the don returned with a pregnant woman

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Transcript

00:00Don't stop. Keep touching yourself.

00:02I weigh more than 220 pounds.

00:04Vanessa, the daughter of my mother's employer, has bullied me for three years because of my weight.

00:10To get back at her, I used Vanessa's photos and name as my own

00:14and started an online relationship with Julian, the hockey team captain.

00:18At the start of my sophomore year, my student loan application was denied.

00:22When Julian found out, he sent me $15,000 on the spot.

00:26That was when it finally hit me.

00:28I had already fallen in love with him, but he thought I was Vanessa.

00:32I braced myself against the vanity, trying to bring my ragged breathing under control.

00:37Julian, what would you do if I broke up with you and disappeared for good?

00:41Baby, don't test me like that. I don't like it.

00:43If you ever disappear, pray we never cross paths again.

00:45Because if we do, I'll make you repay every day you owe me, one night at a time.

00:53I started losing weight, a year later.

00:55I had lost the weight and landed an internship in Cross House's internal audit department.

01:00Cross House is one of Manhattan's most exclusive private clubs, run by the Cross family.

01:05Vanessa was there too. My heart stopped.

01:07The man I had dated online for three years was standing right in front of me, flesh and blood.

01:12The shock of it was overwhelming. My mind went blank for several seconds.

01:16By the time I came back to myself, Julian had stopped walking.

01:19Then he turned and headed straight toward us. I lowered my head at once and kept my breathing as

01:23quiet as I could. He knew Vanessa's face, but he had heard my voice countless times.

01:28As long as I kept my mouth shut, there was no way he could recognize me.

01:31His face was expressionless, and an icy, unapproachable air surrounded him.

01:35His black dress shirt set off his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

01:39A sliver of his wrist showed beneath the cuff, faint blue veins visible under the skin.

01:43Then, restrained, yet powerful Julian Cross, the most dangerous mafia don in the city.

01:48He looked taller than he had at university, more handsome, and even harder to look away from.

01:52Our audit manager lowered her voice and reminded us,

01:55Mr. Cross is only here for a closed door meeting upstairs. He's too busy to notice a group of interns.

02:00The words had barely left her mouth. Julian stopped in front of us.

02:03More precisely, he stopped in front of Vanessa. They stood face to face.

02:07He cold and elegant. She radiant and beautiful.

02:09I held my breath without meaning to. Only one thought remained in my head.

02:13They really did look perfect together.

02:15Mr. Cross? You dropped your cuffling?

02:18The faint scent of his cologne reached me.

02:20Fur and citrus, crisp with a thread of warmth.

02:22I knew that scent all too well.

02:23It was the cologne I had given him for the first anniversary of our online relationship.

02:27To afford that bottle.

02:28I had worked odd jobs for months, saving every scent I could.

02:32I lowered my head and stared hard at the tips of my shoes.

02:35He knew the sound of my breathing intimately from all those late night calls.

02:38Julian's gaze never left Vanessa's face.

02:40His gaze was intense and direct, as if he meant to look past that beautiful face

02:45and determine whether she was really the woman he had spent two years searching for.

02:48Vanessa grew visibly uncomfortable under his stare.

02:51The hand holding the cufflink went rigid in midair.

02:54Mr. Cross?

02:55Your cufflink.

02:55Julian swallowed hard.

02:57At last, he reached for it.

02:58Thank you, Vanessa.

03:01Yes, I'm Vanessa Hale.

03:04Have we met before?

03:06Mr. Cross?

03:06He gave Vanessa one last look, then turned and walked away.

03:10Only then did I dare to breathe.

03:12Cold sweat had soaked the back of my clothes.

03:14I remained frozen for a long moment, before pulling out my phone and searching for Julian

03:18Cross online.

03:19My screen filled with financial and political stories about him from Forbes and Bloomberg.

03:24I sucked in a sharp breath.

03:26If I had still been clinging to some shred of hope, before it was gone now.

03:29I had provoked a dragon, a mafia don who ruled the underworld.

03:33Some employees go a whole year without seeing Julian.

03:35He almost never comes back here.

03:37And he stared at an intern that long?

03:38A young, beautiful intern like Vanessa?

03:40Just a T-Y-S ringer.

03:42We did go to the same university.

03:44Julian was a few years ahead of me.

03:46He was captain of the hockey team back then.

03:48I was homecoming queen and captain of the cheer squad.

03:51Plenty of guys were into me.

03:53Maybe.

03:54The office's biggest gossips pounced on it at once, spinning a story about a college

03:58crush that The Office came alive.

04:00All right, stop inventing love stories about Mr. Cross.

04:03Her tone sounded like a denial, but the smug look in her eyes gave her away.

04:06Whatever they said after that, I did not hear a word.

04:08Back then, my mother had worked as a live-in maid for the Hale family.

04:12Vanessa lost a bet with her friends and tricked my mother into taking my diary, which was filled

04:16with all my secret feelings for my crush.

04:18She photocopied it, posted the pages on the campus bulletin board, and uploaded everything

04:23to an anonymous campus account.

04:24Everyone who recognized me mocked my body and the secrets on those pages.

04:28I hated her for it.

04:29So I used Vanessa's photos and name as my own to cause trouble online.

04:32If I went 028 in a game, I turned on my mic and told everyone my name was Vanessa Hale.

04:37If I argued with a stranger on Discord until they threatened to show up at my door, I gave

04:41them Vanessa's name without hesitation.

04:43Any time I caused trouble and someone asked who I was, I said I was Vanessa.

04:47Vanessa, spitefully.

04:49I kept hoping that one day someone would actually show up and teach her a lesson.

04:53But before I ever got to watch Vanessa face the consequences, I met Julian on the ice.

04:57He was like a wildfire, raging out of control.

05:00Online, he held nothing back during the two years we dated online.

05:04After every practice, he would go alone to the shower stall at the very back of the locker

05:08room and make me listen to the running water as his breathing turned steadily rougher.

05:12Don't bite your lip.

05:13I can hear it.

05:15Your teammates are right outside.

05:16The door's locked.

05:18Tell me what you're wearing.

05:20A robe.

05:22Then don't move.

05:23His tone remained calm, but it left no room for refusal.

05:26I don't want to keep loving you through a screen.

05:28Send me your address.

05:29I panicked.

05:30I frantically scrolled back through our messages.

05:33Conversations I could almost recite from memory scrolled past, all the way back to two

05:36years earlier, to the week we first met.

05:38There it was, the message I had typed myself.

05:41My name is Vanessa Hale.

05:42The words struck me like a slap, every heartbeat during those late night calls, every tender

05:47word we had exchanged through a screen, every moment that had made me believe I was loved.

05:52I had stolen all of it by pretending to be another woman.

05:55That night, I curled up beneath the covers and cried so hard my entire body shook.

06:00The next morning, I looked at myself in the mirror.

06:02My face was pale, with dark circles beneath my eyes from working part-time and staying

06:06up night after night.

06:07I did not have Vanessa's striking beauty.

06:09I did not have her privileged background, and I certainly did not have her effortless confidence

06:13or boldness.

06:14I was completely ordinary.

06:16Without Vanessa's photos, a man like Julian would never have had anything to do with me.

06:21In the end, I forced down the ache in my chest and sent Julian a single message.

06:25I'm sorry.

06:26Then I blocked him and deleted his contact.

06:28On the third day of silence, Julian sent me an email.

06:31It contained a single line.

06:33Vanessa, please don't leave me like this.

06:35Those few words made him sound utterly lost, blindsided by the way I had vanished.

06:39Unfortunately, I'm not Vanessa.

06:41The memory of it all sent a shiver through me.

06:44When I looked up, I found all my co-workers watching me.

06:47I forced a weak smile.

06:48W-what is it?

06:49The others only smiled.

06:51No one answered.

06:52Vanessa walked over with an innocent expression and asked,

06:55Nora, didn't you hear us?

06:57Everyone wants to try the new coffee shop three blocks away.

07:00Would you mind picking up the coffees for us?

07:03Dumping grunt work on an intern is hardly unusual in an office.

07:06But Vanessa had barely arrived, and she was already perfectly at ease with the senior staff,

07:11all because Julian had singled her out earlier.

07:14I looked at Vanessa, then at the Cloergs waiting to see how I would react.

07:19Vanessa looked pleased with my obedience.

07:21She turned to the others with a smile.

07:23You really don't have to feel bad about it.

07:25Nora's mother used to be our live-in maid.

07:27She's been waiting on people since she was little.

07:30Running errands is what she's best at.

07:32Anytime you need something, just ask her.

07:34She won't mind.

07:35Whenever Vanessa went somewhere new, she made sure everyone knew my mother had once worked

07:40for her family.

07:41I was used to it by now.

07:42I ignored her, turned around with my phone in hand, and walked straight into a man.

07:47I looked up.

07:49It was Ethan Grant, the executive assistant who had been at Julian's side earlier.

07:53Ethan looked annoyed.

07:54He shoved me aside as if I were blocking his way.

07:57Which one of you is Vanessa Hale?

07:59Mr. Cross is asking for her.

08:01At the sound of that name, I almost looked up on instinct.

08:03I dug my nails into my palm and forced myself to stay still.

08:07It was the name I had been using for two years.

08:09The instant Vanessa heard her name, her eyes lit up.

08:12She all but rushed forward.

08:14I'm Vanessa.

08:15Why does Mr. Cross want me?

08:17VIP Relations upstairs is short-staffed.

08:19Mr. Cross asked for you by name.

08:21The finance office went silent for a beat, then excited murmurs broke out.

08:25Vanessa walked up to me.

08:26Excuse me, Nora.

08:28Mr. Cross is waiting for me upstairs, and you're in my way.

08:33Keep working hard.

08:34Maybe someday, you'll get to set foot on the top floor, too.

08:39I clenched my jaw.

08:40Vanessa followed Ethan out in her high heels.

08:43The moment she was gone, my co-workers crowded around me.

08:46You and Vanessa went to the same university, right?

08:48Was she always this popular?

08:50Did she and Mr. Cross have something going on in college?

08:53My nails dug into my palm.

08:55I don't know.

