At the company’s New Year’s Eve party, the CEO’s husband lost a big dare and had to choose an employee to drink a wedding toast with as a bonus.

As he walked toward me with a blush on his face, my colleagues began to cheer.

“They’re already an old married couple, and they’re still showing off their affection.”

The next second, my husband stepped past me and hugged Julia Snow, who was standing beside me. All my colleagues froze.

None of them expected my husband to drink a wedding toast with a female subordinate right in front of me.

But I wasn’t upset at all. I was the first to clap and break the silence.

“Have a few more drinks, and I’ll get you some more. Drink all night if you like. You don’t need to come home.”

I muttered the last words, “don’t need to come home,” in a low voice.

Then I set down the two bottles of wine and pushed the door open to leave, amid everyone’s shock. My husband quickly chased me out and grabbed my arm. “Don’t overthink it, Vivian Mercer.”

“Julia’s brother has leukemia and urgently needs the bonus for treatment. I had to choose her.”

“But don’t worry, I’ll keep my distance from her from now on.”

“Julia even gave you some luxury travel tickets to thank you.”

Only after seeing me nod silently did Ethan Cole Reed breathe a sigh of relief and turn away.

He didn’t realize I was already utterly disappointed in him and no longer believed a single word he said.

Since he didn’t care about me at all, I wouldn’t play along with his games anymore.

I picked up my phone and replied to the headhunter I had contacted two weeks ago.

“I promised you last time. I’ll bring the core technology.”

——

As soon as I arrived at my desk, I saw the so-called luxury travel tickets Julia Snow had left for me.

A wrinkled gift voucher lay on the table.

“That’s Julia’s gift for Vivian. My aunt got a stack of those the other day.”

“Aren’t these just unwanted coupons? And you’re calling them luxury travel tickets?”

My colleagues glanced over, whispering mockingly. “Shut up. Vivian’s back.”

When they saw me return, they quickly turned around.

I sat down without a word, tossed the ticket into the drawer, and didn’t bother looking at it again.

Just then, the phone rang like a death knell. It was Ethan Reed.

“Vivian? Where’s the bonus I asked you to approve for Julia? Why hasn’t it gone through yet?” His voice burst out with harsh criticism.

“How long are you going to drag this out? Don’t you know Julia desperately needs the money?”

When I stayed silent, his tone softened.

“Vivian, Julia urgently needs funds for her brother’s treatment. You know that, so why haven’t you approved it yet?”

“I filed the bonus application a long time ago, but Finance hasn’t released the money yet.”

Hearing disappointment in my own voice, I answered slowly.

“Then why don’t you go push for it? Julia is so kind and pitiful—don’t you know how to help her?” Ethan lowered his voice a little.

“Vivian, just do me this favor, alright?”

Hearing that gentle demand, my chest tightened. Just a favor for her? Then what am I to you?

You care about everything she faces, so I’m supposed to just do you a favor, right?

I muttered inwardly.

Julia, with nothing more than a junior high diploma, should never have been in this company. Ethan had slipped her in through the back door.

Everyone could see favoritism written all over his face.

“Also, Vivian.”

Ethan’s voice came again.

“Julia submitted an application for promotion to department manager.”

“Please help polish her materials and photos and send them to management.”

I froze when I heard this. “Didn’t I just get promoted to department manager two weeks ago? How is she applying?”

“She has a sick brother who needs money, right? Managers earn a good salary. What’s wrong with you making a little sacrifice?” Ethan replied.

“Just handle her work as a side task from now on. It’s not much.”

I trembled when I heard this. I worked diligently for three straight months to win a unanimous vote for my promotion to department manager.

And with one careless word, he instantly turned me into her subordinate.

Now he expected me to clean up her messes and even provide her food, drinks, and entertainment!

I thought back over the past five months.

From the moment Julia Snow joined the company, Ethan Reed dumped all of her tasks on me.

She had only a junior high education and couldn’t draft a weekly report, so Ethan always asked me to write it.

She couldn’t prepare a speech for the year-end awards ceremony, so Ethan pushed me to scramble one for her. I earned first prize at that ceremony with my hard work. Yet in the end, Julia stood on stage, stumbling through my speech as she accepted the award.

I did all of Julia’s work, but in the end, I got nothing, while she reaped the rewards.

Even when she got drunk and behaved recklessly at work, Ethan blamed me for not stopping her.

Now she was my boss, and she expected me to do everything?

Why was Ethan so blind? A shiver ran down my spine.

In five years of marriage, he had never posted a single photo of us online, always saying he’d do it “next time.”

At every company annual meeting, when he mingled with executives, he pretended not to know me.

When I confronted him in private, he whispered,

“Isn’t this better for us? Why seek such attention?”

“On our fifth anniversary, I’ll make you department manager and livestream our honeymoon to the entire company!”

I still remember that promise.

But instead, he embraced Julia and handed her the manager’s role.

