Better Alone Than Almost Loved

Chapter 1 In the afternoon, I was shopping with my best friend when I bumped into the aloof Callum Lawson at the Chanel boutique, buying the haute couture gown I had reserved for ages.

However, I noticed his secretary was wearing the same gown that night.

Instead of questioning him, I smirked and had every Chanel boutique in the city transfer over that same haute couture gown. After that, I presented it to him so he could buy it to his heart’s content.

Meanwhile, my best friend stayed up all night drafting a divorce agreement for me. With my money and looks, men were the last thing I was short of.

At a company’s annual gala, I held a glass of red wine and chatted with the company’s branch higher-ups. As the music began, the dance floor began to fill with people dancing. It was then that Callum arrived with his secretary, Ariel Reed.

I saw with my own eyes as he adjusted the brooch on her chest at the entrance. Callum had a doting smile and seemed satisfied with his muse.

Callum always had impeccable taste. After his careful adjustment, Ariel’s face seemed to look more defined. Still, she barely managed to match the haute couture Chanel gown she was wearing.

At that moment, everything I had been imagining was completely shattered.

When I saw Callum walking out of the shop this morning, I was brimming with happiness, assuming that the gown was meant for me. I even got my make-up artist to give me a look that perfectly matched the attire.

However, Callum didn’t bring the gown back home until the gala began. I could only call to ask if there was anything he wanted to give me.

When Callum brushed me off about being busy with work, l managed to catch a woman’s sweet voice talking in the background. “Mr. Lawson, won’t Mrs. Lawson be upset if she finds out?”

“Don’t worry. Her closet holds enough clothes to stage a full fashion show,” Callum responded nonchalantly.

I suddenly realized that Callum wasn’t as innocent as I thought him to be.

Ariel smiled sweetly, flashing her dimples at me. It looked familiar. “Hello, Mrs. Lawson. You look stunning tonight.”

Her flattery only hardened my gaze. I eyed her from head to toe before answering, “Nice gown. Looks just like the Chanel piece I ordered a while back.”

Everyone here was smart enough to read between the lines. Ariel graduated from college a year ago. Thus, there was no way she could afford a haute couture gown worth 200 thousand dollars.

Ariel shifted uneasily under my gaze. She pursed her lips and fiddled with her fingers as she glanced at Callum.

Callum met my gaze with his usual calm and unreadable gaze. “Nancy, don’t misunderstand. Ariel told me that she had never attended such a formal occasion or worn a gown before. Since she’s been working hard and shows promise, I picked up a gown for her.”

Arching an eyebrow, I shot a look at the assistant standing next to me.

In the next second, a line of 13 Chanel sales associates dressed in impeccably tailored uniforms walked into the hall with poised smiles. Each of them presented the same gown Ariel was wearing to Callum.

Just as Callum looked at me questioningly, I crossed my arms and leaned against the carved marble pillar.

A teasing smile tugged at my lips. “Pay up. The 13 bosses from each branch brought their secretaries tonight, and I bet all of them are ambitious enough. I’m sure you wouldn’t play favorites and only gift your secretary, right?”

Ariel knew that I was making things difficult for both of them. Her face drained of color as she pleaded tearily, “Mrs. Lawson, please don’t make things difficult for Mr. Lawson. It’s all my fault. I’ll return the gown right away.”

Ariel made it seem as if I were the one being unreasonable, ruining her relationship with Callum.

Chapter 2 I glanced at Ariel. “You’re Ariel Reed, right? You’re overthinking it. Paying for 13 gowns is considered nothing to him.

“Understandably, Callum doesn’t know what it means to gift a gown to a woman—he’s been pampered since childhood. He even has someone debone his fish for him.

“However, as his secretary, shouldn’t you know better to keep your boundaries with him, especially when it comes to his private life?”

Ariel quickly apologized with her head hung low.

Callum had it all when it came to his family, career, and looks. He was practically like a shining star compared to the people around him.

While countless women had shown their fancy toward him, he maintained his indifferent persona over the years. The women who tried to get close to him were only met with his distant gaze.

Callum had held me in his arms for countless nights, whispering in my ear that I was the one he cherished most in this world.

However, all of that had changed when I saw the pity in his eyes for another woman.

Callum shook his head with a small smile before handing a black card to the sales associate leading the group.

Callum unhurriedly walked over to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. He locked eyes with me as his pleasant voice sounded in my ear, the music running in the background.

“It’s just a gown. I didn’t expect you to care about it so much. It’s a small issue to scare Ariel, but I’ll feel heartbroken if you upset yourself over it.”

His tone was light and teasing, as if he were talking about something unimportant. Just like that, he had diverted the conversation from Ariel with ease.

With a sneer, I wrapped my slender fingers around his tie and pulled him closer. “With how smart you are, I doubt you can’t tell that Ariel likes you. I know you don’t care about the money. However, I hope this will be the first and last time it happens.”

