In my third year working as Bryan Lukyn's executive assistant, he announced his engagement.

His fiancée no longer wanted any female assistants working closely with him.

I was one of them.

To make up for it, he arranged for me to date his older brother.

"He's richer than I. The only thing is, he has a child.

"If you're okay with that, want to give it a shot?"

Actually, I didn't mind.

After all, I was the one who gave birth to that child.

--

I used to be in a relationship with Alfred Lukyn.

Bryan had no clue.

If he did, he wouldn't treat me like this—so cold and heartless, ordering me around like a dog.

I was 22 back then when I dated Alfred, young and clueless.

I mistook him, who had come here to check out the front lines, for just another job-hunting nobody like me.

He looked like a total mess back then.

Despite wearing a suit, his face was covered in dirt.

By the side of the road, he sat eating a TV dinner, with a pile of documents beside him.

The man seemed completely down and out.

I'd just been turned down from a job and was feeling emotional.

So I bought two boxes of meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and handed one to him.

I told him, "Here, take this.

"Yours looks too plain. You won't get full on that."

His lunch was just some wilted veggies and dried-up meat.

I sat about one meter away from him, feeling really down.

I imagined how miserable it'd be if I couldn't find a job.

Would I end up sitting on the street, too, waiting for someone to hand me a meal?

I was so caught up in my feelings that I didn't even notice the shocked and curious look on his face.

Over that simple meal, we talked a little about our lives.

We even exchanged names.

That's where things started going off track.

I thought he came from an ordinary background, just like me.

And Alfred didn't mind pretending to be just an average guy.

We started running into each other more often.

Each time felt like a pure coincidence.

When he told me he liked me, I believed it was all destiny.

Right up until one of those ridiculous scenes you'd only expect in cheesy romance novels actually happened.

I was at a luxury shopping mall, helping my supervisor pick out Thanksgiving presents for our important clients.

Then I spotted Alfred—acting like a big spender.

His posture was relaxed and slightly slouched.

The tip of his shoe tapped the ground.

He looked impatient, but still took the time to give a girl some advice.

Once she finally picked the one she liked, he let out a long breath, raised his hand, and asked the staff to write down the bill.

And yet just the night before, he was still hanging around my cheap apartment, asking me for a head message.

He'd been venting about how stressful his job was and how unfairly his boss was treating him.

I sat with my thoughts for a while.

Should I keep pretending we were in some perfect relationship?

Or should I just be honest and ask him to make it up to me somehow?

In the end, I didn't do either.

I made the worst choice.

I exposed his lies, and I didn't ask for anything in return.

He didn't look shocked at all.

Instead, he calmly told me who he really was.

Then he said he wanted to take me to his real home.

His own home.

That manor was probably worth so much that I'd need to start making money back in the Roman Empire just to afford it.

In his study, I noticed piles of documents.

As a rich heir, he took his duties seriously.

Back when we first met, he was actually at the port for an inspection.

That port was a major project for Lukyn Group.

But something went wrong.

It was blazing hot that summer.

He hurried to the construction site with blueprints, data, and a whole team of engineers in tow.

They inspected the area directly.

He made quick decisions and adjusted the setup while making sure resources were managed well.

The note-taker had written up a thick stack of meeting notes.

No one had thought he'd actually show up at the construction site.

So, there were no special meals ready.

When lunchtime came around, Alfred sat by the road, reading through those meeting notes while having his meal.

He waited for the team to report the final results.

That's when I saw him.

I felt foolish for not realizing how expensive his watch was, or how perfectly tailored his suit looked.

He asked me if we really had to break up.

He told me that love isn't as important as personal gain.

I was only 24—still too young to fully understand.

I still believed that love had to be perfect, with no flaws at all.

I replied, "This isn't the same.

"We're not the same."

I didn't cry or say anything dramatic.

I left as calmly as if I'd been fired.

But things didn't go as planned.

Within a month, I understood that money really matters.

Because my period hasn't come after a month.

I found out I was pregnant.

The company began firing a lot of employees, even those who were pregnant.

My boss said, "We'll pay compensation—fully."

He told the pregnant women on maternity leave to go home and take care of their babies.

He said if too many women kept getting pregnant, he wouldn't hire female employees anymore.

