Chapter 2

The next morning, I arrived at the office early.

The resignation letter sat quietly in my drawer, waiting for the moment I’d hand it in.

My phone vibrated with a text from Rachel.

[Chloe, I heard you've taken care of Ethan all these years. Must have been exhausting.]

[He told me that if you weren't so competent, he never would've settled for keeping you around this long.]

[Ethan and I are going ring shopping today, so please keep things running smoothly at the office.]

I read it expressionlessly. My finger hovered over the screen for a second, but I didn't reply.

Then I opened the zip file she sent. Inside were photos of Ethan and her traveling over the years.

Five years ago. Three years ago. Last year.

They had never stopped talking.

While I was drinking myself into a bleeding stomach ulcer at dinner meetings trying to close contracts, they were skiing in the Alps.

While I pulled all-nighters tweaking project proposals until dawn, they were kissing under the Eiffel Tower.

While I took work calls with an IV drip in my arm at the clinic, they were watching the sunset on a beach in the Maldives.

...

I had asked him to go on trips with me back then, even just a quick weekend getaway.

Every time, he would rub his temples, lean exhaustedly against my shoulder, and say:

"Chloe, I can't afford to lose focus right now. Let's go after the company goes public, okay? I'll take you anywhere you want."

I had believed him. I even secretly bookmarked dozens of travel itineraries.

Yet his annual "solo business trips" were all just dates with Rachel.

Staring at the screen, I suddenly laughed out loud.

Without another second of hesitation, I took my resignation letter straight to HR.

The HR manager looked stunned. "Chloe, you've been here since day one. The company literally just went public, why are you leaving now?"

"Besides, didn't Mr. Miller say he’d grant you any wish once we were listed? Isn't it a waste to walk away now?"

That I loved Ethan was an open secret across the entire company.

Yet he never showed any affection toward me in public, and he never allowed me to cross professional boundaries.

He even insisted we take different routes to and from work.

Our coworkers assumed it was just unrequited love on my end—that I was leaving because my feelings were never returned.

Looking back, maybe that was for the best.

Falling for him was my own choice.

Falling out of love meant I could walk away clean.

As for that "wish," I had originally planned to use it to propose to him.

He used to tell me he didn't really believe in marriage, so he wasn't looking to settle down anytime soon.

I had waited seven years; I didn't mind waiting a few more.

But now, I was tired. I didn't want to wait anymore.

"Yeah, maybe it is a waste, but I really just need a long break. Please go ahead and process it."

Seeing how set I was, she stopped trying to talk me out of it.

After finishing all the paperwork, I went back to our place and found Ethan spacing out over a diamond ring.

When he saw me walk in, he frantically shoved it out of sight, acting defensive. "You're home? Oh, by the way, I'm heading out on a business trip tomorrow. Just letting you know."

I set my keys down. "Okay."

I never argued with him, and I never questioned his plans.

Just as I turned toward the bedroom, he grabbed my wrist.

"Chloe, aren't you going to ask how long I'll be gone?"

I paused, surprised he was asking.

Usually, he just notified me so I’d pack his bags.

Looking at his shifting eyes, I forced a faint smile. "Sorry. Work was hectic today, my head's a bit foggy."

His expression softened, and he leaned in to press a sudden kiss against my cheek.

"Chloe, I haven't properly congratulated you on the IPO yet. Tell me what you want. When I get back, I'll make it happen."

I knew I should let it go.

Yet a stubborn, foolish ache remained—I wanted to take one last shot.

Consider it a final closure for those seven years.

I took his hand and looked at him steadily.

"Ethan, if my wish is to marry you, would you say yes?"