Chapter 3

Claire probably had already forgotten about that sticky note and didn’t notice the thing in my hand.

She went into the room to change clothes, while still ordering me around in a commanding tone.

“Logan is coming to pick us up to go to the venue later. Hurry up and change. Don’t keep looking like a beggar.”

“And when we get there, you go wander around on your own. Don’t follow behind me, and you’re not allowed to tell anyone about our relationship.”

I nodded without changing my expression.

“Got it.”

When we first got married, Claire said she was at a critical stage in her career and absolutely could not make her marital status public.

After she pleaded with me again and again, I agreed to keep our marriage secret.

I even let her say in public that I was her obsessive pursuer.

And this secret lasted a full eight years.

Seeing how obedient I was, Claire gave me a strange look, but she didn’t say anything.

It wasn’t until night fell that I followed Claire downstairs and realized she and Logan were wearing matching outfits.

As for me, I was wearing the suit Claire had personally picked out, but it was several levels below Logan’s.

Anyone could tell at a glance that I was just their assistant.

Claire awkwardly coughed and turned to explain to me.

“It’s just a coincidence, Mason. Don’t overthink it.”

I waved my hand and sensibly left the passenger seat for her. “It’s just an act. I get it.”

Claire opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something else, but with Logan right there, she couldn’t make a scene.

After getting in the car, Logan kindly handed over two cups of milk tea.

I didn’t take them. Claire turned to look at me with some displeasure and shoved the milk tea into my arms.

“Logan bought those specially. Do you even know basic manners?”

Logan lowered his head with an even more guilty look. “Sorry, Mason. Are you still mad at me?”

“I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have used your ring to steal the spotlight, and I also shouldn’t have called Claire away this afternoon.”

Claire snorted coldly. “Stop paying attention to him. He really thinks he’s somebody now.”

She completely ignored the fact that I had just recovered from a fever and directly reached out to roll down the car window.

Cold wind howled in and blew straight inside.

I frowned in discomfort, and the hot milk tea in my hand didn’t warm my heart at all. Instead, it only made me feel even worse.

Claire had forgotten that I was lactose intolerant and couldn’t drink dairy at all.

And now she was even saying things like this.

Soon, the car stopped outside the venue, and I watched Claire loop her arm through Logan’s as they walked inside.

There were also many coworkers who didn’t know the truth praising the two of them for being a perfect match and asking if good news was coming soon.

Claire smiled shyly and didn’t deny it.

I had no energy to care. I only felt my cold getting worse, and now I was dizzy and weak.

Frowning in discomfort, I was about to call a cab and leave when I saw the design pictures on the display board at the venue entrance.

At that moment, I felt like all the blood in my body had run backward, and my limbs went ice-cold.

Because those were clearly my design drafts.

They were jewelry sketches from the same series as that pink diamond, except the other pieces hadn’t been made into samples yet.

These drafts had been locked in the safe at my house. There was no way they could have leaked.

And yet, at this very moment, Logan’s name was printed in the lower right corner of the display board.

I suddenly understood.

Claire hadn’t come back this afternoon to pick me up at all. She had obviously come to take my design drafts.

The moment I thought about how my hard work had been handed over to Logan by her, how all the honor and all the fame had been stolen by him,

my heart felt like it was being cut apart by a knife, and even my throat filled with a metallic sweetness.

I stared at the two figures walking toward the venue, and my face turned completely cold.