CHAPTER 001

ANNA’S POV

"Anna, where are you? Have you heard the news?” Clara's voice came through the phone, bright and full of excitement. 

I pressed the phone closer to my ear, frowning. Clara was my colleague from the pharmaceutical company where I work, and she only called me when something big happened.

  “What news?” I asked, wiping my hands quickly on my apron. The smell of butter and sugar still lingered on my fingers. It was one of my off days from work at Greenleaf Pharmaceutical, so I was standing by my small roadside cake stand watching cars zoom past, hoping someone would stop to buy something before the cakes got cold.

  “James just got promoted and was awarded a huge sum of money!” Clara almost screamed. “I heard it was because of the new drug formula he submitted, it got approved by Davenport Group and the company is holding a promotion ceremony for him.”

  For a moment, I froze, my heart thumping so loud it drowned out the sound of traffic. My throat went dry.

  The drug.

  I swallowed hard, gulping down my saliva. “Clara… you mean the one I worked…?”

  “Yes,” she cut in, almost whispering now. “The one you created. But his name was on the file, right? So of course, they’re giving him the credit.”

  I leaned against the wooden counter of my cake stand, my chest tight. I had stayed up nights for five whole years, pouring my whole brain and soul into that formula. James had told me to put it under his name so it would “look more official.” He said the company wouldn’t take me seriously since I was still just an assistant researcher.

  He had promised. Promised me that once he got promoted, he would propose, and we would build a future together. He said we were a team.

  My lips curled up in a huge smile, even though Clara couldn’t see me. “Oh.. my God! This is good news, right? If he’s promoted, it means our plans are closer now.”

  There was silence on the line. Clara hesitated before saying, “Anna… just be careful. Sometimes men..."

  “I trust him,” I said quickly, cutting her off. My voice cracked a little, but I tried to hide it. “He’s doing this for us.”

  After I ended the call, I stood there staring at nothing. My little cake stand looked smaller than ever, with the cracked wooden table and the faded umbrella shielding me from the harsh sun. My heart was racing, not with doubt but with excitement. This was it. James had finally made it. 

Soon, he'd keep his words. Soon, I'd be more than just the girl selling cakes as a side hustle to save up money for a dream wedding with the man that I deeply love.

  

"Excuse me, how much for one?”

  The voice pulled me out of my thoughts. A young lady in a business suit had stopped, eyeing the cakes. I hurriedly straightened up.

  “One is five dollars,” I said, quickly wrapping one in a brown paper bag. My hands were shaking, but not from nerves from happiness.

  She handed me the money, and I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. “Here, ma, take another one for free. Just a little extra.”

  Her brows shot up. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” I said, almost laughing. “Today is a special day for me.”

  She smiled, gave me a small nod, and walked away, but I didn’t even care if I made a loss. My heart was too full.

  I packed up faster than I had ever done, tying up the boxes, stacking the trays in the back of my old, beat-up car. The door creaked as I pulled it open, and the engine coughed three times before starting, like it was protesting.

  “Come on, don’t embarrass me today,” I muttered, patting the dashboard.

  The road to Greenleaf Pharmaceutical Company felt endless, but I didn’t mind. My chest was bubbling with pride. My James. The man I loved, the man I had sacrificed everything for, was finally being recognized. And tonight — tonight could be the night he asks me to marry him. And then finally I could tell him my secret. 

Our secret.

When I finally pulled into the company’s parking lot, I had to park far back. The place was crowded, filled with people in shiny cars and expensive suits. My little car looked out of place, like a stranger that didn’t belong.

  I stepped out, smoothing down my cheap dress. My palms were sweaty, but I clutched my small handbag tightly and hurried toward the crowd. There was a podium in front of the building, decorated with flowers and banners. Cameras flashed, reporters gathered, employees clapped. And right there, at the center of it all, stood James.

  My heart skipped.

  He was in a crisp black suit, I remember that suit because I got it for him last week. His hair styled perfectly, his smile wide and charming. Beside him was his mother, glowing with pride, her hand on his arm as if she owned him.

  I waved eagerly. “James!” I shouted, trying to push through the crowd. “James, it’s me!”

  He didn’t look at me. His eyes swept the crowd, smiling at everyone else but me. I waved again, louder this time. “James!”

  Nothing.

  People started turning to look at me, some frowning, others whispering. My cheeks burned. Maybe he hadn’t seen me. Maybe he was too nervous. Yes, that had to be it.

  Then came the moment of his speech.

  The crowd hushed as he stepped up to the microphone. My hands were trembling. I bit my lip, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it. He was going to acknowledge me. He was going to call me his backbone, his support, his reason for success.

  He cleared his throat, his voice strong. “This promotion is not mine alone. It belongs to someone who has been my backbone, my inspiration, my strength. Someone who has believed in me even when the world doubted me.”

  I smiled so hard tears pricked my eyes. My fingers clutched my bag. This was my moment. Everyone would finally know.

  He paused, and then—

  “Melissa.”

The name hit me like a slap. My smile froze. My body went cold. For a second, I thought I had heard wrong.

No. It couldn’t be.

Melissa was my best friend. She had traveled abroad two years ago for her master’s. We hadn’t talked much lately, but I still checked her social media sometimes. She wasn’t supposed to be back.

But then the crowd gasped. A tall woman in a red dress walked forward. I blinked hard, hoping my eyes were lying to me. But they weren’t. It was her.

Melissa.

Her hair was longer, her skin glowing, her smile confident and calm. She walked up the stage with grace, and James reached out for her hand like he’d been waiting to hold it forever.

  James's eyes softened as he looked at her. “You’ve always been my true love,” he said into the microphone. “I wouldn’t be here today without you.”

  Before I could even process what was happening, he bent down on one knee, right there in front of everyone.

 A small velvet box appeared in his hand, revealing a diamond ring that sparkled under the lights.

  “Melissa,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion. “Will you marry me?”