Before anyone knew I was pregnant, I quickly showed how committed I was to the job.

I promised I wouldn't let the pregnancy affect the project.

I also took three days off to get an abortion.

My boss was impressed and even made me an example to others.

When I saw myself in the mirror, I didn't feel human anymore. I felt like a tool— like a working animal.

I stayed quiet while my colleagues talked behind my back.

I booked an appointment for an abortion and headed to the hospital.

But before I could go in, one of Alfred's bodyguards stopped me in a car.

At that time, Alfred was out of the country.

That very night, he took a flight and landed here six hours later.

He asked me not to go through with the abortion and wanted the child to be born.

He offered me a very good deal in return.

I said yes.

To keep things from getting emotional, I didn't even glance at the baby girl when she was born.

Alfred took her and gave her the name Esme.

Esme—like a beautiful emerald.

I think Alfred truly likes her.

So, there's no need for me to worry anymore.

I left New York and moved to Florida.

In the end, I still couldn't escape the Lukyn family.

Bryan, Alfred's younger brother, was running things in the Florida branch.

I sent my resume to many companies.

Somehow, without even realizing it, I had applied for the assistant position under Bryan.

When I went in for the interview, it went without a problem.

And just like that, I ended up becoming Bryan's executive assistant.

My tasks included managing his daily plans.

Sometimes I had to bring him drinks or go out for coffee.

When the chief executive assistant wasn't around, I had to deal with a few important clients.

Usually, I didn't have to follow him around on business trips.

Overall, the job had a lot of tasks, but nothing too exhausting.

The pay was really good.

With the money Bryan gave me, I had already bought a house.

This job could've given me a peaceful and steady life.

But that all changed when Bryan's fiancée appeared.

"Hannah Breslin? Can you hear me?"

Bryan tapped the table to grab my attention.

"You don't need to think about it that long. What's with the hesitation? Not good enough for you?"

He smiled, but his voice had a hint of annoyance.

I glanced at the work schedule and slid the calendar over to him.

"You have a meeting from 11:00 to 11:30. Lunch with Mr. Hibben is scheduled at 12:00. His family has a wedding coming up, and I already picked out a gift. You'll need to bring it. From 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., there's a golf event, but Mr. Adelson also invited you to go horseback riding at the same time. You'll need to pick one. At 5:00 p.m., you will take a client to visit the R&D department and discuss the contract. Dinner is planned for tonight at Rocca Restaurant. The menu has been decided. It will be mainly Italian cuisine. Right now, it's 10:43. Dennis mentioned that a few executives want to report to you early. You can meet them now if you'd like."

I stopped talking for a moment, then added, "As for the blind date with your brother—let's just forget about it."

Bryan leaned back in his executive chair, tilting his head upward.

He pushed lightly off the floor with his toes, slowly spinning the chair.

His eyes stayed on me for a while, like he was trying to figure something out.

"Huh."

Then he gave a slight grin, "Hannah, are you keeping something from me?"

I answered, "I know your brother."

Saying we dated would've been too much.

If no close family or friends know, it's not really anything serious.

"Oh, you know him?"

He nodded slowly.

His foot suddenly stopped mid-motion.

He studied my face, took a breath, and said firmly, "Wait, have you dated my brother?"

Even though I'd long grown used to the contempt of those in power.

Still, hearing the word "date" made me uncomfortable.

I replied, "Yes."

He stood up quickly, smiled, and guided me to the sofa.

He carefully poured me a cup of tea.

"Come on, do you have any idea who the mother of his daughter is?

"No matter how many times we've asked him, he won't say a word.

"He never liked kids, so he must've really loved that woman to keep the child.

"You dated him, right? Come on, tell me, who's his favorite?"

Who could it be?

Is it the girl he actually goes shopping with?

Or maybe she's just another person in his life.

I pressed my lips together.

"I'm not sure who he likes the most, but I know it's not me."

Bryan laughed loudly.

"Still upset about that? My brother usually isn't that cheap."

I continued, "Maybe it was for another girl. When I was with him, I lived in a rental house."

Bryan's face froze, surprised.

He was clearly shocked.

"You lived where?" He asked again.

"A rental? He let you live in a rental house?"

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

"It wasn't his. I got the place myself. He didn't live with me."

