"Ms. Jenner, I know you used to like Mr. Sutton, but he was never into you. When people started those rumors about you two, Mr. Sutton cleared it up with us in private. He said you were just coworkers."

The moment those words left her mouth, the way everyone looked at me changed.

Like I was some pathetic woman who'd thrown herself at a man, gotten rejected, and turned bitter.

I looked at Eddie.

He turned away and stared out the window.

Not a single word.

Eight years of a secret relationship.

I'd handled impossible clients for him. Closed deals that kept his company alive. Sat through endless rumors about me chasing him while he stayed silent every time.

And now, he couldn't even give me this one shred of dignity.

Someone else jumped in.

"Josie, Mr. Sutton and Gina are already married. If you keep going after him, you're basically the side piece. What happens if clients hear about this?"

"Seriously. Stealing your mentee's man? Have some shame."

I looked around at the coworkers I'd personally trained.

Suddenly, the whole thing felt ridiculous.

I'd planned to send them wedding invitations.

Now there was no point.

I tightened my grip on my phone and looked around the room. "In that case, I should introduce my fiancé."

I was about to pull up a photo of Brody and me.

Then someone grabbed my wrist.

Eddie ripped the phone from my hand, his face stormy.

"Back to work. All of you."

His voice cracked through the office.

Then he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward his office.

Behind me, everyone crowded around Gina, comforting her.

The looks they threw my way were filled with disgust.

The second we stepped into his office, he slammed the door and yanked at his tie.

"I told you, the whole marriage thing was just part of a game. Do you have to make this ugly for everyone?"

"If it was just a game," I said coldly, "why didn't you say that out there? Why let them call me the side piece?"

He froze for a second, then answered like it made perfect sense. "She's young. I couldn't embarrass her in front of everyone."

So embarrassing me was fine?

I took my phone back and turned for the door.

My hand stopped on the knob, but I didn't look back.

"The wedding's next Saturday. You and Gina are welcome to come."

***

As soon as I reached the parking garage, my phone rang.

It was the recruiter who'd contacted me before.

"Ms. Jenner, about that Marketing Director position we discussed—the company is willing to raise the offer by another twenty percent. Interested?"

The package was already at the top of the industry.

"I'll take it." My voice didn't waver. "And I'll be bringing an eight-figure deal with me. Make sure the commission reflects that."

The recruiter practically screamed. "Absolutely! Leave it to me!"

After the call, I sat in my car and opened my messages.

My finger hovered over Brody's name.

Then I typed:

[Don't sign the contract yet. Wait for my update.]

Eddie said the company was in trouble.

Eddie said not to cause problems.

But for the last eight years, hadn't I been the one cleaning up every mess?

The Blanco Corp partnership was a deal I'd only secured after swallowing my pride and asking Brody three separate times.

It was the deal that could save Eddie's company.

As my car pulled out of the garage, the city blurred past the window.

Just like the last eight years with Eddie.

Gone before I knew it.

The first time I met Eddie was outside my college dorm.

He was Serena's older brother. He'd come to pick her up for summer break.

Standing under a tree in a white shirt, he smiled.

A tiny mole sat at the corner of his eye.

I fell for him instantly.

Later, at our graduation party, we both drank too much.

One thing led to another, and we ended up sleeping together.

I joined his startup as an intern and worked my way up.

At first, he said we couldn't go public because people would think I was using connections to get ahead.

So I waited.

When I earned my spot as head of marketing, he said he didn't want it to affect my friendship with Serena.

So I waited again.

I always thought that one day, he'd finally give me a real place in his life.

Then I saw the marriage license in Gina's post.

That was the wake-up call.

It wasn't that Eddie didn't want to get married.

He just didn't want to marry me.

I drove back to the apartment Eddie and I had shared for the past five years.

My resignation would take a few days to go through, so I decided to pack up and move out first.

I pulled out a suitcase and opened the closet.

Most of it was filled with his clothes.

I used to tease him about dressing like an old man and tell him to try brighter hoodies.

He always had the same excuse. "I'm the boss. I need to look professional."

But now, hanging front and center in the closet, were several brightly colored designer hoodies.

It wasn't that he wouldn't change.

He just wouldn't change for me.

I was folding my clothes into the suitcase when the front door unlocked.

Eddie walked in.

His eyes landed on the open suitcase, and he frowned.

"Gina and I are seriously nothing. Can you stop making a scene?"

He stepped closer and reached for my hand. "Getting a marriage license with her was stupid. I'll file for divorce this afternoon. Once the Blanco Corp deal is signed and the company's stable, we'll go public, okay?"

I opened my mouth, about to say, 'Let's break up.'

But he cut me off, scanning the room.

"By the way, where'd you put the key to the Meadowfair apartment?"

"Bottom drawer of the nightstand."

I paused.

"Are you selling it to cover the funding gap?"

He froze for a second, then smiled.

