Everyone knows I'm Brooke River's bootlicker—I've stuck by her side for the past ten years. Now, she's getting engaged to someone else, and everyone's waiting to see me make a fool of myself. The problem is… I already got married three years ago.

"I'll leave the arrangements of the engagement party to you, Mr. Sommar."

"Alright, no problem."

I kept a professional smile on my face, staying calm while facing this woman whom I'd loved for seven years.

Brooke Rivers raised an eyebrow at me and asked, "Any other questions?"

"Yes."

"What is it?" A gleeful look appeared on Brooke's face.

I answered robotically, "What's the budget like for this engagement party? Do you have a fixed date or time for it yet? And about the outfits and hair and makeup—"

"That's enough! Talk to Gaston about those instead."

"Alright."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"Oh…"

I might have hallucinated it, but she looked briefly disappointed. Maybe she thought I was behaving too calmly.

However, she didn't know that I was no longer in love with her.

…

Gaston Storm was quite well-known for his bossy and overbearing attitude. He was the eldest son in the Storm family and was also the CEO of his family's company.

Even though everyone knew that this was a business marriage alliance, people still thought that both Brooke and Gaston had fallen in love with each other at first sight. They also said that the two were soulmates and made for each other because they looked so good together.

I listened to Gaston's relentless requests for the engagement party as I typed away on my iPad. All the while, I made sure I was smiling slightly.

Finally, after a long time, I was done typing out all of my future boss' requests.

Keeping my professionalism in check, I still asked politely, "Do you have anything else to add for the engagement party, Mr. Storm?"

"Yes!"

"Please let me know."

Gaston looked at me with a raised eyebrow and spoke slowly while emphasizing each word. "After the engagement party is over, I want you to leave Riveria Group."

I looked at him in confusion. However, I understood what he meant very quickly.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot promise you that immediately. My employment contract is with the HR department in Riveria, and you'll still need a valid reason to terminate my employment with the group. However…"

I steered the conversation in another direction as I smiled brightly at him. "If the severance package is ludicrous enough, I might seriously consider your offer."

"You're a smart person, Mr. Sommar. You should know that asking you to leave is just what's best for you."

"I do, but I also have to think about myself. After all, I'm very happy with the terms and perks Riveria is offering me now."

Gaston scoffed. "Hmph, you're just a nobody that's too easily pleased. It's all just about the money, isn't it? Don't worry. You'll be satisfied with the compensation."

I smile lightly. "If that's the case, thank you very much, Mr. Storm."

After seeing Gaston off, Claude Skye, who was right next to me, started to complain about him. "He's not even married yet, and he's already starting to meddle in Riveria's affairs."

"He has the right."

"But Theros… Everyone's aware of all the work you've done for the company. Ms. Rivers looks up to you too. How could he…"

Claude had been assigned to me ever since he first joined Riveria. He was one of the very few people in the company whom I had a close relationship with.

I just patted him on the shoulder and said nothing else.

It wasn't surprising that Gaston saw me as his rival. After all, I'd been with Brooke for a whole decade, and everyone knew just how much of a lapdog I was for her.

I was an orphan who lived all alone in this world. I didn't care for emotions because I only wanted to work hard to earn as much money as I could. At the very least, I could then be financially free.

While on the way back to the dorms after my part-time job, I ran into a bunch of hooligans who tried to rob me. Just as I was feeling helpless and alone, Brooke suddenly made her appearance.

She grabbed my arm and we ran out of the place. She even blocked a glass beer bottle that one of the thugs picked up from the ground and tried to throw at my head.

As I watched blood trickle down Brooke's face, I realized that this was the first time I felt sorry for anyone.

Meanwhile, Brooke didn't seem to care. "What are you crying for? It's just a small cut."

She nonchalantly picked up her jacket that had fallen to the ground and threw it around her shoulders. The sun shone on her as she stood back up. It cast a warm halo around her. Her cold eyes that contrasted with her gentle looks were then immortalized in my head forever.

After this incident in which she saved my life, I willingly became her lapdog for the rest of the next seven years.

I always thought that I would be the person who would be with Brooke until the end. Brooke had a bad temper and was very picky about her partners.

She had had many admirers for the past few years, but many of them couldn't even last for more than half a year. Meanwhile, I had always been willingly by her side for all of seven years.

I was her personal secretary, her work colleague, and her obedient little lackey.

"What are you thinking about? I've been calling you for a while."

A familiar warmth enveloped me from the side as she whispered softly in my ear.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about that annoying CEO."

"Don't think about work anymore now that you're home. I've made you your favorite ribs and mashed potatoes."

I grinned widely at Daisy Meadows and held her face gently in my hands. Then, I kissed her on the lips.

"You're the best, wifey."

Daisy chuckled as she went back into the kitchen to serve the food.

I watched her bustling about in her teddy bear apron and suddenly smiled widely

Brooke belonged in the past. Daisy was now my lover and my family.

Where there were people, there was also bound to be drama. Even at the prestigious Riveria Group, gossip was inevitable and bountiful.

It seemed as if they'd somehow heard about Gaston telling me to resign from the company yesterday. Their eyes were filled with doubt, curiosity, and even contempt.

Just as I thought, Gaston was an annoying CEO indeed.

"Mr. Sommar, bring me some coffee."

My intercom sounded just then with just a cold, curt command from Brooke.

I made her usual cup of coffee with much familiarity and brought it into her office. I was also planning to report the day's schedule to her in the meantime.

Brooke looked at the black coffee before her and frowned slightly. She then glanced at me, but seeing that I didn't look the least bit shaken, she got even more frustrated than ever.

I knew what she meant, but I didn't want to acknowledge it.

Brooke had a weak stomach and often suffered from gastritis. I used to care for her health and often made her nutritious food, only to have to beg her to eat a few bites while keeping a smile on my face.

I would also often advise against her drinking harmful beverages like coffee that would upset her stomach. Although she never listened to me, I still wasn't able to stop myself from poking my nose into her business like that.

However, since the abortion a year ago, I gradually got rid of my bad habit of "nagging" her all of the time.

I went through the day's schedules with her in a professional manner. But, Brooke seemed to be out of it today.

"Ms. Rivers, do you have anything to add on to the schedule for today?"

"Did you talk to Gaston yesterday?"

Her sudden change in topic caught me completely off guard.

"Yes, I did."

"How did it go?"

"It was fine. Mr. Storm put in a lot of requests for the engagement party."

"What about you? What do you think about it?" Brooke asked.

"I will try my best to meet every request within the stipulated budget. If there are any discrepancies, I will also resolve them with Mr. Storm as soon as possible. But of course, if we're unable to find a solution for it, then I will report the situation to you."

"You sure know how to separate work from your life," she said. She was obviously trying to be sarcastic with me. "I heard that… Gaston told you to leave after the engagement party."

"He did bring it up, yes."

"What do you think about it?"

Brooke then picked up a pen and started twirling it in her hands while staring intensely at me.

This was a habit of hers. She would always start twirling pens if she got anxious. However, the look in her eyes felt more like that of a predator hunting its prey instead.

I smiled faintly and answered, "I'll think about it if the severance package is good enough."

Brooke then threw the pen onto her table and looked at me with an icy-cold stare. A disdainful look was in her eyes.

"Theros Sommar, why is money so important to you?"