I straightened my dress, lifted my chin, and went to pose beneath the flowers.
By noon, I was officially Mrs. Daniel Reed.
The ceremony was perfect.
Daniel's vows made several guests cry. My father kissed my cheek before is looking for you.""
I straightened my dress, lifted my chin, and went to pose beneath the flowers.
By noon, I was officially Mrs. Daniel Reed.
The ceremony was perfect.
Daniel's vows made several guests cry. My father kissed my cheek before giving me away. My best friend, Chloe, whispered that she had never seen me look more beautiful.
And when Daniel kissed me, the room erupted in applause.
For a while, I forgot Ethan existed.
Then, during the reception, I spotted him again.
He hadn't left.
He stood near the far end of the ballroom, speaking quietly to one of the venue staff giving me away. My best friend, Chloe, whispered that she had never seen me look more beautiful.
And when Daniel kissed me, the room erupted in applause.
For a while, I forgot Ethan existed.
Then, during the reception, I spotted him again.
He hadn't left.
He stood near the far end of the ballroom, speaking quietly to one of the venue staff members.
I felt irritation rise in my chest.
Hadn't he understood?
I approached him, careful to keep my smile in place for the guests around us.
"I thought I made myself clear.""
Ethan turned toward me.
"You did.""
"Then why are you still here?""
He glanced at his watch.
"I was waiting for Daniel.""
I blinked.
"For Daniel?""
"Yes.""
I followed his gaze toward the head table.
Daniel was members.
I felt irritation rise in my chest.
Hadn't he understood?
I approached him, careful to keep my smile in place for the guests around us.
"I thought I made myself clear.""
Ethan turned toward me.
"You did.""
"Then why are you still here?""
He glanced at his watch.
"I was waiting for Daniel.""
I blinked.
"For Daniel?""
"Yes.""
I followed his gaze toward the head table.
Daniel was laughing with his colleagues near the windows. His face brightened when he noticed us.
He immediately excused himself and started walking in our direction.
My stomach tightened.
Why was my husband coming over as if he knew Ethan?
And why did Ethan look perfectly comfortable waiting for him?
Before I could ask another question, Daniel reached us.
He smiled at Ethan with a warmth I had never seen him show a stranger.
"Mr. Hayes laughing with his colleagues near the windows. His face brightened when he noticed us.
He immediately excused himself and started walking in our direction.
My stomach tightened.
Why was my husband coming over as if he knew Ethan?
And why did Ethan look perfectly comfortable waiting for him?
Before I could ask another question, Daniel reached us.
He smiled at Ethan with a warmth I had never seen him show a stranger.
"Mr. Hayes!"" Daniel exclaimed.
"You made it.""
My husband extended his hand.
Ethan shook it.
And Daniel, completely unaware of the humiliation I had just delivered, turned toward me and said, "Vanessa, how do you know my boss?""
!"" Daniel exclaimed.
"You made it.""
My husband extended his hand.
Ethan shook it.
And Daniel, completely unaware of the humiliation I had just delivered, turned toward me and said, "Vanessa, how do you know my boss?""
I forgot how to breathe.
Daniel was still smiling, his Chapter 2: The Man at the Head of the Table
I forgot how to breathe.
Daniel was still smiling, his hand resting comfortably on Ethan's shoulder.
"My boss," he repeated when neither hand resting comfortably on Ethan's shoulder.
"My boss," he repeated when neither of us answered.
"Vanessa, this is Ethan Hayes, the founder and executive chairman of Aurelian Group.""
I stared at him.
Aurelian Group.
The of us answered.
"Vanessa, this is Ethan Hayes, the founder and executive chairman of Aurelian Group.""
I stared at him.
Aurelian Group.
The name landed with the force of a slap.
Aurelian was one of the fastest-growing technology and consulting companies in the country. Its offices occupied thirty floors of a glass tower downtown. Business magazines described it as a multibillion-dollar enterprise, and its founder was name landed with the force of a slap.
