I WISH I HAD A HAPPY ENDING TOO

Chapter 3: Continuation

"I... I cooked your favorite dish," he said, sounding desperately proud of himself.

I surveyed the dishes laid out on the dining table before taking a seat.

"Thanks," I muttered, my tone ice-cold.

If the version of me who was madly in love with him were sitting here, she would probably be jumping for joy, blindly believing he cared. But I was wide awake now, and I knew for a fact that this wasn't my favorite food. I absolutely hate mechado, and I despise vegetables cooked in coconut milk.

"Did you forget? I don't eat mechado. I don't eat vegetables in coconut milk either."

His hand froze mid-air, a ladle of rice and food hovering over my plate. He looked at me, utterly bewildered.

"You can eat all of that yourself. I already ordered the food that I actually want."

I left him standing by the table, completely speechless. I quickly walked out of the apartment to meet the delivery rider who had just called to say he was outside.

"Thank you," I said politely, happily carrying my food back inside. The rich aroma alone was enough to make my stomach rumble.

When I returned to the dining area, he was gone. The food he had proudly cooked was dumped unceremoniously into the sink.

He wasted it, tsk.

I ate my meal with absolute satisfaction, completely ignoring him as he repeatedly paced in and out of the kitchen. He probably wanted some, but he could rot for all I cared. If he wanted to eat, he could buy his own.

Days passed with me treating Vin with nothing but absolute coldness. It was exhausting, but I noticed a shift in him. Whenever his phone rang and Furanshin’s name popped up, he no longer scrambled frantically to run to her side. He stayed home whenever he didn't have work, and since I had a few days off, I was constantly subjected to his unusual presence. As much as I wanted to go out and get my haircut professionally fixed, the sheer lethargy of my collapsing relationship made me too lazy to do anything.

"Hon, are you still mad? I'm sorry," he whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist as we lay in bed. I felt his lips pressing against my arm before shifting to nuzzle the crook of my neck.

"Stop, Vin! I'm tired." No matter how hard I tried to pry his hands off my waist, his grip only tightened. Suddenly, his hands began to wander, but I swiftly intercepted them.

"Vin!" I warned, tightening my grip on his wrists.

"Okay, fine, I'm sorry," he chuckled defensively, as if something about the situation was amusing. Over the past few days, he had become unbearably clingy, acting like a dog in heat every single night.

"Go to the bathroom and do it there," I snapped crossly before closing my eyes. As much as I wanted to sleep on the sofa, I knew I would just wake up with him lying right next to me anyway. And as much as I desperately wanted to move out, I couldn't—this apartment was mine.

Monday arrived, and I woke up early. I worked as a secretary for one of the most prominent tech corporations in the world.

Even though my shift didn't start until 10:00 AM, I left the house at exactly 6:00 AM because I planned to hit the salon first to properly fix my chopped hair. My outfit today was a pristine, all-white ensemble. I booked a taxi, completely ignoring Vin as he frantically called out, "Wait, let me drive you!"

As if I would ever let him drive me anywhere again. He never even bothered to ask what my job was or where I worked.

Sitting in front of the salon mirror, I carefully studied my new look. My jet-black hair now neatly grazed my shoulders, looking sleeker and darker than ever. I also decided to get bangs—a bit like a longer, more sophisticated version of the Dora look.

"There, you're unique again," I whispered softly to my reflection before applying a bold layer of red lipstick. I used to love my long hair, but what choice did I have?

My train of thought was interrupted when my phone buzzed. I politely excused myself from the stylist, stepped outside the salon, and answered the call. It was Mr. Sute.

"Good morning, Mr. Sute. What can I help you with?" I greeted my boss cheerfully. I served as both his executive secretary and personal assistant.

"Good day, Ms. Aizu. I just wanted to personally inform you over the phone that my son will be taking over as your new boss. I have officially handed the company over to him, and you must strictly follow his directives so you won't be replaced. I trust you immensely, and I know you will be an invaluable asset to my son since this is his first time managing such a massive enterprise."

His lengthy explanation on the other end of the line had me nodding along as I hailed a taxi. I figured I would just grab a bite at the office.

"Yes, sir, I completely understand. I won't disappoint you. I'll make sure to take good care of your son," I replied respectfully. He had mentioned to me months ago that he would eventually pass the full reins of the company to his only son. I just didn't expect the transition to happen so suddenly.

"Wonderful. I have confidence in your capabilities. I wanted to introduce him to you in person, but the boy insists he isn't ready to meet you just yet. A word of advice for someone I practically consider my own daughter, be careful around him, because he is an absolute troublemaker."

A soft chuckle escaped my lips at his warning.

He had known me for a very long time because of my years of loyalty as his secretary. It had reached a point where he treated me like a real daughter outside the workplace—so much so that outsiders often assumed I was his actual daughter.

Honestly, that label was a million times better than being labeled as his mistress. He gave me a few more reminders before finally hanging up.

Sure enough, the moment I stepped into the corporate building, the whispers of the female employees echoed from every corner. It was especially loud when I boarded the elevator.

"Good morning, Ms. Aizu. You look absolutely stunning with your new haircut," they greeted me, and I offered them a wide smile in return. From the moment I walked through the lobby, every single eye had been glued to me, as if I were a fresh face on a runway.

Weren't they used to me switching up my look yet?

"Oh my god, Mr. Sute's son is drop-dead gorgeous! If you had seen him earlier, your jaw would have literally hit the floor!"

I stood tall and straight, silently absorbing their frantic gossip. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I had ears, and we were trapped in the same elevator. So, Mr. Sute's son had already arrived?

I checked my wristwatch as I stepped out of the elevator and walked toward my office. It was only 9:00 AM. I still had plenty of time to eat.

Interestingly, the bustling hallway instantly fell into a dead silence the moment I passed by the other employees.

Even though they always went quiet whenever I walked past, the atmosphere today felt distinctly different. They knew me as a kind superior, but they also knew I had zero tolerance for rowdy workers. Well, it was probably for the best so they knew exactly where the boundaries lay. Some stole glances at me, while others pretended to be buried in their computer screens. The only sound echoing through the corridor was the sharp, rhythmic click of my white high heels.

Reaching my private office, I collapsed gratefully into my swivel chair, spinning it around to face the floor-to-ceiling glass window that overlooked the sprawling cityscape.

"Excuse me, Ms. Aizu. Mr. Sute requests your presence in his office," an employee murmured after a polite knock, stepping inside.

I simply nodded, keeping my back turned to her. Once I sensed she had left, I curiously checked my phone to see if there were any missed calls from Mr. Sute's son. There were none.

Why did he have to send an errand runner to fetch me? I was his executive secretary, for goodness' sake!

"Sigh, no more time to eat," I sighed in disappointment, noticing it was already nearing 10:00 AM.

I'll just grab a cup of hot chocolate instead, I thought to myself, gathering the documents that required the new Mr. Sute's signature from my desk before heading out the door.

Why do I feel like today marks the beginning of my best days?