"Seriously? He didn't even help with the rent? That's seriously low."

Bryan straightened his shirt, stood up, and started walking around.

Every now and then, he glanced over at me.

"I didn't expect you to be such a real romantic, Hannah. With how you look, giving you a small apartment to live in isn't a big deal. Why haven't you thought about leaving him?"

He was sizing me up.

If this had been in the past, I would've cursed him out without hesitation.

I adjusted my expression and softened my tone. "I didn't really understand things back then."

I said it with a hint of a joke.

"So, how about giving me a bit more as compensation?"

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Someone peeked inside halfway.

"Mr. Lukyn, the meeting is starting soon."

Bryan gave a nod and fixed his suit.

I quickly moved forward to hold the door open.

He grabbed a folder and walked past.

"You're not on the layoff list. Get back to work."

What a shame.

I had hoped to get a bit more compensation.

Now I have no choice but to resign on my own.

Bryan's fiancée has been getting a lot of attention around the office lately.

Word is, she's the granddaughter of some big shot in New York, and her parents are also extremely wealthy.

She's got a strong background and a strong personality, too.

After the engagement, she demanded that Bryan let go of every female assistant who worked closely with him.

He had two chief executive assistants—one male, one female.

They were like his right and left hands.

The female one was great at her job, and Bryan always had her back.

But the rest of us—the executive assistant and the basic personal assistants, including me—weren't so lucky.

Even if we weren't fired, staying wouldn't do us any good.

Who knows when the fiancée might start getting suspicious of us, too?

I walked back to my office.

Just in time to run into a colleague from another department, dropping by the administrative office for a stamp.

When they saw me, they gave me that sad, knowing look.

"Hannah, when are you leaving? Let's have one last meal together."

I pulled out a chair and leaned over the desk.

"Earliest would be next month—gotta go through the whole process."

"Process? You don't need to wait if you're getting fired, right?"

I replied, "I'm resigning. Mr. Lukyn doesn't plan to fire me. If anyone has a resignation letter template, send it my way."

I'm truly grateful for the company's support...

Due to personal reasons...

I've decided to resign.

I hit send on the resignation email, pushed the keyboard away, and let out a long, deep breath.

Then I thought again about how lightly Bryan had said those words.

He must've really loved that woman to keep the child.

I still don't understand how Alfred truly feels about me.

Back when I was working in New York, the neighborhood I lived in was usually where newcomers to the city first settled.

It had all the basics, but the people living there came from all walks of life.

That's where I experienced being stalked for the first time in my life.

Not long after, someone broke into my house for the first time.

That night, I didn't sleep well.

My phone buzzed and woke me up.

The peephole camera was flashing a warning.

Someone unfamiliar was standing outside for a long time.

The person had his face covered with a hat and gloves.

You couldn't see his face clearly, and his body was hidden by loose clothes.

He picked the lock quickly, like he was a professional.

Now and then, he glanced behind and whispered to his companions.

I stood in the living room for a moment before my instincts led me to the kitchen to grab a knife.

I locked myself in the bedroom, kept my eyes on the surveillance camera, and shakily dialed the police.

Then I tried calling Alfred again.

His voice sounded rough, like he had just woken up and was still tired.

"What's going on?" he asked.

I told him, "Someone's trying to break into my house."

He was silent for a beat.

Then I heard the quiet shuffle of him getting out of bed and pulling on his clothes.

He sounded fully alert now.

He asked, "How many are out there? Are they armed?"

"I only noticed two people... I didn't see any weapons, but I can't tell if they're carrying something."

He tried to stay calm and said, "Don't panic. Go to your room and lock the door."

Suddenly, the surveillance screen went black.

The door creaked softly.

I heard footsteps entering the living room, coming closer and closer.

The thief started pushing open the bedroom door.

I gripped the knife tightly, thinking about whether I should make the first move.

The rush of fear was intense. I could barely stand.

Even though I held the knife, my hand felt weak, like I couldn't swing it right.

Suddenly, noise erupted outside the door.

A few dull thuds broke the silence.

I could hear someone yelling and groaning in pain.

Glass shattered, and small items clattered to the floor.

"Alfred?" I called out.

"It's fine," he replied, his voice low and out of breath. "Stay inside, it'll be over soon."