08:56Once Vanessa was escorted upstairs, everyone else's work landed on my desk.

09:01Picking up coffee for the entire office.

09:03Washing every mug in the break room.

09:05Organizing data.

09:06Moving office equipment.

09:08By the time I sent my last analysis report to the manager, it was already 8.30 at night.

09:13The entire finance office was empty.

09:15I sank back in my chair.

09:17Exhausted.

09:18A message from my father appeared on my phone.

09:20Nora, this job at Cross House is your best chance of staying in New York.

09:23Keep your head down at the club.

09:25Rich kids have families who can clean up their messes.

09:28We don't have anyone to do that for us.

09:30Get there early.

09:31Pitch in whenever anyone needs something.

09:33Don't give them a reason to fire you.

09:35I closed the message and opened Instagram.

09:38Vanessa had posted half an hour ago.

09:40Late night at work, but someone saved me a mango smoothie.

09:43The photo had been taken in the VIP lounge upstairs.

09:46I kept zooming in on the photo, torturing myself.

09:48In the reflection on the glass wall, Julian was sitting there.

09:52You're still here this late?

09:53A voice came from behind me.

09:55Don't stop.

09:56Keep touching yourself.

09:57I weigh more than 220 pounds.

09:59Vanessa, the daughter of my mother's employer, has bullied me for three years because of my weight.

10:05To get back at her, I used Vanessa's photos and name as my own and started an online relationship with

10:11Julian, the hockey team captain.

10:13At the start of my sophomore year, my student loan application was denied.

10:17When Julian found out, he sent me $15,000 on the spot.

10:22That was when it finally hit me.

10:23I had already fallen in love with him, but he thought I was Vanessa.

10:27I braced myself against the vanity, trying to bring my ragged breathing under control.

10:32Julian, what would you do if I broke up with you and disappeared for good?

10:36Baby, don't test me like that.

10:38I don't like it.

10:38If you ever disappear, pray we never cross paths again.

10:41Because if we do, I'll make you repay every day you owe me, one night at a time.

10:48I started losing weight.

10:49A year later, I had lost the weight and landed an internship in Cross House's internal audit department.

10:55Cross House is one of Manhattan's most exclusive private clubs.

10:59Run by the Cross family, Vanessa was there too.

11:01My heart stopped.

11:02The man I had dated online for three years was standing right in front of me, flesh and blood.

11:07The shock of it was overwhelming.

11:09My mind went blank for several seconds.

11:11By the time I came back to myself, Julian had stopped walking.

11:14Then he turned and headed straight toward us.

11:16I lowered my head at once and kept my breathing as quiet as I could.

11:19He knew Vanessa's face, but he had heard my voice countless times.

11:23As long as I kept my mouth shut, there was no way he could recognize me.

11:26His face was expressionless, and an icy, unapproachable air surrounded him.

11:30His black dress shirt set off his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

11:34A sliver of his wrist showed beneath the cuff, faint blue veins visible under the skin,

11:38restrained yet powerful Julian Cross, the most dangerous mafia don in the city.

11:43He looked taller than he had at university, more handsome, and even harder to look away from.

11:48Our audit manager lowered her voice and reminded us,

11:50Mr. Cross is only here for a closed-door meeting upstairs.

11:53He's too busy to notice a group of interns.

11:55The words had barely left her mouth.

11:57Julian stopped in front of us.

11:59More precisely, he stopped in front of Vanessa.

12:01They stood face to face.

12:02He cold and elegant.

12:03She radiant and beautiful.

12:05I held my breath without meaning to.

12:07Only one thought remained in my head.

12:08They really did look perfect together.

12:11Mr. Cross?

12:12You dropped your cuffling?

12:13The faint scent of his cologne reached me.

12:15Fur and citrus, crisp with a thread of warmth.

12:17I knew that scent all too well.

12:19It was the cologne I had given him for the first anniversary of our online relationship.

12:23To afford that bottle.

12:24I had worked odd jobs for months, saving every scent I could.

12:27I lowered my head and stared hard at the tips of my shoes.

12:30He knew the sound of my breathing intimately from all those late-night calls.

12:33Julian's gaze never left Vanessa's face.

12:36His gaze was intense and direct, as if he meant to look past that beautiful face

12:40and determine whether she was really the woman he had spent two years searching for.

12:44Vanessa grew visibly uncomfortable under his stare.

12:46The hand holding the cufflink went rigid in midair.

12:49Mr. Cross?

12:50Your cufflink?

12:51Julian swallowed hard.

12:52At last, he reached for it.

12:54Thank you, Vanessa.

12:56Yes, I'm Vanessa Hale.

13:00Have we met before?

13:01Mr. Cross?

13:02He gave Vanessa one last look, then turned and walked away.

13:05Only then did I dare to breathe.

13:07Cold sweat had soaked the back of my clothes.

13:09I remained frozen for a long moment, before pulling out my phone and searching for Julian

13:13Cross online.

13:14My screen filled with financial and political stories about him from Forbes and Bloomberg.

13:19I sucked in a sharp breath.

13:21If I had still been clinging to some shred of hope, before it was gone now.

13:24I had provoked a dragon, a mafia don who ruled the underworld.

13:28Some employees go a whole year without seeing Julian.

13:31He almost never comes back here.

13:32And he stared at an intern that long?

13:33A young, beautiful intern like Vanessa?

13:36Just like C-Y-S-Ringer.

13:37We did go to the same university.

13:39Julian was a few years ahead of me.

13:41He was captain of the hockey team back then.

13:44I was homecoming queen and captain of the cheer squad.

13:46Plenty of guys were into me.

13:49Maybe.

13:49The office's biggest gossips pounced on it at once, spinning a story about a college

13:53crush that The Office came alive.

13:55Alright, stop inventing love stories about Mr. Cross.

13:58Her tone sounded like a denial, but the smug look in her eyes gave her away.

14:01Whatever they said after that, I did not hear a word.

14:04Back then, my mother had worked as a live-in maid for the Hale family.

14:07Vanessa lost a bet with her friends and tricked my mother into taking my diary, which was filled

14:11with all my secret feelings for my crush.

14:13She photocopied it, posted the pages on the campus bulletin board, and uploaded everything

14:18to an anonymous campus account.

14:20Everyone who recognized me mocked my body and the secrets on those pages.

14:23I hated her for it.

14:24So I used Vanessa's photos and name as my own to cause trouble online.

14:28If I went 028 in a game, I turned on my mic and told everyone my name was Vanessa Hale.

14:32If I argued with a stranger on Discord until they threatened to show up at my door, I gave

14:37them Vanessa's name without hesitation.

14:38Anytime I caused trouble and someone asked who I was, I said I was Vanessa.

14:43Vanessa, spitefully.

14:44I kept hoping that one day someone would actually show up and teach her a lesson.

14:48But before I ever got to watch Vanessa face the consequences, I met Julian on the ice.

14:53He was like a wildfire, raging out of control.

14:55Online, he held nothing back during the two years we dated online.

14:59After every practice, he would go alone to the shower stall at the very back of the locker

15:03room and make me listen to the running water as his breathing turned steadily rougher.

15:07Don't bite your lip.

15:08I can hear it.

15:10Your teammates are right outside.

15:12The door's locked.

15:14Tell me what you're wearing.

15:16A robe.

15:17Then don't move.

15:18His tone remained calm, but it left no room for refusal.

15:21I don't want to keep loving you through a screen.

15:23Send me your address.

15:24I panicked.

15:25I frantically scrolled back through our messages.

15:28Conversations I could almost recite from memory scrolled past, all the way back to two

15:31years earlier, to the week we first met.

15:34There it was.

15:34The message I had typed myself.

15:36My name is Vanessa Hale.

15:38The words struck me like a slap.

15:40Every heartbeat during those late-night calls.

15:42Every tender word we had exchanged through a screen.

15:45Every moment that had made me believe I was loved.

15:47I had stolen all of it by pretending to be another woman.

15:51That night, I curled up beneath the covers and cried so hard my entire body shook.

15:55The next morning, I looked at myself in the mirror.

15:57My face was pale, with dark circles beneath my eyes from working part-time and staying

16:01up night after night.

16:02I did not have Vanessa's striking beauty.

16:04I did not have her privileged background, and I certainly did not have her effortless

16:08confidence or boldness.

16:10I was completely ordinary.

16:11Without Vanessa's photos, a man like Julian would never have had anything to do with me.

16:16In the end, I forced down the ache in my chest and sent Julian a single message.

16:20I'm sorry.

16:21Then I blocked him and deleted his contact.

16:24On the third day of silence, Julian sent me an email.

16:26It contained a single line.

16:28Vanessa, please don't leave me like this.

16:30Those few words made him sound utterly lost, blindsided by the way I had vanished.

16:35Unfortunately, I'm not Vanessa.

16:37The memory of it all sent a shiver through me.

16:39When I looked up, I found all my co-workers watching me.

16:42I forced a weak smile.

16:43W-what is it?

16:45The others only smiled.

16:46No one answered.

16:47Vanessa walked over with an innocent expression and asked,

16:50Nora, didn't you hear us?

16:53Everyone wants to try the new coffee shop three blocks away.

16:55Would you mind picking up the coffees for us?

16:58Dumping grunt work on an intern is hardly unusual in an office.

17:02But Vanessa had barely arrived, and she was already perfectly at ease with the senior staff,

17:07all because Julian had singled her out earlier.

17:09I looked at Vanessa, then at the Cloergs waiting to see how I would react.

17:13Okay.

17:14Vanessa looked pleased with my obedience.

17:16She turned to the others with a smile.

17:18You really don't have to feel bad about it.

17:21Nora's mother used to be our live-in maid.

17:22She's been waiting on people since she was little.

17:25Running errands is what she's best at.

17:27Anytime you need something, just ask her.

17:29She won't mind.

17:30Whenever Vanessa went somewhere new,

17:32she made sure everyone knew my mother had once worked for her family.

17:36I was used to it by now.

17:37I ignored her,

17:39turned around with my phone in hand,

17:41and walked straight into a man.

17:43I looked up.

