Chapter 1

"Freya, Mr. Whitemore signed off on your resignation papers, but he didn't notice it was you leaving. Want me to let him know?" The HR director's voice came through the phone, concern evident.

Freya's eyes lowered as she replied softly, "No need. Just leave it as is."

"But you've been his right hand for four years! He values you more than anyone and totally depends on you. Are you absolutely sure about quitting?"

HR was practically begging, but Freya just offered a small smile.

"Nobody's irreplaceable in this world. My parents aren't doing well, and I need to head back home to settle down. Since Mr. Whitemore approved it, I'll handle the transition. I'll be gone in a month. Thanks for checking."

After hanging up, Freya went back to sorting through her things. She'd lived in this penthouse for three years. Not too much stuff, not too little—just keeping essentials and tossing the rest.

As the room emptied, she felt momentarily disoriented, memories washing over her like waves.

Eight years ago, Freya—a small-town girl from a modest family—got into Harvard and became best friends with New York heiress Elena Whitemore.

Despite their completely different backgrounds, they clicked instantly—attending lectures together, grabbing lunch, hitting the shops—practically joined at the hip every day.

Gradually, Elena brought Freya into her world, introduced her to family, and unwittingly, Freya fell hard for Elena's brother, Jasper. But she buried those feelings deep, never breathing a word to anyone.

After graduation, Elena took off to study in Paris. Freya stayed in New York, landed a job as Jasper's assistant—all to be near him.

Then came that night when someone slipped something into Jasper's drink. Freya was about to call 911 when he pinned her against the wall, his control gone as his mouth claimed hers.

After a night together, she woke to find him by the window, his sharp profile haloed in cigarette smoke, brooding and distant.

Hearing her stir, he turned. "You're into me, aren't you?"

Freya instinctively wanted to deny it, but he continued, his face expressionless.

"You blush whenever I walk in. You know all my likes and dislikes. You jumped at becoming my assistant right after graduation..."

"Don't tell me that's all coincidence."

His words left her face burning, from embarrassment or guilt, she wasn't sure which.

In the heavy silence, he suddenly handed her a card.

"Last night shouldn't have happened. I'm in love with someone else and can't return your feelings or take responsibility. Elena mentioned you come from a modest background—there's enough money on this card to set you up for life. Let's both forget this ever happened."

Freya was stunned. Then she remembered he'd repeatedly called out a name in bed: Mia. Mia Carter.

From Elena, Freya knew Mia was Jasper's unforgettable first love. He was so hung up on her that even after she dumped him and moved abroad, collecting a string of rumored boyfriends, he insisted on waiting for her return.

Freya recalled Elena's eye-roll: "The Whitemores are known for being cold fish. How did my brother turn into such a hopeless romantic? Waiting all these years, saying everyone else would be 'settling' because he refuses to settle."

Feeling this in her bones, Freya suddenly found her courage and called after Jasper as he headed for the door.

"I don't want your money. I just want a chance. Please, just try being with me. If she never comes back or... if she does return but you still can't move on, I'll walk away. I promise."

Faced with her lovesick gaze, Jasper paused for a beat before muttering, "Whatever," and walking out.

From that day forward, Freya was his assistant by day and his lover by night. They left their mark in his office, his Maybach, against the windows of his penthouse. Four years passed with no one knowing about their arrangement, and she told herself she was happy.

Until his birthday a few days ago. Freya had planned several surprises to celebrate. But as midnight approached, instead of Jasper, she got a notification from his social media—an account he'd never used before.

"Best birthday gift? Getting back what I lost."

The forever-silent Jasper Whitemore had posted a photo of himself kissing Mia Carter beneath exploding fireworks.

Seeing this, the blood drained from Freya's face, her chest tightening. With one last desperate hope, she called him.

Mia answered. After saying "hello" several times to silence, she called out: "Jasper, who's this Freya Kingsley calling you and not saying anything?"

A moment later, his deep, cool voice came through the speaker: "Nobody important. Ignore it. Come back to bed, babe."

In that moment, Freya knew her exit cue had arrived.

She packed her things, ready to leave, when she ran into Jasper at the door. Since they'd been sleeping together regularly, Freya had been staying at his place for convenience—but now, she couldn't stay another night.

Seeing her with her bags, his eyes narrowed slightly, but he made no move to stop her. "Found a place?"

"Yeah, my old apartment. Talked to the landlord—just for a month."

At this, Jasper frowned. "A month? What for?"

Freya started to explain, but he seemed to lose interest, merely saying, "I'll drive you."

She tried to refuse, but he insisted.

"It's dumping snow out there, and it's late. If anything happened to you, Elena would kill me."

Freya reluctantly got into his car. Once, they'd been intimate countless times in this vehicle, but now she barely recognized it. The interior was plastered with cute plushies, Hello Kitty seat covers, and snacks everywhere...

She could hardly imagine this serious, standoffish man transforming his car into something so cutesy.

Noticing her stare, Jasper offered a brief explanation: "Mia's into this stuff."

