Chapter 1

My coworkers were buzzing about the boss and his assistant. The problem? I was the woman who was supposed to be by his side.

For five years, I’d secretly dated my boss.

He had one ironclad rule: no staying overnight.

Even after sex, I had to get dressed and leave immediately.

Last night, my unscrupulous landlord threw me out in the middle of the night. Suitcase in hand, I begged my boyfriend to let me stay just once.

He refused coldly. “It would look bad if anyone saw. We have to avoid suspicion.”

Then I arrived at work this morning.

A coworker thrust her phone in my face, looking conspiratorial.

“Huge news! That new assistant is definitely our future boss’s wife!”

The photograph had been taken in the very apartment whose door he’d shut in my face last night.

His young assistant wore one of his oversized shirts, smiling prettily.

The caption read: *Scammed by a dodgy rental agent. Thank goodness my kindhearted boss let me stay.*

“Who knew?” my coworker sighed. “He’s so strict about rules at work, but he spoils her in private.”

I studied the picture, then joined in with a faint smile.

“They’re already living together. Sounds like we’ll be hearing wedding bells soon.”

I turned—and found Pei Yan standing right behind me, his face completely rigid.

**1**

My coworker jumped, stammered, “Mr. Pei,” and fled.

Pei Yan gave me a long, searching look, then returned to his office.

Less than half an hour later, a coworker carried two enormous bags of afternoon refreshments into the work area.

“Mr. Pei’s treat! Help yourselves in the pantry!”

Everyone cheered and scattered. I walked calmly toward the counter too.

Whenever we fought, Pei Yan refused to apologize. Instead, he’d buy drinks for everyone and hide my favorite fruit tea among the iced Americanos.

For five years, that had been our secret signal.

And I’d always accepted it, swallowing whatever had hurt me.

Today, though, there were two identical grape teas sitting among the black coffees.

Pei Yan casually picked one up and handed it to Su Xiaoxiao.

“You’re allergic to caffeine, aren’t you? Have this.”

His tone was offhand, but the familiarity was unmistakable.

A brief silence fell. Then everyone erupted in knowing cheers.

“Buying drinks for the whole company just to treat one person? Talk about favoritism!”

Su Xiaoxiao’s ears reddened.

Pei Yan, who normally hated office gossip, offered no explanation.

I stood still, watching.

So he knew how to favor someone. His rules weren’t immovable.

He simply hadn’t wanted to bend them for me.

I’d treasured that fruit tea as proof he cared. Now the thing that had made me feel special was merely one of a matching pair.

Expressionless, I pushed in the straw and took a sip.

It was full of sugar. It tasted bitter going down.

With a dull thud, I dropped it straight into the bin.

The sound wasn’t loud, but Pei Yan heard. He turned in time to see my careless throw, and his brows drew together.

He probably hadn’t imagined I could treat his little favor as rubbish.

Once the crowd dispersed, we crossed paths in a corridor beyond the cameras’ view.

He caught my wrist and spoke before I could.

His usually controlled voice carried an urgency he didn’t seem to notice himself.

“She slept in the guest room last night. I slept in the main bedroom. Nothing happened. That agent stole her deposit and left her stranded. I couldn’t just abandon her.”

Five years together in secret, and this was the first time he’d lowered himself to explain.

Perhaps the ease with which I’d thrown away the drink had finally unsettled him.

I pulled my hand free and looked at him quietly.

“Oh.” I nodded. “I see.”

His expression went blank, as though those few indifferent words had cut off every explanation he’d prepared.

After staring at me for several seconds, he seemed to make a decision. He took a key from his pocket and pressed it firmly into my palm.

“My spare apartment key. I didn’t think things through last night. You can come over whenever you want.”

He didn’t hear the condescension in his own concession.

Nor did he wait for an answer. He was certain I would do what I’d always done: accept a scrap of kindness with tearful gratitude and forgive him.

He simply turned and left.

I remained there, looking at the key in my hand.

For five years, I’d dreamed of having it.

Because we had to “avoid suspicion,” I’d pulled on my coat after sex and walked alone into the cold night more times than I could count.

