During my three-year secretive relationship with my boss, Zane Bender, we used 999 condoms.

Before Zane dated me, he'd go through 20 partners per month.

After he started dating me, he only bedded me and me only.

He promised me that he'd give me a surprise on my birthday.

I thought it was going to be a grand proposal. But the moment the clock struck 12, Zane called me.

"Cassidy, buy a pack of condoms and deliver it to the 31st floor of Mavelon Hotel right now. Remember, I want the extra thin ones."

At that moment, I couldn't believe my ears.

Before I could react, Zane completely lost his patience. He urged, "Stop standing around! Hurry up and get over here! Lily and I are in the mood right now!"

Lily Hubbard was the charming secretary who recently joined the company.

My complexion turned pale instantly. "You're sleeping with her, Zane? Then… Then who am I to you?"

Zane fell silent for a while. Then, he let out a soft chuckle.

"You? You're just a bedwarmer who can help alleviate my urges. That's all."

It turned out that the so-called surprise wasn't a proposal. It was just me fantasizing about a relationship that never existed in the first place.

The pink bubbles of love and romance finally popped on my 25th birthday.

After that, a car accident completely changed everything in my life.

When I meet Zane again, he realizes that he can no longer win back the heart of his "pet".

Cassidy's POV

In that moment, all the color drained from my face. My eyes burned red as words failed me.

On the other end of the line, the amusement in the man's voice became unmistakable. He sounded like he was teasing his pet as he said, "Did you think we were a couple who were madly in love or something?"

That mocking tone pushed me over the edge. I hung up without another word.

The room fell back into a deathly silence, the stillness so stifling I could hardly breathe. Then, my phone lit up again.

Zane Bender sent me a message. It was the location of a hotel.

I stared blankly at the address for a long time, feeling as if a piece of my heart had been ripped out.

That night, I didn't get a wink of sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, Zane's degrading remarks echoed in my mind.

I'd met him three years ago. He was the CEO of Cosmo Group, while I had been just an intern back then.

To be honest, it never even crossed my mind that I'd get into Cosmo Group, as it was one of the top companies in the industry.

Everyone there graduated from elite universities. With my average educational background, I'd practically exhausted myself just to secure that one and only job offer from the company.

At the time, I'd thought I was the luckiest person in the world, never imagining that something even better would come after I entered the company.

The man every woman in the company dreamed about asked me out to lunch, right in front of everyone.

After that, we left work together, went on dates, and spent one passionate night after another tangled in bed.

By day, he was the picture of a refined boss. By night, he would be rough and unrestrained, pinning me down in bed and doing whatever he desired with reckless abandon.

At the most intense moment of each night, he would lean close to my ear and whisper that he loved me over and over again. Once we were done, he'd gently clean me up before kissing the marks he'd left behind.

I had always thought these were the kind of things only truly intimate couples did, but now Zane was telling me I was nothing more than a bedwarmer?

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I gave my thigh a hard pinch, the sting making it painfully clear this wasn't a dream.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a long time that night. It wasn't until the first ray of sunlight touched me and my alarm went off that I snapped back to reality and walked into the bathroom like a zombie.

When I came out, I realized Zane had come in at some point and was on the couch.

He looked at me, who was wrapped in a towel, raised an eyebrow, and asked calmly, "Why didn't you come last night?"

I froze, suddenly finding this whole thing absurd. He came all the way here this early in the morning just to question me?

Before I could answer, he stood up, took a USB drive out of his briefcase, and set it on the table. "But it's fine that you didn't come. I tried it without protection last night, and honestly, it felt way better.

"We went at it so many times that Lily was so exhausted that she could barely get out of bed today. You should help her take care of these files."

For a second, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

He was casually talking about sleeping with another woman to me, and was asking me to help his new lover with her work?

My eyes misted over. Staring at the man I'd loved for three years, I asked, "Zane, have you really fallen for her?"

