Chapter 3

3.

I moved out that same night. In my new apartment, I turned on the TV.

The news was reporting on our company's latest product launch.

Mindy was walking through a crowd of reporters, holding Levi's hand.

She was wearing the white dress she was supposed to wear to meet my parents.

She looked stunning, a radiant smile on her face.

"Thank you all for coming to our 'One True Love' collection launch," she told the cameras.

The theme of the launch was eternal devotion.

And there, on her secretary's feet, were the unique shoes meant for me.

They fit him perfectly. Seeing them on Levi made my chest tighten.

"Vice President, we heard there's a very special pair of shoes in this collection," a reporter shouted.

Levi stepped in front of her protectively. Mindy laughed and gave him a playful tap.

"Oh, stop it, Levi. They're just doing their jobs," she teased.

Then, she began her presentation. "I commissioned a master shoemaker to craft these."

"My initials are engraved inside. They are a gift for my boyfriend, symbolizing our love."

The reporters gushed about the romance between the CEO and her devoted assistant.

I couldn't wrap my head around it. When did I get replaced in our own story?

She wasn't careless. She was just pouring all her care into her favorite secretary.

I didn't cry the night my leg was taken. I didn't cry when the factory almost failed.

But watching Mindy hold Levi's hand on national television, I finally broke down.

The broadcast ended as evening fell. Suddenly, my phone buzzed with photos.

It was Levi. He sent pictures of him having dinner with Mindy's parents.

They looked like a happy, complete family. I was just a ghost, an outsider looking in.

The shoes weren't just a mistake; they were a warning for me to get out of the way.

I started to laugh, my vision blurring with tears.

You can't force a heart to love you. I typed back a single word: "Congratulations."

Mindy called me a few minutes later, her voice full of anger.

"How old are you, Zane? Disappearing like a child?"

"I couldn't find you, so I had to ask Levi to pretend to be my boyfriend. Are you happy now?"

I didn't have the energy to argue. "Mindy, I don't care who you're with. We're over."