The employees only thought we were flirting and started to whistle and cheer.

Callum flushed red from how close we were. It was rare to see an expression different from his usual calm demeanor.

He frowned, saying, “Nancy, don’t be like this. What will our subordinates think? Ariel is only my secretary, nothing else. Please don’t overthink.”

I let out a soft snort and let go of him. While it was easy to embarrass him, it would look bad on me as well. It was an insult to my dignity to compete with such an average woman like her.

Now that I’d vented my anger, I decided to let them off the hook for now. After all, I had no concrete proof of their relationship.

Thus, I hooked my arm around his and walked toward the stage to deliver the speech celebrating the company’s achievements this year.

Meanwhile, all the branch secretaries were as smart as hawks. They carried their gowns happily and even paraded around Ariel.

“It’s all thanks to you that we have the chance to wear such an expensive gown. Otherwise, I doubt we’d get the opportunity in our entire lifetime!”

“In Mr. Lawson’s eyes, gifting someone a gown is no different than handing a child a piece of candy. You wouldn’t mistake that for something more, would you?”

“Look at your eyes and dimples. It’s no wonder Mr. Lawson took a second glance at you.”

Everyone’s faces were filled with ridicule as they warned Ariel.

Ariel had probably never been mocked like this in her entire life. Her head sank increasingly lower with embarrassment as her tears fell onto the floor.

After waiting for the crowd to thin out, Ariel ran off with reddened eyes. She never came back, not even after the gala ended.

After dinner, Callum and I tactfully excused ourselves early. This gave the younger employees enough room to relax and enjoy their night to the fullest.

However, I noticed that the front passenger seat had been adjusted when I got into the car.

Chapter 3 Moreover, the sun visor was decorated with a few cute stickers. Apart from me, nobody would dare to treat Callum like a driver, nor would they have the guts to sit in the front passenger seat.

It went without saying who was the culprit behind it. Anger flared in my heart. Although I didn’t want to admit it, I was losing my cool over Ariel’s actions.

Even after knowing that Callum had given the gown I ordered to Ariel, I only felt pity over losing a gown. However, she was now leaving traces of herself in my private space. I considered this a blatant provocation.

It was the first time I had gotten so mad in our five years of marriage. All I wanted to do was slap Callum and kick him out of the car. After that, I would drive over to Ariel and slap her twice.

Just as I was about to question Callum, his phone rang. He seemed not to have noticed my flushed face and accepted Ariel’s call.

When I adjusted my seat in annoyance, I heard him saying, “Okay. Don’t get worked up. I’ll head there right now.”

I stopped adjusting my seat and slowly looked up at him. Callum had his eyebrows furrowed as he spoke. “Ariel is trying to return the gown at the shop, but she doesn’t have a receipt. I need to handle it. Nancy, I’ll call the driver to fetch you back home.”

I replied in disbelief, “You’re ditching me here for such a minor issue?”

“Don’t make things difficult for me, okay? She’s a young and prideful woman. After what happened with you, she cried so hard she lost her voice. All she wants now is to return the gown,” Callum explained.

I snapped. “Is it pride, or does she just want to provoke me before you? Can’t she come and get it herself?”

Callum massaged his temples and sighed in frustration. “Nancy, is it necessary to make things difficult for a newcomer? When did you start throwing your weight around? You weren’t like this before.”

The anger in my heart was replaced with an overwhelming sense of disappointment. I suddenly found the entire situation funny. “I’m throwing my weight around? Callum, you’ve never spoken up for another woman before me, including your mother. This is the first time.”

A look of disbelief flashed across his indifferent face as I continued, “When we got married, we made it clear that we wouldn’t play around for the sake of our families’ reputation. Are you going to break this rule for this woman?”

Callum’s expression turned indifferent. After pondering for a while, he chose to call the driver’s number.

He leaned over and calmly unbuckled my seatbelt. “Nancy, you’re always so controlling. We’re husband and wife, not just business partners. Outside of work, can’t you just try to be dependent on me like other wives for once?

“After settling the issue with Ariel, I’ll be staying at the Lawson residence. We all need to cool down.”

I finally realized what was going on. Callum was just anxious to flaunt his masculinity before another woman.

Back then, Callum always talked about how he admired my decisiveness and assertiveness. Now that he was sick of me, he found a perfect excuse to pin the blame on me.

I got out of the car without another word and watched as the black Maybach disappeared from view.

Callum didn’t appreciate the chance I had given him. Thus, I picked up the phone and called my best friend, Nina Brooks. “Nina, can you help me draft a divorce agreement?”

I wouldn’t have divorced Callum unless it was absolutely necessary. After all, my family and the Lawson family had been friends for decades. Callum and I had also known each other since we were young.