17:44It was Ethan Grant,

17:45the executive assistant who had been at Julian's side earlier.

17:48Ethan looked annoyed.

17:50He shoved me aside as if I were blocking his way.

17:53Which one of you is Vanessa Hale?

17:54Mr. Cross is asking for her.

17:56At the sound of that name,

17:57I almost looked up on instinct.

17:59I dug my nails into my palm and forced myself to stay still.

18:02It was the name I had been using for two years.

18:04The instant Vanessa heard her name,

18:06her eyes lit up.

18:07She all but rushed forward.

18:10I'm Vanessa.

18:11Why does Mr. Cross want me?

18:12VIP Relations upstairs is short-staffed.

18:15Mr. Cross asked for you by name.

18:16The finance office went silent for a beat,

18:18then excited murmurs broke out.

18:20Vanessa walked up to me.

18:22Excuse me, Nora.

18:24Mr. Cross is waiting for me upstairs,

18:26and you're in my way.

18:28Keep working hard.

18:30Maybe someday,

18:31you'll get to set foot

18:32on the top floor, too.

18:34I clenched my jaw.

18:36Vanessa followed Ethan out in her high heels.

18:38The moment she was gone,

18:40my co-workers crowded around me.

18:41You and Vanessa went to the same university, right?

18:44Was she always this popular?

18:45Did she and Mr. Cross

18:46have something going on in college?

18:48My nails dug into my palm.

18:50I don't know.

18:51Once Vanessa was escorted upstairs,

18:54everyone else's work landed on my desk,

18:56picking up coffee for the entire office,

18:58washing every mug in the break room,

19:00organizing data,

19:02moving office equipment.

19:03By the time I sent my last analysis report

19:05to the manager,

19:06it was already 8.30 at night.

19:08The entire finance office was empty.

19:10I sank back in my chair,

19:12exhausted.

19:12A message from my father appeared on my phone.

19:15Nora,

19:16this job at Crosshouse

19:17is your best chance of staying in New York.

19:19Keep your head down at the club.

19:20Rich kids have families

19:21who can clean up their messes.

19:23We don't have anyone to do that for us.

19:25Get there early.

19:26Pitch in whenever anyone needs something.

19:28Don't give them a reason to fire you.

19:30I closed the message

19:31and opened Instagram.

19:33Vanessa had posted half an hour ago.

19:35Late night at work,

19:36but someone saved me a mango smoothie.

19:38The photo had been taken

19:39in the VIP lounge upstairs.

19:41I kept zooming in on the photo,

19:42torturing myself.

19:44In the reflection on the glass wall,

19:46Julian was sitting there.

19:47You're still here this late?

19:48A voice came from behind me.

19:50Don't stop.

19:51Keep touching yourself.

19:52I weigh more than 220 pounds.

19:55Vanessa,

19:56the daughter of my mother's employer,

19:57has bullied me for three years

19:59because of my weight.

20:00To get back at her,

20:01I used Vanessa's photos

20:03and name as my own

20:04and started an online relationship

20:06with Julian,

20:07the hockey team captain.

20:09At the start of my sophomore year,

20:10my student loan application

20:12was denied.

20:13When Julian found out,

20:14he sent me $15,000 on the spot.

20:17That was when it finally hit me.

20:19I had already fallen in love with him,

20:21but he thought I was Vanessa.

20:22I braced myself against the vanity,

20:24trying to bring my ragged breathing

20:26under control.

20:27Julian,

20:28what would you do

20:29if I broke up with you

20:30and disappeared for good?

20:31Baby,

20:32don't test me like that.

20:33I don't like it.

20:34If you ever disappear,

20:34pray we never cross paths again.

20:36Because if we do,

20:37I'll make you repay

20:38every day you owe me,

20:39one night at a time.

20:43I started losing weight.

20:45A year later,

20:46I had lost the weight

20:47and landed an internship

20:48in Cross House's

20:49internal audit department.

20:50Cross House is one of

20:51Manhattan's most exclusive

20:53private clubs,

20:54run by the Cross family.

20:55Vanessa was there too.

20:57My heart stopped.

20:58The man I had dated online

20:59for three years

21:00was standing right in front of me,

21:02flesh and blood.

21:03The shock of it was overwhelming.

21:04My mind went blank

21:05for several seconds.

21:06By the time I came back to myself,

21:08Julian had stopped walking.

21:09Then he turned

21:10and headed straight toward us.

21:12I lowered my head at once

21:13and kept my breathing

21:14as quiet as I could.

21:15He knew Vanessa's face,

21:16but he had heard my voice

21:17countless times.

21:18As long as I kept my mouth shut,

21:20there was no way

21:20he could recognize me.

21:22His face was expressionless,

21:23and an icy,

21:24unapproachable air

21:25surrounded him.

21:26His black dress shirt

21:27set off his broad shoulders

21:28and narrow waist.

21:29A sliver of his wrist

21:30showed beneath the cuff,

21:31faint blue veins

21:32visible under the skin.

21:34Restrained,

21:34yet powerful Julian Cross,

21:36the most dangerous mafia

21:37don in the city.

21:38He looked taller

21:39than he had at university,

21:40more handsome,

21:41and even harder

21:42to look away from.

21:43Our audit manager

21:44lowered her voice

21:45and reminded us,

21:46Mr. Cross is only here

21:47for a closed door meeting upstairs.

21:48He's too busy

21:49to notice a group of interns.

21:51The words had barely

21:52left her mouth.

21:53Julian stopped

21:53in front of us.

21:54More precisely,

21:55he stopped in front of Vanessa.

21:56They stood face to face.

21:57He cold and elegant.

21:59She radiant and beautiful.

22:00I held my breath

22:01without meaning to.

22:02Only one thought

22:03remained in my head.

22:04They really did look

22:05perfect together.

22:06Mr. Cross,

22:07you dropped your cuffling.

22:09The faint scent

22:09of his cologne reached me,

22:10fur and citrus,

22:11crisp with a thread of warmth.

22:12I knew that scent

22:13all too well.

22:14It was the cologne

22:15I had given him

22:15for the first anniversary

22:16of our online relationship,

22:18to afford that bottle.

22:19I had worked odd jobs

22:20for months,

22:21saving every scent I could.

22:23I lowered my head

22:23and stared hard

22:24at the tips of my shoes.

22:25He knew the sound

22:26of my breathing intimately

22:27from all those

22:28late night calls.

22:29Julian's gaze

22:29never left Vanessa's face.

22:31His gaze was intense

22:32and direct,

22:33as if he meant

22:33to look past

22:34that beautiful face

22:35and determine

22:36whether she was really

22:37the woman he had spent

22:38two years searching for.

22:39Vanessa grew visibly

22:40uncomfortable

22:41under his stare.

22:42The hand holding

22:42the cufflink

22:43went rigid in midair.

22:44Mr. Cross,

22:45your cufflink.

22:46Julian swallowed hard.

22:48At last,

22:48he reached for it.

22:49Thank you, Vanessa.

22:51Yes,

22:52I'm Vanessa Hale.

22:55Have we met before?

22:56Mr. Cross.

22:57He gave Vanessa

22:58one last look,

22:59then turned

23:00and walked away.

23:01Only then

23:01did I dare to breathe.

23:02Cold sweat

23:03had soaked

23:03the back of my clothes.

23:04I remained frozen

23:05for a long moment,

23:06before pulling out

23:07my phone

23:07and searching

23:08for Julian Cross online.

23:10My screen filled

23:11with financial

23:11and political stories

23:12about him

23:13from Forbes and Bloomberg.

23:14I sucked in

23:15a sharp breath.

23:16If I had still

23:17been clinging

23:17to some shred of hope

23:18before it was gone now,

23:20I had provoked a dragon,

23:21a mafia don

23:22who ruled the underworld.

23:23Some employees

23:24go a whole year

23:25without seeing Julian.

23:26He almost never

23:26comes back here.

23:27And he stared

23:28at an intern that long?

23:29A young,

23:29beautiful intern

23:30like Vanessa?

23:31Just,

23:31it's U.S. Ringer.

23:33We did go

23:33to the same university.

23:35Julian was a few years

23:36ahead of me.

23:37He was captain

23:37of the hockey team

23:38back then.

23:39I was homecoming queen

23:40and captain

23:41of the cheer squad.

23:42Plenty of guys

23:42were into me.

23:44Maybe.

23:45The office's biggest gossips

23:46pounced on it at once,

23:47spinning a story

23:48about a college crush

23:49that the office

23:50came alive.

23:51All right,

23:51stop inventing love stories

23:52about Mr. Cross.

23:53Her tone sounded

23:54like a denial,

23:55but the smug look

23:56in her eyes

23:56gave her away.

23:57Whatever they said

23:57after that,

23:58I did not hear a word.

23:59Back then,

24:00my mother had worked

24:00as a live-in maid

24:01for the Hale family.

24:02Vanessa lost a bet

24:03with her friends

24:04and tricked my mother

24:05into taking my diary,

24:06which was filled

24:07with all my secret feelings

24:08for my crush.

24:09She photocopied it,

24:10posted the pages

24:11on the campus bulletin board,

24:12and uploaded everything

24:13to an anonymous campus account.

24:15Everyone who recognized me

24:16mocked my body

24:17and the secrets

24:17on those pages.

24:18I hated her for it,

24:19so I used Vanessa's photos

24:21and name as my own

24:22to cause trouble online.

24:23If I went 028 in a game,

24:25I turned on my mic

24:26and told everyone

24:27my name was Vanessa Hale.

24:28If I argued

24:28with a stranger

24:29on Discord

24:29until they threatened

24:30to show up at my door,

24:31I gave them Vanessa's name

24:33without hesitation.

24:34Any time I caused trouble

24:35and someone asked

24:36who I was,

24:37I said I was Vanessa,

24:38spitefully.

24:39I kept hoping

24:40that one day

24:41someone would actually

24:42show up

24:42and teach her a lesson,

24:43but before I ever

24:44got to watch Vanessa

24:45face the consequences,

24:46I met Julian,

24:47on the ice,

24:48he was like a wildfire

24:49raging out of control.

24:50Online,

24:51he held nothing back

24:52during the two years

24:53we dated online.

