His First Love Haunted Our Marriage

Why on earth… Soon rumors spread: someone even claimed the cleaning auntie heard me and Jason having a huge fight in the CEO's office.

I told Jason, "Yes, I love you, and I can't keep cleaning up your mess with all your women."

"Do you think because I'm poorer, lower, less beautiful, I don't have a heart? You're wrong, Jason Parker!"

"Loving you isn't shameful. At least on the soul level, we are equal.

Goodbye!!"

Then I slammed the door and collided with the cleaning auntie. She was close enough to see me holding back tears.

So everyone at headquarters thought: Lily Carter failed in love with Jason and quit in a huff.

What they didn't know was the cleaning auntie only heard a script I had written ahead of time.

There was supposed to be one more line from Jason—he should have, after my passionate performance, looked ashamed and said, "I didn't know you loved me—"

Then I would say, "Now you know. That's enough for me."

Then I'd storm off, crafting my complex Cinderella role who is both humble and proud.

But Jason said, "Simple humility fits your character better."

So he cut his own line.

During my whole performance he acted like an audience member, arms crossed, frowning, finding fault with my acting.

Afterward I was furious. I told him, "If you want everyone to believe I'm your true love, my acting alone isn't enough. You have to participate—at least learn to gaze at me with passion."

He just waved the contract. "I pay you three hundred thousand a month to serve me, not to teach me how to act."

Fine. He who pays calls the shots.

Ignoring Jason's lack of cooperation, my first-phase hype campaign was a smashing success.

In everyone's minds I became the pitiful, pathetic Cinderella who loved Jason to no end.

People judged me all sorts of ways.

Some sneered, "A toad dreaming of a swan—take a look in the mirror before you covet the boss."

Some pretended they'd seen it all along: "Lily Carter had ambitions. Look how she kowtowed to the boss and hated his girlfriends—she's a competitor."

No matter the tone, everyone reached the same conclusion: "Lily Carter's sins caught up with her; she finally got her just deserts."

Honestly, even knowing I was Jason's toady and that made me unpopular, I didn't expect it to be this bad.

But WHO CARES? I grinned wickedly inside. Want to watch me get my punishment?

I'll blind every one of you.

Not long after, a tabloid story hit Weibo trending: "Jason Parker parks late-night at old neighborhood, suspected of meeting new flame."

Because the 'new flame' was me, his former secretary.

Yes, I manufactured that headline.

At my direction, Jason begrudgingly came to my shabby neighborhood and, following every rom-com trope ever written, leaned against his shiny Rolls and smoked for an hour under my building.

All stoic and lonely-like.

Even though it was staged, watching him wait from my balcony all day until night—made me laugh out loud.

Jason Parker, you have your day.

I had planned to make him wait longer, but at the hour mark I got his WeChat: "Come down."

The angrier he was, the terser he spoke. That hour had clearly tested his patience.

I hurried downstairs. Before I could spit out my prepared lines, he pulled me into his arms.

That wasn't in the script.

I froze.

His embrace was different from his public persona—warm, unbelievably so.

I thought I could hear his heartbeat.

Then he said, "Go upstairs."

Upstairs?

Not in the script. He was supposed to drive me home; he'd sleep on the bed, I'd take the carpet. Now he wanted to go to my place?

While I was stunned, he released me and led me up.

When I came to, we were standing in my living room.

Max, the cat, didn't act shy at all. It sniffed his shoe, even licked him once—leaving me speechless.

Jason snorted, "A cat like its owner."

I hastily shooed Max away. Jason walked straight to my bedroom.

"It's small, but it'll do. I'll stay here tonight."

Then he sat down on my bed like he owned the place.

I…reminded him, "Sleeping together isn't in the contract—"

He glanced at me. "You sleep on the couch."

I argued, "I think it's better if we go to your house. My place is cramped—I'd be doing you a disservice."

He took his time. "Being inconvenienced for you makes me look like I love you. You can add that line to your press release: Jason Parker stoops for love."

I had to admire his talent. I rewrote the release overnight; that angle made him look even more in love.

Overnight, my name—Lily Carter—was everywhere.

I even anonymously posted in a famous gossip forum, revealing the truth of my years of endurance beside Jason.

I claimed I’d worshipped Jason in college and, after graduating, I endured hardships and obstacles to become his personal secretary.

I said I watched him breeze through countless flings while I suffered in silence, finally leaving in despair.

Then fate turns: my leaving made Jason realize I was his true love—he chased me down and made me his Cinderella, and we finally had our happy ending.

I knew the key to a good lie was a mix of truth and fiction. If anyone checked, they could find that apart from the romantic parts, the rest was true.

And the romantic angle? I sneakily modeled it on the people's favorite tale—like waiting eighteen long years in a cold kiln and finally winning the prince—so they'd be primed to believe us.

Suddenly I was almost a second Lin Fengjiao—every man's idea of an ideal wife.

Of course, my humble, submissive image enraged feminists. They cursed me as a relic of feudalism, a trophy wife.

Heaven help me—if they only knew this was a job.

Anyway, the more controversy, the better—proof my story was convincing.

I threw the monitoring data at Jason with pride. "See? Your three hundred thousand a month was worth it."

Jason was speechless. "This is the first time I've seen someone get flamed and be proud of it."

I thought, if you paid me three million, I'd happily be damned the Devil's reincarnation.

Jason told me that Gwen Montgomery would be returning to the country soon.

Every time Gwen came back, Jason would pick her up.

Despite his cool façade, it turned out he was a simp too. His schedule was packed, yet he always found time to collect his ex—even one who already had a new boyfriend.

There's a saying: a simp simps until he has nothing left.

I told him firmly, "Don't pick her up this time. Come on vacation with me."

So when Gwen and her new boyfriend landed in our city, Jason and I were already in the Maldives.

Company-paid vacations are bliss.

