Vanished on Our Anniversary

The office fell silent the instant I walked in. Cold, disgusted stares greeted me from every direction, and no one bothered to hide them.Someone whispered anyway, "Alexander Vaughn looks so put together. He really stole company secrets? That's low.""Guess you never really know a person. If Matthew hadn't reported him, all our overtime would've been for nothing."They thought they were being discreet, but every word rang clear in my ears. I clenched the fabric at my side and shoved my chair back, ready to stand and defend myself.Before I could move, Selena Oxford appeared beside me. I hadn't even heard her approach. She reached out and patted my shoulder, gentle and familiar."Don't take those rumors to heart," she said softly. "It's fine. I'm here with you."We had been together since college. She was supposed to trust me without question.Days of bottled pressure surged at once. My chest tightened. For a moment, I wanted to bury my face against her and let everything spill o

After work, we went back home together. The door clicked shut. That was when Selena grabbed me, her fingers clamping around my arm, her voice sharp with frustration."What's wrong with you? Why are you targeting him like this? Do you have no empathy at all?" she demanded. "You accused him of framing you in front of everyone. How is he supposed to live with that? Couldn't you just swallow it for once?"These words came from the woman I had loved for years.I looked at her again and again, and for the first time, she felt like a stranger.I did not want to keep fighting. I shook off her hand and turned toward the bedroom, but she stepped in front of me and blocked my path. She demanded an explanation, and we went back and forth, again and again. At last, something inside me snapped."And what about me?" I said. "Am I not allowed to feel wronged? You heard what they said about me. What am I supposed to be? If he hadn't used such a dirty trick to frame me, would things have turned out

The ballroom swirled with perfume and polished smiles. Crystal lights glittered overhead, bright enough to make my eyes ache.It had been eight years since I left, and this was my first time back in the country. I had barely begun to adjust to the jet lag when my mother, deeply worried about her still single, over-thirty son, scheduled banquet after banquet in my name.She called it expanding business connections. She said it would help my career. In truth, it was matchmaking.I had no interest in any of it. I greeted the woman beside me with polite detachment and prepared to retreat to a quiet corner, but my mother's sharp look caught me mid-step and pinned me in place.With a sigh, I reached out and invited my partner to dance.My hand had just settled at her waist when a familiar, piercing voice cut through the music behind me. "Alex! Why are you here?"Under countless gazes and surrounded by admirers, Selena pushed through the crowd. She wore an elegant gown, her movements fr

I thought I had made myself clear that day. I truly believed Selena would stop pushing. Yet I had underestimated her persistence.The moment I arrived at the office, my best friend, Felix Powell, slid over to my desk, grinning like an idiot."So? You and Selena back together?" Felix said. "Not bad, man. Pulling something this big off without telling me. When are you treating us to dinner?"I stared at him, completely baffled."Are you drunk?" I asked. "When did I ever get back together with Selena?"Seeing how serious I was, Felix rubbed his chin, confusion written all over his face. "Then that's strange. The company received several massive contracts from Selena this morning. All paid in full. I figured you two had reconciled. Otherwise, why would she be this generous?"Only then did I notice the stack of thick folders on my desk. Companies would kill for projects like these, with high margins and low difficulty.And a startup like ours landing this many at once? There must be

The sharp smell of disinfectant filled my nose. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Selena sitting by the bed, watching me with anxious intensity.She looked exhausted. She had stayed by my side day and night and clearly had not rested in a long time. Her usually bright eyes were threaded with red veins that stood out starkly.Even so, the instant she realized I was awake, she grabbed my hand, unable to hide her excitement."How do you feel? Does it still hurt? Do you know how long you were unconscious? I was terrified…" She cut herself off and hurried on. "Don't talk yet. Drink some water first."The sweet water slid down my throat and cleared my head a little. I gently pulled my hand back."What happened to Matthew?" I asked calmly. "That stab was vicious. He really wanted me dead. But you two were so close. If you want me to write a letter of forgiveness, I can do that for you."I never expected her to take my side. The hurt from the past ran too deep, and I still