From His Shadow to My Light

I dragged the box filled with decorative supplies toward the entrance of the Austin Convention Center.

Kelly followed behind me, equally excited and practically bouncing. "Harper, I bet a lot of clients will be blown away by your booth today. Your design is absolutely perfect."

I smiled, unconsciously touching the necklace Cole had given me. 'Today is also the day Cole and I officially go public with our relationship.' After seven years, we were finally taking that step.

"Booth B-47, here it is." I pointed to the location marked on the map.

But when we arrived, a staff member in work clothes stopped me.

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Harper Stone?"

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem?"

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm very sorry, Ms. Stone, but your booth has been canceled due to a complaint."

"What?"

"Someone complained that your qualifications don't meet the exhibition requirements. We had to reassign this booth."

Kelly rushed forward. "This must be a mistake! Harper is one of the best wedding planners in Austin. How could her qualifications not qualify?"

"Let me see the complaint document." I kept my composure.

The staff member handed me a form. When I saw the complainant's signature, I felt my entire body turn cold.

Cole Matthews.

"This... this can't be possible." Kelly grabbed the document. "Harper, this must be a mistake. How could Cole..."

I couldn't answer her. I just stared at that familiar signature, the one I'd seen countless times.

"So who has this booth been assigned to now?" I managed to squeeze out the words.

"Ms. Blaire Watson. Her company just took over this booth."

We walked toward what was supposed to be my booth area, and from a distance, we could see it was decorated magnificently. White curtains, crystal chandeliers, rose petals everywhere. This was far more expensive than any decoration I had planned.

Then I saw them.

Cole was standing in the center of the booth, tenderly adjusting the veil of a blonde woman in a wedding dress. She smiled up at him adoringly, exactly the way I had fantasized countless times.

'That should be me. I should be the one in the wedding dress, I should be the one he's gazing at.'

"This is Texas's finest planner," I heard Cole telling a group of visitors. "Her creativity and execution skills are top-notch."

My legs went weak. Those words, the words I had always hoped he would say about me to others, were now being used for another woman.

Blaire noticed our arrival. A flash of smugness crossed her eyes, then she deliberately linked arms with Cole.

"Darling, we have visitors." Her voice was sickeningly sweet.

Cole turned around, and when he saw me, his expression didn't change at all. No surprise, no guilt, not even embarrassment. Like looking at a stranger.

"Harper?"

"Cole, this is my booth. Why did you file a complaint against me?"

The crowd began to whisper, and I could feel their curious gazes.

"Harper, this is a business decision." Cole's tone was terrifyingly calm. "Blaire is more qualified to represent our company at this exhibition."

I could hardly believe my ears. "Cole, we agreed on this. This is my booth, my opportunity!"

"Business decisions must be based on professional capability." He shrugged as if discussing the weather. "I'm sorry, Harper, but that's the reality."

Blaire stepped forward with a fake sympathetic expression. "Harper, right? Honey, I understand your disappointment, but you really aren't suitable for this scale of exhibition. Maybe you could consider some more... appropriate venues?"

I felt my face burning. The crowd around us grew larger, and they were all watching the show.

"Don't let irrelevant people ruin our good mood." Cole gently stroked Blaire's hand. "We still have many clients to meet."

Irrelevant people.

Seven years of feelings, countless nights of companionship, all the support and trust, had become "irrelevant" in his mouth.

I turned to leave, but suddenly stopped. On Blaire's display table, I saw the cover of a planning proposal.

That was my proposal.

To be precise, it was the creative proposal I had shown Cole three months ago, including theme design, color coordination, and decoration details. Word for word.

'He not only stole my booth but also stole my creativity and gave it to her.'

I turned around and looked directly into Cole's eyes. "That proposal is mine."

"What?"

"The 'Ocean Breeze' themed planning proposal on the table. That's my creativity, Cole."

Cole's expression finally showed a hint of change, but quickly returned to coldness. "Business creativity is hard to say who originated it, Harper. Maybe you just thought of the same theme."

Blaire smiled even sweeter. "Yes, great ideas always coincide, don't they?"

A few snickers came from the surrounding crowd. I felt like a clown, standing here arguing for what rightfully belonged to me.

Kelly grabbed my arm. "Harper, let's go."

But I didn't move. I looked at Cole, this man I had loved for seven years, this man I thought I would spend my life with.

"You planned this all along, didn't you?" My voice was soft but loud enough for everyone around to hear. "Cancel my booth, steal my creativity, publicly humiliate me. This was all your plan."

Cole shrugged. "Harper, you're overthinking. This is just business."

"Just business?" I laughed, a desperate laugh. "What about us? Were seven years of feelings also just business?"

The scene suddenly went quiet. Everyone was waiting for Cole's answer.

He looked at me with no warmth in his eyes. "Harper, I think you've misunderstood something. We never had that kind of relationship."

This sentence hit me like a slap in the face. There was obvious whispering from the onlookers.

'So in everyone's eyes, I'm just that delusional woman.'

Blaire's smile became even brighter. "Darling, look at her expression, as if she really thought there was something between you two."

"Yes," Cole actually laughed too. "Some people always love to fantasize."

My world completely collapsed. Not slowly crumbling, but instantly shattered. Seven years of feelings, all the memories, all the promises, had become "fantasy" in this moment.

Kelly gripped my hand tightly. "Harper, let's go."

This time, I nodded. I couldn't stand here any longer, couldn't let these people continue watching my humiliation.

But as I turned, I heard Blaire's voice.

"I hope you can learn something from this lesson, Harper. In business, naivety is the greatest fatal flaw."

I stopped, looked back at her, then at Cole.

"You're right, Blaire." My voice was very calm. "I have indeed learned a lot."

I turned and walked toward the exit, Kelly following behind me. I could feel those gazes behind me, those snickers, that pity.

I just wanted to leave this place.