Chapter 1 Clarification

At 7 AM, Hannah Nguyen woke up in pain to a pool of blood on the hospital bed, shockingly red.

Memories of last night flooded back—Nicholas Robinson pressing her down, having sex with her over and over again like a madman.

The moment the alarm went off, he quickly got up, changed his clothes, and left without a word.

In the end, she had to call the ambulance herself. At the hospital, she learned she'd had a miscarriage.

Her phone kept buzzing. Wendy Clark from PR was sending countless messages.

[Secretary Nguyen, Mr. Robinson is trending! He and Ms. Brown were photographed at the airport!]

[PR's phone is blowing up! When can you come to the office?]

There was also a string of trending news. In the photos, Nicholas was holding the recently widowed Emily Brown tightly, seemingly inseparable.

Secretary—that was the only identity Hannah had in Nicholas's life, as far as the world knew.

No one knew she was actually Nicholas's wife. Nobody knows that Emily's husband, who just passed away unexpectedly, is Nicholas's nominal brother.

Hannah gripped the sink. In the mirror, her face was as pale as a ghost.

She took a deep breath and typed back: [On my way.]

After the D&C procedure, the nurse handed her some forms. "Where's your family? These need to be signed."

"I'll sign them myself."

"You're married, right? Maternity insurance can cover part of this."

Hannah's pen paused. "Yes, I've been married for three years."

The nurse took the forms, then came back a few minutes later. "Are you sure you're married? The system shows you as single. We can't process the insurance."

"Single?" Hannah looked at the nurse in disbelief.

After a moment, Hannah heard her own voice, somewhat distant. "Maybe... the system's wrong. I'll pay out of pocket."

After leaving the hospital, she went straight to the state government office. The results matched the hospital system.

Her marital status: single.

Nicholas's too.

She thought back to three years ago when Nicholas handed her the marriage certificate. She'd been impressed—money really does make things easier, even getting married without having to go in person.

Turns out, from beginning to end, she and he were strangers in the eyes of the law.

Her phone kept buzzing. Wendy couldn't hold out much longer.

Hannah quickly hailed a cab and headed straight to the company building.

Reporters had surrounded the building. Hannah entered through the side door. All along the way, eyes stuck to her—sympathetic, curious, gleeful.

"Ms. Nguyen!" Wendy rushed up. "Mr. Robinson isn't answering his phone. What do we do?"

"Issue an official statement. Say Mr. Robinson was simply receiving a recently widowed friend out of courtesy, and the embrace was meant to comfort her."

Hannah spoke as she walked, her voice unusually calm. "Contact a few mainstream media outlets. I'm holding a press conference in half an hour."

"But those photos..."

"The photos only prove they hugged. They don't prove anything else." Hannah stepped into the elevator and pressed the top floor button. "Do as I say."

The elevator doors closed, shutting out all the noise.

She leaned against the wall, the pain in her lower abdomen constantly attacking her nerves.

The press conference went smoothly. This was her seventeenth time clarifying Nicholas and Emily's relationship. She was quite practiced at it.

When Hannah returned to her office, her assistant Tina Smith followed her in, deliberately lowering her voice. "Ms. Nguyen, Mr. Robinson just signed a transfer order. Ms. Brown starts next week as Product Development Manager."

Hannah's hands paused as she organized her files. That position was supposed to be hers.

She'd spent six months working on that project. She'd stayed up three nights straight drafting the contract.

"Got it," she heard herself say.

"Also..." Tina said with some difficulty, "Mr. Robinson transferred several of your projects to Ms. Brown too. He said since the contract's signed, Ms. Brown can handle the follow-up."

Hannah nodded with a smile, her eyes stinging a little.

She remembered last night, when Nicholas was on top of her, the name he'd mumbled in passion.

"Emily..."

At the time, Hannah thought she'd misheard. Now she knew she hadn't.

There was a decision she'd been considering for a while.

Now, it seemed she shouldn't hesitate anymore.

Hannah took her resignation letter, which she'd prepared that morning, straight to HR.

"Does Mr. Martin know?" HR manager Ella Garcia looked at the resignation letter in surprise.

Hannah said calmly, "He's not my direct supervisor. No need to notify him. Just process it normally."

Remembering that Nicholas had personally issued Emily's transfer order that morning, Ella hesitated, then finally nodded.

"Alright then. After the thirty-day handover period, you can leave."

"Thank you."

Hannah turned and left. Back in her office, she let out a long breath.

She should be grateful Nicholas gave her a fake marriage certificate, so she didn't have to go through divorce proceedings. Just thirty days, and she could leave this place completely.

Give up everything, including him.

Her phone buzzed. A message from Nicholas.

[Bring painkillers and hot milk. Golden Delight Hotel, room 010.]

Brief and matter-of-fact.

Right after, a Facebook message from Emily popped up.

[Hannah, I'm back in the country. Nicholas said he'd throw me a welcome party to celebrate my new beginning. I know I shouldn't be so high-profile with Charles just passing away, but Nicholas says I need to start a new life. You'll be happy for me, right?]

Hannah stared at the screen and laughed coldly.

Happy for her?

Happy that her husband Charles Robinson's body is barely cold and she's already going after his brother Nicholas? Happy that she's taking the project I worked years for? Or happy that she's sending me this disgusting invitation right after my miscarriage?

Hannah grabbed her car keys and walked into the elevator.

In the elevator's mirrored surface, her face was deathly pale, only her eyes unnaturally bright.

Golden Delight Hotel, private room.

Hannah pushed open the door to see Nicholas sitting at the head of the table with Emily right next to him.

Beside them was their business partner Tom Hill, plus several Robinson Enterprises executives.

"Ms. Nguyen, you're here!" Tom's eyes lit up. "Perfect! Mr. Robinson says Ms. Brown is taking over your position and will manage the project from now on. Come, come, you need to toast Ms. Brown for the handover!"

Emily quickly waved her hands. "Mr. Hill, don't joke around. Ms. Nguyen is so capable, how could I possibly replace her? I just... just want to help Nicholas share some of the burden."

"Emily, you're too modest. I believe in your abilities." Nicholas spoke up, his gaze cooling when it landed on Hannah. "Where are the medicine and milk?"

Hannah placed the items on the table.

Emily said somewhat apologetically, "I'm sorry, I told him not to trouble you, but Nicholas was worried I wasn't feeling well and insisted you bring the medicine."

Her tone couldn't hide her smugness. Nicholas helped her open the milk carton, tested the temperature, and only handed it to her after confirming it was just right.

Hannah stood there quietly watching this scene, finally understanding one phrase: love or lack of it is obvious at a glance.

"Being late with the medicine deserves punishment." Tom laughed and pushed three glasses of liquor over. "Down three glasses as penalty."

"Sorry, I took antibiotics. I can't drink alcohol," Hannah refused calmly.

"You knew there'd be drinking, so you deliberately took antibiotics?" Emily blinked, her tone innocent. "Hannah, do you not want me back to take over the project? If that's the case, I can talk to Nicholas."

"She wouldn't dare." Nicholas cut her off, but his look at Hannah carried a warning. "It's just a few drinks, it won't kill you. Emily's not feeling well today. Toast Tom for her."

Hannah looked at the clear liquid, her stomach cramping.

She looked up, a smile still on her lips. "Last night when we were having sex, I was bleeding. Didn't you see that too?"