"I suffered through everything to be with you. I thought love could conquer anything. But apparently, all my success was really because Valerie was secretly helping me behind the scenes."
"She sacrificed so much for me, and all she wanted was the title of Mrs. Gilbert. You're the one benefiting from all of this—you're about to leap up the social ladder. Why can't you just see the bigger picture?"
"If you could help me take this company public the way Valerie did, I wouldn't mind giving you the Gilbert name either."
I froze.
Valerie—the decorative secretary who couldn't even carry a cup of tea without spilling it—had helped take the company public?
Then what were my five years of blood, sweat, and tears?
I spent my days fixing the flaws in Elwin's development work. My nights were spent drinking with clients, securing investments.
I'd been hospitalized for stomach bleeding more times than I could count. And where was Valerie during all of that? Checking in at nightclubs. Eating street food at night markets.
Then showing up the next morning with heavy smoky eye makeup to hide the dark circles.