Chapter 2 · He Fired Me, Then Learned Who I Was

Three years ago.

I met Erin for the first time at Thomas's rundown coffee shop.

His shop had just opened, and the decor looked like it was bought in bulk from a dollar store.

The walls were covered in crooked handwritten menus, the bar was lined with plastic fake flowers, and the sign out front was in a gaudy, curly font.

I was helping him set up the cash register, crouched behind the bar, messing with the wires.

I was wearing a dusty white T-shirt, my hair was a mess, and my beard was all scraggly.

When she pushed the door open, all I heard was the jingle of the wind chime.

"Hello, do you have a menu?" Erin asked.

Her voice was clear, calm, and just a little chilly.

I peeked out from under the bar.

She was standing in the doorway, backlit by the sun.

She wore a crisp white shirt and a dark gray skirt, holding a laptop bag in one hand. Her hair was down, with bangs that perfectly hid her brows.

My mind went blank for a couple of seconds.

Then I banged the back of my head under the bar.

I hissed through my teeth.

Startled, she jumped.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

I rubbed the back of my head and stood up, pretty sure I must've looked absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm fine. Welcome. What would you like to drink?" I asked.

She glanced at the menu on the wall, which looked like a mess of scribbles, and went quiet for three seconds.

"Do you guys have any normal drinks?" Erin asked, her tone a little skeptical.

Thomas had managed to turn "Cheese Berry" into "Squeaky Nothing," and "Fresh Lemon Coffee" into "Salty Black Coffee."

I wanted to crawl right back under the bar.

"We do! I recommend the bayberry coffee. Honestly, it's the only thing here that's actually drinkable," I said.

Her lips quirked, almost like she was about to smile.

I couldn't tell if she was actually smiling or just amused.

"I'll take the bayberry coffee," Erin replied.

That was the first time I met Erin.

Honestly, I was a complete fool.

But I remembered it for three years.

What happened after that was pretty straightforward.

I started hanging around Thomas's shop a lot. Helping out was just an excuse. In reality, I was just staking out the place.

Erin's office was right next door, and she'd swing by almost every weekday afternoon to grab a drink.

Thomas caught on.

"Callum, you're worth nine figures, and you've been working for me for free for a whole month, just to make her a cup of coffee?" Thomas said.

"Ten figures," I corrected him.

"That's even crazier," Thomas shot back.

I didn't deny it.

But I had my reasons.

The Phillips family wasn't exactly the elite in this city, but if someone dug a little, they'd find out.

My dad was into investments, my uncle was in real estate, and I had all those shares I'd been stacking up over the years. If Erin ever got wind of all that, things between us would be different.

I didn't want Erin to feel like she was out of my league.

And I definitely didn't want her to think I was just pitying her.

I just wanted her to see me for who I really was.

Just a regular guy who could make coffee, fix computers, and bring her late-night snacks when she was working overtime until ten.

So I made a decision. I'd keep my background under wraps.

Not everything, though. I told her my family was doing pretty well, that we weren't short on cash, but when it came to the details, like how much and what we actually did, I just kept it vague.

She never pressed me for more.

That was one of the things I liked about her.

She never asked questions about that kind of stuff.

After three months of trying to win her over, Erin finally agreed to be my girlfriend.

Six months later, we made it official and got married.

The wedding was small, just our parents and a few close friends, all gathered at a cozy private restaurant for a simple dinner.

Erin said she wasn't into big, flashy weddings.

I said, "Sure."

After we got married, she made one request. "You can't just sit around all day. Go get a real job."

I thought about it. I owned 23% of Delimbia Group, so landing an easy desk job there was no problem. Plus, I'd get to see her every day and just take it easy at work.

So I became an admin specialist at Delimbia Group, employee number 1782.

Thomas helped me sneak into Delimbia Group. I had to use a backdoor to get into a company I actually own shares in. He roasted me for a whole week about it.

"You own 23% of Delimbia Group! Why don't you just become the CEO?" Thomas said.

"Too much work, way too many meetings," I replied.

"Then why not be a director at Delimbia Group?" Thomas suggested.

"That means managing people. Way too much trouble," I said.

"At least don't be at the very bottom," Thomas said.

"Admin's fine. Not much work, and it's close to home," I replied.

Thomas looked at me like I was out of my mind.

"Callum, I've known you for twenty years, and you're honestly the most ridiculous person I've ever met. No contest," Thomas said.

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

Honestly, it was simple.

Erin was the marketing director.

If I made my status too obvious, things would get awkward for her at work.

People would start gossiping, "See? Mrs. Phillips's husband is one of the big shareholders. No wonder she moved up the ranks so fast."

I didn't want her to have to hear that kind of stuff.

So I kept a low profile.

The less attention I got, the better.

But some things just wouldn't let me stay under the radar, no matter how hard I tried.

David.

He was Erin's college classmate, the guy who spent two years trying to win her over, but never stood a chance.

Three months after I joined Delimbia Group, he came back from Chessren.

He parachuted in as the new vice president.

With his Shyrannion University pedigree and the Clarke family backing him, he landed in Delimbia Group like a bomb going off, shaking up the whole company.

