For two years, Carter Vance transferred $10,000 to me every time he spent the night at my place. That is, until one particular morning, when I received a notification for $100,000. [I’m getting engaged next month.] [Received.] I stared quietly at the pinned conversation on my phone. There was no further activity. An hour later, I placed my resignation letter on my office desk and drove through the night back to my hometown. Just as I was dreaming about using the money to buy a few properties and become a landlord, Carter suddenly appeared in front of me. Suppressing his fury, his voice was dangerously hoarse: "Quinn, who gave you permission to leave?" 01 When I received the text alert for the $100,000 deposit, my immediate thought was that Carter had accidentally added an extra zero. The next second, a message popped up in our pinned text thread: [I’m getting engaged next month.] I froze for two seconds before replying: [Received.] It was a brief exchange, no different from how we handled our daily business matters. I understood his meaning perfectly. This $100,000 was his way of telling me to leave. He was going to marry a wealthy heiress to merge their families. As his secretary and casual bedmate, it was no longer appropriate for me to exist in his world. I waited a long while, but no new messages appeared on the screen. He likely felt no need to explain further, assuming I would do exactly as he wished. After all, in his eyes, I had always been a woman who "knew her place." I typed out a brief resignation letter, left it on my desk, took the millions I had saved up in my account, and drove through the night back to my quiet hometown. I wanted to rest. Being Carter Vance’s secretary for the past few years had completely exhausted me. 02 Before me, Carter had cycled through six secretaries. He was cold, dictatorial, and impossibly demanding. One wrong word and his face would instantly darken. He was a nightmare to serve. I had answered his calls at 3:00 AM, getting out of bed immediately to accompany him on last-minute business trips. I had pulled endless all-nighters with him and navigated countless corporate galas and drinking parties. I worked diligently and walked on eggshells, all for a very handsome salary. Everyone in the company knew I was Carter’s most capable secretary, yet he had never once given me a smile. He trusted me, but kept me at an icy distance. He once told me that the reason I was allowed to stay was because I "had a brain and knew where the boundaries were." So, after our first absurd, alcohol-fueled night together, I didn’t ask anything. I didn’t say anything. Neither did Carter. Except... From that day on, on many late nights, he would follow me home. 03 Every time Carter stayed the night, he would transfer $10,000 to me the next morning. At first, I was furious. After all, the monthly salary he paid me was only $8,000. Giving me ten grand just to sleep with him felt like a massive insult to the grueling work I put in for him every month. But when Carter treated me like a workhorse at the office, reprimanding me with a dark face and zero mercy—completely ignoring the fact that we had been entangled in my bed just hours prior—my anger morphed into a realization. I earned that ten grand. I was acutely aware of the gap between Carter and me. He was a billionaire heir; I was a corporate employee. We were just two adults taking what we needed from each other. It had absolutely nothing to do with feelings. The $10,000 kept things dignified between us. The moment someone wanted more, it would turn ugly. So, when he mentioned he was getting engaged, I vanished from his world as quickly as possible. I handled it cleanly and efficiently, just as I did with all my tasks. The only hitch was when I went to block Carter’s number—my fingers trembled just a little. 04 My return home brought my parents overwhelming joy. They had always wanted me to come back, get married, have kids, and live a stable life near them. After staying home for a while, I suddenly didn't want to leave. The millions Carter had given me over the years were more than enough to buy several nice houses in this quiet suburban town. Becoming a real estate investor, collecting rent, and doing something I actually liked sounded perfect. But my sweet dream was shattered just days later when Carter suddenly appeared in front of me. Seeing the black Mercedes SUV parked downstairs, I assumed it belonged to someone else. When I finally got a clear look at the license plate, I froze. Why was Carter’s car here? The next second, the man in the tailored suit stepped out of the vehicle and aggressively pulled me into the backseat. His fury was barely contained, his voice dropping to a gravelly rasp: "Quinn, who gave you permission to leave?" "You vanish without a single word. What do you take me for?" I looked at him, completely bewildered. "Aren't you getting engaged?" Carter's face darkened. "So what if I am?" I was speechless. "Carter, do you even hear what you're saying?" "You transferred me a hundred grand. Wasn't that your way of telling me to pack my bags?" Carter froze. "What hundred grand?" 