24:54After every practice,

24:56he would go alone

24:56to the shower stall

24:57at the very back

24:58of the locker room

24:59and make me listen

25:00to the running water

25:01as his breathing

25:01turned steadily rougher.

25:03Don't bite your lip,

25:04I can hear it.

25:05Your teammates

25:06are right outside.

25:07The door's locked.

25:09Tell me what you're wearing.

25:11A robe.

25:12Then don't move.

25:13His tone remained calm,

25:15but it left no room

25:16for refusal.

25:17I don't want to keep

25:17loving you through a screen.

25:18Send me your address.

25:20I panicked.

25:21I frantically scrolled

25:22back through our messages.

25:23Conversations I could

25:24almost recite from memory

25:25scrolled past,

25:26all the way back

25:26to two years earlier,

25:28to the week we first met.

25:29There it was,

25:30the message I had typed myself.

25:31My name is Vanessa Hale.

25:33The word struck me

25:34like a slap.

25:35Every heartbeat

25:36during those late night calls,

25:37every tender word

25:38we had exchanged

25:39through a screen,

25:40every moment that had

25:41made me believe

25:42I was loved.

25:43I had stolen all of it

25:44by pretending

25:44to be another woman.

25:46That night,

25:47I curled up beneath the covers

25:48and cried so hard

25:49my entire body shook.

25:50The next morning,

25:51I looked at myself

25:52in the mirror.

25:53My face was pale,

25:54with dark circles

25:54beneath my eyes

25:55from working part-time

25:56and staying up

25:57night after night.

25:57I did not have

25:58Vanessa's striking beauty.

26:00I did not have

26:01her privileged background,

26:02and I certainly did not

26:03have her effortless confidence

26:04or boldness.

26:05I was completely ordinary.

26:07Without Vanessa's photos,

26:08a man like Julian

26:09would never have had

26:10anything to do with me.

26:12In the end,

26:12I forced down the ache

26:13in my chest

26:14and sent Julian

26:14a single message.

26:16I'm sorry.

26:17Then I blocked him

26:17and deleted his contact.

26:19On the third day of silence,

26:20Julian sent me an email.

26:22It contained a single line.

26:23Vanessa,

26:24please don't leave me like this.

26:25Those few words

26:26made him sound utterly lost,

26:28blindsided by the way

26:29I had vanished.

26:30Unfortunately,

26:31I'm not Vanessa.

26:32The memory of it all

26:33sent a shiver through me.

26:34When I looked up,

26:35I found all my co-workers

26:36watching me.

26:37I forced a weak smile.

26:39What is it?

26:40The others only smiled.

26:42No one answered.

26:43Vanessa walked over

26:44with an innocent expression

26:45and asked,

26:46Nora,

26:47didn't you hear us?

26:48Everyone wants to try

26:49the new coffee shop

26:50three blocks away.

26:51Would you mind picking up

26:52the coffees for us?

26:53Dumping grunt work

26:54on an intern

26:55is hardly unusual

26:56in an office.

26:57But Vanessa had barely arrived

26:59and she was already

27:00perfectly at ease

27:01with the senior staff,

27:02all because Julian

27:03had singled her out earlier.

27:04I looked at Vanessa,

27:06then at the Cloergs

27:07waiting to see

27:07how I would react.

27:09Okay.

27:09Vanessa looked pleased

27:10with my obedience.

27:12She turned to the others

27:13with a smile.

27:14You really don't have

27:15to feel bad about it.

27:16Nora's mother used

27:17to be our live-in maid.

27:18She's been waiting on people

27:19since she was little.

27:20Running errands

27:21is what she's best at.

27:22Anytime you need something,

27:23just ask her.

27:24She won't mind.

27:26Whenever Vanessa

27:26went somewhere new,

27:28she made sure everyone

27:29knew my mother

27:29had once worked

27:30for her family.

27:31I was used to it by now.

27:33I ignored her.

27:34Turned around

27:35with my phone in hand

27:36and walked straight

27:37into a man.

27:38I looked up.

27:39It was Ethan Grant,

27:40the executive assistant

27:42who had been

27:42at Julian's side earlier.

27:44Ethan looked annoyed.

27:45He shoved me aside

27:46as if I were blocking his way.

27:48Which one of you

27:49is Vanessa Hale?

27:50Mr. Cross is asking for her.

27:51At the sound of that name,

27:52I almost looked up

27:53on instinct.

27:54I dug my nails

27:55into my palm

27:56and forced myself

27:56to stay still.

27:57It was the name

27:58I had been using

27:59for two years.

28:00The instant Vanessa

28:01heard her name,

28:01her eyes lit up.

28:02She all but rushed forward.

28:05I'm Vanessa.

28:06Why does Mr. Cross want me?

28:08VIP relations upstairs

28:09is short-staffed.

28:10Mr. Cross asked

28:11for you by name.

28:11The finance office

28:12went silent for a beat,

28:13then excited murmurs

28:14broke out.

28:15Vanessa walked up to me.

28:17Excuse me, Nora.

28:19Mr. Cross is waiting

28:20for me upstairs

28:21and you're in my way.

28:23Keep working hard.

28:25Maybe someday

28:26you'll get to set foot

28:28on the top floor too.

28:30I clenched my jaw.

28:31Vanessa followed Ethan

28:32out in her high heels.

28:33The moment she was gone,

28:35my co-workers crowded

28:36around me.

28:37You and Vanessa

28:37went to the same university,

28:38right?

28:39Was she always this popular?

28:41Did she and Mr. Cross

28:42have something going on

28:43in college?

28:43My nails dug into my palm.

28:45I don't know.

28:47Once Vanessa

28:47was escorted upstairs,

28:49everyone else's work

28:50landed on my desk,

28:51picking up coffee

28:52for the entire office,

28:53washing every mug

28:54in the break room,

28:55organizing data,

28:56moving office equipment.

28:58By the time I sent

28:59my last analysis report

29:00to the manager,

29:01it was already

29:028.30 at night.

29:03The entire finance office

29:05was empty.

29:05I sank back in my chair,

29:07exhausted.

29:08A message from my father

29:10appeared on my phone.

29:10Nora,

29:11this job at Cross House

29:12is your best chance

29:13of staying in New York.

29:14Keep your head down

29:15at the club.

29:16Rich kids have families

29:17who can clean up their messes.

29:18We don't have anyone

29:19to do that for us.

29:20Get there early.

29:21Pitch in whenever

29:22anyone needs something.

29:23Don't give them

29:24a reason to fire you.

29:25I closed the message.

29:27and opened Instagram.

29:28Vanessa had posted

29:29half an hour ago.

29:30Late night at work,

29:31but someone saved me

29:32a mango smoothie.

29:33The photo had been taken

29:34in the VIP lounge upstairs.

29:36I kept zooming in

29:37on the photo,

29:38torturing myself.

29:39In the reflection

29:40on the glass wall,

29:41Julian was sitting there.

29:42You're still here

29:43this late?

29:44A voice came from behind me.

29:45Don't stop.

29:46Keep touching yourself.

29:48I weigh more than

29:48220 pounds.

29:50Vanessa,

29:51the daughter of

29:52my mother's employer,

29:53has bullied me

29:54for three years

29:54because of my weight.

29:55To get back at her,

29:57I used Vanessa's photos

29:58and name as my own

29:59and started an online

30:01relationship with Julian,

30:02the hockey team captain.

30:04At the start of my

30:05sophomore year,

30:06my student loan

30:06application was denied.

30:08When Julian found out,

30:09he sent me $15,000

30:11on the spot.

30:12That was when

30:13it finally hit me.

30:14I had already

30:15fallen in love with him,

30:16but he thought

30:16I was Vanessa.

30:17I braced myself

30:18against the vanity,

30:20trying to bring

30:20my ragged breathing

30:21under control.

30:22Julian,

30:23what would you do

30:24if I broke up with you

30:25and disappeared for good?

30:27Baby,

30:27don't test me like that.

30:28I don't like it.

30:29If you ever disappear,

30:30pray we never cross paths again,

30:31because if we do,

30:32I'll make you repay

30:33every day you owe me

30:34one night at a time.

30:38I started losing weight

30:40a year later.

30:41I had lost the weight

30:42and landed an internship

30:43in Cross House's

30:44internal audit department.

30:46Cross House is one of

30:47Manhattan's most exclusive

30:48private clubs,

30:49run by the Cross family.

30:51Vanessa was there too.

30:52My heart stopped.

30:53The man I had dated online

30:54for three years

30:55was standing right

30:56in front of me,

30:57flesh and blood.

30:58The shock of it

30:59was overwhelming.

30:59My mind went blank

31:00for several seconds.

31:01By the time I came back

31:02to myself,

31:03Julian had stopped walking.

31:04Then he turned

31:05and headed straight toward us.

31:07I lowered my head at once

31:08and kept my breathing

31:09as quiet as I could.

31:10He knew Vanessa's face,

31:11but he had heard my voice

31:12countless times.

31:13As long as I kept my mouth shut,

31:15there was no way

31:16he could recognize me.

31:17His face was expressionless,

31:18and an icy,

31:19unapproachable air

31:20surrounded him.

31:21His black dress shirt

31:22set off his broad shoulders

31:24and narrow waist.

31:25A sliver of his wrist

31:26showed beneath the cuff,

31:27faint blue veins

31:27visible under the skin,

31:29restrained yet powerful

31:30Julian Cross.

31:31The most dangerous mafia

31:32don in the city.

31:33He looked taller

31:34than he had at university,

31:36more handsome,

31:36and even harder

31:37to look away from.

31:38Our audit manager

31:39lowered her voice

31:40and reminded us,

31:41Mr. Cross is only here

31:42for a closed door meeting upstairs.

31:44He's too busy

31:44to notice a group of interns.

31:46The words had barely

31:47left her mouth.

31:48Julian stopped

31:48in front of us.

31:49More precisely,

31:50he stopped in front of Vanessa.

31:51They stood face to face.

31:53He cold and elegant.

31:54She radiant and beautiful.

31:56I held my breath

31:56without meaning to.

