Seven Years as His Secret: The Billionaire Begs Me to Stay

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After seven years by Ethan Sinclair's side, I had mastered the art of hiding my emotions.

After a night of passion...

Ethan casually said, I'm getting engaged next month.

I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat and forced a breezy smile.

Oh, that's great. Coincidentally, I'm getting married too.

Ethan's smile turned icy. "Do you honestly think you can find a better man than me?"

He thought I was joking. But when I officially announced my wedding...

He completely lost his mind.

I had been with Ethan for seven years.

Over those seven years, we became so in sync we felt like real lovers.

But we weren't.

I was Ethans executive assistant by day, and his secret, hidden lover by night. Nobody knew about our relationship.

And of course, nobody knew just how wild and possessive the brilliant, cold CEO of Sinclair Enterprises could be behind closed doors.

Right now, I was bending over to organize some files on his desk. Ethan wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, pulling me flush against his chest. His hot kisses trailed down my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

I turned around, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him back.

Looking at his handsome, chiseled face and dark, bottomless eyes, I comforted myself.

Even without a title, staying with a man like this wasn't a bad deal.

But even though our bodies were tangled together, there was always an invisible distance between us.

He was right there, yet he felt like sand slipping through my fingers.

I always knew Ethan and I belonged to different worlds.

But after being together for so long, even a heart of stone would melt. I cared about him. I kept lying to myself, hoping I could stay by his side forever. I wondered if seven years could turn into a lifetime.

But every sweet dream has an expiration date.

Late at night, the balcony was bathed in dim light.

I walked over quietly holding his bathrobe, wanting to remind him not to catch a cold since he had just recovered.

But as I drew closer, I heard his voice. He was on the phone with his family, talking about how little I meant to him.

"Chloe is just convenient. I'm used to her, so I don't want to replace her."

"Shes been with me since college. Shes as clean as a blank sheet of paper. Isn't that perfect for someone with my standards, unlike those wild girls in our social circle?"

"Don't worry, I'll be back for the engagement next month."

"Chloe is obedient. She won't make a scene."

I thought I could handle it. But hearing those words still made my heart ache intensely.

I walked into the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror.

Long, straight black hair.

No makeup.

Submissive. Obedient.

I was exactly what he wanted me to be. But I wasn't who I wanted to be.

It was time.

Let today be the final day of our seven years.

The night before his business trip.

I went back to his penthouse to pack his bags. For seven years, I had always packed for his trips. I was used to it, and so was he.

I took his shirts and suits from the closet, and organized his stomach medicine into a travel pillbox. I couldn't help but nag him: "Leo is going with you this time, so I'll stay behind. By the way, I finalized the details on the Dynatech contract. Tell Leo to bring the file tomorrow morning so you can sign it directly."

Ethan chuckled, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "My little manager. I'm realizing I really can't live without you."

I patted his hand, gently slipped away, and continued packing. Once everything was done, I took a soft breath.

"All set."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to come? The hotel has a private hot spring. We can relax together after the meetings."

A hint of desire flickered in his dark, usually cold eyes.

I kept my eyes down and smiled. "No, thanks. Let Leo go."

I stepped forward to loosen his tie. Everything felt normal, yet everything had changed.

"What's wrong with you tonight?"

I looked up into his eyes. "Ethan, we've been together for seven years."

Ethans lips curved into a smirk. He patted his thigh, signaling me to sit.

I didn't move. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his lap.

"Are you mad because I forgot our anniversary?"

As soon as he spoke, I felt a cold touch on my collarbone. He had clasped a stunning, diamond-encrusted star necklace around my neck.

Ethan kissed my earlobe, his hands sliding down my hips. "Do you like it? I bought it at an auction in London last week. It looks great against your fair skin."

"So, can I touch you now?"

He pushed me down onto the sofa. At that moment, he probably thought a luxurious, expensive gift could buy my eternal devotion.

