Chapter 1
Right after Elie Roberts submitted her resignation, her mom called.
“Elie, how’s the resignation going?”
“I’ve already turned it in. I’ll officially be out in a month.”
“That’s great,” her mom said, sounding more cheerful. “The friends in town and I picked out a few decent boys for you. Meet them when you’re back, okay? Let’s try to get you engaged this year.”
Then she sighed. “And stop thinking about that heir from the Lawrence family. He’s from a whole different world. We’re not the same.”
Elie’s throat tightened, eyes started to tear up. “It’s okay, Mom. I get it. I’ll be back after I finish the handover.”
After hanging up, Elie started packing up her desk.
Years at the Lawrence Group had left her with way too much to sort through. She was only halfway done when her phone vibrated again.
It was a message from Clara Grayson: a location pin, followed by two words, “Come over.”
The address was none other than Eric Lawrence’s villa.
Twenty minutes later, Elie was standing at his front door.
The front door was ajar, so she pushed it open and walked in. Clara was standing in the middle of the living room, holding a bracelet.
Chapter 1
Elie’s heart sank. She was sure she’d cleared everything out when she moved out of this place. How did something get left behind?
Before she could react, Clara slapped her across the face.
“I’ve been trying to figure out who was with Eric while I was abroad, and
I never would’ve guessed–it was you, my best friend!
“Elie, with that plain face and flat figure? You really think you could seduce Eric?”
Elie trembled, shame crashing over her like a wave.
“Clara, it was a mistake between him and me. And we’re just friends with benefits… It only happened after you two broke up. I never crossed the line before that.”
Smack!
Clara slapped her again. “Breakup or not, Eric will always be mine. Who do you think you are?”
This one hit harder–Elie felt blood at the corner of her mouth. When
Clara raised her hand for a third slap, Elie finally caught her wrist.
“Elie, what do you think you’re doing?!”
The icy voice came from behind just before she was yanked away with force.
She stumbled and fell to the marble floor, her knee slamming against it with a sharp pain that made her gasp.
Eric stood in front of Clara, shielding her. His black suit made him look even taller and more imposing, but the coldness in his eyes made her shiver.
13.47%
Chapter 1
Clara’s tears fell right away. “Eric, I found out about you and Elie. My best friend and my ex… I was just upset and asked her a few questions, and she tried to hit me.”
“I didn’t! She-”
“Enough,” Eric snapped, cutting Elie off. But when he turned to Clara, his expression softened instantly, even a little panicked. “Clara, what happened with Elie was a mistake. I just missed you so much that I lost control. You came back, and I chose you. Doesn’t that prove who I love?”
Elie’s heart felt like it was being crushed in someone’s fist.
So that was it. In his eyes, she wasn’t even a replacement–just a way to vent his desire.
Clara looked up at him, eyes full of tears. “Are you sure you don’t love her?”
“I don’t,” Eric said flatly, without a moment of hesitation.
“Okay,” Clara said, pointing at Elie. “Then prove it. Tell your bodyguards. to strip her.”
Elie’s whole body went cold. She turned to Eric, but he just stood there in silence, frowning.
“I knew you couldn’t let her go!” Clara shouted. “Fine then, I’m leaving. I hope you’re happy together!”
The words had barely left her mouth when Eric grabbed her arm and gave an order to the guards by the door. “Do it.”
The two guards stepped forward. Elie struggled desperately, but she was no match for their strength.
Chapter 1
“No… please, don’t…”
The sound of fabric tearing echoed harshly through the villa. In seconds, her shirt buttons popped off, her skirt was ripped, and her bra strap snapped…
Just as the last shred of clothing was torn away, Eric finally spoke, “Enough.
“Get her out of here. I don’t want to see you again.”
Elie covered her body and stumbled out the door.
She heard Eric’s gentle voice behind her. “Clara, don’t be mad…”
Rain poured hard, stinging against her exposed skin, but it still wasn’t nearly as cold as what she felt inside.
She clutched the shredded fabric to her chest, struggling forward in the heavy rain. Rain mixed with tears, running into her mouth, bitter and salty.
And then, like a flood, the past came crashing down on her.
Back in college, Eric was every girl’s dream–tall, handsome, and the start of the basketball court. Every game he played brought out a chorus of screaming fans.
Clara was the campus belle–beautiful, fair–skinned, and from a wealthy family.
Elie, on the other hand, was practically invisible. Ordinary looks, ordinary life–nothing that stood out.
Then one day during lunch, Clara suddenly sat down across from her with a tray and a dazzling smile.
Chapter 1
“Eating alone is so boring. Let’s eat together from now on.”
That was the day Elie became Clara’s so–called best friend.
People always said Clara was so nice for hanging out with someone like Elie, the ugly duckling.
But Elie knew the truth. Clara only kept her around to make herself shine brighter.
Then one day, Erie entered their little circle.
At first, Elie thought he liked her. That evening, when a few thugs. cornered her in an alley, it was Eric who stepped in to help. The way he stood there, backlit by the sunset, became the brightest memory of her youth.
But it didn’t take long for her to realize that Eric only got close to her to pursue Clara.
2
Because the easiest way was through her best friend.
Even so, Elie helped him.
She could still remember all the times she praised Eric in front of Clara- how she always found excuses to slip away when they were together, and how her diary was filled with “Eric,” written again and again, though no one ever knew.
After that, she became like an NPC in their story, watching Eric win Clara over and treat her like a queen.
She thought she’d spend the rest of her life watching them go from dating to marriage, and then having kids.
But everything changed right before graduation, when Clara suddenly.
Chapter 1
broke up with him and left for overseas without looking back.
Eric chased her to the airport and stood in the rain for a full day and night, but all he got was her walking away without a glance.
During that time, Elie stayed by his side.
When he drank too much, she picked up the empty bottles.
When he hit rock bottom, she quietly kept his life in order.
Eventually, she even became his secretary, managing both his work and personal life.
Then came that night at the business banquet. Eric had been drugged. When she was reaching for her phone to call a doctor, he lost control and. pushed her down on the lounge sofa.
Afterward, he didn’t even look at her. Still, she couldn’t forget the heat of his skin, the sound of his heavy breathing.
It happened a few more times after that, always after he got drunk.
He never kissed her, never looked her in the eye. Just coldly used her.
They’d been friends with benefits for three years.
But the moment Clara came back a month ago, Eric went right back to her without hesitation.
That was when Elie realized it was time to walk away.
So she quietly turned in her resignation and agreed to go back home for the blind dates her mom had set up.
What she didn’t expect was that even after all that, Clara still wouldn’t let
71 70%
Chapter 1:
her go.
Elie returned home, drenched from head to toe, when her phone lit up.
She checked it and saw a large bank transfer from Eric. The note was just a cold word, “Compensation.”
Then another message popped up. “I know you like me.”
She stared at the screen, her breath catching in her throat.
So he had known all along.
Every stolen glance, every planned “coincidence,” the little acts of “accidental” kindness–she thought she’d hidden it so well. “accidental” kindness–she though
“But we were never possible.
“Clara was just too upset today.
“Don’t take it personally.
“And don’t you dare get jealous and hurt her.”
Each message hit like a knife to the heart.
Elie laughed out loud, laughing so hard that tears spilled from her eyes.
She thought back to all those years.
When he held her while drunk,
g out Clara’s name, she held back
tears.
When she slipped his birthday gift in with a pile of packages, too afraid to even sign her name.
When he kissed her in the office, he always covered her eyes.
So he’d known all along.
Her fingers hovered over the screen for a long time. Then, finally, she replied, “Don’t worry, Mr. Lawrence. I’ll never like you again.”
11