I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

Then I sat on the bed, completely drained.

After a while, there was a knock on the door.

I moved aside the heavy thing I had used to block it.

The living room was a mess.

One of the thieves was lying on the ground, barely conscious, getting dragged out by the ankle like a dead pig.

Alfred cleaned the blood from his knuckles and pulled me close.

His coat was cold, but I could smell the tobacco mixed with the warmth of his body.

He wrapped his arms around me.

Then he bent down and kissed the top of my head.

One of the men who came with him gave a small cough.

"Alfred, what should we do with these guys?"

He said, "Check if they've got any past crimes. Let them spend a few more years in prison."

Alfred gently stroked the back of my head.

With my face still buried in his shoulder, I mumbled, "Were those your friends? Showing up this late at night... I should treat them to a meal sometime."

He replied, "It's fine, don't worry about them. You should get some sleep. I'll stay here with you tonight."

The police had shown up by then.

Alfred lit a cigarette and softly urged me to go back to the bedroom.

Their quiet talk didn't last very long.

He came into the room and lay down behind me, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

I was still shaking.

He whispered, "Don't be scared. This won't happen again."

I turned toward him and gave him a quick kiss.

Alfred froze for a moment, caught off guard.

He was always direct when it came to intimacy.

I had gotten used to him taking off his belt, pushing my head down, and entering me without a second thought.

But that night, he was unusually gentle.

He only held my wrists and placed them behind his neck.

Then he rolled over, leaned in gently, and kissed me back.

The wind in late autumn was strong and chilly.

But his skin felt like it was burning hot.

When his hand cupped my cheek, for a moment, I believed he really loved me.

But those memories have been replayed too often, like tasteless gum that's already been chewed.

When we sat across from each other at his manor to talk about benefits and gains, I knew I couldn't fool myself with that faint trace of sweetness anymore.

Maybe he saw me as a lovely pet.

Even if he didn't touch it himself, he couldn't stand anyone else laying a hand on it.

That's all.

Work was over.

Today is Friday.

I had already sent in my resignation email.

The soonest I'd hear back would be Monday.

I cleaned up my workspace and slowly erased my presence.

But then, unexpectedly, Bryan gave me a call on Sunday night.

He must've just gotten off a flight—there was a bit of background noise.

"Hannah, what do you mean by 'personal reasons' in your resignation?" he asked.

"Mr. Lukyn, I'm 29 now. I think it's time I settle down and build a family," I replied.

He didn't say anything right away.

After a short pause, he said, "Are you worried I'll try to set you up with my brother again? Don't overthink it."

I said, "No. I met someone through a blind date recently. I was already planning to leave work around this time."

"What kind of background does he have?" he asked.

I replied, "He doesn't really have one. He's just a college associate professor."

He responded, "I see. Alright. Do your best for the next 30 days, and I'll give you a bonus—consider it a parting gift."

"Thank you, Mr. Lukyn."

He added, "Also, pick out a gift—something a little girl would like. Come with me to New York next Friday."

A little girl.

For a second, I felt dazed.

"... Okay, Mr. Lukyn."

It was my first time stepping into Lukyn's residence.

The living room was full of cheerful voices and happy faces.

A servant came around, pouring coffee and placing snacks skillfully.

I trailed behind Bryan, holding a gift box.

But instead of looking at him, everyone in the room turned to stare at me.

Bryan's fiancée, Josie Sloane, looked angry.

She asked, "Who's she?"

She tried to smile but didn't quite manage to hide her displeasure.

Bryan slid into a seat near his mother, Marie Lukyn, and answered calmly, "She's just my assistant. I asked her to help pick a gift for Esme. She's just dropping it off."

The tension in the room seemed to ease a bit after that.

I nodded quickly, passed the gift box to a servant, and said, "Mr. Lukyn, I'll leave first."

He waved his hand without much thought.

As I turned to leave, I unexpectedly locked eyes with a little girl on the staircase.

She looked about five or six years old, dressed in a maroon plaid cape dress.

She hopped along the curved staircase.

A man stood behind her, his gaze lowered.

He wasn't wearing a coat, just a shirt with the sleeves pushed up, showing his firm, lean arms.

He gently grabbed the girl's collar between two fingers to keep her steady.