Thanks to Jason, I got to stay at the luxurious Fleuris Fuji Island Resort and lounge on my private white sand beach.

Palm shadows, turquoise sea, like paradise.

By day we dove, fished, and sailed; by night we dined by the starlit pool, bioluminescent lights below echoing the sky.

It made me realize: money is freaking amazing.

I swore I'd never been this happy in my life.

Of course, I hadn’t forgotten the real purpose of this trip—I’d brought a paparazzo with me, guaranteed to capture every smiling, cozy moment Jason Parker and I shared.

Post it once we get home and watch those judgmental ex-colleagues green with envy.

Mostly, though, I wanted to make his white‑moon love, Gwen Montgomery, choke on jealousy.

Overall the trip was a smashing success—if you ignore one little accident.

The accident being that Jason and I kissed.

Honestly, it wasn’t entirely my fault. The setting was impossibly beautiful.

Picture this: you and a man barefoot on a glass floor, sipping wine—beneath your feet the ocean spreads blue and alive with darting fish, above you a sky so full of stars the Milky Way feels like a highway.

And the man beside you is drop‑dead gorgeous.

Tell me which woman could resist kissing a beauty in the middle of that kind of romantic setup?

I certainly couldn’t.

At first I only planned a quick kiss—a little indulgence—and I even had my excuse ready. I’d brought a paparazzo to stage a romance, after all.

“Who are lovers who don’t kiss?” I was going to say.

But the moment my lips touched his, before I could pull away, Jason had looped an arm around my neck and deepened the kiss.

No wonder he’d had so much practice—this man is a seasoned pro. Under his skillful kissing, I went blissfully hazy, losing track of time and place.

When I finally summoned my last sliver of reason, I managed to blurt, “Dog—paparazzo.”

He looked at me like I’d said something stupid.

Yep. I’d acted impulsively.

…And Jason frowned that gorgeous frown. “Is this your first time?”

That, of course, drastically changed the vibe between us.

For me it wasn’t how I pictured things; it felt awkward.

For him, it put him on his guard and made him unnaturally gentle.

Later, Jason kissed me until I slept.

When I woke again, it was broad daylight.

Jason was curled up—quietly sleeping—in my arms.

In my sleep I must have mistaken him for Max (the cat) and clung to him like he was mine.

I opened my eyes to find Jason’s head resting on my—chest.

The whole scene was so obscene I instinctively let out a little “ah!” and kicked him away.

He blinked awake, half of him groggy, and saw me ridiculously clutching the duvet in a vain attempt to hide my bare chest.

He looked at me with a hint of disdain. “Lily Carter, trying to play innocent now? A little late, isn’t it?”

Fair enough. I realized how absurd I looked and tried to act cool, loosening my grip on the duvet.

I’d underestimated how slippery the sheets in a luxury hotel are. As soon as I let go, the comforter slid right off me and disappeared under the bed.

Once again, I and Jason were exposed.

We stared at each other, surprised and a little embarrassed.

To show I’d seen big things, I threw out a casual line: “Well, want to go again?”

Jason, clearly over it, got up with the kind of effortless composure that makes humiliation look elegant, and calmly dressed while I watched.

“I’ll transfer the money to your phone later,” he said.

Money?

What money?

It hit me what he meant and I sprang from the bed furious—only to find Jason already gone.

Seriously insulting.

I opened my phone ready to beat him to it and transfer payment for his services. While I was wondering what a fair amount looked like, a message popped up—someone transferred money to me.

I checked and gaped at the string of zeros after a 1.

My anger melted into peace instantly.

Being insulted with money felt…kind of great.

I hoped Jason would insult me like that more often.

Ten times and I could retire.

So for the next several days I tried to seduce him on the regular.

I even downloaded a stack of classic guidebooks to study techniques.

No matter how I posed or sauntered, Jason treated me like air.

On the day before we were due to fly home, after one more shower, wearing Jason’s white shirt with dripping hair and bare legs, I walked back and forth in front of him six or seven times.

Finally he spoke: “Don’t bother. I won’t sleep with you again.”

Excuse me?

“Sleeping with you once is too expensive. I’m afraid I’ll go bankrupt,” he said.

“Actually, if you insist, I could give a discount…” I thought about blurting that out but swallowed it to avoid sounding cheap.

Regardless, the trip hadn’t been in vain.

By the time we flew back, the public had already bought into my image as Jason Parker’s one true love.

Riding that wave, I asked Jason to take me home to meet his parents.

He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “You’re asking for humiliation. My parents would never accept you.”

I blinked at him. “I don’t expect your parents to accept me. I don’t actually want to marry you. I just want Gwen Montgomery to see that you’re serious about me, that you’re different from all those flashy exes—that’s enough.”

Maybe because I talked back, Jason looked slightly annoyed. “Fine. If you don’t mind being treated coldly, I don’t care.”

Ha. They seriously underestimated the working class. Being verbally attacked a little? Big deal. They weren’t going to slap me.

I braced to be roasted, but Jason’s mother turned out to be downright gracious.

She nodded politely when we first met and then practically ignored me, speaking only to Jason the whole time.

I admired her composure. A true society lady doesn’t need to insult—she kills with silence.

Unluckily for her, she’d picked the wrong target. I’m a corporate drone.

What do we office drones fear most? Our boss’s attention.

What makes us happiest? Our boss ignoring us.

No notice, no interruptions—bliss.

I sipped the Longjing tea the housekeeper had brought—apparently the same vintage Jason’s mom drank; they claimed it came from right under Mount Aspen’s mists, the real deal. I’d probably never have the chance to taste it again.

Maybe my calm impressed Mrs. Parker, because as we were leaving she surprised me by asking me to join her at a ladies’ gathering with her friends.

“They’re old family friends. Since you’re Jason’s girlfriend, you should meet them.”

She said it like it was no big thing, but I felt like the ground had dropped out from under me.

Did this mean she’d accepted me as a future daughter‑in‑law?