The first time we ran into each other in the hallway, he slapped me on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.

"So, you're Erin's husband?" David asked.

Erin.

He called my wife in a way like they were so close.

"Nice to meet you. Looks like we'll be colleagues from now on. Hope we can get along," David said.

I looked at his big smile, feeling completely calm inside.

He used to chase after my wife for years and never got anywhere. Now he was her boss.

Normally, I should be pissed off.

But honestly, I was not the kind of guy who would get bothered by things like this.

Erin married me.

We had the marriage certificate, the rings, and our names were right there on the official paperwork.

I had nothing to be insecure about.

It wasn't until later that I realized I'd totally underestimated just how obsessed David could be.

Or maybe it wasn't even an obsession.

It was just that he couldn't let it go.

He just couldn't stand losing to me, who was a nobody in admin.

To him, I was beneath him.

He never said it, but he showed it in everything he did.

At first, it was just the little stuff, like "forgetting" to invite me to the department dinner, or his assistant blocking me at the door when I tried to drop off documents for Erin with the excuse that David was having a meeting.

At the company party, everyone got a gift bag except me. Mine was mysteriously missing.

Then it got more obvious. The proposals I submitted kept getting "lost," my overtime records were wiped out by a "system glitch," and my desk got moved to the corner right next to the bathroom.

I didn't say a word.

Not once.

Sometimes Erin would frown and ask, "Why did they move your desk again?"

I'd just shrug and say, "Hey, at least it's right next to the bathroom, no waiting when nature calls."

She shot me a look, but didn't ask anything else.

When Thomas found out about all this, he almost flipped the whole coffee shop upside down.

"You're just gonna let him walk all over you? Seriously? You own a quarter of this company, and you're letting some wage slave push you around?" Thomas exploded.

I was hanging out in his shop, sipping bayberry iced tea, with a plate of chicken wings sitting in front of me.

"He hasn't crossed my line yet," I said.

"So, what's your line?" Thomas asked.

I thought it over for a moment.

"Erin," I replied, firm and without hesitation.

Thomas paused, then let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright, whatever. But let me just say, what is this, man? You're like some legendary mastermind, volunteering to go undercover for no reason!" Thomas said.

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

I didn't see it as going undercover.

I was just living the life I wanted.

My wife was right there with me, the job was chill, and the cafeteria served unlimited braised pork every lunch.

Honestly, that was pretty nice.

Seriously, life was pretty great.

At least, until that day.

With three hundred pairs of eyes on me, someone slammed a termination letter right onto my desk.

Erin sat there in the second row.

She looked down, unable to meet my eyes.

*****

Chapter 2

Three years ago.

I met Erin for the first time at Thomas's rundown coffee shop.

His shop had just opened, and the decor looked like it was bought in bulk from a dollar store.

The walls were covered in crooked handwritten menus, the bar was lined with plastic fake flowers, and the sign out front was in a gaudy, curly font.

I was helping him set up the cash register, crouched behind the bar, messing with the wires.

I was wearing a dusty white T-shirt, my hair was a mess, and my beard was all scraggly.

When she pushed the door open, all I heard was the jingle of the wind chime.

"Hello, do you have a menu?" Erin asked.

Her voice was clear, calm, and just a little chilly.

I peeked out from under the bar.

She was standing in the doorway, backlit by the sun.

She wore a crisp white shirt and a dark gray skirt, holding a laptop bag in one hand. Her hair was down, with bangs that perfectly hid her brows.

My mind went blank for a couple of seconds.

Then I banged the back of my head under the bar.

I hissed through my teeth.

Startled, she jumped.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

I rubbed the back of my head and stood up, pretty sure I must've looked absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm fine. Welcome. What would you like to drink?" I asked.

She glanced at the menu on the wall, which looked like a mess of scribbles, and went quiet for three seconds.

"Do you guys have any normal drinks?" Erin asked, her tone a little skeptical.

Thomas had managed to turn "Cheese Berry" into "Squeaky Nothing," and "Fresh Lemon Coffee" into "Salty Black Coffee."

I wanted to crawl right back under the bar.

"We do! I recommend the bayberry coffee. Honestly, it's the only thing here that's actually drinkable," I said.

Her lips quirked, almost like she was about to smile.

I couldn't tell if she was actually smiling or just amused.

"I'll take the bayberry coffee," Erin replied.

That was the first time I met Erin.

Honestly, I was a complete fool.

But I remembered it for three years.

What happened after that was pretty straightforward.

I started hanging around Thomas's shop a lot. Helping out was just an excuse. In reality, I was just staking out the place.

Erin's office was right next door, and she'd swing by almost every weekday afternoon to grab a drink.

Thomas caught on.

"Callum, you're worth nine figures, and you've been working for me for free for a whole month, just to make her a cup of coffee?" Thomas said.

"Ten figures," I corrected him.

"That's even crazier," Thomas shot back.

I didn't deny it.

But I had my reasons.

The Phillips family wasn't exactly the elite in this city, but if someone dug a little, they'd find out.

