He Played a Game, I Quit Him

I cut him off. "Coby, I'm getting married." The line went silent for a couple of heartbeats. Then Coby's voice came through, dripping with impatience, a girl's bright laughter echoing in the background. "Here we go again. That desperate to get married? The company's funding chain is about to snap, and you're going to stir up trouble now?" I stood in the evening breeze, phone pressed to my ear, my voice so flat it could have been a frozen lake. "I'm not stirring up trouble. I really am getting married." He let out a sharp scoff, like I'd just cracked the world's most ridiculous joke. "You don't even have a guy you're casually seeing. What, you're marrying thin air?" I was just about to say Evan's name. But he was already rushing to hang up. "Alright, I've got another call. Getting the license was just a stupid dare. Don't overthink it." The busy signal blared. I stared at the disconnected call screen, my fingers icy cold and stiff. Eight years. And he always had that same line, "Don't overthink it." The next day, I walked into the company carrying two boxes of imported wedding candies. The office was a hive of noise. Elaine was surrounded by a crowd, her cheeks flushed a deep, bashful red. "Elaine, you're incredible! President Rourke, such a cold and aloof guy, and you reeled him in in just three months?" "You're our big boss lady now, so you've got to look out for us!" Elaine covered her face and giggled, her voice pitched just loud enough to ripple through the entire office. "It's not what you think! We just got the license because we lost a game. Don't go spreading it around, okay?" I let out a cold laugh. She'd already blasted it all over her social media feed, and she was calling that not spreading it around? With those sharp eyes of hers, she spotted the wedding candies in my hand. She scampered over in her little white sneakers, closing the distance in a few quick steps. "Is this the wedding candy President Rourke asked you to prepare for us? Thanks for your hard work!" I was just about to say no. She snatched the candies right out of my hand, tore open the packaging, and started shoving them into our colleagues' hands. "Everyone, try some! President Rourke specially picked these imported chocolates!" The crowd erupted in a chorus of thanks, gushing over how romantic and thoughtful President Rourke was. Just then, Coby stepped out of the elevator. Everyone immediately piled on, hollering, "Thanks for the wedding candy, President Rourke!" Elaine lifted her eyes to him, all shy and coy, like a bashful schoolboy. Coby froze for a split second, then the corner of his mouth twitched upward into a smile. He answered with a smile, "As long as you all like them." "That candy is mine." The moment I spoke, the entire office plunged into dead silence. Every pair of eyes snapped onto my face. Coby's expression darkened instantly, a flicker of panic flashing through his gaze. "Aurelia, this is a workplace, not a place for your theatrics." "I'm not making a scene." I met his stare head-on. "The candy is from me. I'm getting married next Saturday." His face turned as black as a thundercloud. He strode over to me, lowered his voice, and hissed through gritted teeth, "Are you trying to force my hand?" Someone nearby let out a scornful snort. "Aurelia, we've never even seen you with a boyfriend. Who are you gonna marry? Don't tell me you're so jealous that Elaine landed President Rourke, you've lost your damn mind?" Elaine's eyes instantly reddened. She bit her lip and chimed in as she looked at me. "I know you used to have feelings for President Rourke, but he never felt the same way about you. When those rumors about you two were flying around, President Rourke cleared it up with us privately. He said it was strictly a normal boss-subordinate relationship." The second those words left her mouth, the looks people shot me transformed in an instant. Like I was some pathetic mistress who threw herself at a man, got rejected, and was now lashing out in shame. I turned to look at Coby. He averted his head, gaze drifting out the window, not a single word of defense slipping from his lips. Eight years of a secret relationship. I'd lost count of how many times I'd downed drinks with clients for him, how many do-or-die deals I'd closed, how many times people whispered that I was throwing myself at him—and he just played deaf and dumb. And now, he couldn't even be bothered to spare me this scrap of dignity. Another voice piled on, "Aurelia, President Rourke already got the marriage license with Elaine. If you keep chasing after him, you're the other woman. If word gets out, how's our company supposed to even talk to clients?" "Exactly! Stealing your own apprentice's man… have you no shame at all?" I stared at the colleagues I'd personally trained, and a bitter laugh nearly escaped my lips. I'd actually planned to give them wedding invitations, but now I realized it was a complete waste of time. My hand clenched around my phone, knuckles turning white, as I swept my gaze over the whole crowd. "In that case, I think it's necessary you all meet my fiancé." I was just about to pull up the photo of me and Evan— When a hand suddenly clamped down on my wrist. Coby snatched my phone away, his face contorted with rage. "Everyone back to work!" He roared at the crowd, then grabbed my arm and dragged me toward his office. Behind me, I could hear them swarming around Elaine, murmuring comforting words, their contemptuous stares drilling into my back. Once inside, he slammed the door shut and raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I already told you, the marriage certificate was just a stupid game! Do you have to make a scene and embarrass everyone before you're satisfied?" "If it was just a game," I said, lifting my eyes to meet his, my voice like ice, "then why didn't you set the record straight just now? Why did you let them call me the other woman?" He choked for a second, then spoke with an air of self-righteousness. "Elaine is too sensitive. I couldn't just slap her in the face in front of everyone, could I?" So my face was fair game for anyone to trample. I snatched my phone back from his grip and turned to the door. But as I was about to twist it open, I instead paused, my hand still on the handle, and I didn't look back as I said, "The wedding is next Saturday. You and Elaine are both welcome to come."