Chapter 1

I, Alexander Vaughn, and Kameron Lambert were financially independent.

In the divorce agreement lying on my desk, the only thing I asked for was the marital home.

I planned to talk about it after getting home.

Elliot Gray walked in at the worst possible time.

"Mr. Vaughn, HR sent me to talk to you about updating my status to a full-time employee."

The human resource department sent him to me because they couldn't decide between Kameron, the CEO, and me, the Vice President.

I no longer gave him the cold shoulder like I used to, back when he hung around Kameron with questionable motives.

I just calmly took the report. "You can leave now."

However, Elliot planted himself firmly on the couch. "This office is so big. Mr. Vaughn, don't you think this will soon be my office?"

He tapped the backrest of the couch, as if he were certain about it.

Ignoring him, I called the security. "Have two of you come here. Someone's refusing to leave my office."

When Elliot saw that I wasn't going to lay a hand on him and give him the chance to play the victim, his expression shifted slightly.

But he calmed himself and started mocking me again, "Seriously? You're so petty, Mr. Vaughn. I'm just sitting here, and you want to throw me out? Ms. Lambert won't be happy if she hears about this!"

I didn't respond.

Ever since Elliot joined the company, all he had done was cozy up to Kameron and wander around aimlessly.

There was not a shred of professionalism in him.

He would play the innocent flirt in front of others, but he liked to provoke me.

Although Kameron and I were in a secret marriage, our interactions—both intentional and unintentional—made us look like spouses, which inevitably stirred speculation.

That vague tension lasted eight years.

But it couldn't compete with the blatant favoritism Kameron had shown Elliot these past six months.

The employees had long since switched sides and started shipping them as a couple.

Thankfully, I no longer cared.

The security guards rushed over. They were aggressive at first, but when they saw that the one refusing to leave was Elliot, they immediately deflated.

Elliot was just an average, unremarkable intern, but he somehow made the whole company wary, which showed just how much confidence Kameron had given him.

"Mr. Vaughn, is this… some kind of misunderstanding?"

I looked at the nervous guards and questioned coldly, "Have you forgotten your responsibilities? Don't you remember the company's rules?"

Elliot lounged nearby without a care in the world. "You sure like to throw your weight around. I've seen you do this many times. Ms. Lambert has said that once I take over, we'll be changing the whole company culture."

He then said to the guards, "Hang in there, you guys. It won't be long."

That blatant provocation made the guards lower their heads, not wanting to get dragged into our mess.

They were wrong.

Even if I'd fallen out of favor, I was still the company's second-in-command.

I took off my glasses and said calmly, "I've seen enough. I'll have HR reevaluate the value of the security department tomorrow."

The security guards immediately broke into a cold sweat.

Elliot's smile also faltered slightly. He hadn't expected me to be so firm.

All he could do was leave my office reluctantly under the pretense of considering the security staff's well-being.

Once I'd cooled off, I went to Kameron's office.

She glanced up slightly. "Yes?"

Seeing that cold, impatient expression on her face, I felt a sharp sting in my chest.

Nonetheless, I forced myself to stay composed and asked, "Are you really just going to let Elliot run wild in the company?"

Kameron's tone was laced with displeasure. "Do you have to speak like that? Elliot just entered the workforce. What bad intentions could he possibly have? On the other hand, you should stop bullying someone younger and weaker than you. Don't target him all the time."

I let out a laugh, more from anger than amusement. "Does anything about what he's done strike you as innocent?"

He was shamelessly living off others. Only Kameron would mistake it for true love.

Kameron's face darkened. "He's my person; he's not for you to manage. If that's all, then leave."

I stared at her, hoping to catch even a flicker of affection in her eyes.

All I got in return was coldness.

With a sigh of resignation, I stepped closer.

As a routine, I placed a few documents on her desk.

"This is Elliot's application for permanent hire. HR couldn't make the decision. You should sign instead."

We ran the company as a married couple. Either of us signing would've made it official, but I decided not to sign it.

Kameron paused, slightly surprised as she looked up at me. "Why can't you sign it?"

"You know perfectly well Elliot doesn't meet the mark with me. This one's your call," I replied.

That was a reasonable explanation, but it was the truth.

And it was also a test.

I looked at Kameron as if it didn't matter, though deep down, I harbored a hope I knew was foolish.

If she didn't sign…