31:57Only one thought

31:58remained in my head.

31:59They really did

32:00look perfect together.

32:01Mr. Cross,

32:02you dropped your cuffling.

32:04The faint scent

32:04of his cologne reached me,

32:06fur and citrus,

32:07crisp with a thread of warmth.

32:08I knew that scent

32:08all too well.

32:09It was the cologne

32:10I had given him

32:11for the first anniversary

32:12of our online relationship.

32:13To afford that bottle,

32:14I had worked odd jobs

32:16for months,

32:16saving every scent I could.

32:18I lowered my head

32:19and stared hard

32:19at the tips of my shoes.

32:21He knew the sound

32:21of my breathing intimately

32:22from all those

32:23late night calls.

32:24Julian's gaze

32:25never left Vanessa's face.

32:26His gaze was intense

32:27and direct,

32:28as if he meant

32:28to look past

32:29that beautiful face

32:30and determine

32:31whether she was really

32:32the woman he had spent

32:33two years searching for.

32:34Vanessa grew visibly

32:35uncomfortable

32:36under his stare.

32:37The hand holding

32:38the cufflink

32:38went rigid in midair.

32:39Mr. Cross,

32:40your cufflink.

32:41Julian swallowed hard.

32:43At last,

32:43he reached for it.

32:45Thank you, Vanessa.

32:47Yes,

32:47I'm Vanessa Hale.

32:50Have we met before?

32:52Mr. Cross.

32:53He gave Vanessa

32:53one last look,

32:55then turned

32:55and walked away.

32:56Only then did I dare

32:57to breathe.

32:57Cold sweat

32:58had soaked

32:59the back of my clothes.

33:00I remained frozen

33:00for a long moment

33:01before pulling out

33:02my phone

33:03and searching

33:03for Julian Cross online.

33:05My screen filled

33:06with financial

33:07and political stories

33:08about him

33:08from Forbes and Bloomberg.

33:10I sucked in a sharp breath.

33:11If I had still been

33:12clinging to some shred

33:13of hope

33:14before it was gone now,

33:15I had provoked a dragon,

33:17a mafia don

33:17who ruled the underworld.

33:19Some employees

33:19go a whole year

33:20without seeing Julian.

33:21He almost never

33:22comes back here.

33:22And he stared

33:23at an intern that long?

33:24A young,

33:25beautiful intern

33:25like Vanessa?

33:26Just a T-U-A-S-Ringer.

33:28We did go

33:28to the same university.

33:30Julian was a few years

33:31ahead of me.

33:32He was captain

33:33of the hockey team

33:33back then.

33:34I was homecoming queen

33:35and captain

33:36of the cheer squad.

33:37Plenty of guys

33:38were into me.

33:39Maybe?

33:40The office's biggest gossips

33:41pounced on it at once,

33:43spinning a story

33:43about a college crush

33:44that The Office

33:45came alive.

33:46All right,

33:46stop inventing love stories

33:48about Mr. Cross.

33:49Her tone sounded

33:49like a denial,

33:50but the smug look

33:51in her eyes

33:51gave her away.

33:52Whatever they said

33:53after that,

33:53I did not hear a word.

33:54Back then,

33:55my mother had worked

33:56as a live-in maid

33:56for the Hale family.

33:57Vanessa lost a bet

33:58with her friends

33:59and tricked my mother

34:00into taking my diary,

34:01which was filled

34:02with all my secret

34:03feelings for my crush.

34:04She photocopied it,

34:05posted the pages

34:06on the campus bulletin board,

34:08and uploaded everything

34:08to an anonymous

34:09campus account.

34:10Everyone who recognized

34:11me mocked my body

34:12and the secrets

34:13on those pages.

34:13I hated her for it.

34:15So I used Vanessa's photos

34:16and name as my own

34:17to cause trouble online.

34:18If I went 028 in a game,

34:20I turned on my mic

34:21and told everyone

34:22my name was Vanessa Hale.

34:23If I argued with a stranger

34:24on Discord

34:25until they threatened

34:25to show up at my door,

34:27I gave them Vanessa's name

34:28without hesitation.

34:29Anytime I caused trouble

34:30and someone asked

34:31who I was,

34:32I said I was Vanessa,

34:34spitefully.

34:35I kept hoping that one day

34:36someone would actually

34:37show up and teach her a lesson.

34:38But before I ever got

34:39to watch Vanessa

34:40face the consequences,

34:41I met Julian,

34:42on the ice,

34:43he was like a wildfire

34:44raging out of control.

34:46Online,

34:46he held nothing back,

34:48during the two years

34:48we dated online.

34:50After every practice,

34:51he would go alone

34:52to the shower stall

34:53at the very back

34:53of the locker room

34:54and make me listen

34:55to the running water

34:56as his breathing

34:57turned steadily rougher.

34:58Don't bite your lip,

34:59I can hear it.

35:01Your teammates

35:01are right outside.

35:03The door's locked.

35:04Tell me what you're wearing.

35:06A robe.

35:07Then don't move.

35:08His tone remained calm,

35:10but it left no room

35:11for refusal.

35:12I don't want to keep

35:12loving you through a screen.

35:14Send me your address.

35:15I panicked.

35:16I frantically scrolled back

35:17through our messages.

35:18Conversations I could

35:19almost recite from memory

35:20scrolled past,

35:21all the way back

35:22to two years earlier,

35:23to the week we first met.

35:24There it was,

35:25the message I had typed myself.

35:27My name is Vanessa Hale.

35:28The word struck me

35:29like a slap.

35:30Every heartbeat

35:31during those late night calls,

35:32every tender word

35:33we had exchanged

35:34through a screen,

35:35every moment

35:36that had made me believe

35:37I was loved.

35:38I had stolen all of it

35:39by pretending

35:40to be another woman.

35:41That night,

35:42I curled up beneath the covers

35:43and cried so hard

35:44my entire body shook.

35:45The next morning,

35:47I looked at myself

35:47in the mirror.

35:48My face was pale,

35:49with dark circles

35:50beneath my eyes

35:50from working part-time

35:51and staying up

35:52night after night.

35:53I did not have

35:53Vanessa's striking beauty.

35:55I did not have

35:56her privileged background

35:57and I certainly did not

35:58have her effortless confidence

35:59or boldness.

36:00I was completely ordinary.

36:02Without Vanessa's photos,

36:03a man like Julian

36:04would never have had

36:05anything to do with me.

36:07In the end,

36:08I forced down the ache

36:09in my chest

36:09and sent Julian

36:10a single message.

36:11I'm sorry.

36:12Then I blocked him

36:13and deleted his contact.

36:14On the third day of silence,

36:16Julian sent me an email.

36:17It contained a single line.

36:19Vanessa,

36:19please don't leave me like this.

36:21Those few words

36:21made him sound utterly lost,

36:23blindsided by the way

36:24I had vanished.

36:25Unfortunately,

36:26I'm not Vanessa.

36:27The memory of it all

36:28sent a shiver through me.

36:30When I looked up,

36:30I found all my co-workers

36:32watching me.

36:32I forced a weak smile.

36:34W-what is it?

36:35The others only smiled.

36:37No one answered.

36:38Vanessa walked over

36:39with an innocent expression

36:40and asked,

36:41Nora,

36:42didn't you hear us?

36:43Everyone wants to try

36:44the new coffee shop

36:45three blocks away.

36:46Would you mind

36:47picking up the coffees for us?

36:49Dumping grunt work

36:50on an intern

36:50is hardly unusual

36:51in an office.

36:52But Vanessa had barely arrived

36:54and she was already

36:55perfectly at ease

36:56with the senior staff,

36:57all because Julian

36:58had singled her out earlier.

37:00I looked at Vanessa,

37:01then at the Cloergs

37:02waiting to see

37:02how I would react.

37:04Okay.

37:05Vanessa looked pleased

37:06with my obedience.

37:07She turned to the others

37:08with a smile.

37:09You really don't have

37:10to feel bad about it.

37:11Nora's mother used

37:12to be our live-in maid.

37:13She's been waiting

37:14on people since she was little.

37:15Running errands

37:16is what she's best at.

37:17Anytime you need something,

37:19just ask her.

37:20She won't mind.

37:21Whenever Vanessa

37:22went somewhere new,

37:23she made sure everyone

37:24knew my mother

37:25had once worked

37:25for her family.

37:26I was used to it by now.

37:28I ignored her,

37:30turned around

37:30with my phone in hand,

37:31and walked straight

37:32into a man.

37:33I looked up.

37:34It was Ethan Grant,

37:36the executive assistant

37:37who had been

37:37at Julian's side earlier.

37:39Ethan looked annoyed.

37:40He shoved me aside

37:42as if I were blocking

37:42his way.

37:43Which one of you

37:44is Vanessa Hale?

37:45Mr. Cross is asking for her.

37:47At the sound of that name,

37:48I almost looked up

37:49on instinct.

37:49I dug my nails

37:50into my palm

37:51and forced myself

37:52to stay still.

37:53It was the name

37:53I had been using

37:54for two years.

37:55The instant Vanessa

37:56heard her name,

37:57her eyes lit up.

37:58She all but rushed forward.

38:00I'm Vanessa.

38:01Why does Mr. Cross

38:02want me?

38:03VIP relations upstairs

38:04is short-staffed.

38:05Mr. Cross asked

38:06for you by name.

38:07The finance office

38:07went silent for a beat,

38:09then excited murmurs

38:10broke out.

38:11Vanessa walked up to me.

38:12Excuse me, Nora.

38:14Mr. Cross is waiting

38:16for me upstairs

38:16and you're in my way.

38:18Keep working hard.

38:20Maybe someday

38:21you'll get to set foot

38:23on the top floor too.

38:25I clenched my jaw.

38:26Vanessa followed Ethan

38:27out in her high heels.

38:29The moment she was gone,

38:30my co-workers crowded

38:31around me.

38:32You and Vanessa

38:33went to the same university,

38:34right?

38:34Was she always this popular?

38:36Did she and Mr. Cross

38:37have something going on

38:38in college?

38:39My nails dug into my palm.

38:41I don't know.