"Sell it? No. It's been sitting empty anyway. Gina's lease is up, so I'm letting her stay there for now."

A dull ache settled in my chest.

The Meadowfair apartment was the one he'd bought me for my birthday last year.

He'd called it our future home.

Now he was giving it to another woman.

Like he hadn't even noticed how pale I'd gone, he kept talking.

"Oh, and once you're done with the Blanco Corp contract, hand it over to Gina. Her probation's almost over. This deal will be perfect for helping her get hired full-time. Don't worry, you'll still get the full commission."

Before I could say anything, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and picked up immediately.

His voice softened at once.

"Yeah, I'll send you the address. Just have the movers go straight there..."

Still on the phone, he turned and walked out without another look at me.

The door clicked shut.

I stood alone in the quiet apartment and laughed.

Eight years.

Eight years of my life meant less to him than a three-month intern.

***

When I dragged my suitcase out of the apartment, I didn't look back.

Not once.

I drove straight to my parents' house.

Ever since I'd agreed to marry Brody, my mom had been in a good mood. The second she saw me, she rushed over and grabbed my suitcase.

"I told you Brody's a good man. We've known him since he was a kid. Your father and I can finally stop worrying."

Brody and I grew up together.

My mom and his mom were best friends.

They used to joke that we'd end up married one day.

If I hadn't met Eddie in college, I probably would've married Brody years ago.

And I knew he'd always liked me.

When Eddie's company hit a financial wall and ran out of options, I was the one who swallowed my pride and went to Brody.

I asked him to give Eddie a chance to work with Blanco Corp.

Back then, Brody had stayed silent for a long time.

But in the end, he still said yes.

Looking back now, I was such an idiot.

After dinner, I hid in the study and organized my handover files.

My phone buzzed.

A message from Eddie.

[I'll be back late. Don't wait up.]

I stared at it, then deleted our entire chat thread.

By the time I finished, it was past ten.

After a shower, I got into bed and opened social media.

Gina's post was right at the top, uploaded half an hour ago.

The photo was taken in the Meadowfair apartment.

Eddie had his arm around a few friends while they played drinking games. Empty bottles covered the table.

Caption:

[He called me "kiddo" in front of his friends. Like, okay, do I really look that innocent?]

The comments were all teasing her about how well her boss treated her.

Everyone shipped them.

I looked at the screen for two seconds, then closed the app.

I wasn't sad.

I wasn't angry.

Whatever I'd felt for Eddie over the last eight years had turned to ash the moment he stood there and let everyone call me the other woman.

A new message popped up.

It was from Brody.

[Are you free tomorrow? The bridal shop said your custom dress is ready. Want to go try it on?]

I replied with one word.

[Okay.]

***

The next morning, Brody pulled up early.

Mom walked me out, smiling, and shoved two boxes of his favorite pastries into my arms.

In the car, I rubbed the back of my neck. "Can you hold the Blanco Corp contract for me? I'm joining a new company, and I want it as my first win."

He shot me a smile. "Or you could just work for me."

I smiled back. "Mixing business and personal? Hard pass."

At the bridal shop, a consultant rushed over with a mermaid-cut wedding dress in her arms.

"Mr. Blanco had it altered three times to fit your measurements. It's going to look stunning on you."

After I changed, I stood in front of the mirror for a long time.

Every time Eddie and I passed a bridal shop, I'd sneak a second look.

He always said he'd design me a one-of-a-kind dress someday.

Told me not to rush.

So I waited eight years.

That dress never came.

The first custom wedding gown I ever wore was the one Brody had made for me.

"Want to post a picture?" Brody asked softly behind me.

I nodded and handed my phone to the consultant. "Can you take one of us together?"

He froze.

Then his eyes crinkled as he stepped beside me, resting his hand near my waist without touching me.

The photo came out perfect.

I uploaded it and typed:

[Next Saturday, Grand Cloudcrest. You're all invited to the wedding of Brody Blanco and Josie Jenner.]

Less than a minute after I posted, the comments blew up.

[Holy crap! Is that the CEO of Blanco Corp? Josie, you've been hiding him this whole time?]

[And people said she was chasing Eddie? Please. Brody Blanco makes Eddie look like a joke.]

I was scrolling when my phone rang.

Eddie.

I picked up.

His voice slurred through the line, drunk and cutting. "Wow, Josie. To force me into marrying you, you dragged Brody Blanco into this little stunt?

"You'll really do anything for a title."

I was about to say something.

But Brody took my phone and switched it to speaker.

His voice stayed calm, but there was no missing the authority behind it.

"Mr. Sutton, Josie and I are getting married. For real. She waited eight years for you. I waited twelve years for her."

A beat passed.

"Thank you for not marrying her."

The line went dead silent.

A few seconds later, Eddie's voice exploded through the speaker.

"That's impossible!

"Josie, talk to me!"