He paused, then laughed, looking utterly nonchalant. "Love? I'm not a fan of words that are vague and abstract. Still, Lily is undeniably alluring."

He propped his chin on his hand, looking like he was reminiscing. "She has a great figure, a sweet voice, and those light brown curls… When we do it, she teases my chest like a little kitten. Also—"

"That's enough!" I interrupted, unable to take it anymore.

I grabbed the USB drive and shoved Zane toward the door. "Mr. Bender, I'm already aware of my assignments, so you can leave now."

Hearing the cold way I addressed him, Zane froze for a brief moment. Instead of getting angry, he grabbed my wrist and asked with a slight smile, "Cassidy Hartman, are you upset?"

Pushing hard against his chest, I stiffly denied it, only to be pinned against the wall the next second.

His finger brushed against my lips, then traced the corner of my eye. When he felt my tears, he let out a soft chuckle.

"Are you still going to deny it? You're clearly so upset that you're already tearing up," he murmured. "Cassidy, you look like I just abandoned you or something. I like seeing you smile more than seeing you looking hurt."

He lifted my chin with his eyes locked on my lips. He then leaned closer.

I closed my eyes without thinking, but the kiss I expected never came. Instead, he spoke in a cold voice beside my ear. "Behave yourself. That way, I'll still keep you around. But pull something like last night again, and neither Cosmo Group nor I will need you anymore."

There wasn't a single playful note in his tone. That was how I knew he meant it.

After saying that, he walked out. Stopping at the door, he added, "Oh, and I won't be picking you up for work anymore. Lily lives far from the office."

The moment the door clicked shut, I slid down the wall and collapsed on the floor, burying my face in my hands as I sobbed uncontrollably.

I'd thought Zane had feelings for me, but it turned out that I was just someone he could discard at any time. So the past three years of love and shared time meant nothing?

I looked down at the USB drive in my palm, feeling as if I'd just been slapped hard across the face. After what felt like a long time of crying, I finally pulled myself together and changed into my work clothes.

But when I reached the door, I stopped in my tracks. I realized I didn't even know how to take public transport to work because Zane had been picking me up every single day ever since I joined Cosmo Group.

In a daze, I flagged down a cab. The moment I got out in front of the building, it started pouring.

With a hand over my head, I ran into the rain, only to unexpectedly see Zane standing across from me. He was holding an umbrella and walking my way.

At that moment, a wave of conflicting emotions surged through me, and I found myself calling out, "Zane…"

Zane smiled, but not at me. He walked right past me before stopping in front of another woman, holding the umbrella over her head.

He wrapped an arm around Lily Hubbard, his tone scolding but affectionate. "I told you to take the day off. Why did you still come?"

She shyly tapped his chest. "Because I wanted to see you, Mr. Bender."

Watching them act so intimately, I felt like my moment of hope just now was a complete joke. Lowering my arm, I slowly walked toward the building, letting the rain soak me completely.

Zane shot me a hesitant glance but didn't say anything.

As soon as I entered the office, my coworkers stared at me in shock, drenched as I was. Ignoring them, I silently sat down at my desk.

After a long while, I looked up and tapped the coworker next to me. "Kayla, didn't you say you could recommend people to Vertex Group before?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but only for their overseas branch. Their management is pretty strict, so most people don't make it in. Why?"

"I want to go."

Hearing that, Kayla Hutchins jumped to her feet, exclaiming, "Cassidy, are you serious? You want to leave even though Mr. Bender treats you so well?"

Putting a finger in front of my lips, I quickly shushed her. "My decision to resign has nothing to do with him. It's for my career. Please help me out with this, Kayla."

Kayla wanted to ask more questions, but seeing that I didn't want to talk about it, she eventually agreed.

She contacted Vertex Group's Brudivia branch. After hanging up, she wrote down an email address for me. "I'd already made the arrangements. Contact them at this email address, and you can handle things from there."

As I took the piece of paper from her, I finally felt a sense of relief. What I'd said earlier wasn't entirely a lie.