38:42Once Vanessa

38:43was escorted upstairs,

38:44everyone else's work

38:45landed on my desk,

38:46picking up coffee

38:47for the entire office,

38:49washing every mug

38:50in the break room,

38:51organizing data,

38:52moving office equipment.

38:53By the time I sent

38:54my last analysis report

38:56to the manager,

38:57it was already 8.30 at night.

38:59The entire finance office

39:00was empty.

39:01I sank back in my chair,

39:02exhausted.

39:03A message from my father

39:05appeared on my phone.

39:06Nora,

39:06this job at Cross House

39:07is your best chance

39:08of staying in New York.

39:09Keep your head down

39:10at the club.

39:11Rich kids have families

39:12who can clean up their messes.

39:13We don't have anyone

39:14to do that for us.

39:15Get there early.

39:17Pitch in whenever

39:17anyone needs something.

39:19Don't give them a reason

39:20to fire you.

39:20I closed the message

39:22and opened Instagram.

39:23Vanessa had posted

39:24half an hour ago.

39:25Late night at work,

39:27but someone saved me

39:28a mango smoothie.

39:29The photo had been taken

39:30in the VIP lounge upstairs.

39:32I kept zooming in

39:32on the photo,

39:33torturing myself.

39:34In the reflection

39:35on the glass wall,

39:36Julian was sitting there.

39:38You're still here

39:38this late?

39:39A voice came from behind me.

39:41Don't stop.

39:42Keep touching yourself.

39:43I weigh more than 220 pounds.

39:45Vanessa,

39:46the daughter of my mother's employer,

39:48has bullied me for three years

39:50because of my weight.

39:51To get back at her,

39:52I used Vanessa's photos

39:53and name as my own

39:55and started an online relationship

39:57with Julian,

39:58the hockey team captain.

39:59At the start of my sophomore year,

40:01my student loan application

40:02was denied.

40:03When Julian found out,

40:05he sent me $15,000 on the spot.

40:07That was when it finally hit me.

40:09I had already fallen in love with him,

40:11but he thought I was Vanessa.

40:13I braced myself against the vanity,

40:15trying to bring my ragged breathing

40:17under control.

40:18Julian,

40:18what would you do

40:19if I broke up with you

40:20and disappeared for good?

40:22Baby, don't test me like that.

40:23I don't like it.

40:24If you ever disappear,

40:25pray we never cross paths again,

40:26because if we do,

40:27I'll make you repay

40:28every day you owe me

40:29one night at a time.

40:34I started losing weight

40:35a year later.

40:36I had lost the weight

40:37and landed an internship

40:39in Crosshouse's

40:39internal audit department.

40:41Crosshouse is one of

40:42Manhattan's most exclusive

40:43private clubs,

40:44run by the Cross family.

40:46Vanessa was there too.

40:47My heart stopped.

40:48The man I had dated online

40:50for three years

40:51was standing right in front of me,

40:52flesh and blood.

40:53The shock of it was overwhelming.

40:55My mind went blank

40:56for several seconds.

40:57By the time I came back to myself,

40:59Julian had stopped walking.

41:00Then he turned

41:00and headed straight toward us.

41:02I lowered my head at once

41:03and kept my breathing

41:04as quiet as I could.

41:05He knew Vanessa's face,

41:07but he had heard my voice

41:08countless times.

41:09As long as I kept my mouth shut,

41:10there was no way

41:11he could recognize me.

41:12His face was expressionless

41:13and an icy,

41:15unapproachable air

41:15surrounded him.

41:16His black dress shirt

41:17set off his broad shoulders

41:19and narrow waist.

41:20A sliver of his wrist

41:21showed beneath the cuff,

41:22faint blue veins

41:23visible under the skin.

41:24Restrained yet powerful

41:25Julian Cross,

41:27the most dangerous

41:27mafia don in the city.

41:29He looked taller

41:30than he had at university,

41:31more handsome,

41:32and even harder

41:32to look away from.

41:34Our audit manager

41:34lowered her voice

41:35and reminded us,

41:36Mr. Cross is only here

41:37for a closed door

41:38meeting upstairs.

41:39He's too busy

41:40to notice a group of interns.

41:41The words had barely

41:42left her mouth.

41:43Julian stopped in front of us.

41:45More precisely,

41:45he stopped in front of Vanessa.

41:47They stood face to face.

41:48He cold and elegant.

41:49She radiant and beautiful.

41:51I held my breath

41:52without meaning to.

41:53Only one thought

41:53remained in my head.

41:54They really did look

41:55perfect together.

41:57Mr. Cross,

41:58you dropped your cuffling.

41:59The faint scent

42:00of his cologne reached me.

42:01Fur and citrus,

42:02crisp with a thread of warmth.

42:03I knew that scent

42:04all too well.

42:05It was the cologne

42:05I had given him

42:06for the first anniversary

42:07of our online relationship.

42:09To afford that bottle,

42:10I had worked odd jobs

42:11for months.

42:12Saving every scent I could,

42:13I lowered my head

42:14and stared hard

42:15at the tips of my shoes.

42:16He knew the sound

42:17of my breathing intimately

42:18from all those

42:18late night calls.

42:19Julian's gaze

42:20never left Vanessa's face.

42:22His gaze was intense

42:23and direct,

42:23as if he meant

42:24to look past

42:24that beautiful face

42:26and determine

42:26whether she was really

42:27the woman he had spent

42:28two years searching for.

42:30Vanessa grew visibly

42:31uncomfortable

42:31under his stare.

42:32The hand holding

42:33the cufflink

42:34went rigid in midair.

42:35Mr. Cross,

42:36your cufflink.

42:37Julian swallowed hard.

42:38At last he reached for it.

42:39Thank you, Vanessa.

42:42Yes,

42:43I'm Vanessa Hale.

42:45Have we met before?

42:47Mr. Cross.

42:48He gave Vanessa

42:49one last look,

42:50then turned

42:50and walked away.

42:51Only then

42:52did I dare to breathe.

42:53Cold sweat

42:53had soaked

42:54the back of my clothes.

42:55I remained frozen

42:56for a long moment

42:57before pulling out

42:57my phone

42:58and searching

42:58for Julian Cross online.

43:00My screen filled

43:01with financial

43:02and political stories

43:03about him

43:03from Forbes and Bloomberg.

43:05I sucked

43:05in a sharp breath.

43:07If I had still

43:07been clinging

43:08to some shred

43:09of hope

43:09before it was gone now,

43:10I had provoked

43:11a dragon,

43:12a mafia don

43:13who ruled

43:13the underworld.

43:14Some employees

43:15go a whole year

43:15without seeing Julian.

43:16He almost never

43:17comes back here.

43:18And he stared

43:18at an intern

43:19that long?

43:19A young,

43:20beautiful intern

43:21like Vanessa?

43:22Just like

43:22U.S. Reiger.

43:23We did go

43:24to the same university.

43:25Julian was a few

43:26years ahead of me.

43:27He was captain

43:28of the hockey team

43:29back then.

43:29I was homecoming queen

43:31and captain

43:31of the cheer squad.

43:32Plenty of guys

43:33were into me.

43:34Maybe?

43:35The office's biggest

43:36gossips pounced

43:37on it at once,

43:38spinning a story

43:39about a college crush

43:39that The Office

43:40came alive.

43:41All right,

43:42stop inventing

43:42love stories

43:43about Mr. Cross.

43:44Her tone sounded

43:45like a denial,

43:45but the smug look

43:46in her eyes

43:47gave her away.

43:47Whatever they said

43:48after that,

43:48I did not hear a word.

43:50Back then,

43:50my mother had worked

43:51as a live-in maid

43:52for the Hale family.

43:53Vanessa lost a bet

43:54with her friends

43:54and tricked my mother

43:55into taking my diary,

43:57which was filled

43:57with all my secret

43:58feelings for my crush.

43:59She photocopied it,

44:01posted the pages

44:01on the campus bulletin board

44:03and uploaded everything

44:04to an anonymous campus account.

44:05Everyone who recognized me

44:06mocked my body

44:07and the secrets

44:08on those pages.

44:09I hated her for it.

44:10So I used Vanessa's photos

44:11and name as my own

44:12to cause trouble online.

44:13If I went 028 in a game,

44:15I turned on my mic

44:16and told everyone

44:17my name was Vanessa Hale.

44:18If I argued

44:19with a stranger on Discord

44:20until they threatened

44:21to show up at my door,

44:22I gave them Vanessa's name

44:23without hesitation.

44:24Anytime I caused trouble

44:26and someone asked

44:26who I was,

44:27I said I was Vanessa,

44:29spitefully.

44:30I kept hoping

44:31that one day

44:31someone would actually

44:32show up and teach her a lesson.

44:34But before I ever

44:35got to watch Vanessa

44:35face the consequences,

44:37I met Julian on the ice.

44:38He was like a wildfire

44:39raging out of control.

44:41Online,

44:42he held nothing back

44:43during the two years

44:44we dated online.

44:45After every practice,

44:46he would go alone

44:47to the shower stall

44:48at the very back

44:49of the locker room

44:50and make me listen

44:50to the running water

44:51as his breathing

44:52turned steadily rougher.

44:53Don't bite your lip.

44:54I can hear it.

44:56Your teammates

44:57are right outside.

44:58The door's locked.

44:59Tell me what you're wearing.

45:01A robe.

45:03Then don't move.

45:04His tone remained calm,

45:05but it left no room

45:06for refusal.

45:07I don't want to keep

45:08loving you through a screen.

45:09Send me your address.

45:10I panicked.

45:11I frantically scrolled

45:12back through our messages.

45:14Conversations I could

45:14almost recite

45:15from memory scrolled past

45:16all the way back

45:17to two years earlier,

45:18to the week we first met.

45:19There it was,

45:20the message I had typed myself.

45:22My name is Vanessa Hale.

45:24The words struck me

45:25like a slap.

45:26Every heartbeat

45:26during those late night calls.

45:28Every tender word

45:29we had exchanged

45:29through a screen.

45:30Every moment

45:31that had made me believe

45:32I was loved.

45:33I had stolen all of it

45:34by pretending

45:35to be another woman.