Aurelian was one of the fastest-growing technology and consulting companies in the country. Its offices occupied thirty floors of a glass tower downtown. Business magazines described it as a multibillion-dollar enterprise, and its founder was rumored to have rejected two offers that would have made him one of the wealthiest men in the industry.
I had spent six weeks interviewing for Aurelian's newly created director of brand strategy position.
Six weeks.
Three rounds of interviews. Two presentations. A portfolio review that had kept me awake until two in the morning.
The recruiter had told rumored to have rejected two offers that would have made him one of the wealthiest men in the industry.
I had spent six weeks interviewing for Aurelian's newly created director of brand strategy position.
Six weeks.
Three rounds of interviews. Two presentations. A portfolio review that had kept me awake until two in the morning.
The recruiter had told me that the final decision required approval from the executive chairman.
Mr. Hayes.
I had pictured an older executive with silver hair and a voice like a courtroom judge.
I had never imagined Ethan.
Daniel looked from me to his boss, apparently me that the final decision required approval from the executive chairman.
Mr. Hayes.
I had pictured an older executive with silver hair and a voice like a courtroom judge.
I had never imagined Ethan.
Daniel looked from me to his boss, apparently mistaking my silence for surprise at the introduction.
"Mr. Hayes has been generous enough to mentor me since I joined the company," he explained.
"He's the reason I was able to move into the strategy division.""
Ethan withdrew his hand from Daniel's shoulder.
"Daniel earned his position," he said.
"I simply made sure the right people saw his work.""
Then he turned toward me.
"Mrs. Reed.""
He mistaking my silence for surprise at the introduction.
"Mr. Hayes has been generous enough to mentor me since I joined the company," he explained.
"He's the reason I was able to move into the strategy division.""
Ethan withdrew his hand from Daniel's shoulder.
"Daniel earned his position," he said.
"I simply made sure the right people saw his work.""
Then he turned toward me.
"Mrs. Reed.""
He said the title with perfect politeness.
Somehow, that was worse than if he'd laughed at me.
"Mr. Hayes," I managed.
Daniel gave a small, puzzled chuckle.
"Wait. You two already know each other?""
"We went to college together," Ethan answered.
It was technically true.
It was also the kind of truth that concealed an entire said the title with perfect politeness.
Somehow, that was worse than if he'd laughed at me.
"Mr. Hayes," I managed.
Daniel gave a small, puzzled chuckle.
"Wait. You two already know each other?""
"We went to college together," Ethan answered.
It was technically true.
It was also the kind of truth that concealed an entire graveyard of memories.
Daniel looked delighted.
"That's incredible. What are the odds?""
"Not especially high," Ethan replied.
His eyes remained on mine.
I wanted the floor to open beneath my expensive shoes.
Instead graveyard of memories.
Daniel looked delighted.
"That's incredible. What are the odds?""
"Not especially high," Ethan replied.
His eyes remained on mine.
I wanted the floor to open beneath my expensive shoes.
Instead, I forced a smile.
"I had no idea you worked with Daniel.""
"I didn't know you were marrying him," Ethan said.
There it was.
The one sentence that made me realize he had not come to the wedding expecting this particular humiliation.
He hadn't known who the groom would be.
He had simply shown up to offer congratulations to a former colleague's bride, and I had treated him as though he had, I forced a smile.
"I had no idea you worked with Daniel.""
"I didn't know you were marrying him," Ethan said.
There it was.
The one sentence that made me realize he had not come to the wedding expecting this particular humiliation.
He hadn't known who the groom would be.
He had simply shown up to offer congratulations to a former colleague's bride, and I had treated him as though he had crawled out of a gutter.
Daniel laughed again.
"Well, this is certainly a story. Why didn't you tell me you knew my boss, Vanessa?""
I could barely look at him.
"I didn't think it mattered.""
"It matters a little," Daniel said.
"I've talked about Mr. Hayes a hundred times.""
Ethan's expression remained unreadable.
"Your wife and I haven't spoken for years," he said.
"There's no reason she crawled out of a gutter.