Chapter 1
Half an hour ago, the news from HR was a heavy blow: I was fired. A colleague sympathetically patted my shoulder, saying, “We did our best, but the outcome couldn’t be changed.”
The news didn’t shock me; instead, I felt a sense of calm acceptance.
Last week, whispers began circulating around the company: Declan, our CEO, got engaged to the heiress of White Corporation, his ex-girlfriend and the unforgettable love of his life.
Now that his dream had come true, the “extra person” by his side naturally had to be removed.
Even though my relationship with Declan was never made public, everyone in the company knew there was something between us.
Because of this, no one dared to touch me except Declan himself.
I received the notice in the morning and completed all handovers by the afternoon. The colleague taking over my role looked worried, constantly lamenting, “Adeline, what will the secretary department do without you?”
Declan’s temper is notorious—unpredictable and irritable. Even the wrong temperature for his coffee could set him off.
As the department closest to him, we often bore the brunt of his outbursts. However, since I arrived five years ago, things changed.
From making coffee to ordering meals, delivering reports, and even calming his temper when other departments made mistakes, I handled it all.
My colleagues often said these past five years were the easiest under Declan.
I smiled and demonstrated once, “Get the water temperature right, and Mr. Declan won’t complain.”
“I heard there’s someone in the company who knows Declan particularly well, even called his exception. That’s you, right?” said a voice from behind.
I turned around. Phoebe removed her sunglasses, her gaze sharp. The colleague holding coffee quickly lowered her head and left.
I smiled and greeted her, “You’re joking, Ms. White. If I were an exception, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”
“In the company, isn’t it only those who are lacking who get fired?”
That remark seemed to infuriate Phoebe. She suddenly grabbed the kettle on the table and splashed hot water towards me, sneering, “Let’s see if your sharp tongue can handle this hot water!”
The hot water splashed on me, and my skin turned red instantly. Luckily, Declan always preferred his coffee not too hot; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
At that moment, Declan appeared. He walked over to Phoebe with a smile, gently adjusting the hair on her forehead.
Phoebe clung to his arm, openly saying, “I had a little conflict with a company employee and couldn’t help but splash her with hot water.”
Declan finally glanced at me, his eyes cold and indifferent, as if looking at a stranger. “If she’s splashed, she’s splashed.
I’ll have someone compensate her. No need to delay our plans over someone insignificant.”
“I’ve ordered your favorite crawfish, let’s go soon.”
They walked past me, Phoebe’s gaze full of ridicule.
Whether it was the sting of the hot water or the hidden pain in my heart, my chest felt like it was being cut by a knife. But this pain—I never want to feel it again…