Although Zane had indeed broken my heart, that wasn't the only reason I wanted to leave. In my three years at Cosmo Group, I was never truly happy.

Zane often said he felt bad for me, so a lot of my work was just going through the motions. Rather than an employee, I was more like a pet that accompanied him to work.

A pet? That word and the thought of Zane's recent cold attitude made my chest tighten.

Since my owner no longer wanted me, I wasn't going to force myself to stay. I decided that after my 25th birthday, it would be time for me to go and reclaim my freedom.

After I sat back down at my desk, I immediately saved that email address.

Just then, someone knocked on my desk. I looked up and saw Zane. Instinctively, I snapped my laptop shut.

Taken aback, he frowned. "Why are you so jumpy? Is there something I'm not supposed to see?"

I shook my head, my tone distant. "You just startled me, Mr. Bender. What can I do for you?"

My cold attitude clearly irritated him. But with other coworkers around, he held his anger back and said in a noticeably colder tone. "I wanted to ask you if you have the files ready."

"I'm still working on them. I'll send everything to your email before I leave later."

"Alright. Try to be quick. I'm having dinner with Lily tonight. I can't be late."

With that, Zane said nothing more and headed back to his office.

The moment the door closed, Kayla let out a long breath. "That scared the crap out of me. Mr. Bender looked terrifying just now. I'd never seen him act that way before."

I gave a light chuckle. "What way?"

"That authoritative attitude!" she whispered. "It's one thing when he treats us like that, but he's always been gentle with you, no? And I've never even seen him assign you work before. Weren't your tasks always—"

"Always done by us instead?" another coworker suddenly cut her off, staring at me with open mockery. "In the past, we ended up taking on most of your work because Mr. Bender liked you.

"Now that he has a new favorite, you've become just another corporate slave, huh? Do you still remember how to use office software after not working for so long, Cassidy? If you don't, you can always beg me for help."

"Why you—" Kayla glared at him angrily, but I stopped her.

I gave the group of people trying to provoke me a piercing look and slowly said, "If you're unhappy with the work assignments, you can take it up with Mr. Bender. But if you're too scared to do so, I can pass the message along for you."

At that, they exchanged looks and finally shut up. I knew they didn't dare gamble on whether Zane was truly indifferent to me.

After all, if I really told Zane about this, they might even lose their jobs, given how he had spoiled me before.

Once, an ex-coworker had deliberately spilled scalding hot coffee on me because she was jealous of my promotion. Zane had fired her on the spot and even blacklisted her from working in the entire industry.

But now…

Picking up the USB drive, I felt my confidence leave me. I took a deep breath and began organizing the meeting materials.

In less than an hour, I sent the files to Zane's email.

Seemingly surprised by my efficiency, he messaged me. "That was quick. Did you get someone to help you?"

In that instant, all the pent-up bitterness in my chest overflowed.

Even if everyone else thought I'd gotten in through connections, Zane knew better than anyone that I'd earned my place with my own ability.

I stormed toward his office, ready to confront him face-to-face, but stopped short when I heard him talking to Lily.

"Mr. Bender, I can see why Ms. Hartman is a director. These materials are really well done."

Zane snorted. "Director? If it weren't for me, she wouldn't even be qualified to enter Cosmo Group, let alone reach that position. Cosmo Group has never been short of talent. It's only short of talent I care for. She probably got someone to help her come up with these materials."

At that moment, it felt like lightning had hit me, and I almost lost my balance. So from the very beginning, I never truly belonged here.

I remembered how, after being mocked by my coworkers and feeling discouraged, Zane had comforted me. He'd said I would prove myself through my own abilities someday.

Because of those words, even when I had no assignments, I kept pushing myself to improve in secret.

And it wasn't just for my reputation, but also so I wouldn't disappoint the "faith" he had in me. I never imagined it was nothing but a lie.

I smoked on the balcony for a long time. When I finally stubbed the cigarette out and went back to the office, I saw Zane and Lily coming out of his office together.

