Chapter 1

After five years of keeping my relationship with Edward Grant under wraps, I finally made up my mind to walk away.

That night, after we'd made love, he suddenly said out of nowhere, "Sophia, I'm getting married."

My thirtieth birthday was just five days away. Edward had promised he'd marry me on that day.

My heart skipped a beat. For a moment, I thought he was finally going to keep his promise. "Edward, I've finally waited for this day."

"Emily's back, and she's pregnant," he cut me off, his voice still ragged with passion. "Tonight is our last time together."

*****

My smile stiffened in an instant.

I stared at my pale face in the mirror and it felt like all the blood in my body had frozen solid.

Even though he'd just sent me to the heights of ecstasy, all I felt now was cold emptiness in my heart.

Afterward, he acted like nothing had happened, slowly buttoning up his white shirt.

Head down, I was putting on my stockings, my hands shaking as I asked, "Edward, did you forget something?"

He didn't even look up, his tone flat. "I promised you that once the company was stable, I'd give you twenty percent of the shares. Don't worry, I'll have the contract drawn up tomorrow."

My hands froze mid-motion, and my eyes stung with tears.

So he really didn't remember what he'd said before.

Did he ever even think about marrying me?

"Shares?" I let out a bitter laugh, my voice trembling. "Edward, after sticking by you for five years, am I only worth twenty percent of your company to you?"

He finally turned to look at me, still buttoning up his shirt. "Isn't that enough for you? Sophia, you know how much those shares are worth now. You should count yourself lucky."

That face I used to fall for now just felt like a stranger's.

"Edward, after all these years, what am I to you?"

Before I could finish, his phone buzzed.

When he saw the name on the screen, his voice turned so soft it could melt. "What's wrong, Emily?"

A gentle voice came through the phone. "Edward, why aren't you home yet? The baby and I are hungry. We want to eat your cooking."

"Alright, I'll come home and cook for you. Just wait for me."

He hung up, grabbed his coat, and walked out. He didn't even slow down as he passed me.

Watching him walk away without a second glance, it was like my heart was caught in a vice, so tight that I could barely breathe from the ache.

Five years ago, Emily, the girl Edward could never forget, thought he was a loser and ditched him, heading overseas to chase her own happiness.

After that, Edward totally lost it. He started drinking at bars, got into fights, and ended up getting beaten up pretty badly.

I stumbled across him on my way home from work, dragged him back to my place, and took care of him day by day until he was finally okay.

After spending so much time together, feelings grew between us, and we finally became a couple.

When the company first started, Edward was only good at talking tough in meetings, he was clueless about everything else.

All the boring paperwork and process stuff? I had to teach myself everything, one step at a time.

The day he messed up our first big deal, he just holed up in the stairwell, smoking nonstop.

I stayed up three nights straight, camped out at the client's office with a new proposal, and grabbed the deal back from the competition.

Even the old-timers everyone relies on now, I talked myself hoarse convincing them to join us back then.

All these years, I was just the secretary on paper, but behind the scenes, I was the one analyzing the real estate market, steering clear of risks, and quietly securing so many properties that even Edward lost track.

Other bosses kept trying to lure me away, and the offers got sweeter every time, but not once did I waver.

Because Edward once held my hand and said, "Sophia, I really can't live without you. Once I've found my footing, I'll give you the grand wedding you deserve on your thirtieth birthday."

People at the company had been whispering about us for a long time, and I'd seriously considered making things official.

But every time I brought it up, he'd just frown and brush me off. "Sophia, the company's still new. I don't want everyone knowing about us yet. I promise, when you turn thirty, I'll marry you and make you Mrs. Grant!"

I held onto that one promise for five years.

I stuck by his side through everything, from squeezing into a tiny rental apartment to finally moving up to a high-rise office, from being nobodies to making a name for ourselves.

I always believed that when I turned thirty, I'd walk down the aisle with him, head held high, just like he promised.

But I never imagined the woman he could never forget would come back, and he'd run right into her arms without a second thought, even getting her pregnant.

Since he threw all his promises to me out the window, there's no reason for me to keep holding on to him anymore.

Once I snapped out of it, I called Alexander. "Mr. King, this is Sophia. I'm ready to accept your offer and join your company."

"That's great news. When can you start?"

I used to tease Edward, "If you still haven't married me by the time I turn thirty, I'm outta here, I'll go work for your rival company. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

He'd always hug me tight and promise, "I'll never let you leave me, Sophia. Without you, I'd be lost, and the company would fall apart too."

I turned off my phone and wiped away the last tear.

'Edward, if you want to marry your precious first love, I won't stand in your way.'

'Five days from now, the day you get married, I'll walk away for good.'

'That's the end of us.'