Chapter 1

The second Cody Moore dropped to his knees, every head in the office snapped toward the three of us. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop; the awkwardness was palpable.

The funny thing was, Cody didn't seem embarrassed at all. He acted like he'd been welded to the floor as he bawled his eyes out at me. "Mr. Secretary, Vi and I are truly in love! It won't end well for you if you keep pestering her!"

I just stood there, feeling like a bolt of lightning had cracked straight through my skull.

"Truly in love"? "Pestering"? "Won't end well"?

When I signed my employment contract with York Group, there was nothing in there about moonlighting as the homewrecker side character in some trashy soap opera.

Violet York frowned slightly and reached down to pull Cody up. "Cody, what nonsense are you spouting? There's nothing between Scott and me except work."

Cody went limp and dramatically leaned against her shoulder with all the fragility of a glass figurine. "Vi, don't lie to me. I've known for a while now. Mr. Secretary is the legitimate heir of the Colsons, the richest family around!

"He gave up being a scion to work as your secretary. If it's not because he loves you, what other reason could there be?"

I listened from the side, my eyes widening in shock. What on earth was he talking about?

Sure, the richest family in the country did happen to be surnamed Colson, but what did that have to do with me, a small-town exam grinder who'd clawed his way out of the sticks?

The past three generations of my family had been honest, landless peasants through and through. I'd gotten to where I was by frying my brain cells into oblivion to become my state's top scholar, along with the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. York, who covered my tuition.

After my combined bachelor's, master's, and PhD, I'd dragged along a state research project worth a few hundred million dollars at a loss and come to work for Violet to repay the favor I owed her parents.

And now, Cody made me out to be some hidden rich heir humbling himself for love. With his imagination, it was a crime that he wasn't already writing scripts for melodramatic soap operas.

Violet looked just as speechless as I felt. She tried to keep up with Cody's wild train of thought. "Where did you even hear all this nonsense? Scott is just—"

He abruptly clapped his hands over his ears and went into full "I can't hear you" mode. "Vi, don't say it! Stop rubbing the gap between our identities in my face. Don't keep using reality to stab me in the heart…"

More and more employees were peeking over from their cubicles. Even Violet was starting to lose her composure. She gritted her teeth and asked, "Then what do you want me to do so you'll believe that there's nothing between me and him?"

Only then did Cody finally calm down a little. He tugged at the hem of her blouse, looking all timid and wounded. "Vi, are you mad at me? I never meant to pressure you. I know I'm not good enough for you, but at least I'm not with you for your money. I'm with you because I love you…"

After that performance, it was like all the frustration and strength drained out of Violet. She could only sigh helplessly and wave me off first. "Scott, you can go back to work."

I felt like I'd been granted a royal pardon. I immediately put on a professional smile. "Of course, Ms. York."

Then, I spun on my heel and started to walk off as quickly as humanly possible.