Romance, Going Solo

The chat history was unnervingly clean.

No flirtation. No ambiguity. Just files and work reports.

However, I knew Jeremy too well.

He was cautious and addicted to the adrenaline rush.

I opened the 'Annual Listening Report' link and shared it with that two-person group chat.

The very next second, Everly sent a message.

[Jeremy, you were so naughty in the car just now… My lips are all swollen.]

I did not reply and simply deleted the shared link.

...

When Jeremy came out of the shower, he looked refreshed.

"Oh, right, the company's having a team outing this weekend. Everly said she hasn't seen you in a while. You should come, too."

He said it casually while drying his hair.

In the past, he never brought me to those things.

His excuse was always to keep work and personal life separate.

This time, the invitation was probably meant to ease my suspicions.

"Sure."

He paused, clearly surprised at how agreeable I was, then walked over and kissed my forehead.

"That's more like it. Stop overthinking everything."

The moment his lips touched my skin, my stomach churned.

I forced myself not to push him away.

...

That weekend, we went to a resort villa.

When I arrived, Everly was standing right beside Jeremy.

She was wearing a cream-colored knit sweater with a pleated skirt.

It was the sweater I had bought for her just last month.

It cost over 400 dollars. For an intern, it was extravagant.

Back then, she had messaged me, crying about how cold the winter was and how she did not have warm clothes.

My heart had softened…and I sent it to her.

So, she stood there in the clothes that I had bought, beside my boyfriend, smiling brightly.

"Sabrina! I haven't seen you in a while! I've missed you so much!"

The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up. She rushed over and looped her arm through mine affectionately.

She carried the same scent Jeremy had when he came home that night.

A cheap, overly sweet peach fragrance.

Then, she looked me up and down, feigning surprise.

"Sabrina, why are you dressed like this? Jeremy doesn't like this kind of old-fashioned style. I work with him now, so I know his tastes very well."

Her tone was soft, but every word pierced.

I ignored her.

Her intentions were far too obvious.

"Jeremy mentions you a lot, too," I said lightly. "He says you're very capable. Even your taste in music is exactly like his."

Everly's expression stiffened. She instinctively glanced at Jeremy.

He frowned. "Sabrina, don't be sarcastic."

Seeing that I did not respond, Everly dropped the pretense entirely.

She tilted her head, her face innocent.

"These past few years, it's all thanks to your support, Sabrina, that I get to wear such nice clothes. But I should thank Jeremy, too. He said this color makes my skin look fair and...makes me look especially youthful."

She emphasized the word 'youthful,' and her gaze was openly provocative.

My fingertips trembled slightly, a coldness settling deep inside me.

Everly was 21, full of youthful radiance, and her skin was plump and supple.

However, I was only 28, not too far off. In fact, I was successful and still in my prime.

In what way was I inferior to her?

She continued, as if enjoying herself, saying, "Oh, right! Jeremy also said he's going to make me a full-time employee early next month."

Full-time?

Everly was still a senior in college. She had only been at the company for half a month.

I turned to look at Jeremy.

He avoided my gaze, a flicker of guilt passing through his face.

"Everly's been performing well. I'm planning to convert her position to a full-time one next month."

I let out a cold laugh.

She had used my money to buy clothes, slept with my boyfriend, and finally, she was leveraging that relationship to take shortcuts in her career.

What a perfectly calculated move!