Right in front of everyone, he draped his coat over her shoulders. My coworkers all lifted their heads to watch them before shooting me snide looks.

I wanted to pretend I couldn't care less, but I couldn't move. My legs felt like they had turned into lead, and I couldn't even lift my head.

Lily, however, had no intention of letting me be. She suddenly walked up to me with a faint smile. "Cassidy, the materials you put together were pretty decent. I'll have to learn more from you in the future."

I couldn't be bothered to respond. Zane frowned at my silence. "Ms. Hartman, didn't you hear Ms. Hubbard speaking to you?"

At that, Kayla looked at me in shock, clearly not expecting him to talk to me like that.

Suppressing the bitterness in my chest, I looked at Lily. "Thank you for the compliment."

Lily nodded, then warmly took my hand, her smile growing even more exaggerated. "Then can I leave all my future work to you? After all…"

She turned to Zane, her voice soft. "I've been feeling pretty weak lately. I really can't handle work."

Every word she said felt like it was a slap to my face, fueling the raging fire in my chest.

Just as I was about to refuse, Zane's firm voice rang out. "Of course. Looking out for members of staff is expected of anyone managing a team."

In that moment, I lost all desire to argue. I simply felt utterly ridiculous.

After they left, I ignored the snickers around me, shoved my laptop into my bag, and hurried out of the office.

The moment I stepped outside, the tight knot in my chest finally loosened a little. I kept telling myself that it was fine, that all I lost was a man, and that it was no big deal.

Just as I was finally calming down, I caught sight of a familiar car not far away. Inside, a man and a woman were kissing.

With his eyes closed, Zane cupped Lily's face, looking both tender and lost in the moment.

I was rooted to the spot, unable to move. In the three years I'd been with Zane, he'd kissed every part of me except my lips.

Even when I stood on my toes and tried to kiss him, he'd deliberately turn his head away, saying he didn't like kissing.

So it wasn't that he didn't like kissing. He just didn't like kissing me.

Suddenly, I felt disoriented. Was I less than a lover to him, or was Lily more than that to him? Either answer was unbearable.

Rain suddenly started pouring from the sky again, and Zane finally pulled back from the kiss. He slowly lifted his head.

Just before our eyes could meet, I stumbled backward and ran into the rain.

On the way home, I bought myself a birthday cake and held it tightly against my chest.

As soon as I got through my front door, I didn't even have the strength to open the box before collapsing to the floor with a thud.

The delicate cake was smashed on impact, and with my body burning up and my head dizzy, I couldn't even crawl to my bed.

That was when I suddenly recalled how, months ago, Zane had promised to give me an unforgettable 25th birthday.

He might have already forgotten all about my birthday, but there was no doubt in my mind that this birthday would be an unforgettable one. A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

Time passed unnoticed as I lay on the floor until a sudden notification appeared on my phone. It was an email from Vertex Group. "Congratulations on passing the preliminary review, Ms. Cassidy Hartman. Your interview is scheduled for three days from now."

When I read the message, I felt a little better. In any case, at least there was one piece of good news.

I forced a faint smile as I lay on the cold floor. Soon, I drifted into a deep sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I was lying in bed. Zane, who had been gone the entire night last night, was sitting at the edge of the bed, gently wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Why didn't you call me when you got your fever?"

Zane picked up a cup of warm water and handed it to me as he spoke with a tone of resignation. "Stop being upset. Take the medicine first."

I turned my head away, not wanting to look at him.

Zane frowned at my distant attitude. "Cassidy, have you forgotten what I told you?"

I knew exactly what he was referring to. If I refused to behave, I'd be discarded by both him and Cosmo Group.

Even as his expression darkened, I stuck to my stance, refusing to look at him. A scoff sounded by my ear. "Well, well. The kitten that has been cared for so long is starting to scratch people."

He set the cup down on the table with a loud thud. "You refuse to reply to my messages, you ignore me, and now you won't even take your medicine. You hate me that much? Fine. If you don't take it, I won't leave."

