Shall we focus on the business at hand?" "Of course," Enrique said, leaning back with a relaxed smile. "Though I should probably keep an eye out for her later. We are practically neighbors, after all." The air at the table turned freezing. Zane didn't move. He didn't even blink. But I could feel the heat coming off him. He looked at Enrique, then at me. The silence lasted too long. "I didn’t realize you were staying in the North Wing as well," Zane said, each word measured.
Kanya's POV I stared at the key card sitting on the cold marble. Picking it up, I began the slow walk toward the North Wing elevators while my legs felt heavy and unresponsive. I had not eaten since yesterday, and though the rich scent of the hotel restaurant made my stomach twist with hunger, I was simply too exhausted to care about food. I pressed the button for the twentieth floor and leaned my head against the mirrored wall. I looked at my reflection. My eyes were bloodshot. My skin was pale. Zane was right. I looked like a mess. The elevator doors opened. I stepped out and began walking down the long, carpeted hallway. I was looking for room 2004. My vision flickered for a second, a wave of dizziness washing over me. I turned a corner and walked straight into a solid wall of fabric. The impact sent me backward. My heels slipped on the carpet, and I hit the floor hard. My bag flew from my shoulder. I didn’t even realize I hadn’t zipped it properly until everything came spilli
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