Chapter 36
“I’m not!” I insisted, refusing to admit even the slightest trace of fear creeping into my heart. But after hanging up, my pulse raced, pounding in my chest–I really was scared.
Not that I even knew what I was afraid of. Was Alex planning to publicly acknowledge my identity? And if not, then why has he invited me to his birthday party?
A wave of irritation washed over me, pushing away any lingering drowsiness.
Unable to suppress my curiosity and the uneasy feeling gnawing at me, I scrolled through my contact list, only to realize that after six years of dating Austin, I didn’t even have the phone number of his closest friend.
Austin never liked me getting close to other men–not even his friends. Back then, I had thought it was because he cared about me too much, that he was just the jealous type.
When I first moved to Newton City for work, Austin practically camped outside my office after work every day. Even if he was too busy to pick me up, he would always call before I got off.
Sometimes, Austin would even surprise me by showing up at my office building with a bouquet of roses, making the other interns at the front desk green with envy.
One of them had once said, “Laurel, you landed yourself a rich and handsome guy–why are you still slaving away at this company? If that were me, I’d get married and have kids right away. Why struggle to make a living when what you make in a year isn’t even enough for those rich boys to blow in a single night?”
I had laughed it off. “It’s not that dramatic. My boyfriend might be rich, but he’s serious about life. He’s not that kind of guy.”
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I studied my own reflection. The memory of my younger, more naive self–made me chuckle bitterly. I had been so convinced that Austin was different from the other spoiled rich kids I had known.
Yes, his family had money, but Austin worked hard after college, always returning to the office after our dinners, often staying late into the night. Yet the next morning, he’d still show up at work, looking fresh and full of energy.
God, I was such an idiot. Austin had just started working at a subsidiary of the Herrera Group–there’s no way he had that much work. Even if he did, why would they make the future heir work overtime every other night?
Austin had been lying to me the whole time, hiding behind the excuse that it was all “for my good” while manipulating me over and over again. We had applied for jobs at the same time, and I had no idea that the small gaming company that hired me was actually owned by the Herrera Group.
I had been thrilled when I got the offer and had rushed to tell Austin, only to learn that he had been assigned to the same company.
“We can’t work at the same place.” Austin had told me. “Company policy strictly forbids office relationships.”
“We don’t have to go public!” I had pleaded, eyes full of hope. The company might have been small, but the salary and benefits were great. More importantly, I had dreamed of seeing my artwork on the big screen.
Even though it wasn’t exactly what I had always envisioned, it was a step in the right direction. If I could just get my foot in the door, one day, I might be able to start my own studio and turn my passion into a career. That had always been my dream–to do what I loved while building a stable future.
Austin had simply smiled. “Laurel, I can’t stand the thought of anyone bullying you.”
I had believed him. Austin had always been protective, always looking out for me. And I hadn’t wanted to complicate his situation at work. So, in the end, I backed down and gave up the job, settling instead for a position at an architecture firm.
It had nothing to do with my interests, but at least it was somewhat related to my major. The salary was good enough to make up for the disappointment.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay working at construction sites? It’s dangerous,” Austin had asked.
“I know I can’t make you change jobs again,” Austin had sighed, “but promise me–if it ever gets too much, you’ll look for something else.”
Looking back now, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen through him sooner. If Austin had cared about me, he wouldn’t have let me work in an industry dominated by men. Construction sites weren’t exactly the safest places.
But I had been too stupid, believing every word that came out of his mouth. That ridiculous “no office romance” rule? Austin had probably made that up too.
And the one who had played me the worst? That would be Gavin–the CEO of the architecture firm and Austin’s close friend.
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Chapter 36
I had worked at that company for three whole years before realizing that Gavin and Austin were friends.
And the reason I had left? Because Austin had finally “discovered” where i had been working all those years and suddenly decided that my job was too exhausting for him to bear.
How ridiculous. If Austin had truly cared, why had it taken him three years to notice?
After hesitating for a moment, I sent Gavin a message. Then my phone rang almost immediately.
“Laurel, how have you been?” Gavin’s voice was low and slightly hoarse, a familiar sound that carried an unexpected warmth.
We hadn’t spoken since I had left the company. I had even deleted his number. Austin didn’t like me being in contact with his friends, let alone my
former boss,
Back when I had been desperate to save money for a house, I had worked myself to the bone, surviving on cheap takeout every day.
Gavin had once joked, “Laurel, you look so delicate–I never thought you’d be such a hard worker, I figured you wouldn’t even last a month.”
But I had lasted. Not only that, but I had taken on extra work, even doing business development for the company, bringing in major projects. That was how I had managed to afford my place.
“I’m good,” I replied. “Mr. Harding, I wanted to ask–are you in Nifelheim City?”
Gavin replied, “I’m at the Bluestar Hotel. Got an invitation from the Herrera Group for tomorrow–Alex’s birthday party. Heard you and Austin broke up. Is that true?”
Hearing this, I smiled. “Did Austin tell you that? We’re not just ‘breaking up.‘ It’s over.”
“I haven’t talked to Austin in a long time,” Gavin admitted. He paused, then sighed. “Laurel, Austin never deserved you. You know, he found out where you were working in your second year at my company. By the way, what do you call me for?”
My fingers tightened around my phone, a chill creeping through my chest. I forced myself to stay calm and asked, “Alex has never been the type to throw big parties. Why now?”
“He said he has an announcement to make. Wouldn’t tell me what, though. Seemed pretty secretive about it.” Gavin chuckled lightly, then went quiet for a second. “Does he invite you too?”
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Chapter 37
