Chapter 2
Olivia called back in less than a second, her voice thrilled. “Are you serious?“]
Then her tone shifted to uncertainty. “But what about Liam?“[]
Olivia and Liam had launched their startups around the same time.[]
Compared to Liam, who started with nothing, Olivia had far better resources and
a
more attractive package.[]
Olivia was desperate for top tech talent. She offered me a bigger equity stake and higher profit sharing. Even knowing about Liam, she made an exception and said I could consult part–time.]
But for Liam’s sake, I turned her down without a second thought.[]
Back when I hit rock bottom, half–frozen to death in a snowbank, Liam was the one who dragged me to a police station and saved my life.[]
I was eternally grateful. I gave up everything to throw myself into his company, doing whatever it took to make it grow.]
But now, it was obvious he didn’t give a damn.[]
Besides, after all these years, I figured the debt was more than paid.]]
No reason to keep making myself miserable.[]
“He’s not a factor. This is my decision.“]
After setting a time to sign the contract with Olivia, I drove home to pack my things.[]
I’d bought this place with my own money, but it was suffocating with memories of Liam. I couldn’t stay.
I started under the bed and found dozens of sketches scattered about.]
Drawings of a guy smiling, brooding, peeling an apple, trying to tame a cowlick in the mirror.
All of them were Liam. Every expression was so alive.[]
I’d drawn them all.]
He used to love when I sketched him. He treated each one like a treasure, even had them framed.[]
But after Hannah showed up, he grew impatient. He called it old–fashioned, a waste of time. Said a camera was faster. He didn’t want me to draw him anymore.]
And these sketches ended up carelessly tossed under the bed. The paper was yellowed and brittle, the images faded.[]
I gave a bitter smile.]
I dumped them into the bathroom sink and lit a corner of the stack.[]
Chapter 2
Flames devoured them completely, leaving nothing but a pile of ash.]
Just like our love. It had burned out without me even realizing.[]
After that, I cleared out everything else I could get rid of. I didn’t own much, but the room still felt stark and empty.[]
I collapsed onto the sofa and pulled out my phone to look for rentals near Olivia’s office.[]
The first thing I saw was a picture Hannah had just posted in the company group chat.[]
It was a selfie of her and Liam at an arcade. Hannah was clutching a huge pile of stuffed animals, beaming at the camera, while Liam gazed at her with a look of pure, doting satisfaction.[]
I hadn’t seen him smile like that in a long, long time.]
I’d tried to take him to an arcade once. We’d barely gotten the tokens before he turned and left, calling me childish. Said he was too busy for such nonsense.]
No time for me.
But plenty of time for Hannah.[]
I snorted.]
It wasn’t the arcade he found childish. It was me.]
The chat immediately flooded with fawning comments from colleagues, calling Hannah gorgeous, a goddess, praising the photographer. Someone even joked about wedding bells.
They all knew I was Liam’s girlfriend.[]
But they felt brave enough to joke because Liam never bothered to hide how close he was with Hannah at work.
The old me would have been furious, calling Liam to tell him to back off.]
But now, I felt nothing. I just scrolled past it. When I looked again two minutes later, several messages were gone, including Hannah’s photo.]
I figured Liam wouldn’t be home until late.[]
But it wasn’t long before he walked into the living room, his face soft as he talked on the phone with Hannah.]
When he saw me, his expression flickered with guilt for a split second before hardening. He pointedly ignored me and went into the bedroom.-
I knew he was waiting for me to come groveling.]
Every time we had a blow up at the office, I was always the one who had to find a way to apologize and beg for his forgiveness.[]
Even when he was in the wrong, I’d swallow my pride and take the blame.[]
I used to think it was my duty–to repay him, to save our relationship, I had to be the one to appease him.[]
Chapter 2
Now, it just felt pathetic.]
I kept my head down and focused on my phone.[]
Before long, he stormed out of the bedroom, his face a thundercloud.[]
“Did you see the group chat?“]
“What message?“]
I played dumb.]
Without looking up, I sensed his relief. “Nothing. Just work stuff. Sent to the wrong chat.“]
It was laughable, but I couldn’t be bothered to call him out on it.]
Ijust wondered how many other things about him and Hannah I didn’t know.[]
“Hannah’s car is fixed. Did you get yours looked at?“]
When I didn’t answer, Liam pressed on.[]
I knew this was his version of an olive branch.]
The old me would have seized on it as a sign of forgiveness and rushed to make him happy.]]
Now, still not looking up, I said flatly, “It’s a junker. Not worth fixing.“[]
Liam frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?“]
I looked up, genuinely confused about what his problem was now.[]
This car had been dinged up plenty of times before. Whenever I’d mentioned repairs, he was the one who said, “It’s a junker. Not worth fixing.”
I braced for another outburst. Instead, he just sighed.[]
“I know you’re still mad about what happened at the office, but Hannah’s been doing excellent work. The car was a retention bonus, to keep top talent.“]
Hearing him say that, I almost choked.]
Liam had hired Hannah as a special favor. Her work was a disaster. You couldn’t count her mistakes on ten hands.[]
From ordering clients tap water while getting herself a latte, to sending a partner our cost sheet instead of the price list, losing the company hundreds of thousands.]
Keeping her was less useful than keeping a stray dog.
If I didn’t know the company inside and out, I might have actually believed him.[]
I stayed silent. Liam continued, “You’re my fiancée. When we get married, this company will be yours. Why are you so
1 Stade His Phupire After Me Stole My Heart
Chapter 2
obsessed with a paycheck? Why are you picking fights with her?“[]
“Claire, everything I do is for the good of the company. I can’t have other employees thinking I’m playing favorites with you.“[]
I knew it was all just excuses.[]
At the office, everyone saw how Liam treated me versus how he treated Hannah.[]
A project I’d pulled all–nighters for would be whimsically handed over to Hannah at the last minute. She’d throw together a PowerPoint, and suddenly it was her achievement.[]
Clients I’d spent days cultivating, on the verge of signing, he’d take Hannah to a single lunch meeting–under the pretense of it being my meeting–and suddenly she was the one who closed the deal.]]
Things like that happened constantly.[]
Over time, the entire office just assumed Liam favored Hannah.[]
Some even figured he actively disliked me. I endured my fair share of snubs and bullying because of it. He saw it all and pretended he didn’t.]]
There was no point explaining. He’d just call them excuses.[]
“Oh,” I said flatly. “You don’t need to explain it to me. I’m not with the company anymore. You can do whatever you want.“[]
Liam was silent.[]
Finally, he sighed and hugged me from behind.[]
“To be honest, I was also being a little selfish. I wanted you to take some time off… you could start thinking about the wedding.”
“So, when do you want to get married?”
He asked with a smile.]
But I’d brought up marriage countless times before. Every single time, he’d brush it off, complaining it would kill his freedom, always saying, “We can talk about it later.“]
And every time we fought, he’d dangle the wedding carrot to reel me back in.[]
Sometimes I felt less like his girlfriend and more like a dog he’d trained to jump through hoops.
I didn’t say anything.
Liam ruffled my hair, the way you’d pet a dog.[]
“Come on, don’t be mad. Give me a smile?“]
Then, as if making a grand gesture of appeasement, he leaned in to kiss me.[]
Then I smelled it again. Hannah’s perfume, all over him.
Chapter 2
My stomach turned. []
I shoved him away, my nose wrinkling in disgust, and pulled out a wet wipe to scrub my fingers.[]
♡ (2)
