Chapter 1

Ethan and I built his influencer career together from the ground up.

Behind the camera, I shaped him into the internet’s favorite modern gentleman—supportive, respectful, and empowering toward women.

We made a deal: the moment his account hit five million followers, we’d go public with our relationship and get married.

Yet the second he hit that milestone, he stripped me of all my responsibilities.

All so he could propose to a stunning beauty creator in front of a hundred thousand viewers on a live stream.

I watched the lavish, spectacle-filled proposal unfold on my phone.

My heart didn't even stir.

Instead, I tapped the screen and reported his account.

Reason: Promoting toxic and misleading content.

The very first thing Ethan said to me after hitting five million followers was:

"You're just an assistant. Without you, I'd still be right where I am today. Don't flatter yourself."

With a single sentence, he tossed five years of blood, sweat, and tears straight into the trash.

When we started out, we had nothing. Just the two of us, a shared apartment, and a single smartphone.

Now, we had an agency with over a hundred employees.

And in his eyes, I was merely an "adequate assistant."

Ethan was nothing if not efficient.

When I walked into the office the next morning, my desk was completely cleared off. Everything I owned had been dumped into a single black trash bag.

I had spent five years building this brand with Ethan, holding the second-largest equity stake in the company.

Yet my desk had always been shoved into a cramped, dusty corner behind the reception desk, making me look like a temp.

Ethan had insisted that my behind-the-scenes work didn't require a dedicated office.

And I had accepted that corner for five whole years.

I lifted the feather-light trash bag, my throat tightening. So this was the reward for giving someone my everything.

I pushed open Ethan’s office door and dropped the bag onto his sleek mahogany desk. "Mr. Vance, mind explaining what this means?"

In professional settings, he never let me call him Ethan. If I slipped up even once, he’d give me the cold shoulder for three days.

I had always backed down, playing along until, to the outside world, I really was nothing more than his errand girl.

Ethan barely glanced up, casually nudging the bag to the edge. "I had Chloe pack it for you. Your performance has been slipping lately, and you look exhausted. Take some time off and stay home. I’ve handed your tasks to an intern."

I swallowed the bitter lump rising in my throat.

Ethan’s very first viral video had been built on a single line he spoke to a struggling teenage girl in an underprivileged youth center: “Spread your wings, kid. The mountain is waiting for you to conquer it.”

That line? I had held up the cue card for him behind the lens, reading off a script I had spent weeks perfecting.

That single video had launched his persona as the internet's wholesome, inspirational king.

And now, one casual label—assistant—erased every ounce of credit I deserved.

Seeing my eyes redden, Ethan softened his tone just a fraction. "Look, if you get bored sitting at home, you can always write some scripts for Chloe."

Chloe was our newest signed creator. When she first interviewed, I had rejected her because her superficial, dramatic style clashed with our brand identity.

Yet the second Ethan laid eyes on her, his demeanor changed completely.

He overruled me, opened a new account for her, and poured company funds into promoting her.

Behind closed doors, the staff had already begun whispering that Chloe was the "boss's real girl."

She was constantly slipping in and out of his office.

Their flirtatious laughter echoed down the hallway daily.

Chloe could openly tease and lounge around Ethan in the middle of the office, while I, his partner of five years, lived like a dirty secret hidden in the shadows.

I forced myself to speak. "You want me to write scripts for Chloe?"

Ethan shrugged. "Yeah. If you really don't want to stay home, you can be her personal assistant. Assisting her or assisting me—it's all the same, isn't it? It's all for the business."

"Actually, she has an outdoor shoot tomorrow. Go hold the umbrella for her and carry her wardrobe."

Ethan knew my pride. He was intentionally trying to humiliate me, backing me into a corner until I quit on my own.

Meanwhile, he gave Chloe whatever she asked for on a silver platter.

Love and indifference couldn't be more distinct.

When a man stops loving you, every calculating scheme and cruel tactic is unleashed without hesitation, forcing you to see who he truly is.

He wanted me to be Chloe’s assistant? Fine. Challenge accepted.