It was just that we lost contact for about ten years when he went to study overseas.

Chapter 4 We both reunited at a party to discuss our marriage. Callum was a polite gentleman who responded to the elderly’s questions with ease.

Meanwhile, I often frequented nightclubs and male companions to ease my stress from handling the company.

I thought we would drift apart from all the years we spent apart. To my surprise, I discovered his unique humor beneath his composed demeanor. This reminded me of the touch of familiarity from our youth.

Both of us were at the peak of our careers and admired each other. Thus, it didn’t take long for us to get engaged and married.

After our marriage, we held shares in each other’s companies, which led to an unprecedented merger in the Lawson and Jennings Group. Therefore, this made dividing assets post-divorce a complicated matter.

After returning home, I showered and drank a cup of hot milk before preparing for bed. Suddenly, I received a goodnight message from Callum, along with a kissy emoji. Callum was the kind of person who would still perform his duties despite fighting with me.

When I went to work the next morning, I bumped into a teenager with blonde hair and almost fell.

My Hermès Himalaya bag dropped to the ground with a piece of leather scraped off, and the young man’s coffee spilled onto my cashmere coat.

The two security guards at the door immediately rushed over and scolded the young man for being careless.

The young man hurriedly picked up my bag and handed it back to me. He pulled out some tissues and tried to wipe off the coffee stain on my coat.

Seeing that it wouldn’t come off, the young man knelt and begged for my forgiveness.

In the dead of winter, he was only wearing a thin jacket and a pair of sunglasses. Yet, it couldn’t quite hide the bruises underneath his eyes.

I ignored the stain on my cashmere coat. My heart ached as I tried to wipe the scuffed leather of my Hermès bag with a frown.

The Lawson Group and the Jennings Group were just a street apart. Callum, who came to work at the same time as me, just happened to witness this scene.

He stood across the street and watched the scene unfold with an indifferent expression. This was the first time I saw disgust in his eyes. Perhaps he thought my aloof demeanor was another way for me to throw my weight around.

However, I couldn’t care less about the misunderstanding. Instead, I took two steps back, raised a hand to stop the security guards, and pulled the young man up by the arm.

“I don’t know what you’re going through, but please don’t kneel. You can lose everything, but never your dignity. That’s the one thing that truly belongs to you.”

The young man mumbled apologies and thanks while gathering the scattered trash. After that, he hurried away.

Just as he rounded the corner of the office building, he suddenly turned back with a meaningful smile.

Back in my office, I sat at my desk and carefully examined the damaged bag. The scuff was minor and barely noticeable if one didn’t look closely.

However, it was no longer perfect once a flaw existed. The bag was so rare that even the tiniest imperfection was almost impossible to repair.

Compared to the bag, my relationship with Callum was even more difficult to repair. I could still feel the sting from the look in his eyes this morning.

The Lawson family’s chef had always been in charge of cooking my and Callum’s lunches. It would then be delivered to my office, and Callum would come over and have it with me.

When Callum still hadn’t arrived after 1:00 pm, I thought he would be skipping lunch today.

However, Callum appeared with Ariel when I opened my lunchbox. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she lowered her head in a respectful yet meek way.

I placed down my fork and looked at them quietly. Meanwhile, Callum sat down beside me with a sigh.

Chapter 5 Callum said, “Ariel is being targeted in the company after what happened last night.”

I couldn’t even bother to look up at him as I scooped some soup. “So? Can’t a CEO’s secretary handle something so trivial?”

“I’m telling you to keep your people in check and stop making things difficult for her,” Callum elaborated.

As part of an unspoken rule in the business world, we had each placed our subordinates in the other’s companies. Callum was trying to say that my subordinates were picking on Ariel for my sake.

After all, last night’s gala was attended by the employees from both companies. Thus, it was inevitable for Ariel’s behavior to be criticized.

I stirred my spoon and took a sip. “Firstly, I never instructed anyone to target your secretary. You should know that’s not something I would do.

“Next, she has herself to blame for what happened. She crossed the line and had no sense of boundaries.

“Callum, you don’t understand human nature well enough. The way you go out of your way to accommodate her will only earn her more enemies. In the end, it won’t be me who hurts her—it’ll be you.”

Ariel, who had stayed quiet the entire time, said anxiously, “It’s not Mr. Lawson’s fault. My poor judgment is to blame for what happened yesterday.

“It was my first time receiving something so expensive, so I got carried away and crossed a line. I’m really sorry if I offended you.”

I paused for a moment before smiling. “Callum, your secretary is quite something. She doesn’t understand what’s going on, but she protects you more fiercely than anyone else.”

I didn’t accept her half-hearted apology, nor did I intervene to stop my people from giving her a hard time.