05 I never imagined that Carter actually had just hit an extra zero by mistake. "Quinn, you couldn't even ask me about it?" "A hundred grand is enough to send you packing? Are you looking down on me, or looking down on yourself?" His grip on my wrist tightened. He was genuinely furious. I honestly didn't understand his anger. Even if I misunderstood his intention, did he need to be this mad? Driving all the way out here to find me was going to make me read into things. "Carter... Mr. Vance. Regardless of what happened, you are going to have a family soon. It’s not appropriate for me to stay by your side anymore." "Even without that hundred grand, I would have left." I looked quietly at Carter, slowly pulling my hand back from his grip. He had the capital to be reckless and act on whims. I did not. A dark storm surged in Carter’s eyes. His expression cooled inch by inch, a cynical smirk touching the corner of his lips. "So you're just letting go, Quinn?" "Am I not even worth you fighting for?" My heart began to hammer wildly against my ribs. I spoke slowly, emphasizing every word: "Carter, aside from my $8,000 salary and those $10,000 nights, what exactly is our relationship? What exactly do you expect me to fight for?" 06 Carter didn't answer me. He pinned me against the leather seat and kissed me fiercely. I covered my mouth, afraid to make a sound, listening to him growl low in my ear: "Quinn, are you out of your damn mind?" "I tell you I'm getting engaged, and you just reply 'Received'? Were you trying to piss me off?" "I waited in the office for you to come find me, and instead you blocked me and ran! You bolted so fast, are you part rabbit?" ... When I stepped out of the SUV, the flush on my face hadn't faded. Carter rolled down the window and looked at me with deep, quiet eyes. "I'm not agreeing to the arranged marriage." "I just need a little time to handle it." I nodded, unsure of what to say. The driver got in and started the engine. Carter suddenly reached his hand out the window and brushed my cheek. His dress shirt was halfway unbuttoned in a messy disarray, and a faint smile played on his lips. "Wait for me." As the car drove further away, my heart fell into total chaos. I had always been calm and rational. I knew how to bury inappropriate feelings in the deepest corners of my heart. But now... I decided to let myself indulge, just this once. The tenderness Carter had shown me—a side he never revealed to anyone else—was like a key, unlocking a door that had been sealed for years. It let a surge of hidden, chaotic emotions flood my body, impossible to stop. I became greedy. I wanted more. I waited three days. I waited a week. I waited a month... No news came. Eventually, just like I had done to him, Carter completely vanished. His number disconnected, his socials gone. Unreachable. Carter had disappeared. 07 I tried reaching out to former colleagues, but they all said Carter hadn't been to the office in a long time. Feeling a creeping sense of unease, I finally called his best friend, Liam Sterling. "I don't know what's going on with Carter either." "Sorry, I can't help you." The moment I heard those words, I suddenly felt pathetic and ridiculous. If it had been anyone else, maybe. But Liam claiming he didn't know? He was definitely lying. The truth was, Carter just didn't want me to find him. I should have known better, yet I eagerly tried to track him down anyway. What a joke... an unrequited, self-absorbed joke. I locked myself in my house, refusing to go out or see anyone. My parents were frantic but helpless. It wasn't until my best friend Ava returned from abroad that I was finally dragged out of my misery. "Quinn, can we stop being so pathetic?" "You used to be so cool! You walked away when it was time to walk away. How did you end up like this?" Ava had been studying in Europe for two years, and her tongue was as sharp as ever. But even as she scolded me, she couldn't hide the heartbreak in her eyes. I sighed, my voice muffled. "I thought I was cool too." "But now, I just feel like a joke." Ava sighed with me. "I know. You already made a clean break." "But then he came looking for you, and you just..." My eyes burned as I turned to look out the café window. "Ava, I don't get it. How did I suddenly become so stupid?" Ava looked at me in silence. After a moment, she said softly, "Quinn, feelings are messy. You can't explain them." "But... you know exactly what real love is supposed to look like." 08 Ava's words hit me like a physical blow. Yeah. Did Carter actually love me? In the two years I spent by his side, even though we did everything lovers do, he never once clarified what we were. He was always strictly professional at work, never showing me a sliver of favoritism. Even on the day he drove out here to find me, when I asked him what he