Chapter 5

So of course, he thought I'd stay put forever, waiting for him to toss me a crumb of attention.

I said, "Ethan, I was blind before."

He went quiet on the other end.

I hung up and blocked the new number too.

As dawn was breaking, I sat on Maya's couch, carefully folding the pregnancy test printout and slipping it between the pages of an old book.

Outside, the rain had finally stopped, and the street glowed with a cold, wet light.

I pressed my hand to my stomach, my throat still sore.

From now on, I'm only responsible for you.

Three days after the wedding was called off, I was summoned to the conference room.

I'd been grinding away as a design assistant at a wedding dress brand for three long years, and I'd finally made it onto the shortlist for lead designer.

The director, HR, and Ryan Cole, Ethan's buddy, were seated in the conference room.

Ryan was the marketing manager for one of our brand partners. Normally, he'd greet me with a friendly "Hey, future Mrs. Pierce," but today, he was lounging back in his chair, twirling a pen between his fingers.

The director slid a complaint email across the table to me. "Olivia, a client has reported that you're bringing your personal issues into work, reaching out to wedding vendors without authorization, and damaging the brand's reputation."

After I finished reading the email, I saw it was signed by Lillian.

She said I called off the wedding over some money drama, lost my cool, threatened the wedding vendors, and even hinted I was using client info to vent my anger.

Ryan sighed. "Future Mrs. Pierce, oh, sorry, Ms. Lane. You and Ethan can fight all you want, but don't mess with everyone's livelihood."

I looked up at him. "Who sent you that email?"

He shrugged. "It's a standard client complaint. How would I know?"

The director didn't look at me. "You're suspended until the investigation is over."

Suspended.

My fingers dug into the paper, leaving shallow marks.

I'd booked my prenatal appointment, finished counting how long my money would stretch. Rent, checkups, food, every dollar felt like a weight on my back.

Ryan was still smiling. "Olivia, if you sit down and talk things out with Ethan, maybe you can clear up this whole mess."

I turned to the director. "I need to see the full complaint file and the reasons for my suspension."

HR frowned. "Olivia, don't be so confrontational."

"I'm asking for the proper procedure," I said.

Ryan tapped the table. "Procedure? You really think you're somebody? Without sign-off from our side, you wouldn't even get a sample dress into the showroom."

He leaned in, keeping his voice low. "Ethan wanted me to tell you, go back and say you're sorry. Don't back yourself into a dead end."

My stomach twisted, and I pressed my palm to my belly, taking a few deep breaths to steady myself.

Then I picked up my phone and hit play on the recording.

Ryan's words from earlier came through loud and clear.

The conference room went dead silent.

Ryan's expression shifted. "You were recording me?"

I said, "From the moment you started calling me 'future Mrs. Pierce.'"

The director's fingers froze.

I placed another document on the table.

"The wedding vendors were for my own wedding, not company clients. The reason I canceled? The groom registered his marriage with another woman. I sent the vendors proof. All that stuff Chloe said about money drama and leaking client info? Total lies," I said.

I slid over a printed screenshot of the marriage certificate.

The names printed on the marriage certificate practically screamed at everyone in the room.

The director glanced at it, and his brow finally twitched.

Ryan reached for it, but I held the paper down. "Don't touch it. It's filthy."

He shot up from his seat. "Olivia, don't push your luck."

I looked up. "Go ahead, shout a little louder. Let everyone outside hear how a partner bullies the staff."

His chest was heaving, but he had no choice but to sit back down, stiff and unwilling.

The director cleared his throat. "The company will re-examine this matter."

I nodded. "I'm requesting to be reassigned from all projects involving Ryan."

"Olivia, the shortlist isn't even finalized yet. If you ask for a transfer now, it'll only hurt your chances."

"Staying won't help me either."

I stood up and emailed myself a copy of the recording. "I can handle competition, but I won't let anyone weaponize my personal life."

As I walked out of the conference room, I could feel my coworkers sneaking glances at me.

Some of them were whispering among themselves.

"So the groom really did get married behind her back?" someone whispered.

"That's disgusting," another murmured.

"And Ryan's actually helping him out?" someone else asked.

I didn't slow down.

When I got back to my desk, there was a bouquet of roses waiting for me.

It was Ethan's handwriting on the card.

The card read [Don't be like this. I'll pick you up for dinner tonight.]

The scent of the roses hit me, and my stomach churned all over again.

I picked up the bouquet, walked to the break room, and dumped the whole thing straight into the trash.

The stems snapped as I tossed them, and cold water splashed onto the back of my hand, making my skin sting.

My phone rang. It was an unknown number.

"Did you get the flowers?" Ethan asked. "I already had Ryan talk to your company. If you swallow your pride and apologize, the suspension will be dropped."

I stared at the roses lying in the garbage. "Ethan, do you know what I feel like doing right now?"

"Go home?"

"Throw every single thing you've ever given me right into the garbage."

He let out a laugh, a little helpless.

"Liv, you're still so stubborn when you're mad."

"Don't call me that."

"Fine, Olivia," he said, his voice turning cold. "You really think you can make it without me? You're staying at Maya's place, about to lose your job, what do you even have left to hold you up?"

I gripped my phone so hard my nails dug into my palm. "Spare me your concern."

"You'll come crawling back to me," he said. "don't cry when you do."

I hung up.