My chest tightened for a second.

The girl kept her eyes on me, then suddenly jumped down the stairs toward the group.

On the sofa, Marie beamed and stretched out her arms.

"Come here, Esme, come to Grandma."

I stood frozen, still watching.

Esme Lukyn.

A lovely child, like a beautiful emerald.

She was Esme.

I quickly looked away, fixed my expression, and began to walk off.

But then, something clung tightly to my legs.

Her small hands were warm.

With her wrapped around me, it felt like a soft but heavy charm hanging from my body.

She raised her head and called out confidently, "Mommy!"

The whole room froze.

Without thinking, I glanced toward the man on the stairs.

Alfred looked thinner than before.

The smooth, youthful fullness in his face had faded.

Now his skin was tight against sharp, cold features.

He stared at me for a while, then lowered his eyes.

A small smile formed as he stepped toward me.

He bent down and gently tried to loosen the girl's grip from my legs.

He didn't dare pull too hard.

Esme clung to me tightly, and even when he pulled her apart, she wrapped herself around me again like a stubborn octopus.

"Esme," Alfred said firmly.

"Be good. Don't disturb her."

Esme froze for a second.

Then she called out, "Mommy..."

On the sofa, Bryan looked like his eyes were about to pop out.

Alfred's expression darkened, and he quietly lifted her into his arms.

"Sorry about that," he said calmly, holding Esme with one arm.

"She's never met her mother before. It's easy for her to get confused and call someone else by mistake."

I snapped out of it and nodded.

"It's alright. I get it."

Bryan let out a long breath and clutched his chest. He said, "Wow, that gave me a heart attack. Alfred, your kid nearly scared me to death. I really thought I'd been bossing around my sister-in-law for the past three years."

A few people chuckled at his joke.

Alfred noticed the gift box I brought.

"Ms. Breslin," He waved me over.

"The kid likes being around you. Can you take the gift and keep her company for a bit?"

I glanced at Bryan.

Bryan lifted his hand. "Go ahead."

I let out a quiet sigh.

I picked up the gift box again and walked toward Alfred.

The hallway was completely quiet.

Sunlight streamed through the glass panels and lit up the carpet.

The fine dust sparkled like tiny diamonds.

Esme rested her head on Alfred's shoulder and stared at me without blinking.

"Are you planning to resign?" Alfred asked.

I nodded.

"There's no severance pay if you quit on your own."

"I understand."

"You've been in this field for years, and now you're giving up money just to save face?"

I replied, "That's not the reason."

He paused and turned his head toward me.

His arm was firmly holding Esme, showing strong, defined muscles.

He asked, "If you're not trying to stay away from the Lukyn family, then why quit your job?"

I answered, "This position isn't very stressful, but I have to be available all the time. I want to put more of my energy into taking care of my family."

He tightened his fingers slowly.

The muscles in his hand shifted slightly.

"Oh, taking care of your family," he repeated in a tone I couldn't quite read and kept walking.

"Are you on a blind date?" he asked again.

"Yeah," I replied casually.

Then he suggested, "Bring him over sometime, I'll take a look."

I said with a smile, "That won't be needed. He's just an ordinary person—not someone you'd care about."

He asked back, "But an ordinary guy is good enough for you?"

I replied, "Back then, when we were together, you never told me you were the heir of the Lukyn Group either."

He didn't know how to respond for a second.

We walked through the hallway a couple more times.

He bent down halfway, set Esme on her feet, and pointed at the indoor play area.

"Esme, I have something to do. Go play for a while, okay?"

Esme grabbed her toy box and headed over, turning to look at us every few steps.

The hallway stayed quiet.

The early autumn air was cool, but the sunlight was warm.

Alfred leaned against the window and pulled out a cigarette.

He searched his pockets a few times, looking a bit nervous.

I took out my lighter, cupped the blue flame, and helped him light his cigarette.

He froze for a second as the light smoke swirled around him.

"When did you pick up smoking?"

I replied, "I didn't. Mr. Lukyn always loses his lighter, so I carry one just in case."

I moved a few steps away, putting some space between us.

"Hannah," he suddenly called my name.

"I've always wondered why you left so decisively back then. Was it really just because I lied to you about my family background?"