Chapter 4: The Truth Behind Her Trap

The next second, the fitting room curtain was yanked open. Gina was about to scold her assistant, Claire Shaw.

When she saw it was Lincoln, her face went pale instantly.

Lincoln stood in the doorway and gave Gina a bitter smile.

"Gina, I thought you really cared about my injured foot. I thought you were having someone try on my outfit for tomorrow's party."

"If Nathan hadn't tipped me off and told me to come watch the show, I never would've known that this was all just wishful thinking on my part. There's no need to wait until tomorrow. I'll return everything you gave me right now."

His hands trembling, he stripped off the custom-tailored suit and the million-dollar watch, hurling them at Gina.

When he yanked off the VP badge from his chest, his gaze turned malicious. He deliberately threw it at my face.

The pin on the back of the badge scratched my cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. It stung.

Gina did not look at me for even a second. She only stared at Lincoln, not even flinching when he threw things at her.

The look in her eyes made my whole body tremble.

During the year she loved me most, she used to look at me that way. That was when I had just turned down the offer from the foreign tech giant to stay and help her build her startup from nothing.

To save money, I survived on bread and pickles. Malnourished and overworked from business dinners, I ended up in the hospital with a bleeding stomach ulcer.

In my daze, I saw Gina holding my hand, her eyes full of concern, swearing she would never let me suffer again.

Now, that look belonged to Lincoln.

"Gina, from now on, we're strangers. I wish you and Nathan a lifetime of happiness."

Lincoln's eyes filled with tears, looking utterly resolute. As he turned to leave, he suddenly crouched down, clutching his chest.

Gina panicked. She dropped to her knees and pulled out medicine she carried with her.

"Lincoln, you have asthma. Don't get worked up. Take your medicine."

"Stay away from me. I don't want to see you."

Lincoln gasped for air, playing the role of the wounded martyr perfectly. He forced himself to stand and left.

I instinctively reached out to stop Gina from going after him, trying to explain.

"I didn't tell him. I had no idea you were bringing me here to try on an outfit. I would never—"

Gina jerked away from me like I was diseased. Her eyes were full of disgust.

"Nathan, you couldn't even wait one day? If anything happens to Lincoln, I'll make you wish you were dead."

My hand froze in midair. A mocking smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

The lover I had shared a bed with for seven years was threatening to make me wish I were dead over Lincoln.

I pulled my hand back.

Gina went after him without hesitation.

Claire hurried forward to manage the situation. "Mr. Harper, Ms. Whitmore spoke in haste. Let me take you to the hospital to get your face treated first."

I shook my head and refused. I simply took off the suit I was wearing. Things that did not belong to me looked ridiculous on me anyway.

My phone chimed. My resignation had been approved. It seemed Gina truly hated me now.

That was fine.

I left the bridal shop and went to the office to pick up my files.

As I passed by, people sneered.

"Did you hear? That guy tried to scam money from Ms. Whitmore and got caught by Mr. Morris. Now he's slinking out of here to resign."

"Remember when he used to be Ms. Whitmore's favorite? But the tables have turned. Can't compete with true love, I guess."

I had heard these kinds of taunts so many times they no longer affected me.

After Lincoln rose to power, he made my life miserable at every turn. He sent back proposals ten times over for revisions.

The workplace veterans sensed the shift in power and started dumping their work on me too.

I used to fantasize about the day Gina's plan would be over and I could prove everyone wrong. Now, looking back, it seemed so childish.

The person in the records room could not wait to get rid of me. They shoved the files into my hands carelessly.

As I walked out of the company, I saw that Lincoln had posted something new on social media.

I stopped beneath the building's glass entrance and opened the post. The photo showed Lincoln standing beside Gina, smiling as though he had won something precious.

For a moment, I thought about sending Gina a screenshot and asking her whether this was still part of the trap.

Then I remembered Anna's last question.

"Nate, why hasn't Gina come to save me?"

My fingers went still over the screen.

I closed the post without commenting. There was nothing left to prove, and no explanation could change what had happened.

I collected the last of my belongings and walked away from the company where I had spent seven years building someone else's dream.

Gina believed tomorrow would bring Lincoln's downfall and our happy ending.

She had no idea that my resignation had already been approved, my departure was arranged, and the man who once waited for her every night was preparing to leave her behind.

For the first time in seven years, I did not look back.