On what grounds?

Jason shrugged like it was nothing. “If Mom wants you to go, then go. And you should come too.”

Mrs. Parker added firmly, “Gwen Montgomery will come with you. Since she’s back in town, you haven’t met yet.”

So my first face‑off with my “rival,” Gwen, was suddenly scheduled.

I’d planned to milk Jason for some charges and go shopping on his card, but Mrs. Parker moved faster— the next day a whole styling team arrived at my door.

It was the very team that styled the hottest star, Bella Stone.

Looking at that crew, I panicked—if they were dressing me, what about Bella?

No time to think. They wrapped me up from head to toe, transformed me, and before I knew it I didn’t even recognize myself.

I was ushered into the city’s top social circle, trailing behind Jason as Mrs. Parker introduced me to a roomful of women whose names I didn’t remember but whose husbands’ names made my head spin.

All the ladies fawned over me, praising Jason’s taste and calling me lucky to stand behind Mrs. Parker.

Society women are skilled conversationalists. On the surface they patted me, but really they were praising the Parker family—after all, a nobody like me standing beside Jason’s mother sure looked like a blessing.

Mrs. Parker was cool as ever, until Gwen and her mother entered.

Gwen greeted Mrs. Parker politely, then turned and smiled at me. “So this is Jason’s new girlfriend?”

I had pictured our showdown a thousand times, but facing Gwen in person left me stunned.

She had poise like no one else.

I’d always assumed she was just classically attractive, but up close she was otherworldly—ethereal. Seeing Gwen in real life, the only words that fit were “transcendent” and “untouchable.”

Even after the styling team worked their magic on me, standing beside her I was a reed against her towering jade tree—delicate and inferior.

If I were truly Jason’s girlfriend and saw him with a goddess of an ex, I’d probably feel like dust.

Lucky for me, I was only his stand‑in girlfriend—so instead of shrinking, I brimmed with resolve.

My mission was simple: make Gwen jealous.

I smiled confidently at her. “I’m not new. I’m the current girlfriend.”

Then I turned to Jason and cheekily blinked, “And the only one he’ll ever have.”

Gwen looked surprised—she hadn’t expected me to make a show of affection in front of her. Her slip of calling me “new girlfriend” had already betrayed that she cared.

That made my victory even sweeter.

Seeing a former sycophant become someone else’s only love had to sting.

It’s pitiful, really—women like Gwen, who can’t abide not being the center. Even with an engagement ring on her finger, she can’t bear another woman taking the spotlight in a man’s heart.

For them, being the one and only in every man’s memory defines their worth. To maintain that, they’ll happily crush the happiness of girls who never had a chance to be the heroine.

And they don’t even feel guilty—after all, in their eyes, those lesser girls are meant to be mere background to women born to be stars.

Even though the truth of the world is naturally cruel, thinking it through still makes my blood boil!

As one of the drab girls, I couldn’t help but want to rattle her a little, just to see her eat crow.

And obviously I wasn’t the only one who wanted that—because right after I said those words, Mrs. Parker suddenly took my hand with an affectionate squeeze.

She looked at me with what could only be called a doting gaze. “Good girl. Jason used to be wild; I’m sure he caused you a lot of trouble. Don’t worry—going forward, I’ll handle everything. If he makes you sad again, tell me. I’ll break his legs myself.”

What?

Then she turned to Mrs. Montgomery and Gwen. “Oh, you wouldn’t know—back when Lily first became Jason’s secretary, I took a liking to her. I thought at the time, if only she could be my daughter-in-law. I didn’t expect Jason to pull it together and actually bring her home. Of course I have to keep an eye on things.”

I watched Gwen go pale and suddenly understood why Mrs. Parker's sudden warmth was aimed at me.

Turns out she wanted to do something for her bootlicking son too.

With the matriarch on my side, I stopped holding back. For the rest of the banquet I fully leaned into being spoiled and arrogant.

For example, when we sat down, Jason was about to take his seat and I cleared my throat—he hurriedly pulled my chair out for me.

For another, at dinner I saw he’d barely touched his abalone, so I just reached over and ate it.

That abalone had been flown in from Japan—top quality—almost twenty grand a piece. To take one bite and toss it? A waste beyond belief.

My overacting might have stirred something in Gwen, but it won Mrs. Parker’s approval.

The next day she called me to the Parker house and gave me a pearl necklace.

It wasn’t some priceless heirloom, but I happily flaunted it at Jason. “Mrs. Parker is too generous. I only did her a small favor and she gave me this.”

Jason looked at me, puzzled. “You think that’s her payment to you?”

I asked back, “Isn’t it?”

His face suddenly went dark. “If you say it is, then fine.”

He looked like he was mad and stalked off, leaving me alone in his enormous living room, slamming the door hard behind him.

Mad for no reason—what a lunatic.

I didn’t bother with him. I admired my low-key, tasteful pearl strand under the light and mentally planned my next move—how to squeeze another reward out of Mrs. Parker.

One job, two payments—sweet!

Being Mrs. Parker’s plus-one at her friend get-togethers became a sign that the Parkers accepted me, and I got hot all over again, basically the poster girl for the modern siren—master of the art of marrying well.

Some lifestyle accounts even started running pieces on how to attract a truly high-quality rich man like I did.

Then Jason received an invitation from Gwen to attend the opening of her art show.

Usually for Gwen’s openings, she’d just send Jason an invite.

I knew Gwen had truly taken the bait.

I had to be ready.

This time, unlike the full-glam look I wore with Mrs. Parker, I kept my makeup light and wore something casual.

When Jason came to pick me up, he froze for a second. “You sure you want to meet Gwen like this?”

I was smug. “I thought it through. In looks and poise, I can’t compete with Miss Montgomery—even dressing up would be overkill. Better to be fresh and normal. I’m playing the role of true love. True love is admired for beautiful faces, but you—only you—love the noble soul beneath my plain exterior.”