I’d thought that if I was patient and accommodating enough, I could warm this block of ice. One day, I’d be welcome in his world.

Now the key, five years late, seemed both absurd and sad.

He’d finally broken his rule for me—but only after taking in another woman. I was being offered compensation to keep me quiet.

Just like that fruit tea, no longer mine alone.

Disappointment had piled up until even anger felt unnecessary.

The five-year secret relationship. The home I’d fought so hard to enter.

I wanted neither anymore.

**2**

The next morning, HR announced our weekend team-building outing in the group chat.

We were going to the largest star-themed amusement park on the outskirts of the city.

The chat immediately exploded. A few friendly coworkers began gossiping privately.

“An amusement park? That wasn’t in this quarter’s plan.”

“Apparently Su Xiaoxiao mentioned to Mr. Pei last night that she’d never been to one.”

“And he approved the budget on the spot.”

I watched the messages flash across my screen, finding it painfully ironic.

On our anniversary two years earlier, I’d eagerly asked him to visit an amusement park with me.

His response had been cold.

“Aren’t you too old for such childish places? And what if a coworker saw us together? Don’t make immature requests like that again.”

His aloofness could apparently give way quite easily—for someone else.

The park was crowded that weekend. Su Xiaoxiao wore a bright, youthful dress and kept darting around Pei Yan.

He was fastidious about cleanliness and hated physical contact in public. But when she naturally caught his sleeve and pulled him into a queue, he didn’t move away.

Our coworkers winked and cheered.

“He’s nothing like our usual ice-cold boss today! He looks like a university student on a date with his girlfriend!”

Pei Yan shook his head helplessly, but there was no anger in his eyes.

He seemed to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, his actual girlfriend had been required to keep a full meter away from him even in the underground car park.

I could only watch them conduct their public courtship on the company’s budget.

By dusk, the outing was nearly over. Everyone trooped toward the giant Ferris wheel, the tallest in Asia.

I’d always wanted to ride it with him.

Just before our turn, Su Xiaoxiao suddenly shrank back. Her eyes reddened as she clutched his arm.

“Mr. Pei… I’m scared of heights. I can’t ride alone. Will you come with me? I only feel safe with you.”

An obliging coworker immediately joined in.

“Only two people per cabin! Mr. Pei, go and protect her!”

I watched him quietly.

He’d told me Ferris wheels were pointless gimmicks for couples, a complete waste of time.

Now, with the whole company watching, he frowned and muttered something about nonsense—while stepping forward without hesitation.

He held the closing cabin door for Su Xiaoxiao, ducked his tall frame, and entered that small, private compartment with her.

The wheel slowly rose into the night sky.

I stood alone below, looking up.

The last stubborn trace of longing drifted away on the night breeze.

Half an hour later, their cabin returned.

Su Xiaoxiao followed him out, holding pink candyfloss he’d somehow bought for her.

Pei Yan turned and caught my utterly calm gaze in the crowd.

His expression stiffened. Something like panic flickered across it.

As everyone dispersed to leave, he seized my arm while no one was looking.

“Everyone was egging us on, and she was scared of heights. Refusing in front of them would have embarrassed her. It would only have caused more gossip.”

* * *

“Excuse me?”

I laughed coldly, took out my phone, and opened a video.

“Fortunately, I was holding my phone when I was dragged in. I managed to press record.”

The image shook. Most of the screen was black, but Director Chen’s eager voice came through clearly.

“Be with me, and I’ll make you a manager right away…”

Then came the sound of tearing fabric and my sharp slap.

Faced with undeniable evidence, Director Chen’s smugness vanished. His knees buckled, and he sank to the ground.

Just then, three female coworkers stepped out of the crowd. Normally timid, they’d often been bullied by him.

Eyes red and hands shaking, they held their phones out to the police.

“Officer, we want to report Director Chen for workplace sexual harassment too. These are the obscene messages he sent us. And recordings of him threatening our permanent positions unless we accompanied him to drinking engagements.”

Once someone took the lead, the anger held down for so long finally broke free.

With the evidence against him, Director Chen was handcuffed and escorted miserably into a police car, watched by a company full of astonished—and satisfied—onlookers.