After saying that, he took off his coat and leaned back in the chair, looking prepared to wait me out.

I couldn't understand him. If he didn't love me and if I was nothing but a plaything to him, why go through all this trouble?

In the end, I turned to look at him. "Does it matter if I take my medicine when I'm just your bedwarmer?"

"Of course it does," Zane answered without hesitation, his gaze settling on me. "If you're sick and we get intimate, I might get infected."

Before, his lingering gaze would make my heart race, but now, it only made me feel sick to the stomach.

I pulled the blanket over my head, refusing to talk to him anymore. As for him, he didn't say anything else and just sat quietly beside me.

In the meantime, he answered several work calls, and every reply was the same. "I have something more important to handle today. Postpone all meetings."

He deliberately spoke in a louder voice, as if afraid I wouldn't hear him. After who knew how long, just as I was getting annoyed and ready to give in and take the medicine, Lily called.

One sentence was all it took for Zane to immediately stand up, throw on his coat, and hurry out. It was as if his earlier threat of not leaving until I took my medicine had never been spoken.

At the door, he glanced back at me. "Oh, right. I was so busy with my date yesterday that I forgot to give you your present. Don't throw it away in a fit of anger. If you ever decide to leave me, you could probably sell it for some cash.

"The money you can get from that necklace alone should be enough for you to live on for the rest of your life."

There was nothing but disdain in his flippant tone, and hearing him say that made my heart sink.

This whole time, Zane had never believed I would actually walk away. That made sense. After all, I was just an ordinary person who joined Cosmo Group through his "connections" and lived in a luxury apartment he bought.

In his eyes, I would lose everything if I were to leave him.

I would have to work at a small company doing a low-level job, rent a shared apartment with strangers, and use crowded public transport. That was why he was so confident that I wouldn't leave him and so reckless in hurting me.

But he was wrong. I didn't want a life where someone else decided my fate. Even if I obediently complied now, I'd still end up with nothing the moment he got completely tired of me.

At that thought, I sighed and reached for the water on my nightstand. However, it had gone cold.

As I didn't have the strength to hold the cup steady, it hit the floor and shattered into pieces.

Just then, my phone buzzed nonstop with messages from the work group chat. "Quick, check social media. Did Mr. Bender just announce he's dating Ms. Hubbard?"

The word "dating" hit me like a knife to the heart.

With trembling hands, I clicked into Lily's profile. She'd posted a photo of a gemstone necklace with the caption, "First month with my boyfriend and I'm already getting such an expensive present! I'm so happy!"

I froze at the sight of the necklace. It was almost identical to the one Zane had given me, except the gemstones on her necklace sparkled more brilliantly.

So my birthday gift was just something he bought along with Lily's? Even though I had already accepted reality, my chest still ached.

But the cruelest part wasn't even the gift. It was Zane's reply beneath the post. "As long as you like it, I'll give you even more."

He didn't correct her wording, which meant that they really were together.

My phone slipped from my hand, falling to the floor. I stood there for a long time before finally taking the necklace from its box and listing it on a secondhand site.

It was a limited edition, so it sold quickly. When the transfer notification for three million dollars came through, I forced a smile and wiped the tears from my eyes.

"What are you crying for, Cassidy?" I muttered. "If three years were worth three million dollars, I'd already come out ahead, hadn't I?"

Just when my mood had sunk to its lowest, Zane called. His tone was flat as he asked, "Did you take your medicine? Lily said she was in a bad mood just now, so I—"

"I took it," I cut him off.

There was a brief pause on the other end. Then, his contented voice came through. "Oh, good. See? You should've just behaved from the start. Don't act up next time, Cassidy. I don't like comforting people."

"I got it."

Zane hung up, clearly pleased.

What he didn't know was that once the call ended, I collapsed onto the floor, tears streaming down my face, my eyes hollow and my heart utterly empty.

I no longer expected anything from him. And there would never be a next time.