Love? He didn't have any, and in his eyes, I didn't need it anyway.

But he was wrong. I was done living a life where I felt like an afterthought.

"Ethan, let's break up."

Ethan frowned, his handsome brow furrowing. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

I turned and looked him dead in the eye. "I'm twenty-eight. I'm not young anymore. I want to go back home, find a nice man, and get married."

Ethan let go of me. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Through the swirling gray smoke, his face looked incredibly cold.

When he finished, he crushed the cigarette butt and stood up.

"Chloe, do you know what happens when you cross the line? I can let this little tantrum slide once, but never twice."

"I know."

Ethan gave me a mocking look. "Fine. If you want to break up, let's break up. Coincidentally, I'm getting engaged next month anyway."

I forced a smile. "Oh. Then let me congratulate you in advance."

His eyes were freezing cold. But I had made my choice, and I wouldn't look back. As he grabbed his coat and turned to leave, I called out to him.

Ethan looked back over his shoulder. "Chloe, if you take back what you said before I walk out that door, I'll pretend this never happened."

He thought I was just throwing a tantrum.

But I wasn't.

I carefully took off the diamond necklace and placed it in his palm.

"I won't be needing this. And don't worry, Mr. Sinclair. Once you walk out that door, I will never bother you again."

Ethan clenched his fist tightly. He didn't look back. Instead, he threw the necklace into the trash can and slammed the door behind him.

The moment he left, my composure crumbled. Tears streamed down my face.

It felt like a giant hole had been carved out of my chest. The pain was excruciating.

I knew that if I hadn't made a scene tonight, I could have kept living here. We could have kept this arrangement going...

Sweet, warm, but ultimately hollow.

Because Ethan was going to get married.

And I refused to be his mistress or destroy another woman's family.

It had to end.

Since I had decided to walk away, I wasn't going to drag things out.

That night, I packed my few belongings and wrote my resignation letter. The next morning, I handed it in.

Since my role was specifically dedicated to assisting Ethan, there wasn't much to hand over. Because Leo was still away on the business trip with Ethan, I just sent Leo a long, detailed handoff email on WhatsApp.

Leo didn't reply, probably because he was busy in meetings.

It didn't matter anymore.

I went back to my desk and packed up my personal items.

My coworkers were shocked that I was resigning. After all, I had been working for the notorious devil-boss for seven years, and I was the only one who could tolerate his temper.

"Chloe, are you really leaving?"

I smiled and nodded.

"If you leave and the boss throws a fit... the entire assistant pool is going to suffer!"

"But why? Sinclair Enterprises offers the best pay in the industry. You won't find a better package elsewhere."

I gave them the honest truth. "I'm getting older. After grinding for so many years, I just want to settle down, marry a nice guy, and focus on family."

I said my goodbyes, held my cardboard box, and took the elevator down. In the lobby, I bumped right into a very pissed-off Ethan and a terrified Leo.

I gave a polite, professional nod.

"Goodbye."

Leo looked at me with deep regret. "Chloe, do you really have to go? Can't you... reconsider?"

Ethan cast a cold, indifferent glance at me.

I gave a firm, polite smile. "No, thank you."

Ethan let out a cold snort and walked straight into the private elevator. Leo hurried after him.

After leaving Sinclair Enterprises, I went back to my hometown.

It wasn't a massive metropolis like New York, but it was a beautiful, thriving college town. Thanks to Ethan, during those seven years of working all day and catering to him at night, I had saved up a hefty sum of money. While I wasn't filthy rich, I had more than enough.

Even with my mother's medical bills, I was financially secure.

Before, I lived to work. Now, I wanted to actually live.

I took a teaching and research position at my alma mater.

My old advisor had reached out to me a while back, asking if I wanted to join his research project. I was too busy being Ethans assistant back then, but now, I could fully commit to it.

My new life became a peaceful routine: home, campus, lab.

I was so busy I barely had time to think about Ethan.

