The five years of my marriage turned into a complete joke in that one moment.
For tomorrow’s monthly report meeting, I want Chloe to present your brand strategy proposal. My husband, Marcus, said without even looking up from his desk.
I put down the files I was tidying, thinking I’d misheard him.
“What did you say?”
“Chloe just joined the company. She needs an opportunity to prove herself, and your proposal is perfect for that.”
He finally looked up, his eyes leaving no room for discussion.
“That’s my submission for the competition.”
“You win awards every year anyway. What’s the big deal about letting her have one?” His tone was dismissive, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Besides, the company needs to nurture new talent.”
I looked at the man who had shared my bed for five years, and suddenly, his face seemed to blur.
“Do you know how many all-nighters I pulled for this proposal? You’re giving it to an intern who just started?”
“Cassidy, don’t be so petty. It’s just a proposal, isn’t it?”
His expression hardened. “My mind is made up.”
My fists clenched, blood boiling in my veins.
1
I never imagined that my husband of five years would hand over the creative proposal I’d worked on all night, exactly as it was, to an intern who’d only been with us for two weeks.
When I saw Chloe, standing confidently at the company’s monthly report meeting, presenting my brand strategy proposal – the one I’d crafted over three sleepless nights – the feeling of betrayal washed over me like ice water from head to toe.
My colleagues in the audience shot admiring glances at Chloe, and the department manager nodded repeatedly.
Some even whispered about the newcomer’s exceptional creative talent.
I sat in the last row of the conference room, watching the girl seven years my junior in her perfectly tailored business suit.
She elegantly gestured at my brainchild on the projection screen, introducing “her” creative concepts to everyone.
Marcus sat at the head table, his eyes brimming with pride and satisfaction, as if he’d discovered some incredible talent.
He even publicly praised Chloe, calling her a rare creative star the company had seen in years, worthy of everyone’s emulation.
My fists were clenched so tight under the table, my nails practically digging into the flesh of my palms.
After the meeting, I cornered Marcus right outside his office.
He still had that excited look on his face when he saw me, his eyes sparkling, completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
“Cassidy, you saw it, didn’t you? Chloe really is talented. That proposal was absolutely brilliant.”
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm.
“Marcus, that was my proposal.”
He paused, then waved a hand dismissively, his tone light.
“Oh, you mean that.
“I thought Chloe just joined the company, and she needed an opportunity to prove herself, so I let her practice with your proposal.”
Practice.
My three days and nights of hard work had, in his words, become a tool for an intern to “practice” with.
“Do you know what that proposal meant to me? It’s my submission for this year’s Asian Creative Awards.”
Marcus’s expression finally flickered with a hint of discomfort, but it quickly reverted to that familiar, entitled look.
“You win awards every year anyway. What’s the big deal about letting her have one?”
“Besides, this was just an internal report, not the actual competition.”
A fire raged in my chest, blood churning through my veins.
“Marcus, what am I to you?”
He seemed startled by my sudden serious tone, a flash of unease in his eyes.
“Don’t be like this, Cassidy. Chloe’s just a young girl, fresh out of college. I was just trying to help her grow quickly.”
I turned and walked away, not wanting to hear any more of his excuses.
I heard him call my name behind me, but I didn’t have the strength to turn back.
2
The next morning, I deliberately avoided leaving the house with Marcus.
After arriving at work, I went straight to my personal studio.
This was a private space Marcus had specially carved out for me at the company, filled with all my creative works and award certificates from over the years.
But the moment I pushed open the door, I froze.
All the trophies and certificates that used to be displayed in the cabinet were gone.
The posters I had personally designed, hanging on the wall, had been taken down, replaced by some decorative paintings I’d never seen before.
What infuriated me even more was finding Chloe sitting in my chair.
A pile of design drafts lay before her, a cup of coffee beside them, making her look like she owned the place.
She looked flustered when she saw me enter, but quickly reverted to that innocent expression.
“Ms. Cassidy, you’re here. Marcus said I could work here temporarily because it’s too noisy outside, and it affects my concentration.”
Marcus.
That name grated on my ears.
“Where are my things?”
Chloe pretended not to understand, her gaze darting away.
“What things?”
“My trophies, my certificates, my work.”
“Oh, those? Marcus said to put them away for now. He said displaying them would put pressure on me.”
I gave her a long, hard look, then turned to find Marcus.
He was in a meeting with several clients. His brows furrowed when he saw me push the door open.
“Marcus, I need to talk to you.”
“Wait until I’m done with the meeting.”
“Now.”
My tone left no room for refusal. The clients sensed the tension and politely suggested rescheduling.
Once only the two of us remained in the conference room, Marcus spoke, clearly annoyed.
“What is it now? Didn’t I explain everything yesterday?”
“Why are all my things gone from my studio?”
His expression showed a hint of guilt, but his voice was still firm.
“Chloe needs a quiet environment to create. Those trophies and things really do put pressure on people.”
“That’s my studio.”
“Everywhere in this company is mine. I can arrange things however I want!”
His words hit me like a slap across the face.
Yes, this was his company, Sterling Creative, which he had built from the ground up.
And I was merely its nominal creative director, but in reality, more like a free creative provider.
When we married, I invested my expertise in his company, but my shares were minimal, and most of the decision-making power remained with him.
I had always believed that our relationship had moved beyond a purely transactional one, that we had found real love and trust.
But now, it seemed, in his heart, I was still just an employee he could manipulate at will.
“Marcus, you’ve changed.”
Something flickered in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by stubbornness.
“I haven’t changed. You’re just too sensitive. It’s just borrowing a space, what’s the big deal?”
I turned and left the conference room, a decision forming in my mind.
If he didn’t care about my feelings, then I had no reason to keep compromising.
3
Over the next few days, I consciously distanced myself from Marcus.
I left for work before him in the morning and returned home after he’d gone to sleep, minimizing our time alone.
But what I didn’t expect was for Chloe to seek me out.
She knocked on the door of my temporary office, a seemingly sincere smile on her face.
“Ms. Cassidy, I know you have a misunderstanding about me, but I really just want to learn.”
I kept my eyes on my computer screen, not looking up.
“Learning doesn’t require taking over someone else’s studio.”
She sat in the chair opposite me, her voice carrying an uncomfortable familiarity.
“Actually, I’ve always admired your work. It’s truly an honor to work in the same company as you.”
“If you truly admired it, you wouldn’t use my proposal and pass it off as your own.”
Chloe’s face shifted, but she quickly regained that innocent expression.
“Ms. Cassidy, you’re mistaken.”
“Marcus said that proposal was a collective company effort, and he asked me to present it just to train my presentation skills.”
I finally looked up at her, carefully observing her expression.
The girl was indeed attractive, with fair skin and delicate features.
When she spoke, her eyes would curve into crescents, making it easy for people to warm to her.
But in the depths of her eyes, I saw a trace of subtle triumph and calculation.
“Chloe, how old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
“Then you should know what honesty means.”
Her smile faltered.
“Ms. Cassidy, I don’t understand what you mean.”
“My meaning is very clear. That proposal was completed by me, from start to finish.”
“You knew that, yet you still brazenly presented it as your own. That’s what I call shameless.”
Chloe’s face flushed instantly, but she quickly composed herself.
“Ms. Cassidy, you’re being hurtful. I was truly just following Marcus’s instructions.”
↓ ↓ Download the Novel Master app, Search 【 285881 】reads the whole book. ↓ ↓
NovelShort