Freya got his meaning and stayed quiet for a long while before responding softly.

"You finally got her back. I'm happy for you, Mr. Whitemore."

Jasper hadn't expected that response. His eyes darkened, and he said nothing more.

Halfway to her place, Mia called, wanting to build a snowman with him. He pulled over, clearly eager to go to her, but hesitated when he glanced at Freya.

Understanding his dilemma, Freya opened the door. "I'll grab a Uber from here, Mr. Whitemore."

He nodded and got out to help with her stuff. Her hands slipped, and the box crashed to the ground. As he bent down, the streetlight illuminated its spilled contents, freezing him in place.

Love letters addressed to him but never sent, candid photos she'd secretly taken, things he'd tossed that she'd rescued and treasured...

Freya's heart hammered as she scrambled to gather everything.

"Sorry about that."

Without a word, Jasper got back in his car and sped away.

Freya waited in the snow for ages but couldn't get a ride. Trying to lug her box home, she was hit by an electric scooter.

The collision left a nasty gash on her calf, blood staining the snow. Watching the hit-and-run driver disappear, she gasped with pain, lying in the snow for what felt like forever.

When she could finally move, she limped through the snow for four hours before reaching her apartment.

After patching up her wound, she checked her phone to find a message from Jasper, sent after he'd left:

[Stop being so obsessed with one guy. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Don't hang all your hopes on me.]

Freya stared at this message for a very long time.

At dawn, she went downstairs, set fire to the box, and burned everything inside it. The love that had burned fiercely in her heart for eight years turned to ashes alongside those mementos.

Jasper Whitemore, I'll grant your wish.

Chapter 2

After a quiet weekend, Monday morning rolled around, and Freya arrived at work on schedule.

She handled her usual tasks, including notifying Jasper about his upcoming meeting. Approaching his office, she glanced through the partially open door and stopped cold.

Mia was sitting in Jasper's lap, feeding him the other half of her cookie. The famously germaphobic CEO actually ate it with a smile, then gently kissed her fingertips.

"You were talking about craving these yesterday, so I stood in line for three hours this morning. Worth it?" His voice had a tenderness Freya had never heard before.

"Mmm, they're perfect—sweet but not sickeningly so. You used to trek across town for these all the time. Now you're literally running a corporation. Can't you just send someone to get them?" Mia wiggled her foot as he massaged her ankle.

The look on Jasper's face was pure devotion. "Anything that matters to you, I handle myself. Always."

Mia's face lit up as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He pulled her closer, completely lost in the moment.

Watching them, Freya felt like she'd been punched in the chest, a bitter ache spreading through her. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, leaving bloody crescents behind.

As the meeting time approached, Freya composed herself and knocked lightly.

"Mr. Whitemore, your meeting's about to start."

Hearing her, Jasper tensed slightly and started to rise, but Mia tugged him back down.

"Don't go yet. Five more minutes?" She gave him puppy-dog eyes.

Her playful plea melted his resolve instantly.

"Push the meeting back two hours," he called out.

This meeting involved a collaboration between major New York corporations that was crucial to the company's future. Freya knew its importance and couldn't help adding:

"The CEOs from Verdean, Aurex, and Vireon are already in the conference room..."

"God, Jasper, your assistant is such a buzzkill! Can't she take a hint?" Mia rolled her eyes dramatically.

Jasper's expression hardened instantly. "I said postpone it two hours. Nothing comes before Mia, got it?"

Freya felt like she couldn't breathe. In the end, she simply closed the door and walked away.

Everyone in their circle knew Jasper was a workaholic machine. No matter what was happening personally—even right after surgery—he'd drag himself in to finish his work.

Yet here he was, risking relationships with major partners because of a little whining. This was completely new territory.

Did he really love Mia that much?

Freya pulled herself together and walked into the conference room to face the waiting executives.

The Whitemore empire was powerful enough that these CEOs, despite being pissed, wouldn't directly criticize Jasper. Instead, they unloaded on Freya.

She took their verbal abuse silently, head down.

After an excruciating two-hour wait, Jasper finally showed up. As Freya left the conference room on legs that felt like jelly, Mia called out to her.

"You're Freya, right? Jasper says you make killer coffee. Everyone looks dead on their feet—whip up some for the whole floor? Mine with ice, no sugar."

Knowing her place in the hierarchy, Freya headed to the break room without protest.

Two hours later, she finished preparing over four hundred cups, delivering them one by one.

After just one sip, Mia's face darkened. She hurled her mug straight at Freya's head.

The ceramic smashed against Freya's forehead, opening a nasty gash. She let out a gasp of pain and dropped to the floor, clutching her wound.

Not satisfied, Mia grabbed more mugs and kept throwing them.

Bruises bloomed across Freya's body as ceramic shards sliced her skin. Coffee soaked through her clothes, mixing with bright red blood dripping onto the floor.

Despite the blinding pain, she could only curl into a ball, protecting her head and chest.

