At the new product launch, the president's wife had promised to officially announce her eight-year marriage with me. Yet, standing beside her wasn’t me, but her newly hired assistant—her first love, Nigel Mayer. The two shared an undeniable chemistry, appearing like a perfect match destined to be together.

A curious reporter asked, "I heard President Logan and her secret boyfriend have been in love for eight years. Could it be the gentleman next to you?"

With a charming smile, Assistant Nigel Mayer replied, "That’s a private matter. We’re not ready to share those details yet. Let’s keep the focus on the new product launch."

The room erupted into whispers and speculation, with most convinced he was the president's rightful husband. Someone even joked, “If there’s no plan to make it official, let’s pretend we don’t know.”

The president's wife smiled gracefully and added, “Today’s not just about launching new products. We also have some good news: our leadership team is expanding! Congratulations to Nigel, who has been promoted to Marketing Director!”

Applause filled the room as everyone admired their seemingly perfect partnership.

Only an old friend leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "Did you plan this as part of some publicity stunt?"

I chuckled bitterly, tossing the printed resignation letter onto the ground. “Hype or not, it doesn’t matter—I’ve already been dumped.”

The words left my old friend momentarily speechless.

“What do you mean?” he finally asked.

Without offering further explanation, I turned and walked away. In the world of adults, some things are better left unsaid.

Lindsay Logan and I had been together for years, yet she had never once shown any intention of making our relationship public. Whenever anyone speculated about us, she would immediately dismiss the rumors.

But today was different. She hadn’t denied the whispers about Nigel. Her silence spoke volumes.

I knew Nigel was her first love, her Nigel Mayer—the one she’d never truly let go of. Rather than waiting for her to admit it, I decided to walk away with whatever dignity I had left.

But not everyone shared my sentiment.

To my surprise, someone took the microphone and announced, “Actually, Director Duncan contributed significantly to the development of this new product. While he may not have had a deep understanding of the technical details, he provided invaluable support throughout. Let’s invite Director Duncan to the stage to say a few words!”

Nigel suddenly called me out, catching everyone off guard. The reporters, momentarily stunned, exchanged puzzled glances, clearly unsure who I was.

I rarely appeared in public, and with Nigel’s subtle hints guiding their narrative, the crowd quickly painted me as an outsider—a clueless figure trying to steal credit for the project.

The questions came sharp and pointed:

“Is Director Duncan the head of the product development department? What exactly was your contribution to this project?”

“If Director Duncan doesn’t understand the product, how did he assist? Did Mr. Mayer put in a good word for you?”

One reporter even cut straight to the point: “You’ve never appeared in public before. Why now? Are you worried about being overshadowed by new talent?”

Before I could respond, Lindsay took the microphone, cutting me off.

“Alright, Director Duncan isn’t used to such high-pressure situations. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to me instead,” she said with a casual tone.

Her words landed like a sharp blade, solidifying the narrative that I was nothing more than a bumbling fool riding on someone else’s coattails. The disdain was palpable, and every gaze that fell on me was filled with contempt and ridicule.

If this had happened before, I might have confronted Lindsay right then and there, demanding to know what she meant, possibly escalating into a full-blown argument. But now, I see no point.

Her heart had already shifted, and any further discussion was meaningless.

Without a word, I turned and walked away.

As I shoved my hands into my pockets, my fingers brushed against something hard. I pulled it out—a pink diamond ring worth millions, the one thing Lindsay had always wanted but never received.

Just because she said she liked it, I spent countless hours and energy tracking it down, eventually purchasing it from a foreign collector.

Before all this, Lindsay had often expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s stagnation. She’d said that without a successful career, starting a family wasn’t an option. She had always been hesitant to make our marriage public.

Now, with the new product launch, the company’s stock price had soared, and our combined net worth had skyrocketed.

I had planned to take out the ring in front of the cameras, using the moment to publicly declare our years of love. But now, all of that felt like an illusion, a bubble ready to burst.

“Stop!”

As soon as I reached the underground garage, Lindsay caught up to me.

When she faced me, her expression was a mix of irritation and exhaustion. “Why are you so upset again? At the product launch, you—being the director of the R&D department—weren’t even there to oversee the whole situation. Where are you going now, alone?”

Her eyebrows furrowed deeply. “Is it about Nigel? You know I don’t want to make our relationship public right now. It’s personal, and I don’t want to use it for attention. Didn’t you agree with that before?”

I kept my expression cold and said nothing. Lindsay, sensing the tension, softened her tone, speaking more carefully:

“Nigel can’t handle it alone. You should step in and help him.”

This time, I couldn’t hold back a laugh—sharp and humorless.

After everything, it still came back to Nigel.

Raising an eyebrow, I looked at her. “Didn’t you just say I don’t know anything? If that’s the case, let Nigel—your newly promoted star—handle it. I’m irrelevant, aren’t I?”

My words made her face darken, and she raised her voice in frustration.

“I only said that to protect you! You don’t like appearing in the spotlight, so I had no choice but to push Nigel forward. He’s talented, a top-tier returnee from overseas. If I hadn’t been worried about your jealousy, I would have promoted him long ago!”

I raised a hand, brushing her aside. “Is it really that I don’t want to be in the public eye, or is it you who doesn’t want me there?”

Her face flushed with embarrassment, her confidence wavering for a moment.

I could tell she remembered.

