“If you have further questions, you can ask Mr. Sinclair yourself,” Mr. Fletcher said, snapping Bryn out of her spiraling thoughts. She nodded numbly and left his office, her mind churning as she walked.
She approached the door to the CEO’s office, reaching out to push it open, but froze at the sound of voices inside.
“Alex, do you really think it’s a good idea to bring Francesca in as the design director? Aren’t you worried Bryn might be upset?” The voice was Hector Winters, Alex’s longtime best friend and assistant. Bryn’s breath caught, her fists clenching involuntarily.
“She’ll understand,” Alex replied after a brief pause, his voice calm and detached. “She’s always been sensible.”
Sensible. The word hit Bryn like a blow. So, because she was "sensible," he thought he could do this to her?
Hector laughed, clear and carefree. “True, Bryn is always kind and understanding. But don’t you think Francesca might be hoping to rekindle something with you? I mean, you did chase her for years in college. If she hadn’t gone abroad, you two probably would’ve ended up together.”
Bryn’s heart skipped a beat, each word digging deeper into wounds she hadn’t even realized were there.
“And considering how much you liked her back then,” Hector continued, oblivious to the effect his words had on Bryn, “do you think she’s come back for you?”
The silence that followed felt thick, suffocating. Bryn’s heart pounded as she waited for Alex’s response, her mind racing with dread. His silence felt like confirmation of her deepest fear.
Finally, Alex’s voice came through, colder than she’d ever heard it. “Don’t let Bryn find out.”
Francesca Clements. The name echoed in Bryn’s mind, like a haunting reminder. She was Alex’s past—his old flame, the one he had once pursued so relentlessly. Pieces fell into place in her mind. Was she nothing more than a replacement? Someone who merely resembled Francesca enough to keep his interest?
The thought gnawed at Bryn, wild and insistent, like a weed choking her heart. She couldn’t think about it any longer. She turned and stumbled away from the office, her footsteps heavy as she walked down the hall. The fluorescent lights flickered above, casting long, shadowy streaks along the floor. It was like walking through the darkness of her own mind.
Three years. They’d been living on borrowed time ever since her father’s business collapsed. The crushing debts, her father’s cancer diagnosis, her brother’s kidney failure—all of it had forced Bryn into a desperate bargain with Alex. In exchange for his financial support, she had agreed to be his mistress, all to save her family.
Now, three years later, she realized Alex hadn’t just taken her heart; he had become her world. They lived as a normal couple despite their choice to delay intimacy until marriage and even their friends thought they were a perfect match. Every night, as she lay beside him, Bryn felt a surge of gratitude, convinced that fate had brought her to a good place.
But now, after hearing those words, a wave of despair washed over her. Had she been nothing more than a stand-in all along?
Bryn forced a bitter smile, swallowing the ache building in her chest as she turned away. The weight in the air was heavy with silent stares as she walked back to her desk. But one gaze felt different, piercing through the crowd with sharp scrutiny. Moments later, Francesca rounded the corner, holding a stack of paperwork. With an air of casual authority, she approached Bryn’s desk, dropping the papers in front of her without so much as a glance.
