A few days later, Ashley stepped into Mr. Woodman’s office for a casual chat.
“I have to admit, I’m curious—what made you decide to take the overseas position?”
“You’re already a private banking president and at your age, that’s almost unheard of. Young people these days… your ambition is something else. Seems like even this level of success isn’t enough for you.”
“Your boyfriend’s okay with long distance? No plans to settle down?”
“I’m at a turning point in my career. That’s not something I want to think about right now.”
Ashley dodged the question with an easy excuse, taking a slow sip of coffee to mask the turbulence inside her.
Mr. Woodman, having spent years in the industry, had always admired women who fought their way to the top. She had seen too many give up their careers to focus on family and every time, it felt like a waste.
Ashley saw the pride and admiration in her former boss’s eyes and for a brief moment, guilt flickered through her. She lowered her gaze, pushing down the emotions threatening to surface.
“When will your transfer be finalized?”
“In about twenty days.” She forced a small smile, but behind her back, her fingers trembled.
Twenty more days. Then she’d be in Puerto Vendaval, far away from Max.
He wanted to play the big brother—so why would he care where she went?
As she waited for the elevator, her eyes unintentionally caught a glimpse of Max. Her breath hitched. Without hesitation, she stepped inside, pressing the button, willing the doors to close faster.
Just as they were about to shut, a strong, veined hand slid between them.
Max stepped in, his expression cold, his voice even colder. “You see me and don’t even say hello?” She kept her face unreadable. “Is this how your bank treats high-net-worth clients?”
It was just the two of them. She glanced at the security camera in the corner, then spoke evenly.
“Mr. Laguna.”
Max stilled for half a second before a slow, mocking smile tugged at his lips. “Ash, shouldn’t you be calling me 'big brother'?”
Hearing Max emphasizing their sibling-relationship, a tightness clenched in Ashley’s chest, the dull ache spreading through her like a slow-burning ember.
Her body trembled slightly, but she still gave him what he wanted.
“…Big brother.”
The moment the word left her lips, Max’s expression shifted—his brows drew together, the coldness in his eyes intensifying.
She didn’t understand what had set him off this time, but she had always been good at reading him. And right now, in her own workplace, she had no intention of letting things escalate. So, she took a steady breath and softened her tone.
“Are you here to discuss a corporate loan?”
Before he could answer, the elevator doors slid open on the fifth floor. Without warning, Max grabbed her wrist and pulled her out.
“What are you doing?” she asked, startled.
“Liliana has an interview here today,” he said, voice calm and casual. “She’s young, it’s her first time—she’s a little nervous.”
“I was in the area, so I came to pick her up.”
Then, with effortless ease, he added, “Since you’re here too, why not say hello to your future sister-in-law?”
At the mention of Liliana, the tension in his face eased, his brow no longer furrowed.
Ashley’s lashes flickered.
In the area?
Max’s company was based in the high-tech district and right now, they were in the middle of a critical development phase for their enterprise AI model. Yet instead of staying on-site to oversee operations, he had crossed two districts just to pick someone up—dismissing it casually as on the way.
For a brief moment, Ashley felt lost.
What was I to him?
She had worked tirelessly for years, rising through the ranks. Even last year, when she was promoted to Private Banking Director—a rare achievement for someone in their twenties—Max had been too busy with work to celebrate with her in private.
A wry smile tugged at her lips.
Looking back, maybe he had stopped loving her long before now.
And yet, she had still been foolish enough to hold on, to believe there was still a future for them.
What an idiot.
Her thoughts scattered as the door to the interview room swung open.
A young woman stepped out, her head hanging low. But the second she spotted Max, her entire demeanor shifted—her posture straightened, her eyes lit up and a radiant smile spread across her face.
Ashley recognized her instantly.
Liliana Palacio.
She had seen this girl’s face just the other night—on Max’s social media. In person, she was exactly as she appeared in the photos: fresh-faced, charming and effortlessly sweet.
With a few quick steps, Liliana crossed the room and slipped into Max’s embrace, her voice tinged with frustration as she complained about her interview.
“I totally bombed it. There’s no way I got the job.”
Max's lips curved into a soft smile as he leaned down, wrapping an arm around Liliana. His voice was low and reassuring as he murmured in her ear, "Oh yeah? Funny, I had a completely different feeling."
The tenderness in his tone sent a sharp pang through Ashley’s chest. So this was how gentle he could be—with someone else.
Ashley thought back to their school days. Back then, Max had never spared other girls a second glance. Even after they started working, when he pretended to date other women just to keep his family off his back, he had always kept his distance.
But now… now that it was truly over, everything was different.
For the first time, Ashley saw it clearly—there was no going back.
She turned to leave, but a sudden wave of dizziness hit her and before she could steady herself, her body instinctively leaned toward Max.
He stepped away.
She fell hard onto the floor.
Stunned, she looked up—just in time to catch the fleeting flicker of displeasure on Liliana’s face and the unmistakable irritation in Max’s eyes.
And in that instant, she understood.
He thought she did it on purpose.
