Everyone in our social circle knew the truth: I was crazy about Jade Henson. The loyal dog kneeling at the hem of her skirt, desperate for a scrap of affection.
But reality was far colder. While I drank myself into a stomach hemorrhage to secure contracts for the Henson Group, she was out celebrating a new intern's birthday.
That night, something inside me finally snapped. I paid a doctor to forge a terminal stomach cancer diagnosis, faked my death, and vanished abroad.
Jade went insane. She hired countless mystics and mediums, trying to summon my soul, begging to see me just one more time.
She didn't get her wish until three years later.
I returned to the country—not as her dog, but as a tycoon looking to expand my empire alongside my new wife. At the banquet, I ran into Jade. Haggard. A shadow of her former self.
Her eyes went wide. Shock first, then a glimmer of desperate hope. "Andrew? Andrew Mason, you finally came back to see me." Her voice cracked. "You've forgiven me, haven't you?"
A cold smile tugged at my lips. "Of course I came to see you, Jade." I straightened my cufflinks. "After all, I'm here to acquire the Henson Group. It's a birthday gift for my wife."
——
*Three years earlier.*
The glow of my phone screen cut through the darkness of the hospital room. Jade's latest social media post. Another photo. Another smile that wasn't for me.
A sharp pain gnawed at my gut. Beside my bed, the doctor clutched his clipboard like a shield.
"Mr. Mason, I cannot stress this enough." He adjusted his glasses, his tone grave. "No matter the reason, you cannot drink another drop of alcohol. If you continue down this path, your ulcers will deteriorate into stomach cancer."
I nodded. Feigned remorse. "I understand."
But beneath the guilt, a twisted sense of satisfaction curled in my chest. Another massive order secured for the Henson Group.
In the business world, they called me a "mad dog." I didn't care about my life—only the deal. Jade had used her love as a leash, binding me to her, making me a willing martyr for her family's company.
Three years of marriage. Three years of destroying my health with alcohol. Three years of dragging the Henson Group from the brink of bankruptcy back to its throne as an industry leader.
I believed, with absolute certainty, that Jade loved me.
So when I first noticed Max Pruitt—the new intern—eyeing her with hungry intentions, I didn't hesitate. I staked my claim.
Jade had just chuckled, brushing it off. "You love being jealous, don't you, Andrew?"
But she didn't draw a line. Instead, she let him linger. Let herself tangle further in his orbit.
My jealousy festered into madness. I threw tantrums, eroding her patience until she finally snapped. One cold sentence before she walked out: "I'm taking Max to the Zhou Group to negotiate the deal. Think about your behavior while I'm gone."
This time, I didn't scream. Didn't beg. Didn't grab her arm and force her to say she loved me.
Instead, I went straight to Max Pruitt.
"The Henson Group doesn't welcome you." My voice came out flat. Dead. "Write your resignation letter. Now."
Max stood before me, face pale. He looked like a college student who hadn't yet shed his naive, bookish air. Yet he met my gaze with surprising stubbornness.
"Andrew, I'm not leaving." His fists clenched at his sides. "I know I'm not as capable as you yet, but I want to try. Please, give me a chance."
"A chance?" I signaled HR to send the termination notice immediately. "You think an intern is worthy of negotiating the Zhou deal? You?"
His jaw tightened. "Andrew, you can't fire me without cause."
I looked down at him, letting my contempt show. "Your performance is substandard. You failed your probation. That is cause enough."
I leaned in close. My voice dropped to a whisper. "Out of humanitarian pity, I'll give you ten thousand bucks in severance. But you—get out. Now."
Before he could respond, the office door slammed open.
The sharp staccato of high heels cut through the tension. Jade Henson marched in.
For years, she had rarely stepped foot in the company, entrusting everything to me. One hundred percent faith in my judgment.
But today, she didn't even glance in my direction. She walked straight to Max's side and, in front of the entire staff, ripped the termination notice in half.
Her hand settled on his shoulder. Her voice dripped with a gentleness I hadn't heard in years.
"Don't be afraid, Max. As long as I'm here, no one can fire you." Her gaze swept the room. "You will always be a part of the Henson Group."
