Chapter 1

On my birthday, Andrew Dalton posted a photo with his female secretary, both of them wearing matching couple rings.

The caption read: [We're not just work partners; we're life partners, too.]

I commented: [You really suit each other.]

Andrew immediately called me, yelling that I was crazy and couldn't take a joke.

Before hanging up, he quietly comforted his sobbing secretary.

If it had been before, I would've stormed over and thrown a fit, making a scene for everyone to see.

But this time, my heart was calm and steady. I didn't care at all.

*****

When Andrew Dalton got home, I was making breakfast.

Yesterday was my birthday. He said he'd come back to spend it with me, so I left work early and cooked up a whole feast.

But I waited until the wee hours of the morning, and he never showed.

If I hadn't seen that photo, I probably would've just kept waiting like an idiot.

When I put the sandwich on the table, he asked, "Where's mine?"

I blinked, surprised. "You haven't eaten yet?"

I figured Vivian Reed would've made him breakfast, so I didn't even make one for him.

He glanced at my plate and snorted, "This crap? Not worth eating anyway."

If it were the old me, I would've felt awful and started arguing back.

But now, I just nodded. "Yeah, you never liked it anyway."

He froze for a moment, then tossed a paper bag my way.

"Got you a lipstick," Andrew said.

Whenever we argued, he'd always buy me some little thing as a peace offering. He knew I could never stay mad at him for long; as soon as he gave me an out, I'd take it without a second thought.

I didn't even bother to look up. I just said, "Thanks," out of politeness.

Not getting the reaction he wanted, he let out a cold snort and headed for the bathroom, sneering, "What are you even wearing? Pink, at your age? Seriously, do you think you're as young as Vivian?"

Did he seriously forget Vivian and me were the same age? I paused, my hand hovering in midair.

As I was clearing the table, Andrew's phone buzzed with a text. The name on the screen was Cute Vivian: [Andrew, thanks for spending yesterday with me. I'm feeling so much better now.]

I barely glanced at it before looking away, but suddenly, Andrew grabbed me and shoved me hard against the wall. I couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.

Immediately after, Andrew roared, "Claire, who the hell said you could look at my phone?"

Clutching my shoulder, my face very pale, I was pretty sure it was out of the socket.

Andrew finished texting, finally noticing I was sweating bullets. He frowned, impatient. "Come on, it was just a bump. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

Before I could get a word in, he cut me off, sounding totally fed up. "Fine, whatever, I'm sorry. I'll give you a ride to work later, happy now?"

Hurting like hell, I wasn't about to say no.

As soon as I got in the car, I noticed a little cat charm hanging from the rearview mirror. Andrew looked a bit awkward. "Vivian really liked it, so she insisted on hanging it up."

I just replied coolly, "Oh, that's nice."

But he gave me a weird look. "Your pendant was way too tacky, so I swapped it out."

I stared at him, totally confused. Why was he even bothering to explain? It was not like I cared.

Then it hit me. I'd hiked two hours up a mountain just to get the pendant, and even though he always made fun of it, I still kept it hanging in the car.

If it were the old me, I would've tossed Vivian's things out without a second thought.

But now, I couldn't care less about Andrew. Why would I even bother competing with her?

"Let's go. We're gonna be late for work," I said.

Andrew finally started the car, but as soon as we got onto the overpass, I realized he was going the wrong way.

"This is the way to Starlight Tower," I said.

He let out an annoyed tsk. "Can you just stop talking while I'm driving?"

I said calmly, "My office is in Sunyinn Tower now."

He got even more annoyed. "Couldn't you have said that earlier?"

I'd told him before, but he never remembers.

As we got off the ramp, his phone went off; the ringtone was the voice of Vivian's favorite character.

Vivian said her cat had puked and needed to see the vet.

Andrew pulled over to the side and told me to get out. "We're already going the wrong way. Figure it out yourself."

Then he just took off, leaving me standing there.

Rush hour meant not a single cab in sight. I waited in the biting wind for over an hour, until my hands and feet were completely numb. I finally called in sick and dragged myself off to the bone clinic.

That evening, Andrew got home, glanced around the kitchen, and asked, "So, what's for dinner?"