45:37That night,

45:37I curled up beneath the covers

45:38and cried so hard

45:40my entire body shook.

45:41The next morning,

45:42I looked at myself

45:43in the mirror.

45:43My face was pale,

45:44with dark circles

45:45beneath my eyes

45:46from working part-time

45:47and staying up

45:47night after night.

45:48I did not have

45:49Vanessa's striking beauty.

45:50I did not have

45:51her privileged

45:52background

45:52and I certainly

45:53did not have

45:53her effortless confidence

45:54or boldness.

45:55I was completely ordinary.

45:57Without Vanessa's photos,

45:59a man like Julian

46:00would never have

46:01had anything to do

46:01with me.

46:02In the end,

46:03I forced down

46:04the ache in my chest

46:04and sent Julian

46:05a single message.

46:06I'm sorry.

46:07Then I blocked him

46:08and deleted his contact.

46:09On the third day

46:10of silence,

46:11Julian sent me an email.

46:12It contained

46:13a single line.

46:14Vanessa,

46:14please don't leave me

46:15like this.

46:16Those few words

46:17made him sound

46:17utterly lost,

46:18blindsided by the way

46:19I had vanished.

46:20Unfortunately,

46:21I'm not Vanessa.

46:23The memory of it all

46:24sent a shiver through me.

46:25When I looked up,

46:26I found all my co-workers

46:27watching me.

46:28I forced a weak smile.

46:29What is it?

46:31The others only smiled.

46:32No one answered.

46:33Vanessa walked over

46:34with an innocent expression

46:35and asked,

46:36Nora,

46:37didn't you hear us?

46:38Everyone wants to try

46:39the new coffee shop

46:40three blocks away.

46:42Would you mind

46:42picking up the coffees

46:43for us?

46:44Dumping grunt work

46:45on an intern

46:45is hardly unusual

46:46in an office.

46:48But Vanessa had

46:49barely arrived

46:49and she was already

46:50perfectly at ease

46:51with the senior staff,

46:52all because Julian

46:53had singled her out earlier.

46:55I looked at Vanessa,

46:56then at the cloergs

46:57waiting to see

46:58how I would react.

46:59Okay.

47:00Vanessa looked pleased

47:01with my obedience.

47:02She turned to the others

47:03with a smile.

47:04You really don't have

47:05to feel bad about it.

47:07Nora's mother used

47:07to be our live-in maid.

47:08She's been waiting

47:09on people since she was little.

47:11Running errands

47:11is what she's best at.

47:13Anytime you need something,

47:14just ask her.

47:15She won't mind.

47:16Whenever Vanessa

47:17went somewhere new,

47:18she made sure everyone

47:19knew my mother

47:20had once worked

47:21for her family.

47:22I was used to it by now.

47:23I ignored her,

47:25turned around

47:25with my phone in hand,

47:26and walked straight

47:27into a man.

47:28I looked up.

47:30It was Ethan Grant,

47:31the executive assistant

47:32who had been

47:33at Julian's side earlier.

47:34Ethan looked annoyed.

47:36He shoved me aside

47:37as if I were blocking

47:38his way.

47:38Which one of you

47:39is Vanessa Hale?

47:40Mr. Cross

47:41is asking for her.

47:42At the sound of that name,

47:43I almost looked up

47:44on instinct.

47:45I dug my nails

47:45into my palm

47:46and forced myself

47:47to stay still.

47:48It was the name

47:49I had been using

47:49for two years.

47:50The instant Vanessa

47:51heard her name,

47:52her eyes lit up.

47:53She all but rushed forward.

47:55I'm Vanessa.

47:57Why does Mr. Cross

47:58want me?

47:58The IP relations

47:59upstairs is short-staffed.

48:00Mr. Cross

48:01asked for you by name.

48:02The finance office

48:03went silent for a beat,

48:04then excited murmurs

48:05broke out.

48:06Vanessa walked up to me.

48:08Excuse me, Nora.

48:10Mr. Cross is waiting

48:11for me upstairs

48:12and you're in my way.

48:14Keep working hard.

48:16Maybe someday

48:17you'll get to set foot

48:18on the top floor too.

48:20I clenched my jaw.

48:22Vanessa followed Ethan

48:23out in her high heels.

48:24The moment she was gone,

48:25my co-workers

48:26crowded around me.

48:27You and Vanessa

48:28went to the same university,

48:29right?

48:29Was she always this popular?

48:31Did she and Mr. Cross

48:32have something going on

48:33in college?

48:34My nails dug into my palm.

48:36I don't know.

48:37Once Vanessa

48:38was escorted upstairs,

48:39everyone else's work

48:41landed on my desk,

48:42picking up coffee

48:42for the entire office,

48:44washing every mug

48:45in the break room,

48:46organizing data,

48:47moving office equipment.

48:49By the time I sent

48:50my last analysis report

48:51to the manager,

48:52it was already

48:538.30 at night.

48:54The entire finance office

48:55was empty.

48:56I sank back in my chair,

48:58exhausted.

48:59A message from my father

49:00appeared on my phone.

49:01Nora,

49:01this job at Crosshouse

49:03is your best chance

49:04of staying in New York.

49:05Keep your head down

49:06at the club.

49:06Rich kids have families

49:07who can clean up their messes.

49:09We don't have anyone

49:09to do that for us.

49:11Get there early.

49:12Pitch in whenever

49:13anyone needs something.

49:14Don't give them

49:15a reason to fire you.

49:16I closed the message

49:17and opened Instagram.

49:19Vanessa had posted

49:20half an hour ago.

49:21Late night at work,

49:22but someone saved me

49:23a mango smoothie.

49:24The photo had been taken

49:25in the VIP lounge upstairs.

49:27I kept zooming in

49:28on the photo,

49:28torturing myself.

49:30In the reflection

49:30on the glass wall,

49:32Julian was sitting there.

49:33You're still here

49:34this late?

49:34A voice came from behind me.

49:36Don't stop.

49:37Keep touching yourself.

49:38I weigh more than 220 pounds.

49:41Vanessa,

49:42the daughter of my mother's employer,

49:43has bullied me for three years

49:45because of my weight.

49:46To get back at her,

49:47I used Vanessa's photos

49:49and name as my own

49:50and started an online relationship

49:52with Julian,

49:53the hockey team captain.

49:54At the start of my sophomore year,

49:56my student loan application

49:57was denied.

49:58When Julian found out,

50:00he sent me $15,000

50:01on the spot.

50:03That was when

50:03it finally hit me.

50:04I had already fallen

50:06in love with him,

50:06but he thought

50:07I was Vanessa.

50:08I braced myself

50:09against the vanity,

50:10trying to bring

50:11my ragged breathing

50:12under control.

50:13Julian,

50:14what would you do

50:14if I broke up with you

50:15and disappeared for good?

50:17Baby,

50:18don't test me like that.

50:19I don't like it.

50:19If you ever disappear,

50:20pray we never cross paths again,

50:22because if we do,

50:23I'll make you repay

50:24every day you owe me

50:24one night at a time.

50:29I started losing weight

50:30a year later.

50:32I had lost the weight

50:33and landed an internship

50:34in Cross House's

50:35internal audit department.

50:36Cross House is one of

50:37Manhattan's most exclusive

50:39private clubs,

50:40run by the Cross family.

50:41Vanessa was there too.

50:42My heart stopped.

50:43The man I had dated online

50:45for three years

50:46was standing right in front of me,

50:48flesh and blood.

50:49The shock of it

50:49was overwhelming.

50:50My mind went blank

50:51for several seconds.

50:52By the time I came back

50:53to myself,

50:54Julian had stopped walking.

50:55Then he turned

50:56and headed straight toward us.

50:57I lowered my head at once

50:59and kept my breathing

50:59as quiet as I could.

51:01He knew Vanessa's face,

51:02but he had heard my voice

51:03countless times.

51:04As long as I kept my mouth shut,

51:06there was no way

51:06he could recognize me.

51:07His face was expressionless,

51:09and an icy,

51:10unapproachable air

51:11surrounded him.

51:12His black dress shirt

51:13set off his broad shoulders

51:14and narrow waist.

51:15A sliver of his wrist

51:16showed beneath the cuff,

51:17faint blue veins

51:18visible under the skin,

51:19restrained yet powerful

51:21Julian Cross.

51:22The most dangerous mafia

51:23don in the city.

51:24He looked taller

51:25than he had at university,

51:26more handsome,

51:27and even harder

51:28to look away from.

51:29Our audit manager

51:30lowered her voice

51:31and reminded us,

51:32Mr. Cross is only here

51:33for a closed door meeting upstairs.

51:34He's too busy

51:35to notice a group of interns.

51:37The words had barely

51:38left her mouth.

51:38Julian stopped

51:39in front of us.

51:40More precisely,

51:41he stopped in front of Vanessa.

51:42They stood face to face.

51:43He cold and elegant.

51:45She radiant and beautiful.

51:46I held my breath

51:47without meaning to.

51:48Only one thought

51:49remained in my head.

51:50They really did look

51:50perfect together.

51:52Mr. Cross,

51:53you dropped your cuffling.

51:54The faint scent

51:55of his cologne reached me,

51:56fur and citrus,

51:57crisp with a thread of warmth.

51:58I knew that scent

51:59all too well.

52:00It was the cologne

52:01I had given him

52:01for the first anniversary

52:02of our online relationship.

52:04To afford that bottle,

52:05I had worked odd jobs

52:06for months,

52:07saving every scent I could.

52:08I lowered my head

52:09and stared hard

52:10at the tips of my shoes.

52:11He knew the sound

52:12of my breathing intimately

52:13from all those

52:14late night calls.

52:15Julian's gaze

52:15never left Vanessa's face.

52:17His gaze was intense

52:18and direct,

52:19as if he meant

52:19to look past

52:20that beautiful face

52:21and determine

52:22whether she was really

52:23the woman he had spent

52:23two years searching for.

52:25Vanessa grew visibly

52:26uncomfortable

52:26under his stare.

52:28The hand holding

52:28the cufflink

52:29went rigid in midair.

52:30Mr. Cross,

52:31your cufflink.

