In the blink of an eye, it was Baden's last day on his business trip.
Around noon, Elise sat on a bench in the park near her office, enjoying a quiet moment alone. She gazed at her ID, imagining the day she'd change her last name to match Baden's. Soon, it would feel official.
Happiness was just within reach, yet she felt as if she was floating, unable to find solid ground, with an unsettling emptiness in her heart.
As her lunch break was nearly over, she walked back to the company, only to spot Tyree standing in the lobby of the grand corporate building, seemingly looking out for someone.
She didn't really want to go back right now, but with work hours approaching, she had no excuse to stall any longer. Steeling herself, she headed toward the building.
The moment Tyree saw her, he flashed the most dazzling smile and called out a greeting.
"So, it's true—you and Braden really are together, huh?" Tyree remarked, a hint of something in his tone. "You're breaking my heart here."
Elise took a deep breath, bracing herself. She didn't need to be intimidated by him. After steadying herself, she finally responded.
"We've known each other since we were kids, and I love him—now and always." Elise spoke firmly, putting her feelings into words. "Tyree, I hope you find happiness too."
If it weren't for the sake of keeping the project running smoothly, she would've said it even more bluntly.
"Alright," Tyree sighed, stepping closer to Elise.
But she kept her distance, forcing him to speak from afar.
"Did you know he and Mylee dated?" Tyree held up three fingers, a sly smile on his face. "For three months."
"I know, but no matter what happened in the past, the person beside him now is me."
"You think it's no big deal because you assumed it was just a joke, right?" Tyree countered, his tone deliberately rising. "They got together because Mylee's ex was bothering her, and Braden couldn't stand seeing her suffer… Working alongside his ex every day, do you really think there won't be anything going on?"
Elise was momentarily speechless, her mind still processing his words, replaying everything Tyree had just said.
Wasn't Baden's relationship with Mylee just a drunken fling? That's what Ruthing had told her…
She couldn't lose her composure, couldn't let a few words from Tyree shake her resolve.
"I trust him. Now, Tyree, I have work to get back to." Elise was done wasting time with him and turned, stepping into the building.
Tyree grabbed her wrist just then, but his demeanor was different this time.
"He's got a nice title as the lead developer, sure, but…" Tyree let go of her wrist, leaning closer with a chilling undertone. "Mylee is Gunnar's relative. Why else do you think Braden always bends over backward for her and never dares to put her in her place? And don't forget, they were together once. Do you even know how close they really were? You know we're all adults here—when it comes to self-interest, feelings don't mean much."
Elise stayed silent, expressionless, listening to see if there was anything else he'd say that she didn't already know.
"I'll be straight with you—we haven't liked each other for a long time, and now I have one more reason to dislike him… and that's you." Tyree's tone was light, almost casual, as he delivered his most lethal threat. "He can stay on top, or he can fall hard. The choice is yours. Think it over."
"Thanks, but I need to get to work," Elise replied, unfazed, and kept walking, gradually leaving Tyree's line of sight.
Tyree watched her retreating figure with satisfaction, and after a moment, he too walked away.
Back at the office, sitting at her desk, Elise finally allowed her emotions to unwind. She was in shock, unable to believe the information she'd just received.
She couldn't calm down. Her hand holding the pen was trembling slightly, and she gripped it harder, hoping to steady herself. The faint ache radiating from her fingers reminded her of the ring on her hand.
She took off the ring, slipping it into her bag, not wanting to wear it right now.
Her phone buzzed—a moment she usually looked forward to, the one text she waited for every day this past month. But now, she felt lost, almost afraid to look.
She feared that reading his sweet, sugar-coated words would only make it harder to let go.
This sorrowful feeling lingered, refusing to lift, even after her workday ended.
She drove home, hoping to clear her tangled emotions, but just as she neared her front door, her phone rang. It was Braden. She hesitated, feeling in no state to handle him right now, so she let the call go unanswered.
As she was about to enter her home, Baden's voice sounded from behind her.
She wasn't surprised. They had a location-sharing app installed, so knowing each other's whereabouts was normal.
"Why didn't you pick up?" Braden asked, still unaware of the storm about to hit.
Elise turned around, her tone flat, her expression unreadable. "I'm not in a good mood and don't feel like talking. Today… maybe you should just go home."
She truly didn't know how to deal with any of this yet—whether it was the issue with Mylee or the thought that their marriage could end up ruining him.
She couldn't bear to think about it, only feeling that this unstable love was so exhausting, with so many obstacles between them. Was it true that if she stayed with him, she'd destroy everything he had?
She felt so sad. Why did love have to be this hard…
She had worked so hard just to be with him…
"Why? What happened?" Braden asked, worried, stepping closer and leaning down, concerned.
"Nothing happened, I just suddenly feel like maybe getting married is too soon…" Elise pulled the ring from her pocket, took his hand, and placed it back in his palm. "I just don't feel ready yet, so I think it's better if I give the ring back… so I don't hold you up."
"Are you serious…" Braden looked at the ring in his hand, his eyes clouded with confusion. "What's going on? Can you tell me what happened?"
"I just feel like it's too soon for marriage." Elise pressed her lips together, avoiding his gaze, afraid that if she looked, her resolve would melt.
"Then you don't need to give the ring back… you can keep it, and when you're ready to marry, we can just…" Baden's words were cut off as Elise interrupted him.
"Are we really right for each other? You were with Mylee—why didn't you tell me?" She finally let the bitterness that had been lodged in her throat spill out.
"I didn't tell you because I don't consider that as 'being together.' Besides, I had no feelings for her. But if you'd asked, I would've told you," he said, gripping her shoulders, his tone sincere as he tried to explain his feelings.
"I thought you two were just drunk and got together because of some teasing, but actually, you're with her to help her out, to get her away from her ex. Am I right?" Elise forced the question out, her tone sharp and unyielding, pushing him to confront it.
"Yes, I won't deny it…" Braden sighed, a wave of helplessness washing over him.
It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her; he just hadn't seen a need to bring it up. He'd never thought there was anything between him and Mylee, but now he realized it had become a fatal wound in his relationship with Elise.
"You can't leave H Technology, and I can't leave H Corporation, but I hate seeing you so close to her. Whenever you work together, I feel betrayed." Elise sighed, her gaze steady as she looked at him. "But I know it's not your fault. It's my own hang-up. I'm sorry. I've already learned my lesson with Graham. I don't want to go through that again."
"So…" Braden tried to keep his composure, holding back the pain tightening his chest, as he let go of her hand. "You want to break up, don't you?"
"I don't deserve this from you. I'm sorry…" Elise nodded, fighting the urge to say more, and without a backward glance, she walked into her house.
Loving each other is easy; staying together is hard. And sometimes, love itself isn't even a choice.
But she knew he'd be okay. He just needed time…
Just like he once told her after her wedding, "If it's not meant to be, there's no use in trying to force happiness. Walking away when it's not right is really a blessing for both people."
He'd be okay.
All the heartache, all the pain, whatever unhappy ending awaited—she told herself she'd bear it alone.
Back when they were just friends, he had always looked out for her. Now, it was time for her to repay the favor.
