Chapter 3

The next day, I brought my resignation letter to the office.

The moment I walked in, I heard the gossip.

"Did you hear? Amber is being promoted to Department Manager. Ethan approved it himself!"

"An assistant jumping straight to manager? What's her background?"

"What else could it be? She's obviously the boss's secret girlfriend!"

An employee lowered her voice, her tone suggestive.

"You know, last time I went to Ethan's office, I saw her drinking from his mug!"

"Seriously? Doesn't Ethan have severe germophobia?"

They giggled and whispered.

I swallowed the coffee in my cup. It tasted incredibly bitter.

Once, I had accidentally used his mug by mistake.

He reacted like a startled bird, scolding me for making such a basic mistake.

Right after that, he bought a giant box of disposable paper cups and placed them in his office just to stop me from "crossing the line."

"Chloe, we have to keep things strictly professional so it doesn't affect our careers."

His "professionalism" was only ever directed at me.

And the career he talked about...

"Chloe, are you sure you want to resign now?"

The HR manager looked at me with regret.

"I heard there's a promotion opportunity coming up from headquarters this year. Why don't you wait a bit longer..."

"No need." I looked at her and shook my head. "It's been four years."

She paused, then sighed.

"True. Everyone sees how hard you work. But for some reason..."

There was no "some reason."

Over the past four years, even when I worked myself to the point of hospitalization, I remained a "Team Lead" without any real power.

Because Ethan told me that if he promoted me, people would gossip.

"Let's wait for a better opportunity next time."

But Ethan, I wasn't going to wait anymore.

If I wanted an opportunity, I would go get it myself.

Shortly after I handed in my resignation, Ethan called me into his office to demand answers.

It was a rare occasion for him to call me in alone, and he started interrogating me immediately.

"Why are you resigning?"

"Just because Amber got promoted and you didn't, you're going to throw a tantrum and quit?"

"Chloe, acting out like this only makes things harder for me—"

"That's why I'm leaving," I looked up, cutting him off.

"Just like last night."

"Once I'm gone, you won't have to worry about me anymore, will you?"

Ethan froze, avoiding my eyes.

"So you really are doing this because of yesterday." He frowned, looking annoyed. "Are you trying to force me to go public with our relationship?"

A wave of exhaustion washed over me.

I looked at him in disbelief. Just as I was about to speak, a sweet voice interrupted us.

"Ethan, it's raining so hard outside, and I don't have an umbrella..."

Amber walked straight in without knocking.

"I'll drive you," Ethan said, standing up instantly without a second thought. He grabbed his car keys.

Behind Amber, a burst of laughter erupted from the open door.

"Pay up! Who said Ethan would only lend Amber an umbrella? Go order the Starbucks!"

"Right? An umbrella is nothing. Ethan is driving her home himself. He can't bear to let her walk!"

As the coworkers teased, Ethan didn't show the slightest intention to correct them.

But I remembered a massive storm we had a year ago.

Forget driving me home; Ethan wouldn't even lend me an umbrella.

"We are just boss and subordinate. Lending you an umbrella looks too intimate."

He had thrown a bunch of cheap, paper-thin plastic ponchos at me.

He let me walk home in a torrential downpour, shivering and suffering from severe cramps on the first day of my period.

"Chloe, why don't you join us?" Amber suddenly whispered in my ear. "You couldn't make it to my birthday party, so let me buy you dinner tonight!"

As soon as she finished speaking, whispers about how I was stubborn and unsocial started spreading through the crowd.

I looked at Ethan. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately kept silent. I smiled faintly.

"No, thanks."

"I have a date tonight."