Jason smiled.

He normally keeps himself so stern; when he smiled it was like spring rain, and it made my heart flutter—then I snapped myself back. Wake up; he’s your boss.

Rule one of being a work drone: never fall for your boss.

It could jeopardize your paycheck.

So I immediately froze whatever feelings were about to bloom and professionally warned Jason to show a little restraint in front of Gwen—take care of me.

“If we can just make Miss Montgomery jealous one more time, we can close the net. Everything hinges on this. Do your best.”

Jason ignored my pep talk, turning his head out the window.

I closed my eyes to rest up for the showdown.

I fell asleep for the trip. When I woke I was slumped against Jason’s shoulder, and he had his eyes closed too, as if asleep.

Knowing he’s fastidious, I quickly sat up and carefully smoothed the spot where I’d been leaning so he wouldn’t be annoyed when he woke.

As I bent forward, Jason opened his eyes.

My pose must have looked like I was about to steal a kiss.

I sprung up like a spring. “I wasn’t trying to kiss you!”

There was a laugh in his eyes. “Do you know the phrase ‘the more you try to hide, the more you reveal’?”

Huh?

Before I could respond, he got out of the car.

I had to open the door and chase after him.

He strode ahead with long legs; I hurried to catch up and shoved my coat into his hands. “Holding your girlfriend’s coat is a basic requirement.”

This time he didn’t argue. But once we were inside the gallery I realized his compliance had been a trap.

It was freezing in the exhibition space; I was wearing a sleeveless dress and sneezed several times.

I kept signaling for him to drape the coat over me, but he ignored me—until we found Gwen and her fiancé.

I sneezed again and he immediately and tenderly put the coat on me. “It’s cold in here. Don’t catch a chill.”

I watched Gwen’s flawless smile falter, and thought, Mrs. Parker’s a ruthless boss—if I catch a cold I’ll have to file a workplace injury claim.

I soon realized I’d underestimated Jason.

He was far better at acting than I was.

During the entire opening, in front of Gwen and her fiancé he was every inch the considerate boyfriend—attentive, gentle.

Little things, like opening a bottle cap, were trivial; he even stooped to retie my loose shoelace.

When he bent down, my entire back stiffened. Terrifying.

This is Jason Parker—a man I’d always thought of as utterly imperious.

When I first became his secretary, my predecessor left me hundreds of tips. Details like his preferred room temp is 77°F, humidity 56%, water always icy… I thought, why is he such a grown-up baby?

But my predecessor had been serious: as Jason’s secretary, it was my job to make him comfortable in every little way.

“Mr. Parker pays you to do this.”

Everyone around him exists to cater to his comfort. He’s a rich man used to having the world orbit him; besides Gwen, he basically gets anything he wants.

And yet this man was tying my shoelace for Gwen.

For the first time I felt actual jealousy toward Gwen.

Gwen didn’t know anything and looked at me with a complicated expression. She was probably seething green with envy too.

What a mess.

I reminded myself: don’t fall into female rivalry—making money comes first.

Keep going, Lily Carter!

One unexpected gain from the trip: I discovered Gwen’s fiancé, Sam Reed, was surprisingly interesting.

I realized that at lunch when we both reached for the same plate of Alaskan king crab at the buffet.

In these settings, socializing trumps eating. The fancy dishes are more about social function than appetite, so usually people leave them alone.

We both froze, staring at each other.

I’d been willing to come to this lunch because I saw Gwen wanting to catch up with Jason. After their earlier show of affection, giving them a small moment alone could let Jason show some care for Gwen and stabilize her.

If Gwen thought she had no chance at all and gave up completely, our whole public display would have backfired.

So when Gwen moved closer to Jason, I took the excuse to slip away. I even told Jason to do his best.

But this guy in front of me had no idea his head was about to be sprouted with a green cap—he was happily feasting and joking, saying something about how our shared proletarian sensibility had brought us together amid the sea of fashion.

And I realized he was hilarious.

He’s from the Northeast—humor felt built into his bones. Anything he said made people laugh. He was the perfect contrast to Jason’s stiffness.

I immediately understood why Gwen might have crossed social lines for a boy like him. Being with Sam would be so much more fun than being with Jason.

I was laughing at him for maybe fifteen minutes when a voice cut in: “What are you two talking about? Sounds like fun.”

I turned and found Jason and Gwen standing by our table. Gwen was the one who’d spoken.

I looked at Jason, wondering how long he’d been listening.

He stared at me moodily, like a pet owner who’d finally found his runaway dog. Bizarre.

I answered politely to Gwen, “Just chatting. Mr. Reed is hilarious.”

It was an ordinary comment, but both Gwen and Jason’s expressions shifted.

Gwen looked awkward. Jason looked like a cat with its tail stepped on. He grabbed my hand hard. “We should go.”

Before Gwen could react, he practically dragged me out of the dining room.

His grip hurt until we were finally out and I could free my hand.

Jason looked furious. "I pay your salary, not for you to flirt with other people."

Then he walked off and left me standing there.

Huh?

I was certain Jason was furious with jealousy over Sam. That's why he had lost his filter.

Out of pity, I wasn't going to make a scene.

I hurried after him and looped my arm through his, trying to give him a graceful out.

After all, we'd still need to play the lovey-dovey couple later.

But he shoved my arm away. "Go reflect on your behavior first. Then come find me."

This time I didn't follow.

Workplace rule number two: when your boss says something, that’s that. Never argue with your boss.

He told me to reflect, so I would reflect.

Tonight he definitely wouldn't be going home with me. So—did that mean I should go back and finish my king crab?

"Jason can be like that sometimes—so childish and stubborn."

I turned and found Gwen standing behind me, as if she’d been there without my noticing.

I patted my chest. "Oh! Miss Montgomery, why do you always like sneaking up behind people? People really can scare people to death."

