Chapter 3

Sarah, I hope this surprise meets your expectations.

After turning off the lights, I could clearly sense the weight next to me lighten.

Not long after, once she was certain my breathing had steadied, Sarah tiptoed to the bathroom.

The sound of their conversation reached my ears with crystal clarity.

"Sarah, it's so hard being away from you. If John hates me, I'll just leave this city."

"I've actually had a crush on you for a long time. Even if being by your side briefly meant my death, I'd have no regrets."

I knew Mark was making a strategic retreat to advance.

But those two simple sentences were enough to make Sarah choke up.

After ending the video call, she rushed off to find him.

I slowly opened my eyes, gazing at this empty home, a wave of bitterness washing over me.

Four years ago, she had angered a colleague and was tied up by kidnappers in an abandoned stairwell, in danger of falling at any moment.

Following orders, I descended from above on a safety rope and rescued her.

From that day on, she showered me with wild displays of affection, even going so far as to make a grand gesture at the fire station, lavishly gifting flowers and cars without a second thought.

Later, I accepted her pursuit, and in the second year of our relationship, we walked down the aisle."John, in this lifetime, you can only love me. You can't cheat, and you definitely can't look at other women."

I etched these words deeply into my heart, never imagining she'd be the first to break our initial promise.

Overcome with sorrow, I fell into a deep slumber.

Early morning, I packed my bags and received a notification that my phone service had been deactivated.

After finishing a call with the Chief, Sarah suddenly appeared behind me, seemingly out of nowhere.

"John, where are you going with those packed bags?"

I stared, transfixed, at her collarbone covered in red marks.

Sarah had once said she wouldn't allow me to leave any marks on her body.

It would affect her image, she'd claimed.

Yet now, she freely allowed Mark to leave his traces all over her.

Feeling my gaze, Sarah awkwardly closed her shirt, forcing an embarrassed laugh: "Oh, these are just mosquito bites from outside."

I didn't call her out on the lie, not wanting to stir up any more drama at this point.

It was better to just leave quietly.

She didn't seem to notice my displeased expression as she fetched a suit and held it out to me.

Only then did I remember that today was the company's celebration party.

"The company's stock has doubled, and I'll be announcing some good news today. I want you to be there to witness it with me, okay?"Gazing into those earnest eyes, I nodded in agreement.

While waiting at the traffic light, I glimpsed her smiling as she replied to Mark's messages through the rearview mirror.

Their background was still that intimate couple's photo, cheek-to-cheek, looking closer than lovers.

Yet I distinctly remember her saying she didn't photograph well, constantly dodging my camera.

Turns out she simply didn't want to take pictures with me.

The car sped along, and the company was packed with guests. From a distance, I could see Mark swirling his wine glass, his face brimming with smugness.

"Mark, you young talent! To think you've even caught Ms. Carlisle's eye. If you become the boss someday, don't forget about your buddies!"

"Yeah, everyone knows Ms. Carlisle's especially fond of you. We're all dying of envy here."

The men exchanged knowing smiles, all aware of what the others meant.

Mark was frequently seen in Sarah's office, always with the curtains drawn tight, no one allowed to enter.

In their minds, they'd already accepted Mark as the future boss.