The 999 Roses Were Never Mine

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On Valentine's Day, my husband, Pierre Nicolas, sent flowers to every single female employee in the company.

Except me.

When Bella, the HR director, walked past my desk, her hands were completely empty.

She gave me a playful, mischievous shrug. Oh, sorry, Ellis. We ran out of flowers. You'll have to wait.

Just then, a delivery cart rolled in from the florist. On it was a massive, towering arrangement of 999 red roses.

I smiled back at Bella, completely confident. I stood up, ready to accept my roses.

Pierre was talking to the delivery guys, pointing directly in my direction.

The men carried the giant bouquet toward me, but passed right by my desk, placing it firmly in front of Bella.

I stared in disbelief. "You must have the wrong person. I'm Mrs. Nicolas."

Pierre walked over, wrapped his arm around Bellas shoulders, and said in a deep, booming voice:

"The flowers are for Bella. They go to the woman who has contributed the most to this company."

The woman who contributed the most?

Oh, Pierre. If that's how you want to play, Im about to show you who actually built this damn company.

Looking at his hand resting on Bellas shoulder, I let out a cold laugh.

"Pierre, what do you think youre doing?"

The whispering colleagues instantly fell silent. The office went dead quiet.

Pierre raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Ellis, Im doing this for the company morale. Don't be so narrow-minded."

"Everyone was having a great time until you started throwing a tantrum. Do you always have to ruin the fun?"

As soon as he finished, Bella clapped her hands and spoke up loudly:

"Everyone, who should we thank for these amazing gifts today?"

A chorus of "Thank you, Pierre!" echoed through the office.

Bella and Pierre shared a tender, lingering look right in front of me.

My coworkers started staring at me, whispering loudly enough for me to hear every word:

"Pierre and Bella look so much better together anyway."

"Does Ellis really think she's the queen of this place just because of a marriage certificate?"

"I heard Bella is his true love!"

"Yeah, Ellis was just forced onto Pierre by his family."

"She acts like she owns the place, but shes just riding Pierres coattails."

I felt a sudden pang of regret, thinking about all the late-night business dinners, the endless business trips, and the multi-million dollar contracts I had secured for this company.

I must have been out of my mind.

In his eyes, I was nothing compared to his high school sweetheart.

In the eyes of his employees, I was just a useless burden.

Our marriage was arranged to merge our family empires, sure, but I didn't steal him from Bella.

When we first got married, we had our sweet moments, though they always felt a bit distant.

We both played our roles perfectlythe ideal wife and the supportive husband.

But a few years ago, when my family's business hit a major financial crisis and I asked him for help, he blew me off.

"Don't bring your family drama to me," he had said coldly.

Since then, I never mentioned the Hendersons' business to him again.

And his attitude toward me turned freezing cold.

Later, when his own company was on the brink of collapse, he begged me to join and save him.

So I did. I worked myself to the bone, saved his company, and made it thrive.

I actually thought we were building a real relationship. Until Bella came back.

He brought her into the company and didn't even bother to hide his affection for her anymore.

Staring at the 999 blooming roses, I didn't want to waste another breath. I grabbed my bag and walked out.

Behind me, Bella's smug voice drifted through the air:

"Ellis, leaving early without permission counts as an unexcused absence! Im docking your pay!"

I didn't turn around. "Go ahead. Pierre and I are married. Whats his is mine anyway."

"You...!"

The elevator doors closed, shutting out Bella's fake, whimpering voice.

I walked into a local florist, wanting to buy some flowers to cheer myself up.

I picked a beautiful bouquet and went to pay, but my card was declined.

I apologized to the cashier and immediately called Pierre.

But when the call connected, it was Bella's sweet, annoying voice on the other end:

"Ellis, you walked out and embarrassed Pierre. He just froze your cards. Did you figure it out already?"

"Honestly, you're such a gold digger. All you know how to do is spend his money."

I didn't want to deal with her high school drama. I just wanted to pay for my flowers.

"Put Pierre on the phone."

"Sorry, Ellis. Pierre is with a very important client. He doesn't have time for you."

Another one of her lies.

I hung up, completely losing my appetite for flowers.

I apologized to the florist and walked out into the street.

I wandered aimlessly until the sky suddenly turned dark and a heavy downpour started.

My whole world felt gray.

When I finally got home, the house was pitch black, except for the flickering candlelight in the dining room.

There was Bella, wrapped in Pierres arms. They were kissing passionately.

Water was dripping from my hair. I felt freezing cold, my fingertips numb.

I slammed my hand onto the main light switch.

The blinding chandelier light flooded the room, cutting them apart. Pierre and Bella jumped, startled.

A flash of panic crossed their faces, but they quickly recovered.

Bella slowly slid out of Pierre's lap, giving me a triumphant, mocking look.

My heart was pounding, and my voice shook as I screamed:

"Bella, get the hell out of my house!"

Pierre let out a soft chuckle and walked over. He looked at my soaking-wet, miserable state and smirked.

"Ellis, this is my house, not yours."