Childish and stubborn? Of course she wanted to assert her presence in front of Jason, to remind us that she was his ex.

If I played along, she'd launch into one of those humblebrag speeches about how she knew Jason better than anyone.

I wouldn't take the bait.

Sure enough, Gwen looked thrown off by my unexpected reply and froze, unsure how to continue.

So I switched to humblebrag myself. "Since Miss Montgomery's here, allow me to apologize on Jason's behalf. Please don't hold his earlier clumsiness against him—he harbors no ill will toward Mr. Sam. He's just…jealous."

Watching Gwen's expression shift was delicious; it wiped clean the sting of being rebuked by Jason earlier.

How dare anyone make me miserable? I'll make their loved one miserable right back.

Before I could bask in my little victory for long, Gwen said, "Lily, didn't you used to attend Whitmore Academy?"

Whitmore Academy was a posh private school—definitely not the kind of place a girl like me could afford.

I shook my head quickly, wondering why she brought it up. Was she trying to flaunt her privileged background?

Gwen smiled. "You remind me of a classmate I used to have. She was also surnamed Liu and she also liked Jason. For a moment I thought you were the same person."

Because Jason told me to reflect, I didn't want him to think I wasn't taking it seriously. That night I went home to sleep and planned to head over the next day to tell him I'd reflected.

But that night I had a nightmare.

I was back in childhood, surrounded by kids calling me ugly, coveting things that weren't mine.

When I woke, I tried to recall the faces of those bullies, promising myself that once I had enough money, I'd track them down and give them what they deserved.

Then I got hungry.

I went to the kitchen and made myself a bowl of noodles—scallions sizzling, water boiling, noodles in, two runny fried eggs on top.

When I emerged carrying the steaming bowl and flipped on the living room light, I realized someone had somehow taken a seat on my couch.

I screamed and nearly dropped the noodles. "W-When did you get here?!"

Jason sat there properly, a strange sadness in his eyes.

That aside, what was he doing in my apartment?

He ignored my question and stared at my noodles. Then he asked a heavy, philosophical thing: "Am I really that boring?"

Huh?

Didn't he just tell me to reflect? Now he was reflecting first.

I couldn't say my boss was boring. I praised him instead. "Boring is for ordinary people. You're focused, serious—the kind of qualities a successful person needs."

He smiled briefly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Want to know why Gwen broke up with me?"

I shook my head fast. Of course: workplace rule number three—keep your boss's secrets to yourself.

Jason kept talking. "She thinks I'm boring. So she dumped me and went after that Sam."

Oh. No wonder he was mad today.

A cold sweat ran down my spine as I frantically tried to backtrack for praising Sam earlier.

Then I heard myself blurt, "I'll give you half my noodles."

Jason looked at me speechless.

Yeah, noodles were a pathetic bribe.

So I added, "Or—umm—maybe we could do that thing."

To placate him further, I added, "My treat. No charge."

He stared like I was an idiot. I felt embarrassed. "Never mind."

I set the noodles on the table, ready to eat. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed—alone tonight, craving warmth of some kind. If not a body, then hot noodles would have to do.

Before I could sit, I found myself wrapped in a warm embrace.

Then a kiss, tasting of him, landed on me.

After the first time, the second was even better.

I finally understood what the ancients meant with those poetic phrases.

That night we were like two tireless fish, swimming back and forth until we had nothing left, until we fell asleep exhausted.

The next morning I woke with every muscle aching as if a truck had run over me. Jason was gone—probably off to work, always so dedicated.

I grabbed my phone to order delivery—and noticed a money transfer in WeChat.

Jason had transferred me money again!

Even as a wage slave, I had standards. I didn't accept it. I texted him: If you say it's my treat, then fine, it's my treat.

He replied quickly: Take it. I feel like a purely transactional relationship between us is more comfortable for me.

As if! Who did he think he was implying I was mere transaction material?

I refused his transfer and sent him one cent back. I messaged: That's my purchase!

About fifteen minutes later he accepted the money. Transaction complete, neatly settled.

Given how great last night had been, I thought maybe I could purchase that service again.

But before I could arrange round two, a paparazzo I hired to dig into Sam sent me explosive evidence.

Our shared proletarian hero Sam was apparently a player behind closed doors.

The photos showed him kissing a young woman. The paparazzo said Sam taught at a local art school, and the girl in the photos was his student.

A poor kid landing Miss Montgomery was already a miracle—then he went and cheated, and with his own student, no less.

He's trash.

My newly blossomed good opinion of him evaporated instantly.

I should've sent the photos to Gwen and watched her dump him. But if they broke up, she might reconcile with Jason—and I'd be out of a job.

I'd only been collecting pay for two months; I hesitated. I still wanted to hit my target of earning a million.

I decided to wait two months. One day of being cheated on versus two months? What’s the real difference, right?

Still, putting my interests ahead of Jason's felt like shirking my duty. I felt guilty.

So when I helped pick out Jason's birthday gift, I held back and tried to be frugal—saving him money, I told myself.

When he saw the expense report I handed him, he looked surprised. "I thought you'd use this chance to splurge."

Apparently my thriftiness showed too clearly. I smiled awkwardly. "You jest. I'm very professional."

He watched me with interest. "Alright then. For being so professional, I'm going to reward you. What do you want for your birthday?"

That stunned me. I pointed to the bills he'd signed. "Everything I want is on here. I booked a restaurant—you could accompany me…"

"That's not what I mean," he interrupted. "I mean, what does the real Lily Carter want for her birthday?"

What the real Lily wanted was money. But with starry eyes I blurted out a childhood wish instead: "I want to ride a Ferris wheel at night."

Jason looked at me, puzzled. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

On my birthday night, Jason rented out an entire amusement park for me.

Just like in a drama, he brought me to the Ferris wheel, clapped his hands, and the whole wheel lit up as if by magic.

