Otherwise I might run off with someone else, and then he'd be devastated.
But Gavin had said:
【She's already thirty. Who'd want her if she left me? Don't bother with her. Just let her stew.】
This morning, at six o'clock, Anna had messaged him:
【Mr. Gilbert, I'd love to come ring the Nasdaq bell and see how the big leagues do it. Could you bring me along? I just don't know if Eunice would object……】
The buzzing woke Gavin up. He made an excuse about going to the bathroom and fired back instantly:
【Object to what? I'll just tell her not to come and that'll be the end of it! She's always whining about her stomach hurting. A moment as important as ringing the bell, and she'd stand there in front of the cameras with a sour face groaning about pain. People would think the company's top executive was about to keel over!】
Anna sent a happy kissing emoji:
【Fine, then it's on you to keep Eunice sweet, okay? I don't want her firing off at me out of nowhere!】
【Relax, leave it all to me! I guarantee you'll get exactly what you want.】
……
By the time I'd finished reading through every last message, an hour had gone by.
I pushed down the bitterness flooding my chest. Just as I was about to gather my files, a new message popped up on Gavin's account.
It was a post from Anna:
【This blue-diamond ring suits me perfectly! Absolutely stunning! I love it so much!】
The photo was of her hand wearing the ring.
She'd tagged Gavin to make sure he saw it.
He liked it almost instantly, then sent Anna a private message:
【It looks like it was custom-made for you! It really does suit you. It's yours!】
Anna sent a super-shocked emoji:
【Really? You're really giving it to me? Mr. Gilbert, I love you so much! I'm going to announce to the whole world that you're the best boss alive!】
A minute later, she sent over the new status she'd just posted on social media.
She'd officially declared Gavin the best boss in the world.
With over a hundred thousand followers, she also let them in on the news that she'd be accompanying her boss to ring the Nasdaq bell the next day.
Her fans and followers flooded the comments with open envy.
Everyone in the comments was begging to know the company's name.
But she played coy, saying she'd reveal it the next day.
Seeing how hard she was working to praise him, Gavin sent Anna the address of tonight's private dinner too:
【Let's have dinner together tonight.】
For the first time, I realized just how easily my own man could be lured away by another woman.
Anna said one word about wanting to see the big leagues, and he handed her my place and the gown I'd spent a year carefully preparing.
She said one word about liking it, and he could give away the proposal ring meant for me.
She tossed out one line calling him the best boss in the world, and he could bring her along to a dinner that was supposed to be just the two of us.
In that case, I hoped he'd enjoy the big gift waiting for him tomorrow.
I dialed the rival, Matthew Sanchez, again:
"I want every step of the share acquisition completed the moment he rings the bell. Can you make that happen on your end?"
"I can."
After hanging up, I exported all the chat records between Gavin and Anna.
I also printed three copies of the documents that needed Gavin's signature.
Then I changed clothes, used makeup to hide the pallor my stomach pain had left on my face, and took a cab to the company.
When I reached the CEO's office, I hadn't even gotten close before I heard the two of them laughing inside, not bothering to hide it.
I acted as if I hadn't heard a thing. Ignoring the assistant's attempts to stop me, I pushed the door straight open.
Anna was leaning against the edge of Gavin's desk, a tablet in her hand, her lips close to his ear, murmuring something I couldn't make out.
Gavin was grinning ear to ear.
Not the slightest bit fazed by my arrival.
I walked straight over and flipped the documents to the last page for him to sign.
He didn't even glance at it. Still chatting away with Anna, he picked up the pen and signed his name.