The office went dead silent. Nobody dared step in as Mia continued her meltdown. They all kept their distance, watching in horror.

The commotion brought Jasper out of his office. He surveyed the chaos and Freya's crumpled form with narrowed eyes.

"What the hell happened?"

Seeing him, Mia instantly switched to victim mode. "Jasper, I asked her to make me coffee. I'm on my period, and she deliberately put ice in it. My cramps are killing me now."

Seeing her teary eyes, Jasper's face darkened immediately.

"You've worked for me for four years and can't handle a simple coffee order? Or do you have some problem with Mia?"

Freya raised her deathly pale face to explain, but he didn't give her the chance. He called over another assistant.

"Dock her entire month's salary and quarterly bonus. Send a company-wide notice and have her make a public apology at next week's all-hands."

With that, Jasper draped his jacket over Mia's shoulders and led her away.

Chapter 3

As Jasper vanished down the corridor, the tears Freya had been fighting finally broke free.

She forced herself up, wincing as she grabbed a broom and mop to tackle the mess of shattered ceramic and coffee.

A few sympathetic coworkers came to help, their eyes full of pity.

"I clearly heard her say 'with ice, no sugar.' How's she flipping this on you? Did you tick her off somehow?" one whispered.

"Like she needs a reason?" another muttered. "Everyone knows she's a total princess. Throws a fit over nothing. Half our circle can't stand her, but with Jasper in her pocket, nobody dares say boo."

"Man, I've never seen him this crazy about anyone. Freya, just watch your back. We're regular folks—we can't compete with trust fund babies. With Jasper backing her play, we just have to eat whatever crap they serve us."

Freya appreciated their support, but their words left her emotionally tangled.

Once, when a client tried blaming her for their own mistake on a contract, Jasper had stood rock-solid behind her. He'd believed in her completely, fighting until her name was cleared.

But now? Mia drops one casual lie, and he doesn't even fact-check or let her explain. He just assumes she's at fault.

After years of dedication, handling countless fires for him—didn't she deserve that basic trust?

Or in his world, did right and wrong not matter as long as Mia was happy?

The thought left her heart feeling like raw hamburger.

It took forever to clean everything before dragging her battered body home.

She had barely stepped out of the shower when her phone lit up with Jasper's name.

"Bring over some Advil and heating pads."

She threw everything together ASAP and headed to his penthouse.

In just days, the once sleek space had transformed completely. The cherry tree his grandfather planted—gone, replaced by tulips. The black and white furniture he'd always preferred—swapped for pink and yellow pieces he used to mock. Display cases now showcased jewelry, designer bags, and gifts...

Pure Mia, through and through.

Freya took it all in silently before knocking on the bedroom door.

Jasper opened it, grabbed the stuff, and finally glanced at her face.

With the coffee cleaned off, her injuries looked brutal, making him pause.

"Jesus. Have you had that checked out?"

Freya just shook her head.

He rubbed his temple, his tone softening slightly.

"Look, Mia was just feeling like garbage. She wasn't gunning for you specifically, so don't take it personally. I'll add what I docked from your pay to your Christmas bonus. Get those wounds looked at—if they're bad, take a few sick days. I'll sign off on it, no red tape."

"That won't be necessary. At the end of this month—"

Freya tried telling him about her resignation, but he cut her off, shoving a card into her hand.

"Just do what I'm telling you. I need you to put together a welcome-back thing for Mia, so rest up and heal."

The words died in Freya's throat.

She nodded, took the card, and turned to leave.

As the door swung shut, she caught Mia's voice:

"Babe, is that tea ready? Can you come rub my stomach?"

"Coming right now. Just lie still and don't move, okay?"

Hearing his tender tone, Freya smiled bitterly.

Her own cramps were brutal too—she'd actually passed out at work multiple times and been rushed to the ER.

When he found out? Just a signed time-off form. No visits, no tea, no heating pads.

Back then, she'd told herself he was swamped with work.

Now she got it—he just didn't give a damn.

After leaving, Freya hit up urgent care for basic treatment.

She crashed at home for a few days before getting bombarded with party specs from his assistant.

Everything from floral arrangements to dessert selections to server uniforms came with ridiculous requirements.

With just three days to pull it off, Freya pushed through her exhaustion to make it happen.

After running herself ragged, the party kicked off at 7 PM sharp.

Mia floated in wearing some couture masterpiece, immediately becoming the room's center of gravity.

Guests swarmed her with compliments, feeding her ego.

"It's been ages, but you're still that same knockout, Mia. Even a 'casual' welcome-back party looks like the Met Gala—clearly Jasper's still completely whipped!"

"Remember college when some poor schmuck asked Mia out? Jasper literally got the guy transferred! He shredded love letters on sight, and when people talked smack about Mia, he put those dudes in the hospital!"

"Everyone knows Mia's his kryptonite—the one he can't resist! Look at that ice she's wearing—gotta be worth a couple million! And that dress is one-of-a-kind. Jasper's always been 'price is no object' when it comes to keeping Mia happy!"