My dad was into investments, my uncle was in real estate, and I had all those shares I'd been stacking up over the years. If Erin ever got wind of all that, things between us would be different.

I didn't want Erin to feel like she was out of my league.

And I definitely didn't want her to think I was just pitying her.

I just wanted her to see me for who I really was.

Just a regular guy who could make coffee, fix computers, and bring her late-night snacks when she was working overtime until ten.

So I made a decision. I'd keep my background under wraps.

Not everything, though. I told her my family was doing pretty well, that we weren't short on cash, but when it came to the details, like how much and what we actually did, I just kept it vague.

She never pressed me for more.

That was one of the things I liked about her.

She never asked questions about that kind of stuff.

After three months of trying to win her over, Erin finally agreed to be my girlfriend.

Six months later, we made it official and got married.

The wedding was small, just our parents and a few close friends, all gathered at a cozy private restaurant for a simple dinner.

Erin said she wasn't into big, flashy weddings.

I said, "Sure."

After we got married, she made one request. "You can't just sit around all day. Go get a real job."

I thought about it. I owned 23% of Delimbia Group, so landing an easy desk job there was no problem. Plus, I'd get to see her every day and just take it easy at work.

So I became an admin specialist at Delimbia Group, employee number 1782.

Thomas helped me sneak into Delimbia Group. I had to use a backdoor to get into a company I actually own shares in. He roasted me for a whole week about it.

"You own 23% of Delimbia Group! Why don't you just become the CEO?" Thomas said.

"Too much work, way too many meetings," I replied.

"Then why not be a director at Delimbia Group?" Thomas suggested.

"That means managing people. Way too much trouble," I said.

"At least don't be at the very bottom," Thomas said.

"Admin's fine. Not much work, and it's close to home," I replied.

Thomas looked at me like I was out of my mind.

"Callum, I've known you for twenty years, and you're honestly the most ridiculous person I've ever met. No contest," Thomas said.

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

Honestly, it was simple.

Erin was the marketing director.

If I made my status too obvious, things would get awkward for her at work.

People would start gossiping, "See? Mrs. Phillips's husband is one of the big shareholders. No wonder she moved up the ranks so fast."

I didn't want her to have to hear that kind of stuff.

So I kept a low profile.

The less attention I got, the better.

But some things just wouldn't let me stay under the radar, no matter how hard I tried.

David.

He was Erin's college classmate, the guy who spent two years trying to win her over, but never stood a chance.

Three months after I joined Delimbia Group, he came back from Chessren.

He parachuted in as the new vice president.

With his Shyrannion University pedigree and the Clarke family backing him, he landed in Delimbia Group like a bomb going off, shaking up the whole company.

The first time we ran into each other in the hallway, he slapped me on the shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.

"So, you're Erin's husband?" David asked.

Erin.

He called my wife in a way like they were so close.

"Nice to meet you. Looks like we'll be colleagues from now on. Hope we can get along," David said.

I looked at his big smile, feeling completely calm inside.

He used to chase after my wife for years and never got anywhere. Now he was her boss.

Normally, I should be pissed off.

But honestly, I was not the kind of guy who would get bothered by things like this.

Erin married me.

We had the marriage certificate, the rings, and our names were right there on the official paperwork.

I had nothing to be insecure about.

It wasn't until later that I realized I'd totally underestimated just how obsessed David could be.

Or maybe it wasn't even an obsession.

It was just that he couldn't let it go.

He just couldn't stand losing to me, who was a nobody in admin.

To him, I was beneath him.

He never said it, but he showed it in everything he did.

At the company party, everyone got a gift bag except me. Mine was mysteriously missing.

Then it got more obvious. The proposals I submitted kept getting "lost," my overtime records were wiped out by a "system glitch," and my desk got moved to the corner right next to the bathroom.

I didn't say a word.

Not once.

Sometimes Erin would frown and ask, "Why did they move your desk again?"

I'd just shrug and say, "Hey, at least it's right next to the bathroom, no waiting when nature calls."

She shot me a look, but didn't ask anything else.

When Thomas found out about all this, he almost flipped the whole coffee shop upside down.

"You're just gonna let him walk all over you? Seriously? You own a quarter of this company, and you're letting some wage slave push you around?" Thomas exploded.

I was hanging out in his shop, sipping bayberry iced tea, with a plate of chicken wings sitting in front of me.

"He hasn't crossed my line yet," I said.

"So, what's your line?" Thomas asked.

I thought it over for a moment.

"Erin," I replied, firm and without hesitation.

Thomas paused, then let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright, whatever. But let me just say, what is this, man? You're like some legendary mastermind, volunteering to go undercover for no reason!" Thomas said.

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

I didn't see it as going undercover.

I was just living the life I wanted.

My wife was right there with me, the job was chill, and the cafeteria served unlimited braised pork every lunch.

Honestly, that was pretty nice.

Seriously, life was pretty great.

At least, until that day.

With three hundred pairs of eyes on me, someone slammed a termination letter right onto my desk.

Erin sat there in the second row.

She looked down, unable to meet my eyes.

*****