Chapter 2

I'd never forget the Christmas party a few days ago. Jenny was practically glued to Charles's side, laughing and chatting like they were the only two people in the room.

"Charles, we're engaged," I approached and said, keeping my voice low. "Don't you think everyone will start talking if they see you acting like that with Jenny? What happens to her reputation when the rumors start flying?"

Before he could answer, Jenny looked up at me with those wide, tear-filled eyes, her voice all fragile and hurt. "Leona, I know you're his fiancée, but I'm just his assistant. We work closely together, but that's all it is. It's completely clean."

She had the nerve to sound offended. "How could you think something so awful of us?"

A "clean" work relationship? Please. Anyone could see right through her.

But Charles didn't distance himself from Jenny at all. In fact, his expression only got darker.

He snapped, "Leona, must you always twist everything?

"Have you seriously not noticed how tough things have been for Jenny? She's new at the factory, she got promoted to my assistant, and now everyone is giving her the cold shoulder.

"I was just trying to be nice. Why do you have to make a scene every single time?"

Charles shot me a resentful glare. "If it wasn't for our families, do you really think I'd choose you?"

I stood there, watching as he and Jenny walked out side by side.

At that moment, it finally sank in—all the things I thought would last forever had changed in a heartbeat.

All those sweet promises he'd whispered to me were just empty words.

That gentle look in his eyes, once reserved only for me, was now directed at someone else.

I could faintly catch bits of gossip drifting around the party.

"What's up with Charles? Why is he suddenly so close to that assistant? Isn't he supposed to marry Leona soon?" someone whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it? Leona is so difficult. Jenny seems so much sweeter."

"But come on, everybody in town knows they're supposed to get married. The Wynn family promised him that factory as a wedding gift."

"If Charles calls off the wedding, it would humiliate the Wynn family."

If even strangers could see the truth so clearly, how could Charles not see it? Deep down, I knew the answer. He saw it perfectly. He just didn't love me anymore.

And so, I handed in my resignation at the factory, ready to leave it all behind for good.

As I walked toward the stairwell, I heard muffled voices from behind the door.

Peering through the glass panel, I saw Jenny nestled in Charles's arms, gazing up at him with pure adoration.

And there was nothing "professional" about the way he was looking at her.

Jenny tilted her head up, her lips slightly parted, and Charles's eyes grew hazy, as if he were getting lost in her.

But for a split second, he snapped back to his senses. He jerked back and pushed Jenny away in a rush. "Jenny, we can't do this. We—"

Before he could finish, Jenny's lips crashed onto his.

For a moment, he resisted, but then he gave in completely. They clung to each other desperately, like they were starving for it.

Jenny whispered, her voice trembling with emotion, "Charlie, I'm sorry. I just couldn't help myself. I love you so much.

"I just hate that I didn't meet you first."

"Jenny, I..." Charles stammered, his voice trailing off.

I didn't want to hear the rest.

I glanced down at the ring on my finger, the one Charles had made for me when he proposed at eighteen. It didn't mean anything to me anymore.

I slipped the ring off and tossed it into the nearby trash can.

The stairwell door opened. And the moment I turned around, I was met with Charles's furious stare.

"Leona, is it true? You just quit?" he snapped.

I shot him a quick look and hurried down the stairs.

Charles rushed after me. "You know the factory's booming right now, and it's almost the end of the year. Where am I supposed to find someone to replace you?"

"Isn't Jenny there?" I shot back.

Charles had sung Jenny's praises to me more times than I could count, always going on about how capable she was at work.

Wasn't this just the perfect chance to promote her?

Charles looked uncomfortable. "Jenny is good," he admitted after a pause, "but the factory needs you."

He pressed, "Are you still mad? I've said it a million times—I'm only marrying her to help her with her family situation. Once that's sorted, I'll end it. I promise."

I was beyond tired of that excuse. Without slowing down, I headed straight out of the stairwell, nearly breaking into a jog.

Charles tried to catch up, but I beat him to my car, threw the door open, and pulled away before he could even get close.

"Leona, you can't just throw me away like this! Do you really think the Wynn family can keep up this glamorous act without me?" Charles barked after me.

All these years, my folks burned themselves out trying to run the textile factory. Now they were too old for the grind, and the place was falling apart faster than ever.

Charles always used that as a leash to keep me under his thumb, constantly finding new ways to belittle me.

Not that he cared anymore, but I was supposed to be the one taking over my family factory.

But when the Grant family was drowning, I chose to abandon my own sinking ship to throw them a lifeline. His family's revival was built on the ashes of mine.