"I let you live here, but don't get ahead of yourself. You are not the mistress of this estate."

Bella stood behind him, looking smug.

"Ellis, where were you fooling around to end up looking like a drowned rat?" she sneered.

I was shaking with rage, tears burning my eyes as I glared at Pierre.

"Pierre, why are you doing this to me? Why?"

Before Pierre could speak, Bella whimpered, her eyes filling with fake tears:

"Ellis, don't act like you don't know why."

"You were the one who tore Pierre and me apart years ago! We loved each other so much!"

Me? Tearing them apart? Our marriage was a completely normal arrangement between two families.

Before I met Pierre, his parents swore to me that he was single.

They only mentioned he had an gold-digging ex-girlfriend who was ancient history.

Besides, Pierre had dated several other girls before marrying me.

How was any of this my fault?

I looked Bella up and down, letting out a disgusted laugh.

"Oh, so you're that gold-digging ex-girlfriend?"

"Didn't you take five million dollars from his mother to leave him? Why are you acting like a saint now?"

Bella's face went pale. Her eyes darted around nervously.

But she quickly recovered her innocent act.

"What nonsense! Do you have any proof? You're just throwing dirt on me!"

Pierre glared at me, stepping in front of Bella defensively.

"Shut up, Ellis. Bella would never do that. Don't make up lies because you're jealous."

"You ruined our lives. If you hadn't showed up, Bella and I would have been back together years ago."

His brow furrowed, his face twisting with a deep, bitter resentment.

"You've always been so proud, so arrogant. Even when we got married, you looked down on me."

"Now your family is broke, and you're just an employee in my company. Yet you still act like you're above me."

"You have no value left to me."

"Let's get a divorce."

So this was what my husband had been thinking all these years.

The sheer weight of his accusations felt like a physical blow. I could barely breathe.

I blinked hard, forcing my tears back, and kept my voice steady:

"Fine. Let's divorce. But we split all marital assets 50/50. Including this house."

Pierre's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice rising in anger:

"You're agreeing just like that?"

"Keep dreaming! I'm not giving you a single penny!"

"I've been supporting you ever since the Hendersons went under. Your family really is a bunch of greedy merchants."

Bella chimed in right on cue:

"See? She's the real gold digger here! How dare you accuse me?"

I walked right up to Pierre, looking him dead in the eye. "If I don't get my money, I'm not signing anything."

I slammed my shoulder into his as I walked past him, heading straight upstairs to my room.

I wasn't going to let them win this easily.

Once, he had given me a fairytale wedding. He had been gentle and sweet.

I thought we could live a quiet, peaceful life together. When did he turn into this monster?

Downstairs, I heard the sound of a glass smashing against the wall, followed by the heavy slam of the front door.

He had left with Bella.

I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache.

I forced myself out of bed and went to the office anyway.

Pierre and Bella didn't show up until noon, walking in one after the other.

They were still exchanging secret, flirtatious glances in the hallway.

A few minutes later, Bella pushed my office door open without knocking.

"There's a business dinner tonight," she said demandingly. "Pierre wants you there."

I didn't even look up from my laptop. "I'm not going. You only remember me when you need to close a deal?"

Bella stomped her foot and immediately dialed Pierre's number on speaker:

"Pierre, Ellis is refusing to work with me again! She says she won't go to the dinner tonight!"

"I'll handle it," Pierre's voice came through, and he hung up.

The next second, Pierre slammed my door open, yelling:

"Ellis! When Bella gives you an assignment, you do it!"

He ignored Bella, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me into his private office.

I struggled to pull away, but his grip only tightened, bruising my skin.

He slammed the door shut, locking us inside.

He rubbed his temples, his face still red with anger.

"This client is crucial for the company."

"If you help me close the deal tonight, I'll consider your terms for the divorce settlement."

"Isn't that what you want? Money?"

I looked at his familiar yet completely foreign face and slowly nodded.

"Fine."

Pierre, this is the last time I will ever help you.

That evening, we arrived at the private dining room. Pierre and the client, Mr. Johnson, were already seated.

As I went to sit next to Pierre, Bella pushed past me and took the seat right beside him.

She gave me an innocent look. "You don't mind if I sit next to Pierre, do you, Ellis?"

I smiled politely. "Not at all." I sat down next to her instead.

The dinner started with the usual fake pleasantries. When Pierre introduced us, he only gave our job titles.

Mr. Johnson's assistant, Collins, smiled warmly at Bella.

"Oh, Mrs. Nicolas, you and Pierre look so perfect together!"

"We wish you both a happy and long marriage!"

Bella froze for a second, glancing at Pierre. He didn't correct Collins.

Seeing his silence, Bella blushed and leaned into Pierre, playing along.

I kept my mouth shut. I thought I didn't care anymore.

But seeing him let another woman take my place, allowing everyone to humiliate me, still made my chest ache.

Throughout the dinner, I focused entirely on presenting our business proposal to Mr. Johnson.

When Mr. Johnson and Collins offered Bella a drink, Pierre stood up with a laugh, blocking it.

