Chapter 4

Julian walked out of his office, hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, waving her goodbye.

He didn't look sad at all.

I felt like the biggest clown on earth.

Thinking about all our late-night chats, a wave of bitterness washed over me.

My only saving grace was that I had used a burner Snapchat account and never revealed my real name or face.

Otherwise, I’d have to resign and flee the country.

I took a deep breath. No guy was worth losing my career over. I was a professional. I wasn't going to quit a great job over some online drama.

In the afternoon, Julian messaged me.

[Chloe, the investor is here. He reviewed the proposal and likes it. Come in and present your pitch.]

I put on my best professional face, stood tall, and walked in.

"Chloe, this is our lead investor, who also happens to be my best friend, Ethan Cross. Don't be nervous. Just pitch your ideas to him."

I completely ignored Julian and looked at the man sitting on the sofa.

My eyes locked with Ethan's.

Unlike Julian’s warm, approachable vibe, this man exuded pure wealth and power. He had a cold, untouchable aura.

He wore a tailored black V-neck suit over a fitted black mock-neck sweater.

The sweater clung to his incredibly broad chest, hinting at a powerful build that was teasingly concealed by his jacket.

It was enough to make any girl's imagination run wild.

His long, pale fingers picked up a glass of water, and he took a slow sip.

I was completely intimidated by his presence and swallowed hard.

At Julian's prompting, I began my presentation.

Once I got into work mode, my confidence returned. I was articulate and poised.

By the time I finished, Julian was clapping.

"Excellent job, Chloe! Ethan, what do you think?"

Both Julian and I looked at Ethan. But Ethan's eyes weren't on the papers—they were locked onto my collarbone.

Suddenly, he said, "Miss Miller, that's a beautiful necklace."

I looked down. My blouse had a slightly wide neckline, and my crystal pendant necklace was fully visible.

Panic seized me.

When I bought this necklace, I had sent a close-up photo of it to my online boyfriend.

[Look at my new necklace! Isn't it pretty?]

The photo had been a close-up of my collarbone and neck.

My online boyfriend had replied: [You'd look beautiful wearing anything.]

Now that the necklace was on display, would Julian recognize it?

I shot a quick glance at Julian, but he didn't seem to notice anything. He was just eagerly waiting for Ethan's feedback.

Of course. Julian had a real girlfriend. To him, I was just a fun online distraction. Why would he remember a detail like that? Only a fool like me would treasure every single memory.

I awkwardly covered my collarbone with my hand. "Thanks. Just a cheap piece of jewelry."

Julian sat down next to Ethan and took a sip of his coffee.

"So, what's the verdict?"

Julian stared at Ethan, but Ethan kept his eyes on me. After a long pause, he slowly murmured:

"It’s perfect."

Hearing this, Julian happily slapped Ethan’s shoulder.

"Ethan, you're a lifesaver! I knew I could count on you."

I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

All those sleepless nights working on this proposal had finally paid off.

Ethan brushed Julian's hand off his shoulder with a look of mild annoyance, then looked back at me with a faint, rare smile.

"Credit goes to Miss Miller. She's incredibly talented."

Even though it was our first meeting, I felt an odd sensation.

The intensity in Ethan's gaze made my ears burn.

Julian looked shocked.

"Whoa, hold on. Did the ice king just pay someone a compliment?"

"Well, to be fair, Chloe is amazing. Anyone would praise her."

"But you? Complimenting a girl? That's a first. Did the sun rise from the west today?"

"Oh, wait. I forgot about your girlfriend—actually, ex-girlfriend. She dumped you, didn't she? My bad, big mouth."

My ears instantly perked up. Ooh, tea!

The legendary billionaire investor, Ethan Cross, got dumped?

Who on earth would be dumb enough to dump a guy like him?

The next second, Ethan shot a dark, brooding glance in my direction.

I quickly looked down, suddenly feeling inexplicably guilty.

Ethan looked away, took a sip of his tea, and said coldly to Julian:

"Keep talking, and I'll pull my funding."

Julian immediately held his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright! My bad. You really can't take a joke, can you?"

Trying to calm my racing heart, I quickly excused myself.

"Julian, Mr. Cross, if that's all, I'll head back to my desk."

I practically fled the room.

Back at my desk, Julian sent me another message on WhatsApp.

[Chloe, are you free tonight? Mr. Cross still has a few questions about the proposal. He wants to discuss it over dinner. Our treat.]

I replied coldly: [Not interested.]

[If you go, I'll double your year-end bonus.]

Hey, nobody turns down free money. I replied instantly.

[Deal. Send me the address.]

Locking my phone, I thought about Julian meeting his girlfriend's parents tonight. A pang of sadness hit me, but I shook it off.

Well, Chloe, I thought to myself, unlucky in love, lucky in career.