And the promise of posting our photos was delayed again and again—ninety-nine times—until I finally gave up hope.

At first, my colleagues privately called me the future president, President Reed’s jewel.

But as Ethan ignored me more, and his parents treated me with disdain, those gazes turned scornful. “She’s just a houseguest. He probably eats leftovers at home.”

“The CEO thinks she’s unpresentable and won’t even post a picture.”

Hearing their gossip, I pretended not to notice, though my heart grew colder each day.

I should have awakened sooner. Everything Ethan did in the past six months showed he didn’t love me.

“Alright, Vivian,” Ethan’s tone softened again over the phone.

“I won’t keep you up too long. Next year, when Julia gets promoted, I’ll make you department manager.”

At this, the corners of my mouth twitched.

“Alright, get the paperwork done. Don’t delay her appointment as manager,” he added gently.

“Julia worked so hard to get into this company. It hasn’t been easy, and she has to care for her brother with leukemia.”

“You helped her, and she’s thankful. She even gave you travel tickets.”

Hearing this, my chest tightened.

“He only sees Julia now. To him, she’s perfect.” While he and Julia surfed and sunbathed, I was drowning in work at the company.

He and Julia enjoyed a candlelit dinner on an island in the lake, while I drank myself into gastric bleeding over a single order.

I always followed his instructions and worked tirelessly for the company.

But while I labored, they had fun, and when they returned, they stole my achievements and honors.

I shook with rage.

“Ethan, has my manager done it yet?” Julia’s languid voice floated through the phone.

Ethan instantly brightened. “Alright, Julia.”

He was all smiles, chatting on the phone as he walked out, clearly discussing a trip with her.

Seeing this, I trembled all over. To my shock, he didn’t even glance at me.

The next day, at the company’s promotion meeting,

A row of employees wearing large red flowers stood up.

After they accepted their commendations, Ethan Reed slowly walked onto the stage. A photo of him and Julia Snow appeared on the big screen, their wedding pictures taken on a white sandy beach.

The audience burst into excitement, applauding and cheering.

Ethan stepped forward and took Julia’s hand.

“I announce that the new department manager is Julia Snow!” he continued. “I also have great news: we’re getting married next month!”

The employees erupted in cheers.

“I was wondering why Miss Snow was kept for last. So Ethan wanted everyone to share in the joy!” Julia’s supporters chimed in.

“I didn’t expect Julia to be so secretive.”

On stage, Julia couldn’t suppress her smug smile but pretended to cover her face.

“I told Ethan to keep it low-key, but he insisted on announcing it at the meeting.”

“Miss Snow, don’t be so modest! You’ve got the double blessing of promotion and marriage!” Veteran employees applauded.

“Ethan and Julia are a perfect match. Unlike some people reaching above their station—they can’t even get close.”

I clearly felt contemptuous, pitying glances from colleagues around me. My fists clenched as I shook with anger.

All around me, my coworkers applauded, and some stared, enjoying the scene.

I stood and tried to leave, but they clearly wouldn’t let me go easily.

As I stepped toward the exit, a colleague shouted,

“Vivian, it’s such a big day for Ethan, and everyone’s applauding. Why aren’t you clapping?”

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on me, mocking me.

I stayed silent, but then Julia spoke on stage.

“Everyone, don’t blame Vivian. He’s probably tired and wants to celebrate privately with Ethan and us.”

Though she said this, the sarcasm on her face lingered, only tinged with smugness.

Onstage, Ethan didn’t even look my way.

“Everyone, let’s go. Tonight we’ll celebrate at a five-star hotel—it’s Julia’s and my wedding banquet!”

I quietly slipped out, pulled up the resignation letter I had already written, and sent it with one click.

After submitting my resignation, I figured that since I was leaving Ethan anyway, I had to make things clear to his parents. Ethan drove Julia to a music festival.

She had emptied my pockets again, leaving me nearly broke, so I took the bus to his house.

When I arrived, the brightly lit gate bore the words “Reed Family.”

It was absurd; I had paid for this villa in full, planning to live there with Ethan.

But he secretly moved his parents in and replaced the lock with a digital one, registering all his family members’ faces except mine.

After work, he retreated to this villa to relax. I, meanwhile, had to stay in the company dormitory.

I rang the bell five times before Ethan’s parents reluctantly came and opened the door.

“Vivian? Why are you here?”

Ethan’s mother scowled. “Shouldn’t you be working overtime at the company? Leaving all the burden on Ethan alone?”

“Ethan’s out, so I came to check on him.” Hearing this, I only wanted to sneer.

“You come to check on him, yet arrive empty-handed?”

Ethan’s father’s voice rang out from the living room. He tossed the tea leaves from his cup, nearly splashing hot water onto my shoes.

“I don’t know who sent me this lousy tea,” he scoffed.

“Look, the oolong Julia gave me is much better.”