It was clear that Ariel’s pitiful expression and tears struck a chord in Callum’s heart. He lost control of his temper for the first time, shattering a soup bowl at my feet and demanding I apologize to Ariel.

I did nothing wrong, so I refused to apologize. In the end, Callum and I left on a bad note.

By afternoon, Callum had brought Ariel on a business trip and left all the mess behind.

…

When I went drinking with Nina that night, she scolded me for being too shrewd. Otherwise, Callum wouldn’t have fallen for such a foolish beauty like Ariel.

Growing up, I had been raised as the successor to the Jennings Group. My mother died young, and my father never remarried. Thus, I was burdened with this responsibility since I was young.

I believed that being weak only held me back. I could stick to my principles for 30 years, so why couldn’t Callum?

In the end, I knew the answer—he just fell out of love with me. However, I wouldn’t care less about snatching someone who didn’t belong to me.

“I even went to the Lawson Group to see what she looks like. Honestly, she looks like your mini figure, especially her eyes and dimples. She looks exactly like you.

“What exactly is he thinking? He has the real deal at home, and he’s out there sweet-talking a knockoff.”

Nina’s words sobered me up instantly. It was no wonder I felt a sense of familiarity with Ariel.

I sneered. “Who knows? Perhaps the knockoff is more obedient and understanding.”

Nina sent me back home as I had a pounding headache. Afraid I would feel uncomfortable, Nina drove slowly for the entire journey.

“I’ve finished drafting the divorce agreement. When are you planning to break the news to Callum?”

“Probably in the middle of the month. He’ll definitely return home to eat with his parents.”

Both of us would return to the Lawson residence during this period to accompany his parents for a meal.

As divorcing Callum wasn’t a trivial issue, I had to consider my backup plan by then.

Chapter 6 Meanwhile, Ariel had been busy posting on Instagram for the past few days.

There were photos of Callum having breakfast with her, working overtime until late at night, and gazing down at the scenery from the city’s highest skyscraper.

She recorded her first skydiving experience, discovering the wonders of the deep sea, and witnessing the breathtaking beauty of the aurora.

This business trip gave her experience and thrills she had never experienced in her entire lifetime. Thus, her social media was overflowing with her excitement.

I was the only one in the past who did these things with Callum. Now, my subordinates were looking at me with cautious sympathy in their gaze.

It was cruel for Callum to allow Ariel to use such a way to disgust me.

For the past few days, Nina had been by my side for the entire time while helping the legal team with the financial split.

That day, Nina stormed into the office, holding a document. “Nancy, Callum went too far this time!”

I looked up from the document I was signing. Seeing Nina’s furious expression, I asked, “What happened? Is he back already?”

Nina slammed the document onto my desk. It contained a USB drive and a few photos of Callum and Ariel lying in a hotel suite. The hickey was obvious on his shirtless chest.

Nina sneered. “He hasn’t returned yet, but his scandalous photos made it back first!”

My shoulders slumped, and my heart ached as if something was clamping hard on it. With trembling fingers, I picked up the USB drive and inserted it into my backup laptop.

It was evening on the hotel’s rooftop terrace. Callum was holding Ariel’s face and gazing at her affectionately.

The sky behind them was tinted orange from the setting sun. The image of the couple embracing during sunset was picture-perfect.

Just as they were about to kiss, I slammed my laptop shut. My voice was shaking as I spoke. “Who brought it here?”

“Someone couriered it to the company. The receptionist signed it,” Nina answered.

I inhaled deeply before exhaling. I slid the photos back into the document, stored it in my drawer, and tried to calm myself down. “Don’t spread this. Just find out who sent it.”

“Who else could it be? It must be that shameless Ariel! She’s gone nuts to try and become Callum’s wife!”

The video seemed like it was taken in secret, yet it wasn’t important to me anymore. What mattered to me was that Callum was tainted. Tomorrow was the day of the dinner with his parents, and it was time for this filth to come to an end.

When Callum returned to the company the next day, he fired the three employees who criticized Ariel the most. Two of them were my subordinates. I knew he was trying to warn the other employees by doing so.

I wasn’t surprised that Callum was protecting Ariel so fiercely. After all, they had already slept with each other.

What surprised me was that he brought Ariel to the family dinner that night.

During the business trip, Ariel bought Callum’s mother, Judith Patterson, various health supplements that she needed. This pleased Judith very much.

After seeing I had arrived, Judith ordered someone to go and fetch Callum and his father, James Lawson, from the study for dinner. After that, she took my hand warmly and began gossiping.

When Callum arrived at the dining room, he glanced at me before averting his gaze. Ariel was following behind him and took a seat beside him, which was where I usually sat.

Callum paused for a moment, but he didn’t choose to intervene.

All in all, we were still legally married. Yet, Callum was bringing his female secretary everywhere and even back home. He was practically allowing her to take my place.