By mid-autumn, the department organized a faculty social eventessentially a mixer for the unmarried staff to mingle.

We met at an upscale lounge downtown.

My colleague from the department nudged me with her elbow. "Chloe, aren't you single? You should keep your eyes open tonight."

"Yeah, a gorgeous girl like you deserves the best..."

Before she could finish, the crowd started whispering excitedly, "Professor Vance is here!"

"Oh wow, the competition is going to be fierce tonight. Julian Vance is a total catch... handsome, wealthy, and already a rising star in academia!"

My colleague pushed me forward. "Chloe, go get him!"

I looked up at the man walking toward us. Wait. Wasn't that Julian, the boy next door from my childhood?

I remembered Julian had gone to an Ivy League school and then vanished from my social circle after we lost touch.

An old friend. A reunion.

Julian was just as warm and gentle as he used to be. "Chloe, it's been a long time."

"Julian, long time no see."

Our colleagues immediately started teasing us.

"Childhood sweethearts? What kind of fairytale is this? Kiss! Kiss!"

"Chloe, if you miss out on a guy like this, you'll regret it for the rest of your life! Go for it!"

The girls playfully pushed me toward Julian. Tipsy from the wine, my foot slipped, and I stumbled.

Alcohol always gets in the way.

Julian gentlemanly reached out to steady me, but someone else beat him to it, gripping my arm with bruising force.

"Ouch."

I looked up dazed, meeting a gaze cold enough to kill.

Julian tried to pry me away from the man's grip, but the intruder had absolutely no intention of letting go.

"Who are you? Let her go!"

"Ethan?"

I stared at him in confusion. For a second, it felt like we were back in our private bubble, with only him and me.

Ethan was flanked by a group of wealthy elites. Anyone could see he was someone powerful and not to be messed with.

Ethan pulled me toward the exit. "She's drunk. I'm taking her home."

At that moment, a pathetic part of me wanted to go with him. But I couldn't.

Swallowing my tears, I slowly pried his fingers off my arm. I turned and wrapped my arm around Julian's, smiling brightly. "No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Sinclair. I already have a ride."

Ethan's face darkened like a storm. He turned and walked into a private VIP room.

Once he was gone, everyone finally let out a breath and began to gossip.

"Oh my god, was that... Ethan Sinclair, the billionaire heir?"

"Chloe, you know Ethan Sinclair? Are you guys close?" my colleague whispered curiously.

"I used to work at Sinclair Enterprises. I was his assistant."

Everyone looked shocked. "Wow, he looks so intimidating. You're amazing for surviving working under him."

"Seriously, rumor has it he has a terrible temper."

"Oh, by the way, I heard some gossip about him. Apparently, he has a childhood sweetheart who went abroad, some sort of first love. He hasn't gotten married all these years because he was waiting for her... and she's supposedly coming back soon."

"But didn't the paparazzi snap photos of him with some mystery woman before? Well, billionaires keep their flings separate from their marriages. They only marry social peers. The women on the side are just toys they throw away. Right, Chloe? As his former assistant, you must know a lot, right?"

I lowered my eyes, a bitter taste in my mouth.

To Ethan, I was a secret lover, an employee, but never a partner or a wife.

I used to be like a moth drawn to a flame, but now the fire was out. It was over.

The party ended late.

Julian drove me back and, worried about my safety, insisted on walking me to my door.

"Thanks, Julian. It's late, so I won't invite you in for tea, but next time for sure."

Julian smiled and waved. "Don't be so polite with me. Get some rest. Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

Once Julian left, I slumped against the door, completely exhausted.

I thought I could remain unfazed when seeing Ethan again, but after all this time, I still couldn't.

The feeling of being controlled by my emotions made me feel suffocated and helpless.

I decided to take a hot shower to wash away the day's stress. Just then, the doorbell rang.

Was Julian still here?

I opened the door without thinking, only to be pulled into a burning, rock-hard embrace. I instinctively struggled...