When the company was in its infancy, I was the one driving its growth. I was the one pulling strings, closing deals, and building relationships to keep it afloat.

There was a time when people whispered that Lindsay was nothing more than a decorative vase, someone who looked good in meetings but contributed little of substance.

Lindsay always felt I overshadowed her, insisting I step back and become the man behind her success. She said she wanted to be an inspiring, self-made woman others could admire.

To support her dream, I agreed. I willingly handed over all the credit and accolades, thinking she was the woman I’d spend my life with. Back then, I never questioned it.

But now, she’s twisted my sacrifices into something entirely untrue.

While Lindsay struggled to find a response, Nigel appeared out of nowhere.

He was wearing a beige suit—the very same one I had noticed in the back of our closet just weeks ago. It was from an exclusive custom-made collection, Only Love Original Heart, with a starting price of 520,000.

At the time, I thought it was a surprise from Lindsay, as it was just three days before our wedding anniversary. Yet, when the day came and went, there wasn’t even a simple gift, let alone the suit.

And now, here it was—on Nigel.

A bitter laugh rose in my chest. Lindsay claimed she feared making me jealous, but she had no qualms about gifting him such an extravagant suit behind my back. Did she really take me for a fool?

Nigel stopped in front of her, turning to me with a self-satisfied smirk. “Brad, no offense, but while the company’s success owes something to you, it also heavily depends on Lindsay. Yet you act like all the credit belongs to you. Don’t you think that’s a bit... thick-skinned?”

Lindsay’s eyes flickered with something—approval, perhaps?—before she chimed in, her voice sharp and cutting.

“You’re so arrogant and paranoid. You always think I’m nothing without you. Who do you think you are? The company started from scratch, and you act like I didn’t contribute at all!”

They both looked at me with the same animosity, as though I were the enemy. It was almost laughable how seamlessly they formed a united front.

When Lindsay looked at me, her face was cold and unyielding, but when she turned to Nigel, her demeanor softened, a smile playing on her lips.

All my efforts for her—all the years I stood by her side—were eclipsed by Nigel’s smooth, insincere words of defense. Years of devotion reduced to nothing in the blink of an eye.

I nodded lightly, keeping my composure. “If that’s how you see it, I’ll resign. Expect the divorce agreement shortly.”

Nigel’s eyes flickered with barely contained joy, but he still played the role of the considerate mediator. “You know Lindsay’s just upset, yet you deliberately say things like this. Do you really want to cause a scene?”

Watching him—a grown man—speak like that, with an air of smug innocence, made my stomach churn.

Lindsay snorted coldly. “He always talks about breaking up and divorce, but it’s just a game of hard-to-get.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel, her voice dripping with contempt as she walked away. “Go upstairs and take charge of the situation for me. If you don’t, don’t blame me when I dock your salary or reassign you to another position!”

I couldn’t help but recall what she had once promised me: that if I worked hard and climbed the ranks step by step to become vice president, she would finally announce our relationship to the world.

For years, I treated promotion and salary increases as my sole purpose, believing they were stepping stones to the future Lindsay promised.

In the past, I would’ve swallowed my pride, followed her upstairs, and handled the situation, only to hand over all the credit to her.

But now, I finally understood. No matter how many multimillion-dollar deals I closed, she would always find a reason not to promote me, claiming the plans needed further refinement. The truth was simpler and far more painful—she had no intention of making our relationship public.

Because she didn’t love me.

I turned and walked away without looking back.

Behind me, Lindsay’s angry voice echoed through the hallway. “If you take another step forward, I’ll really lose my temper!”

I chuckled quietly to myself. Did she still think I cared about her moods?

When I returned to the villa alone, I expected to have the house to myself until the press conference wrapped up. I didn’t expect Lindsay to follow me home so soon.

She found me sitting on the sofa and approached, her tone soft and slightly aggrieved. “You just left me there like that. Don’t you feel the least bit guilty?”

It was rare for her to back down—her first attempt this entire year.

But I stayed silent, unmoved.

Her tone shifted, now tinged with frustration. “What are you so upset about? Fine, leave the press conference in a mood if you must, but divorce? What did I do to offend you this time?”

"If you’re upset because I didn’t clarify things with Nigel at the press conference, I’ll find an opportunity to explain it later."

Seeing a slight change in my expression, Lindsay quickly continued:

"You have no idea what happened after you left. A few major clients you negotiated with suddenly started backtracking, and one of them even said he’s considering pulling his investment."

She hesitated, then added, "Nigel doesn’t have enough experience to handle this mess. Can you come with me tomorrow to visit them and smooth things over, okay?"

She lightly tugged at my arm, her tone soft, almost playful, as though trying to charm me.

But I wasn’t moved. I looked at her with a sharp, mocking smile. "So, the real reason you’re here is to get me to clean up your mess?"

There was a time when I cared deeply for Lindsay. Back then, if she lowered her head and acted sweetly, I would’ve done anything for her, no matter how difficult.

But now, that fire—my passion, my devotion—had long since burned out.

For the first time, I felt calm, truly calm. And in that calm, I saw everything more clearly.

How had I been so blind?

All these years, was she with me because she loved me? Or simply because I was useful to her?

Lindsay’s face darkened, and her tone turned sharp. "How can you even think of me that way? What do you mean by cleaning up my mess? Don’t you have a stake in the company? Don’t you share in the profits? Isn’t it your responsibility to work for the company?"