Chapter 1

For three years, I was Ethan Vance's secret lover and exclusive ghostwriter.

By day, I was his most useless, decorative assistant, a target for ridicule; by night, I was the stand-in in his arms, desired and exploited, paving his way to the top with my talent.

He always said my words had a special spark, that I was indispensable to him.

Until his long-lost love, Serena Monroe, joined the company. He then shamelessly put her name on all my hard work, casually telling others, "She's just a ghostwriter. Once Serena gets the hang of things, she can be let go."

He thought I'd grovel like a dog for scraps.

But what he didn't know was that I stayed by his side not for him, but for the top-tier resources he controlled.

Now, my portfolio was glittering with success. Ethan Vance, I'm done being your stepping stone!

"Mr. Davis, this 'Starfall Project' proposal is an absolute stroke of genius! Especially that core concept of reverse marketing, it's simply brilliant! Whose masterpiece is this from your esteemed company?"

In the spacious, bright top-floor conference room, Mr. Davis, the client, showered us with praise, excitedly pounding the table.

I stood in the most inconspicuous corner of the room, my clicker tightly clutched in my hand. My palms were slick with cold sweat, but I forced myself to remain calm, my gaze instinctively drawn to the man seated at the head of the table – Ethan Vance.

He was my direct supervisor, and my secret boyfriend of three years.

This one-hundred-and-twenty-page proposal was the fruit of my grueling effort, having pulled seven all-nighters, researched thousands of competitor files, and even pushed myself to the point of stomach bleeding. Every single word, every chart, was steeped in my blood and sweat.

I was fully convinced that this time, Ethan would finally keep his promise and give me the credit I deserved in front of the client.

However, Ethan merely smiled, his handsome yet uncaring face beaming with triumph. His long fingers gently pointed to Serena Monroe, who sat beside him in a designer Chanel suit, her makeup meticulously applied.

"Mr. Davis, you have a keen eye. This is Serena Monroe, our newly appointed Creative Director. She's an Ivy League graduate with top honors, and she personally spearheaded this project."

Boom—

Something exploded in my head. A ringing instantly drowned out everything around me.

Serena Monroe?

She'd only been with the company for less than three days! She hadn't even grasped our company's core business logic. All she did every day was sip afternoon tea and touch up her makeup in the office. She couldn't even format a PowerPoint presentation!

How dare she claim my hard work as her own?

I stared hard at Ethan, trying to find a flicker of guilt or a hint in his eyes. But there was nothing. He didn't even spare me a glance.

Serena demurely lowered her head, perfectly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice sickly sweet: "Mr. Davis, you flatter me. It was just a fleeting inspiration. Mostly, it's thanks to Ethan's excellent leadership; he gave me so much inspiration."

"Hahahaha! What a talented couple, a powerhouse duo indeed!" Mr. Davis burst into laughter, then changed the subject. "However, Ms. Monroe, I have a question regarding the third phase of implementation. How did you derive that emotional resonance conversion rate estimation model?"

The air in the conference room suddenly went silent for a second.

Serena's smile froze. She looked at Ethan for help, her eyes holding a look of pure, unadulterated cluelessness. How could she possibly know the derivation model? She didn't even know what that phrase meant!

Ethan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Then, under the table, he gently kicked my foot.

He turned his head, glaring at me with extreme impatience, and in a low voice audible only to the three of us, he commanded, "Summer Reed, what are you spacing out for? Prompt her!"

My heart, at that moment, utterly froze.

Three years.

Like a ghost hidden from the light, I hid in his shadow, ghostwriting countless viral campaigns for him, helping him climb from a regular supervisor all the way to a branch VP position.

He always liked to hold me late at night, stroking my hair, saying, "Summer, your words have such a spark. Others only see my brilliance, but only I know you're my soul. Once I secure my position, I'll make sure you stand proudly in front of everyone."

I believed him.

Like a fool, for that vague and ethereal promise, I willingly endured the cold shoulders from everyone in the company, content to be a "decorative assistant" who only served tea and water.

But now, with his dream girl back, I didn't even qualify as a shadow. I had become a mere prompter, to be discarded at any moment.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the metallic taste of blood rising in my throat. I walked behind Serena, bent down, and with extremely clear articulation, recited the complex derivation model word for word.

Serena repeated it, stammering, like a parrot mimicking a machine.

Mr. Davis, though still a bit confused, finally nodded in satisfaction and signed the contract worth tens of millions.

After the meeting, the crowd dispersed.

Ethan sat in his chair, loosening his tie, and casually tossed an envelope at my feet.

"Good job today, didn't mess up. Here's your bonus."

I glanced down at the thin envelope. It contained at most five thousand dollars.

The commission for this project was at least half a million.

I bent down to pick up the envelope, a self-mocking cold smile playing on my lips. "Thank you, Mr. Vance."

Ethan stood up, looking down at me condescendingly. "Summer, I know you feel wronged. But Serena just returned to the country and needs some impressive achievements to establish herself. You're just an associate degree holder. Even if your name was on it, the client wouldn't take you seriously. Be sensible, and there'll be plenty of benefits for you later."

"I understand," I replied submissively, my voice so calm it even scared myself.

"Good that you understand." Ethan patted my cheek, satisfied. "Go book a Michelin-starred restaurant for Serena. I'm celebrating her success tonight."

I turned and walked out of the conference room.

The moment I closed the door, I took out my phone and opened my banking app.

Looking at the transfer that had just arrived in my account, I couldn't help but smile.

That was the last bit of money I'd secretly earned from freelancing and stock trading over the years.

With those five thousand dollars, I had finally saved enough for my brother's last surgery and completely paid off the usurious loans our family owed.

Three years of shackles shattered into dust at that moment.

Ethan Vance, did you really think I loved you so much I'd lost myself?

You were wrong.

I initially got into your bed, becoming your secret lover, solely for the top-tier project resources you controlled—resources I could quickly monetize.

Now, my portfolio was thick enough to open doors at any top company in the industry.

I owe you nothing.

Just you wait, Ethan Vance.