The lights spelled: Happy Birthday, Lily Carter.

In that moment I knew it was all bought—everything lit up with money. But I was still so moved.

It meant more to me than a lump sum could have.

I remembered someone who once promised to light up a Ferris wheel for me on my birthday and broke their promise. I had adored a Ferris wheel night lamp so much that I bought the expensive toy for myself to fill the empty promise. Turning on that little lamp in the dark used to feel like my missed wish had been kept.

I have no idea when Jason noticed the Ferris-wheel lamp on my shelf, or why he bothered to grant that wish. All I knew was that I was very grateful.

I fought back tears and said sincerely, "Thank you."

Jason didn't expect me to be so moved. He looked at me, a little amused. "Want to ride it together?"

But heaven couldn't stand to leave me that happy. Before we could get on, Jason's phone rang. It was Gwen.

I don't know what they said. After he hung up, Jason looked serious. "Sorry. You'll have to ride the Ferris wheel alone. Gwen's in trouble. I have to go."

I nodded quickly. "Yeah, go. Go."

Jason Parker hurried off, and I climbed into the Ferris wheel alone.

The night sky was washed clean, a full moon floating overhead.

It was the fifteenth.

But there I was, riding the Ferris wheel by myself—exactly the scene I’d rehearsed a thousand times in my dreams.

In my imagination, I rode the wind with the moon at my back.

It should’ve been like ET flying across the moon—romantic and perfect.

In reality, circling up there alone, I was terrified.

One thought kept looping in my head: what if it malfunctions and stops midway?

I pictured tomorrow’s headlines: “Jason Parker Caught Meeting Old Flame, Lily Carter Left Hanging on Ferris Wheel,” and all desire to enjoy the ride evaporated.

Besides, the Ferris wheel was uncomfortable. The night wind was freezing and made me feel foolish.

Thanks to Jason, I’d managed to catch a glorious birthday cold.

I half-wondered if this counted as a workplace injury.

When I sneezed my way home, Jason was already waiting inside.

On the table in front of him were the paparazzi photos from that night, and his expression demanded an explanation.

“You got these and didn’t give them to me?” he asked.

My brain froze for half a second; I babbled excuses. “I was afraid—”

“You were afraid if you gave them to me I’d stop employing you,” Jason cut in.

So blunt—even a little embarrassing.

I forced a sheepish smile and tried to think of something to say.

But he didn’t give me a chance. “You worry too much. Gwen already knows what kind of man Su Ze is. She just won’t break up with him.”

Huh?

Jason gave a smile that was uglier than crying. “I lost to a man like that. Do you think it’s funny?”

I nodded, then shook my head. “Miss Montgomery misjudged him; that’s what’s laughable, not you. Don’t worry—nothing’s impossible if you’re willing to climb. With steady effort, she’ll come back to you.”

“How do you know?” he asked.

“Because you hired me,” I said. “I won’t let your money go to waste.”

A little professional pride remained.

I promised solemnly, “Look—tonight she opened up and exposed her deepest hurt to you. That means she’s leaning toward you again. Trust me; follow my plan and she’ll be yours in no time.”

Jason looked at me steadily. Something unreadable flashed through his eyes.

For a second I thought—at the darkest point in his life, is he trying to kiss me? That would be utterly shameless.

He’d been grieving Gwen a moment ago!

Luckily, he didn’t kiss me. He only smiled, as if exhaustion had finally hit him. “With an employee like you, what do I have to worry about?”

The next day the headlines showed Jason driving Gwen home late at night.

One photo captured the exact moment he opened the car door for her; their eyes met.

To me it looked like a perfectly normal glance.

But the gossip mob insisted they saw overwhelming devotion in it. They concluded Lily Carter was a joke.

I couldn’t disappoint the crowd, so I booked a flight to Hainan almost immediately.

I told myself I needed a break—and that I also needed to make Jason miss Gwen enough to break things. “Only then will Gwen realize you’re not someone she can summon at any time. If she wants you, she’ll take you seriously.”

When I left I slapped his shoulder and said it.

This time Jason followed me to Hainan without argument.

I knew this would probably be the last time I showed up as Jason Parker’s girlfriend.

So I planned things I truly wanted to do with my boyfriend: stroll down old streets hand in hand, eat while wandering—simple, ordinary things.

I even coaxed pristine-Jason to sit at a filthy street stall and eat skewers with me.

He looked disgusted but sat anyway.

It had to be said: as a boss, Jason wasn’t entirely without redeeming qualities.

For instance, he said he liked cold water. Once I forgot to add ice, and to avoid his anger I bluffed that warm water was healthier; he accepted it. He used to work all night, and after I complained about the toll on his health, he stopped staying past midnight. Tonight, even though he hated street food, he humored me.

Sometimes, spoiled-brat heir turned out easy to please.

Thinking of these things made me reluctant to let him go. After I was gone, I’d probably remember him in some lonely late hour. He’d given me my perfect boyfriend fantasy—maybe I’d never find someone more handsome. Or maybe I’d never date again.

That night we drank too much.

While tipsy, Jason got a call from Gwen. I silenced it for him. “Trust me—don’t answer tonight. When you go back tomorrow, she’ll be your girlfriend for good.”

I used the moment to demand more money. “I helped you achieve in two months what you couldn’t in years. You only paid me six hundred thousand—you should at least give me ten million.”

“What would you do with so much?” he asked.

“Buy a villa. Retire. Relax. Eat and wander. Spend my later years counting money with Max the cat.”

I counted off the reasons on my fingers.

“Fine,” he said.

The next morning I woke up and Jason—no, Max—was already gone. Probably off to find Gwen.

I couldn’t tell if his promise of ten million had been real or a drunken dream.

I grabbed my phone to check for a transfer—and found I’d made hot search again.

This time someone exposed my original name: Lily Mu—claimed I’d started liking Jason at twelve in first grade, been rejected, then gone so far as to change my name and get plastic surgery to infiltrate his life. The post painted me as a creep.

