How was I supposed to come up with a reasonable excuse to make Scott sign it? 

I racked my brain, pacing in circles in front of the office door, but still came up with nothing. The words, whatever they were supposed to be, simply refused to form. 

Then, just as I was about to give up, the office door swung open. 

“It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t been so rough last night, why would my back be hurting now?” 

The voice drifted out, light and teasing—Chloe’s voice, unmistakably. 

My whole body stiffened. 

I turned toward the sound. 

There he was—Scott, smiling, hand gently curled around her waist, kneading it in small, practiced motions. There was a softness in his eyes I’d never seen before, at least not directed at me. 

But the moment they saw me, the warmth in their expressions cracked. A flicker of alarm flashed through both their eyes, like caught actors in a poorly rehearsed play. 

Chloe cleared her throat awkwardly. 

“Alyssa, don’t misunderstand. We played a bit of badminton last night and I twisted my back, that’s all.” 

Her cheeks were tinged with color, her words feeble at best. Anyone would draw their own conclusions. 

She was trying to provoke me, that much was obvious. But I didn’t rise to it. I didn’t even look at them for more than a second. I just stepped forward and held out the file. 

“Here. Sign this.” 

Scott frowned. “Didn’t we already finalize everything? What’s this, a new contract?” 

He reached to flip through the pages. 

My heart clenched. Every muscle in my body tensed. My mind scrambled for how I’d answer when the questions inevitably came. 

But I hadn’t expected Chloe to act first. 

“Oh, I remember this one!” she said suddenly, snatching the folder from his hands. “This was supposed to be handled ages ago, remember? But that other partner just wouldn’t back off. Now that we’ve finally shaken her, you should sign it already.” 

Her words were casual, even breezy—but I heard the implication clearly. 

That other partner. Me. 

A not-so-subtle jab wrapped in bureaucratic language. 

She wasn’t wrong. I should’ve walked away from Scott long ago. I just hadn’t wanted to. Or hadn’t dared. 

“Well, if that’s all it is, I’m relieved,” he said, the affection in his eyes spilling over. “You’ve always been thorough.” 

He didn’t bother checking the contents again. Just picked up a pen and, without hesitation, signed his name with a flourish. 

The weight in my chest sank suddenly, violently—like a stone thrown into a quiet pond. 

I exhaled. 

Finally. I was free. 

Scott noticed the shift in me and gave me a puzzled look. 

“This file… is it that important to you? Why do you look like that?” 

I kept my gaze lowered. 

“Of course it’s important.” 

He glanced at the folder again. But his trust in Chloe—or maybe his disinterest in me—kept him from asking further. 

Chloe let out a small groan as she pressed on her lower back. Scott turned to me again, this time with the expression of a man trying to appear thoughtful. 

“Alyssa… Chloe’s really uncomfortable right now. I was thinking maybe I could give her a massage. She’s got a client meeting this afternoon for the company, after all…” 

“Of course,” I said, smiling with all the innocence I could summon. “You two are such a great team. Helping each other out just makes sense.” 

I’d gotten what I came for. What happened after didn’t matter anymore. 

He had been bracing for a fight—probably even expecting me to cry, to scream, to demand an explanation. 

So when I simply smiled and nodded, he looked startled. 

“You… You’re serious?” 

I nodded calmly. “Yeah. Like you said, without Chloe pushing the front lines, I wouldn’t be enjoying the peaceful life I have now. I ought to be grateful.” 

There was something in my tone that made him squint, like he was trying to see through a fog. But he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

He just stared at me. 

I lifted my handbag and gave him a little wave. 

“Well then, take good care of Chloe. I’ll head home now.” 

Maybe guilt finally caught up with him, or maybe it was just habit, but he coughed lightly and reached for my arm. 

“I’ll come home tonight. We can have dinner.” 

“No need,” I said, smiling as I pulled my arm away. “I’ve made plans with a friend.” 

I walked away, not once looking back, leaving him standing there, eyes full of questions he didn’t know how to ask.