52:32Julian swallowed hard.

52:33At last,

52:34he reached for it.

52:35Thank you,

52:35Vanessa.

52:37Yes,

52:38I'm Vanessa Hale.

52:41Have we met before?

52:42Mr. Cross.

52:43He gave Vanessa

52:44one last look,

52:45then turned and walked away.

52:46Only then did I dare to breathe.

52:48Cold sweat had soaked

52:49the back of my clothes.

52:50I remained frozen

52:51for a long moment,

52:52before pulling out my phone

52:53and searching for

52:54Julian Cross online.

52:55My screen filled with

52:57financial and political stories

52:58about him from Forbes

52:59and Bloomberg.

53:00I sucked in a sharp breath.

53:02If I had still been clinging

53:03to some shred of hope,

53:04before it was gone now.

53:06I had provoked a dragon,

53:07a mafia don

53:08who ruled the underworld.

53:09Some employees go a whole year

53:11without seeing Julian.

53:11He almost never comes back here.

53:13And he stared at an intern that long?

53:15A young, beautiful intern

53:16like Vanessa?

53:17Just a T-Y-S ringer.

53:19We did go to the same university.

53:21Julian was a few years ahead of me.

53:23He was captain of the hockey team

53:24back then.

53:25I was homecoming queen

53:26and captain of the cheer squad.

53:28Plenty of guys were into me.

53:30Maybe.

53:30The office's biggest gossips

53:32pounced on it at once,

53:33spinning a story about

53:34a college crush that

53:35The Office came alive.

53:36All right,

53:37stop inventing love stories

53:38about Mr. Cross.

53:39Her tone sounded like a denial,

53:41but the smug look in her eyes

53:42gave her away.

53:43Whatever they said after that,

53:44I did not hear a word.

53:45Back then,

53:45my mother had worked

53:46as a live-in maid

53:47for the Hale family.

53:48Vanessa lost a bet

53:49with her friends

53:49and tricked my mother

53:51into taking my diary,

53:52which was filled with

53:53all my secret feelings

53:54for my crush.

53:55She photocopied it,

53:56posted the pages

53:57on the campus bulletin board,

53:58and uploaded everything

53:59to an anonymous campus account.

54:01Everyone who recognized me

54:02mocked my body

54:02and the secrets on those pages.

54:04I hated her for it.

54:05So I used Vanessa's photos

54:07and name as my own

54:07to cause trouble online.

54:09If I went 028 in a game,

54:11I turned on my mic

54:12and told everyone

54:12my name was Vanessa Hale.

54:14If I argued with a stranger

54:15on Discord until they threatened

54:16to show up at my door,

54:17I gave them Vanessa's name

54:18without hesitation.

54:20Any time I caused trouble

54:21and someone asked

54:22who I was,

54:23I said I was Vanessa,

54:24spitefully.

54:25I kept hoping that one day

54:27someone would actually show up

54:28and teach her a lesson.

54:29But before I ever got to watch

54:30Vanessa face the consequences,

54:32I met Julian,

54:33on the ice,

54:34he was like a wildfire

54:35raging out of control.

54:36Online,

54:37he held nothing back

54:38during the two years

54:39we dated online.

54:40After every practice,

54:41he would go alone

54:42to the shower stall

54:43at the very back

54:44of the locker room

54:45and make me listen

54:46to the running water

54:46as his breathing

54:47turned steadily rougher.

54:49Don't bite your lip,

54:49I can hear it.

54:51Your teammates

54:52are right outside.

54:53The door's locked.

54:55Tell me what you're wearing.

54:57A robe.

54:58Then don't move.

54:59His tone remained calm,

55:01but it left no room

55:01for refusal.

55:02I don't want to keep

55:03loving you through a screen.

55:04Send me your address.

55:05I panicked.

55:07I frantically scrolled back

55:08through our messages.

55:09Conversations I could almost recite

55:10from memory scrolled past,

55:12all the way back

55:12to two years earlier,

55:13to the week we first met.

55:15There it was,

55:16the message I had typed myself.

55:17My name is Vanessa Hale.

55:19The words struck me

55:20like a slap.

55:21Every heartbeat

55:21during those late night calls,

55:23every tender word

55:24we had exchanged

55:25through a screen,

55:26every moment

55:27that had made me believe

55:27I was loved.

55:28I had stolen all of it

55:30by pretending

55:30to be another woman.

55:32That night,

55:33I curled up beneath the covers

55:34and cried so hard

55:35my entire body shook.

55:36The next morning,

55:37I looked at myself

55:38in the mirror.

55:38My face was pale,

55:40with dark circles

55:40beneath my eyes

55:41from working part-time

55:42and staying up

55:42night after night.

55:43I did not have

55:44Vanessa's striking beauty.

55:45I did not have

55:46her privileged background,

55:47and I certainly did not have

55:49her effortless confidence

55:50or boldness.

55:51I was completely ordinary.

55:52Without Vanessa's photos,

55:54a man like Julian

55:55would never have had

55:56anything to do with me.

55:57In the end,

55:58I forced down the ache

55:59in my chest

56:00and sent Julian

56:00a single message.

56:01I'm sorry.

56:02Then I blocked him

56:03and deleted his contact.

56:05On the third day of silence,

56:06Julian sent me an email.

56:07It contained a single line.

56:09Vanessa,

56:10please don't leave me like this.

56:11Those few words

56:12made him sound utterly lost,

56:14blindsided by the way

56:15I had vanished.

56:16Unfortunately,

56:17I'm not Vanessa.

56:18The memory of it all

56:19sent a shiver through me.

56:20When I looked up,

56:21I found all my co-workers

56:22watching me.

56:23I forced a weak smile.

56:24W-what is it?

56:26The others only smiled.

56:27No one answered.

56:28Vanessa walked over

56:29with an innocent expression

56:31and asked,

56:32Nora,

56:32didn't you hear us?

56:34Everyone wants to try

56:35the new coffee shop

56:36three blocks away.

56:37Would you mind

56:37picking up the coffees for us?

56:39Dumping grunt work

56:40on an intern

56:41is hardly unusual

56:42in an office.

56:43But Vanessa had barely arrived

56:45and she was already

56:46perfectly at ease

56:47with the senior staff,

56:48all because Julian

56:49had singled her out earlier.

56:50I looked at Vanessa,

56:51then at the cloergs

56:52waiting to see

56:53how I would react.

56:54Okay.

56:55Vanessa looked pleased

56:56with my obedience.

56:58She turned to the others

56:59with a smile.

57:00You really don't have

57:01to feel bad about it.

57:02Nora's mother used to be

57:03our live-in maid.

57:04She's been waiting on people

57:05since she was little.

57:06Running errands

57:07is what she's best at.

57:08Anytime you need something,

57:09just ask her.

57:10She won't mind.

57:11Whenever Vanessa

57:12went somewhere new,

57:13she made sure everyone knew

57:15my mother had once

57:16worked for her family.

57:17I was used to it by now.

57:19I ignored her,

57:20turned around

57:21with my phone in hand,

57:22and walked straight

57:23into a man.

57:24I looked up.

57:25It was Ethan Grant,

57:26the executive assistant

57:27who had been

57:28at Julian's side earlier.

57:30Ethan looked annoyed.

57:31He shoved me aside

57:32as if I were blocking his way.

57:34Which one of you

57:34is Vanessa Hale?

57:35Mr. Cross is asking for her.

57:37At the sound of that name,

57:38I almost looked up

57:39on instinct.

57:40I dug my nails

57:41into my palm

57:41and forced myself

57:42to stay still.

57:43It was the name

57:44I had been using

57:44for two years.

57:45The instant Vanessa

57:46heard her name,

57:47her eyes lit up.

57:48She all but rushed forward.

57:51I'm Vanessa.

57:52Why does Mr. Cross want me?

57:53VIP Relations upstairs

57:55is short-staffed.

57:56Mr. Cross asked for you

57:57by name.

57:57The finance office

57:58went silent for a beat,

57:59then excited murmurs

58:00broke out.

58:01Vanessa walked up to me.

58:03Excuse me, Nora.

58:05Mr. Cross is waiting

58:06for me upstairs,

58:07and you're in my way.

58:09Keep working hard.

58:11Maybe someday,

58:12you'll get to set foot

58:13on the top floor too.

58:15I clenched my jaw.

58:17Vanessa followed Ethan out

58:18in her high heels.

58:19The moment she was gone,

58:21my co-workers crowded

58:22around me.

58:23You and Vanessa

58:23went to the same university,

58:24right?

58:24Was she always this popular?

58:26Did she and Mr. Cross

58:27have something going on

58:28in college?

58:29My nails dug into my palm.

58:31I don't know.

58:33Once Vanessa was escorted

58:34upstairs,

58:35everyone else's work

58:36landed on my desk,

58:37picking up coffee

58:38for the entire office,

58:39washing every mug

58:40in the break room,

58:41organizing data,

58:43moving office equipment.

58:44By the time I sent

58:45my last analysis report

58:46to the manager,

58:47it was already 8.30 at night.

58:49The entire finance office

58:50was empty.

58:51I sank back in my chair,

58:53exhausted.

58:54A message from my father

58:55appeared on my phone.

58:56Nora,

58:57this job at Crosshouse

58:58is your best chance

58:59of staying in New York.

59:00Keep your head down

59:01at the club.

59:02Rich kids have families

59:03who can clean up their messes.

59:04We don't have anyone

59:05to do that for us.

59:06Get there early.

59:07Pitch in whenever

59:08anyone needs something.

59:09Don't give them

59:10a reason to fire you.

59:11I closed the message

59:12and opened Instagram.

59:14Vanessa had posted

59:15half an hour ago.

59:16Late night at work,

59:17but someone saved me

59:18a mango smoothie.

59:19The photo had been taken

59:20in the VIP lounge upstairs.

59:22I kept zooming in

59:23on the photo,

59:24torturing myself.

59:25In the reflection

59:25on the glass wall,

59:27Julian was sitting there.

59:28You're still here

59:29this late?

59:30A voice came from behind me.

59:31and attach something

59:31On the floor,

59:31you'll seearı

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