And the creep they described was me.

I knew this was Gwen’s counterstrike.

It was time for a clean break.

I call myself Lily Mu.

I liked Jason Parker for a very long time.

So long that it added up to fourteen years, seven months, and twenty-one days.

Yes—on that September 1st, fourteen years, seven months, and twenty-one days ago, I realized I liked him.

We were both twelve then.

We were students at the prestigious old-family prep school—Rihsen Academy, first-year middle school.

On the first day I carried a new thermos filled with boiling water. My mom told me to cool it before drinking or at least dilute it. I planned to.

After gym class I poured out some hot water to cool it and saw an incredibly handsome boy walk into our classroom. We locked eyes and I panicked. I picked up my cup and took a sip.

Everything came out of my mouth.

What a mess.

The boy who had already sat down stood up again and handed me a bottle of water. “Drink something cool first. Remember to mix hot water into warm next time.”

I tried to blow on my scorched mouth while my face burned as I gulped the water. That day I learned his name—Jason Parker.

Later I thought maybe, in Jason’s eyes, I looked like a little dog who’d been burned.

Jason was outgoing and friendly and had many friends. I didn’t dare try to be his friend—I only dared to have a secret crush.

I even wrote him a love letter, but I didn’t have the courage to give it to him. I was the ugly duckling; liking the swan wasn’t wrong, but letting the swan know? That would be my mistake. Still, writing a letter felt like the right thing for a proper girl in love.

That letter somehow ended up in Jason’s desk and his friend Henry Reed read it aloud to the whole grade.

From then on I was a joke schoolwide.

I wasn’t good-looking, I wasn’t top of the class, and my family wasn’t rich. For someone like me to fancy the golden public figure Jason was unforgivable.

Other girls who might’ve liked Jason but dared not to speak of it made me their imaginary rival. What began as mocking when they saw me too weak to fight back escalated into bullying.

I didn’t know whether Jason knew I was bullied because of him. I’d fantasized that maybe he’d stand up for me—just one word would be enough.

On my thirteenth birthday I found a note from him. He’d asked me to meet at the suburban amusement park that night. He said he’d take me on the Ferris wheel and light it up with my name.

I went full of hope.

I waited until the moon was high and Jason never came.

I knew then I’d been deceived.

I wanted to believe someone around him had tricked me—not him. I chose to believe that.

I walked home step by step and never returned to that school. I told my mother everyone else was so rich and we couldn’t catch up; I was unhappy and needed to transfer. At that time, my father’s business had failed, so my mother quickly arranged the transfer.

Later I changed schools, changed my name, had surgery, and made it through university.

But I couldn’t forget Jason Parker.

Not exaggerating—after becoming “pretty,” I had plenty of suitors.

None of them were Jason.

Maybe fate—though really I’d been keeping tabs on him all along—led me to see his job posting for a personal assistant the first time I looked for work after graduation.

I knew his father was powerful and Jason himself had become very successful. But the man in the headlines now was not the boy I’d remembered.

In every gossip column, he’d already become the rumored boyfriend of a string of starlets — basically the dream of millions of young women.

I wondered what was wrong with him.

So when I found out he was hiring a secretary, I begged my sister who worked HR at his company and managed to get through to the final interview. I got the job and finally slipped into Jason Parker’s orbit.

To be honest, on my first day I half-hoped he’d recognize me. He didn’t.

I figured in his memory, there probably wasn’t anyone named Lily Carter — or anyone like Lily Muto, for that matter.

That actually worked in my favor. It made sneaking around easier.

Hearing about it was one thing. Watching Jason Parker go from meaningless fling to meaningless fling with such empty-eyed detachment — that tore me up.

In my memory he’d been bright and warm.

Now his gaze was hollow. His heart felt hollow, too.

I didn’t know what had happened to him, but that emptiness might actually be an opportunity for me.

If the perfect Jason Parker I remembered only made me sigh with regret, then this hollow shell of a man might finally be something I could possess.

So I tried to fill the void.

I threw myself into work, earned his trust, and gradually tried to reshape him in my own way. He liked iced water? I made him fall for warm water again. He had severe insomnia and worked through the night? I helped him reclaim sleep. He numbed himself with games and a string of women? I kept reminding him that those other girls only loved his money.

I treated his exes harshly, labeling their relationships with him as transactional and crude.

Slowly, my name spread.

I didn’t care.

Even if the whole world hated me, as long as Jason one day liked me, it would be enough.

I knew I’d become a villain — no different from those girls who once bullied me.

But karma exists. The heavens don’t let wickedness win forever.

I didn’t get love. I didn’t fill his emptiness.

Because I discovered the hole in his heart wasn’t for anyone like me — it was for Gwen Montgomery.

Gwen had been our classmate, once school-beauty caliber, now a top society darling even red-hot young actresses envied.

I felt utterly defeated.

Still, I hoped at least one of us could be happy.

If Jason could be happy, that would be enough.

After thinking hard, I hit on a plan: maybe a fake relationship could provoke Gwen and draw her back.

And the fall guy for that fake romance? It had to be me.

No one would be more devoted; no one would be easier to discard afterward; and I wanted to be closer to Jason, even if only through a sham relationship. That would soothe me.

So I told him I’d help win Gwen back — for money.

Painful as it was, I told myself: if it worked, it would be a three-way win.

Jason would get love, I’d get money and the experience of pretending to be loved.

The poor don’t need real love — experience suffices.

When my plan actually succeeded, I cried.

At first I thought I was about to truly lose Jason.

But then I told myself I never really had him to begin with, so how could I lose him?

That made me cry harder.

Between sobs I remembered what one of those young actresses had cried to me at the time: “I want him. I want the man himself.”

Who didn’t want Jason Parker?

But none of us could have him.

The only upside was I’d become comfortably well-off.