"Hey, you have to go through me before you buy my girl a drink!"

After a few rounds, Pierre was looking tipsy. Bella looked at him with fake worry, then turned to me with a venomous smirk:

"Mr. Johnson, our Ellis here is a legendary drinker! She's the real star of our company."

"You shouldn't leave her out of the fun!"

Mr. Johnson and Collins immediately started pouring me shot after shot. For the sake of the deal, I had to swallow them down.

After being pressured into drinking far too much, my head felt heavy, and my limbs felt like lead.

When the dinner finally ended, the others left.

Only Pierre, Mr. Johnson, and I remained in the room.

Pierre helped me up with one hand while holding Mr. Johnson with the other.

Through my hazy vision, I saw Pierre slip a black hotel room key card into Mr. Johnson's hand.

Mr. Johnson let out a creepy laugh, patting Pierres hand.

"Don't worry, Pierre. I'll take good care of Ellis tonight."

My brain went completely white. Panic surged through my veins.

I tried to break free, but my body was completely numb and powerless.

Pierre leaned in close, whispering in my ear:

"Be good, Ellis. Do this, and you'll get your divorce papers tomorrow."

"Help!" I screamed with everything I had.

Since I couldn't break free, I threw myself onto the floor, refusing to let them drag me.

I clung to the carpet. No matter how hard Pierre pulled, I didn't budge.

Finally, the hotel security and staff noticed the commotion and ran over.

My face was flushed, tears streaming down my face. "Help me... call the police!" I gasped.

Hearing the word "police," Mr. Johnson panicked. He threw the key card on the floor and bolted.

Pierre didn't care about me anymore. He let go of my arm and ran after Mr. Johnson, trying to apologize.

I couldn't go back to that house. With the help of a kind hotel staff member, I checked into a room and locked the door behind me.

I curled up in the corner of the bed, shaking uncontrollably.

The sheer horror of what almost happened sobered me up.

How could Pierre be so evil? He actually tried to sell my body for a business deal.

Every last bit of affection I had for him was completely shattered.

I wanted to get away from him. As far as possible.

I had wanted to give our marriage one last chance.

But now, I was completely done.

I pulled out my phone and sent Pierre a text:

"Meet me in the office tomorrow morning. Let's sign the divorce papers."

He replied instantly: "Fine."

No explanation. No apology. Just cold indifference.

I woke up several times during the night, gasping for air. But in the pitch black, my resolve only grew stronger.

The next morning, my head was still pounding, but the hotel had sent up warm honey water and breakfast.

I felt much better after eating. I went straight to the company.

I waited for Pierre in the main conference room.

He walked in looking completely unbothered, with Bella trailing right behind him like a loyal dog.

"Ellis, you're finally letting go?" Bella sneered. "You stole so many years from Pierre and me. We're being generous by not suing you!"

It was hilarious. The mistress was demanding compensation from the legal wife.

I gave her a look like she was a piece of garbage.

Then I turned to Pierre, speaking clearly:

"I'll sign. But on one condition: fire Bella."

My words hit Bella like a slap to the face.

She shrieked, clearly not expecting me to be so direct.

"Ellis! Are you out of your mind? Who do you think you are?"

"You're the one leaving! You have no right to interfere with company business!"

Pierre crossed his arms, leaning back. "Why should I fire her?"

Looking at his clueless face, I almost felt sorry for him.

"Bella has a boyfriend. Did you know that, Pierre?" I said coldly.

"And her boyfriend works for your biggest competitor."

"For his sake, she has leaked company secrets multiple times. Shes also used her position to embezzle millions."

Pierre's face fell, his eyes narrowing as he tried to process my words.

Beside him, Bella's face went pale. Her eyes darted around in pure panic.

Pierre slammed his hand on the table, glaring at me.

"That's impossible! I don't believe a word of this!"

"This divorce is between you and me. Stop dragging Bella into this with your pathetic lies!"

I let out a cold laugh, throwing a folder of evidence and my phone with a video onto the table.

Bella lunged forward, grabbing the papers and ripping them to shreds. She burst into tears:

"Pierre, this is fake! It's all AI-generated!"

"She's trying to tear us apart!"

Pierre shot a complicated look at Bella, then turned to me, his jaw clenched.

"I don't believe you, Ellis. I've known Bella much longer than I've known you."

"I know her character."

"I won't fire her. You accused her of taking five million to leave me back then, right?"

"Fine. I'll give you five million to leave right now. We divorce, and Bella stays."

I actually laughed out loud. The proof was right in front of him, and he was still playing the blind fool.

Well, I did my part. If he wanted to be ruined, that was his business.

"Deal," I said.

Pierre called the accountant, ordering her to wire me five million dollars immediately.

As we waited, Pierre wrapped his arm around Bella, whispering sweet nothings to comfort her.

Suddenly, the accountants panicked voice echoed from the hallway, loud enough for the whole office to hear:

"Mr. Nicolas! This is bad!"

"The company accounts... they're completely empty!"

"The private equity firm that bailed us out three years ago just withdrew all our funds!"