Claire Harper never intended to spark a rivalry between Nathan Cross and Ethan Sterling.
On her first day back from leave, her workplace buzzed with whispers about her—remnants of the chaos Ethan caused by showing up at her office the day before.
Her team lead, ever the disciplinarian, dispersed the gossiping colleagues, allowing Claire to focus on her backlog of work. With several days' worth of tasks to catch up on, Claire was so busy she didn't even have time for lunch. A kind coworker brought her two tea eggs, which she quickly ate before returning to work.
By the time she finally had a moment to rest, it was already the end of the day.
Still, Claire decided to stay late and finish the leftover work. After all, if she didn't complete it tonight, it would still be waiting for her tomorrow.
When she next looked up from her desk, she saw Ethan's assistant, Lucas Knight, standing in front of her.
"Miss Harper, Mr. Sterling is waiting for you downstairs," Lucas said, his smile polite.
Claire felt her head throb.
*Here we go again.*
The colleagues still at their desks exchanged curious glances. In just two days, Claire's personal drama had provided enough gossip to entertain the entire office for a month. If Ethan pulled another stunt like this, Claire might have to seriously consider switching jobs.
As she stood, a wave of dizziness hit her. Her response to Lucas came out more curtly than intended: "I've already told your boss that I'm married. Why does he keep seeking me out? With his looks and wealth, surely he can find a new girlfriend!"
The office fell silent.
Her colleagues, who had been pretending not to eavesdrop, were now openly stunned. They latched onto the key detail in Claire's outburst.
*She's married?!*
Yesterday, they had met her so-called fiancé. Now, they were hearing that the engagement was a thing of the past. This was the juiciest development yet.
Lucas, however, frowned at Claire's words.
*This isn't about finding a new girlfriend!*
Ethan had been abroad on business for just a few days, only to return and find his fiancée married to another man. How could anyone accept such a situation?
In Lucas's mind, Claire had handled the breakup well—taking full responsibility and sparing Ethan's reputation. But relationships weren't business deals. Claire's clean break might have protected Ethan's public image, but it did nothing for his feelings or his pride.
"Miss Harper, I'm just an employee. Please don't make this harder for me," Lucas said, standing firm in his loyalty to Ethan.
He didn't care how Claire's coworkers would react to this scene. He worked for Ethan, and Claire's concerns weren't his problem.
The situation reached a stalemate.
Eventually, Claire's team lead intervened. He had been quietly enjoying the drama but finally decided to mediate. "This isn't the place to discuss personal matters. Miss Harper, why don't you ask your husband to come down? The three of you can clear the air together."
The suggestion was well-meaning. Men valued face, and Claire's husband's presence would likely make Ethan back off.
Claire, however, felt cornered.
Nathan was only her stand-in husband. Their relationship wasn't close enough for her to call him at a moment's notice.
More importantly, if Ethan decided to vent his frustrations on Nathan, wouldn't she be putting Nathan in harm's way?
Lucas pressed further. "Miss Harper, Mr. Sterling cleared his entire schedule tonight just to meet with you."
Claire sighed, reluctantly pulling out her phone. She sent Nathan a tentative message before grabbing her bag and following Lucas downstairs.
"This is the last time!" she muttered.
---
"Get in the car," Ethan said, lowering the window as he looked at her.
Claire refused to let Ethan control the conversation. She stood stubbornly outside.
"I've already said everything I needed to yesterday. If you don't believe me, I brought proof today."
Unlike yesterday, Claire had prepared herself. That morning, she had tucked her marriage certificate into her bag. If Ethan still doubted her, she would show him.
As she pulled the red booklet from her bag, the corner barely visible, Ethan winced as if physically struck.
"No need to show me. I know you're married."
He had already heard from Vivian Carter and verified that Claire had moved in with her new husband.
Ethan knew Vivian's motives were far from kind, but if Claire hadn't actually done these things, there would've been nothing for Vivian to report.
Yesterday, Ethan had been coldly indifferent. Today, he was genuinely angry.
Claire's impulsive marriage had turned him into a laughingstock.
If the man she married was better than Ethan, he could accept the loss with gritted teeth. But if her choice was objectively worse, it made him look even more ridiculous.
Ethan's smile was icy. "I just want to know what I lost to."
Claire softened her tone. "You didn't lose to anyone. You did nothing wrong. We just weren't right for each other."
But that answer wasn't enough for Ethan. He wanted to meet the man Claire deemed "right."
---
Claire's message to Nathan remained unanswered.
Had he seen it but chosen to ignore it?
Or was he simply too busy to reply?
Unlike Ethan, both Claire and Nathan didn't have the luxury of free schedules.
This disparity was precisely what Claire meant when she said she and Ethan weren't a good match.
Claire wanted to explain further but found herself at a loss for words.
Ethan sneered and rolled up the car window.
---
By now, her coworkers were leaving the office, glancing at Claire and Ethan's luxury car as they passed. Even her team lead hurried away without a word.
The summer heat lingered, oppressive and stifling. Sweat dripped down Claire's neck and forehead, while Ethan sat cool and composed in his air-conditioned car.
The sky darkened, thunder rumbled, and rain began to pour.
Claire stood in the rain, quickly becoming drenched as water dripped from her hair.
*If looking pathetic will make Ethan let go, so be it.*
"Should I grab an umbrella for Miss Harper?" Lucas suggested quietly.
Ethan didn't look up. "If she doesn't ask, why should you offer?"
If Claire wanted help, she should ask for it herself.
Whether it was an umbrella or help with her family's debts, how could she know Ethan wouldn't agree if she never tried?
Ethan's tone was harsh, but his gaze softened slightly as he watched Claire get soaked.
Since the Harper family's bankruptcy, Claire had grown noticeably thinner. He had often told her to eat more, but she always claimed she needed to stay slim for her work.
Her late nights at the office, combined with her side business, had left her exhausted.
Ethan couldn't understand why Claire worked so hard.
If she spent even a fraction of that effort getting along with his mother, she could have secured a future of ease and comfort.
What was the point of her stubborn pride?
As he watched her drenched figure, Ethan felt a pang of regret. If she would just apologize and admit her mistake, he would give her another chance.
But just as he considered lowering the window, a tall figure approached Claire with an umbrella.
"Why didn't you bring an umbrella?"
The man gently led Claire away, his tone warm and familiar.
The two of them walked off together, looking every bit the picture of a loving newlywed couple.
Ethan felt like he'd been stabbed.
Lowering his window, he called out, "Claire, don't regret your choice. From now on, if anyone asks, I'll confirm you and the Sterlings are no longer connected."
*No longer connected—Claire, how will you face your creditors now?*