20. Jason Parker extra

I already knew Lily Carter was actually Lily Muto. I background-checked everyone who worked around me.

I kept her because what had happened to her back then echoed things from my own childhood — when I’d done nothing.

She used to like me and even wrote me a love letter.

Honestly, it was the first love letter I’d ever gotten. Before I could read it, Henry Fields grabbed it and read it aloud for the whole class.

I didn’t stop him because I saw Gwen had told Henry to read it.

We were both freshmen then.

I liked Gwen — I liked her chaos — I indulged her.

I thought letting her be wild and watching her laugh was my kind of love.

In my youth, I never considered what being mocked must have felt like for Lily Muto.

I’d completely forgotten she existed — until she came to apply for my secretary job under the name Lily Carter.

Her timid eyes brought back the image of that small girl who’d fled in confusion the day Gwen made a joke of her.

By then Gwen had long since left me. For reasons I couldn’t explain, I wanted to know what Lily Carter wanted.

At first she did nothing out of line — she stayed by my side and was more responsible than any of my previous secretaries.

For a long time I thought she’d simply taken the job for the pay.

But gradually I noticed details — little signs she still liked me.

She’d secretly switch my water to warm. I’d been ready to snap about it until I overheard her recommending warm water for health to someone. Even I couldn’t publicly reject that kind gesture, so from then on she only gave me warm water.

She’d tell me never to work past midnight. “Sleeping after twelve harms the heart, liver, lungs,” she’d say. Little things like that — things none of my former secretaries would ever do. They were paid employees who took my orders like commands.

Only she seemed to care.

Just as I hopelessly cared for Gwen.

Lily made me feel less alone, so I kept her around and amused myself watching her antics.

But my heart belonged to Gwen, and the most I could do for Lily was not expose her.

What exposed her in the end was my getting plastered over Gwen’s engagement.

She offered to be my fake girlfriend — to help me win Gwen back.

I was stunned.

She brazenly argued that flashing around a dozen starlets as a fling would be a headache and ruin my image. Money was money — with one person she wouldn’t have to act. She demanded ten million and promised she would get Gwen back for me.

You have to admit, Lily was clever and knew me well. Her plan was moving. She could use company funds, pretend to be in love with the man she adored, and make money at the same time.

If it had been anyone else, I’d have applauded.

But it was me, and I couldn’t hand her ten million. If I paid her that, she wouldn’t be my secretary anymore. I’m a businessman; I didn’t want to lose my favorite employee so quickly.

Still, I wanted Gwen — I’d never lost so miserably in my life. So I said I’d pay Lily three hundred thousand a month to start.

Because of that monthly pay, Lily threw herself into the act of loving me and helping me chase Gwen.

She threw herself in so completely she gave me her first time.

Afterwards, in a messy mood I transferred her a million.

I told myself I wouldn’t mix money and feelings beyond employer and employee.

But in the days after, she lingered around me, studying Xuan Kuan novels and classic erotic texts as if she wanted to be with me again.

Maybe she wanted a few more million by being with me again. Both thoughts disgusted me.

If she truly loved me, I’d been cruel. I couldn’t accept that version of myself.

If she was just professional or greedy, I couldn’t accept that either.

So after that, I felt complicated things for her — feelings that scared me.

I was the same with Gwen.

Was it love? I didn’t know.

All I knew was that Gwen and Lily’s names kept flashing through my mind, sometimes so intermingled I couldn’t tell which one I thought of more.

My mother made things worse.

After she took Lily to that party, Mom gave Lily my grandmother’s heirloom pearl necklace.

When I asked how she could be so generous, she said she hadn’t seen anyone not waste good things in a long time and that deserved praise.

I warned Mom she might regret giving away such a meaningful gift. She told me not giving would bring regret and told me to stop pining for Gwen — loving Gwen would only end in regret.

Soon enough, Mom’s words proved true.

One day, at Lily’s arrangement, I “chased” her to Hainan.

After a day of eating and sightseeing like ordinary people, Gwen — just as Lily had predicted — called me.

Red-eyed, Lily slammed the phone down and told me not to answer. She said if I stayed away that night, Gwen would be mine by the time we got back.

As she said that, Lily’s eyes shone with tears.

In that moment I was sure she truly liked me.

But then she acted like an idiot, nagging me: “You only gave me six hundred thousand? Aren’t you ashamed? You should give me ten million.”

I asked why she wanted more. She said she wanted to lie flat — to do nothing.

Maybe those words pushed something in me because we went at it like maniacs all night.

I got to the airport at six in the morning.

For some reason, even knowing Gwen was waiting, I felt no excitement — only emptiness.

It was a familiar hollow — my heart had been hollow for Gwen before.

At the airport I realized I’d stopped loving Gwen long ago. Maybe I stopped when she dumped me for some ridiculous man. My obsession with her had always been about winning.

And Lily had made me win.

At that moment, images of Lily flashed through my mind, overwhelming everything else.

I called Gwen and told her I liked Lily now.

Gwen was furious.

She told me that Lily Carter was the same Lily Mu Tong who used to write me love letters as a kid—back then a little ugly duckling, now a surgery addict.

So Gwen could get jealous too.

I laughed. "Your double eyelids weren't exactly natural either, were they?"

Honestly, I didn't care whether Lily had gone under the knife.

Driving back to find Lily, I was clear-headed.

I wanted to confront her in person, strip away the act—tell her to stop pretending. She clearly liked me, and yet she hid it by acting like she only cared about my money.

I even convinced myself I didn't care whether Lily loved me for me or for my wealth.

When I showed up and told her I liked her, she was crying.

She was stunned for a long moment, then her voice trembled as she asked, "You're not going to take the money back, are you?"

I laughed out loud.

Perfect. She loved money, and I happened to have more than enough to make sure she'd always love me.

We were, truly, a match made in heaven.

(The End)
□ Wanquan Temple Superman