Chapter 2

Ethan's proposal sent the offsite into chaos—everyone went absolutely wild.

People swarmed the center of the room, desperate not to miss the drama.

I was the only one who turned and walked away.

I dug my nails into my palms, refusing to let a single tear fall in front of them.

It wasn't until I'd pushed through the crowd and reached the fire escape that I finally let myself fall apart.

I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air.

All the hurt, the sadness, the rage—it crashed over me at once.

I was lost.

How could everything I built for ten years just get ripped away so easily?

How could my boyfriend and my best friend both betray me?

I never hurt anyone or did anything wrong—so why was this happening to me?

Did I deserve this? Was I really worth so little?

In the darkness, my tears just wouldn't stop.

I bit down on the back of my hand hard enough to taste blood, desperate to keep quiet. Alone in that empty stairwell, I broke down completely.

Suddenly, the door behind me swung open.

I panicked, covering my face with my hands, and whispered, "Please, don't look at me... just don't..."

But there was no interrogation. No mockery. He didn't say a word.

He just stood there for a moment, then draped his suit jacket over my head and shoulders.

A subtle hint of cologne wrapped around me instantly.

His jacket felt like a shield, blocking out the world and giving me a sense of safety I'd never felt before.

Then I heard his footsteps fade away and the door click shut.

He just left.

I clutched his jacket and let myself cry a little longer, until I finally pulled myself together.

In the bathroom, I fixed my makeup. Unless someone looked closely at my eyes, they'd never know I'd been crying.

Once I was sure I looked presentable, I examined the suit jacket.

It definitely wasn't Ethan's—I'd picked out his jacket for him this morning.

But it looked familiar. Expensive, too.

Where had I seen this before?

Still confused, I clutched the jacket and headed back to the hall.

At the entrance, I scanned the room. Everyone was dressed up, and with the AC blasting, no one had taken off their jackets.

Then my gaze found the seat at the head of the room.

That spot was reserved for the president and department heads. Ryan Pierce sat there in a crisp white shirt—but his jacket was missing.

My breath caught.

No way. Had Ryan been the one in the stairwell?

As I stood there frozen, hand over my mouth, Ryan—who'd been talking quietly with the executives—suddenly turned and looked directly at me.

Then, with those long, elegant fingers, he picked up his champagne glass and raised it to me in a subtle toast.

In that moment, I swear I felt my entire body lock in place.

This insane twist almost made me forget about being betrayed by my boyfriend and best friend.

I couldn't even feel sad anymore. Seriously, was there anything more mortifying than having your CEO catch you at rock bottom? For someone like me who cared about her reputation, this was the ultimate nightmare.

I was ready to resign on the spot, but somehow my rational side kicked in.

Now that we'd locked eyes, I couldn't pretend I hadn't seen him—especially while holding his jacket.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and walked toward Ryan.

Before I could reach him, someone stepped in front of me.

I looked up and met Ethan's guilty eyes.

"Lily..." he called out softly, his voice pleading.