wanted me to fight for, he didn't give me a straight answer. He never took me to his house to spend the night. He never once said the words "I love you." If a billionaire heir like him truly loved someone, would it really look like this? I couldn't help but laugh at myself. "Ava, I was a fool." "I mistook someone's fleeting whim for deep affection." "I brought this on myself." Ava took a sip of her latte and tried to comfort me. "It's not entirely your fault." "Carter Vance is gorgeous, and he has a great body." "Didn't you say he was amazing in bed too? It makes sense why you fell in so deep." I reached across the table to cover her mouth. "Can you keep your voice down..." Ava laughed, teasing me. "We're all adults, what's there to hide?" "Let me tell you, you just haven't seen enough of the world. Once you experience a few more guys, you'll..." Ava's voice trailed off, all the color suddenly draining from her face. I followed her gaze and turned around, crashing instantly into a cold, painfully familiar stare. 09 Carter, who had been missing for so long, was standing right there. Ava looked at me, then at him, and let out a heavy sigh. She grabbed her purse and stood up, rolling her eyes dramatically as she brushed past Carter. Carter took the seat across from me. He leaned casually against the backrest, legs crossed, his gaze indifferent. Maybe it was just my imagination, but he looked thinner. "Who was that? Cut contact with her." His tone was as dictatorial as ever, as if I were still his secretary. I gripped my trembling hands tightly, fighting to keep my composure. "Why are you here?" Carter’s brows furrowed slightly, seemingly surprised by my attitude. "It's handled." "I'm here to take you back." His tone was entirely flat, devoid of any ripples. As if absolutely nothing had happened over the past month. Even though I had felt like I was dying from the pain of it. "Carter, do you not have anything to explain?" "Explain what?" I looked at the calm, collected man in front of me, forcing a smile through my red eyes. "Nothing." "Except, Carter, I'm not going back with you." 10 Carter stared at me quietly, his eyes turning pitch black. After a long silence, his deep voice resonated: "Quinn, what is that supposed to mean?" "Are you trying to break up with me?" The tears finally spilled over, trailing down my cheeks. "Carter, what do you mean 'break up'? Were we ever actually together?" Carter watched me for a moment before letting out a cold scoff. "Quinn, what exactly did you think our relationship was, then? We slept in the same bed." My voice was ice. "A ten-thousand-dollar transaction." Carter glared at me, rage rolling off him in waves. After a beat, he snapped, "What kind of tantrum are you throwing?" I desperately wanted to turn around and walk away, to escape this suffocating space. But the anger and grievance building in my chest wouldn't let me just leave. "Carter, you gave me illusions. You made me think you liked me, that we weren't just casual bedmates. You gave me hope." "But then you vanished for weeks. Total radio silence. Even Liam covered for you and kept me in the dark, making me look like an absolute clown." "You don't care about my feelings at all, and you don't know the first thing about my life. You didn't even know that Ava is my best friend. You have no idea how much you trampled on the rationality and self-respect I was always so proud of." "Carter, we are from two different worlds. So please, stop messing with me. Okay?" 11 Carter was silent for a long time. He had never seen me like this. To him, I never talked back. I certainly never accused him like this. I had always adapted to his rhythm and style, flawlessly executing every task he gave me. "I had no way to contact you because I didn't have my phone for a while." "I told you to wait for me, so I was always going to come back." "You've always understood my intentions. I didn't think we needed to explain so much between us." See? Carter still saw me as his secretary. I was just supposed to execute his orders unconditionally, without asking any questions. I stood up and looked him in the eye. "Carter, maybe to you, there's no difference between a secretary and a girlfriend." "But it's different for me. Once feelings are involved, I become sensitive, selfish, and irrational." "That version of me isn't the one you want. And you... are not the kind of boyfriend I want." Without a second glance, I turned and walked out of the café. I could feel his gaze burning into my back the entire way, but... he didn't chase after me. I figured, this time, it was truly over between us. That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I got up and walked out to the balcony for some fresh air, only to freeze when I saw a car that didn't belong parked downstairs. I checked my phone. It was 2:00 AM. A faint light glowed inside Carter's car, illuminating a blurry silhouette. He was in the car.
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