Chapter 3

The next day, I went to work as usual.

Clara Bennett, my assistant, told me that someone new had joined the department. When I met her, I realized it was Mabel.

Zeke introduced her to everyone without the slightest hesitation.

“Mia is a friend of mine.

“She was working on a research project overseas that happened to be closely related to my work, so I invited her here to learn more about our research.

“Please look after her.”

Zeke was the director of the research institute, but he never gave anyone special treatment.

His mentor’s son had once asked to sit in on one of his research projects. Zeke turned him down without hesitation.

He had also refused every person who tried to pay their way into his graduate program.

When everyone heard Zeke openly say that Mabel was there because he had invited her, whispers spread throughout the department.

“Mr. Lawson always keeps things strictly professional. If he’s willing to do that, she must be pretty important to him!”

“Mabel, is there something going on between you two?”

“Come on, tell us! We promise we won’t tell anyone!”

Mabel glanced at Zeke with a playful smile.

“Us?

“If you want to give it a name, I guess you could call us childhood sweethearts.”

Zeke’s ears turned red when he heard her.

Someone immediately said teasingly, “Oh, childhood sweethearts!”

“Sounds like you were meant to be!”

Zeke’s smile grew wider at their words.

He cleared his throat.

“To welcome our new colleague, dinner is on me today.

“Order whatever you want. Go for the expensive stuff.”

The others got even louder, teasing her as Zeke’s future wife.

I said nothing and just watched Mabel.

I had loved Zeke in secret for three years. We had been together for five. I had dreamed about standing by his side more times than I could count.

I had always imagined Zeke proudly introducing me as his girlfriend and just wanted to be by his side without needing to hide it.

But I never got the chance.

I stopped listening to their teasing and walked away.

After work, Zeke invited everyone to dinner. When he noticed that I was the only one missing, he asked, “Where’s Mia?”

Clara gave him a vague answer.

“Mia left as soon as work ended. I think she’s meeting someone she was set up with.”

When Zeke heard that I was meeting someone else, the tension in his shoulders slowly eased.

He knew Richard. Everyone in our circle knew what Richard was like.

Zeke knew I would not spend much time with someone like that.

At 10 p.m., I had just gotten home when several videos appeared in our work group chat.

Zeke held a bouquet in his left hand and a diamond ring in his right.

The entire area was covered in champagne-colored roses. Candles formed a heart around Mabel.

The camera angle was perfect.

Both of their faces were clearly visible.

Zeke dropped to one knee and looked at her with affection.

“Mabel, you told me to wait for you when you left. I waited five years. Now that you’re finally back, I have the chance to tell you how I feel.”

Mabel nodded through her tears.

Everyone who saw the video admired the beautiful setup Zeke had prepared for the proposal.

My coworkers kept sending their congratulations.

I stared at the video. My fingers trembled.

The entire setup of the proposal was the same as the one Zeke had promised me when he said he would make our relationship public.

A month ago, he had asked me what kind of proposal I wanted.

I thought he was finally going to make our relationship public, so I excitedly told him that I liked a traditional setup.

I wanted roses, candles, and a diamond ring. I wanted him to get down on one knee.

Zeke wrote down every detail.

I thought he was planning to use that to finally make our relationship public, so I started getting up an hour early every morning just to do my makeup perfectly.

I never imagined that he had asked me about the proposal because he was planning it for Mabel.

Teardrops fell onto my phone.

That was the moment I finally walked away from our secret relationship for good.