Book 5: Hidden Marriage
Married to Neil for three years, hardly anyone knew we were together.
Neil said that for the company’s future development, we needed to keep our relationship a secret.
But the moment his first love returned to the country, he couldn’t wait to take her to a party.
My questions were dismissed as unreasonable and childish.
One thing after another, my heart grew cold,
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Chapter 8
5 Pointa
and I left him.
But once I was gone, he immediately started calling my friends, searching for me everywhere.
“Helen, I was wrong. Will you come back?”
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
Someone left the company.
An old employee who had been with us for years.
Neil said we needed to hire someone new.
I twirled the pen in my hand, reading a message from my best friend.
“Helen, Carroll’s back in the country!”
I stared at Neil, asking the question I already knew the answer to.
“Do you have anyone in mind?”
The sunlight poured through the blinds, casting shifting shadows, and Neil didn’t
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
5 Pointe
hesitate for a second.
“Yes, someone you know.”
“Carroll.”
Our mutual junior, Neil’s first love.
I gripped the pen tightly, lowering my voice.
“I don’t agree.”
As if he had anticipated my response, Neil furrowed his brow, pushing his chair back and standing up.
“I’m not asking for your opinion, I’m informing you.”
The door handle was gripped by someone else, and Neil, towering over me, gave me a cold look.
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
+ 5 Points
“Now you know, don’t bother me later”
Neil and I had been childhood sweethearts for ten years and married for three.
Tonight was the corporate gala, and Neil brought Carroll, who had been at the company for less than a day.
I watched the photos from the event, sent in real–time. In them, Carroll was clinging to Neil, her face flushed with a coy smile.
The comments flooded in.
“Neil’s already taking Carroll to the event on her first day.”
“Of course, it’s Neil.”
“Wasn’t Neil supposed to have a childhood
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
+5 Points
sweetheart?”
I scrolled through the comments, my finger lingering on the screen.
I remembered when I had asked Neil why we couldn’t publicly acknowledge our relationship at the company.
This was his response.
“The work atmosphere needs to be more serious.”
“The competition with other companies is fierce, and going public could harm you.”
“Don’t overthink it, it’s all for your own good.”
Oh.
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
* 5 Points
It wasn’t about the situation.
It was about the person.
The thunder rumbled outside, and I didn’t realize when it started to rain.
The first rain in winter was colder than I had expected.
The office was vast, silent, and dark, filled with nothing but stillness.
It wasn’t until later that I remembered Neil had taken the car to the gala.
On this rainy Friday night, I stared at the ride–hailing app, waiting for over an hour.
I sighed.
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
+5 Points
Two bus rides and a subway transfer.
I couldn’t avoid getting soaked.
I ran through the rain for a few minutes, the hem of my skirt drenched, clinging to my legs, soaked and heavy.
I couldn’t care less about the cold wind or the dampness; I walked quickly forward.
Suddenly, headlights flickered, and an electric scooter sped toward me, blinding me for a moment.
“Sorry, sorry!”
“Miss, the tire slipped. Are you alright?”
“I still have a few deliveries… do you want to go to the hospital?”
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Book 5 Hidden Marriage
+ 5 Points
I gritted my teeth, having fallen to the ground, feeling a sharp pain in my leg.
The man helped me up, and the takeout from his scooter scattered across the ground. It was then that I noticed a little boy had fallen off with the food.
7/7
