Erase Me in the Next Life

At the company’s New Year’s Eve party, the CEO’s husband lost a big dare and had to choose an employee to drink a wedding toast with as a bonus.

As he walked toward me with a blush on his face, my colleagues began to cheer.

“They’re already an old married couple, and they’re still showing off their affection.”

The next second, my husband stepped past me and hugged Julia Snow, who was standing beside me. All my colleagues froze.

None of them expected my husband to drink a wedding toast with a female subordinate right in front of me.

But I wasn’t upset at all. I was the first to clap and break the silence.

“Have a few more drinks, and I’ll get you some more. Drink all night if you like. You don’t need to come home.”

I muttered the last words, “don’t need to come home,” in a low voice.

Then I set down the two bottles of wine and pushed the door open to leave, amid everyone’s shock. My husband quickly chased me out and grabbed my arm. “Don’t overthink it, Vivian Mercer.”

“Julia’s brother has leukemia and urgently needs the bonus for treatment. I had to choose her.”

“But don’t worry, I’ll keep my distance from her from now on.”

“Julia even gave you some luxury travel tickets to thank you.”

Only after seeing me nod silently did Ethan Cole Reed breathe a sigh of relief and turn away.

He didn’t realize I was already utterly disappointed in him and no longer believed a single word he said.

Since he didn’t care about me at all, I wouldn’t play along with his games anymore.

I picked up my phone and replied to the headhunter I had contacted two weeks ago.

“I promised you last time. I’ll bring the core technology.”

——

As soon as I arrived at my desk, I saw the so-called luxury travel tickets Julia Snow had left for me.

A wrinkled gift voucher lay on the table.

“That’s Julia’s gift for Vivian. My aunt got a stack of those the other day.”

“Aren’t these just unwanted coupons? And you’re calling them luxury travel tickets?”

My colleagues glanced over, whispering mockingly. “Shut up. Vivian’s back.”

When they saw me return, they quickly turned around.

I sat down without a word, tossed the ticket into the drawer, and didn’t bother looking at it again.

Just then, the phone rang like a death knell. It was Ethan Reed.

“Vivian? Where’s the bonus I asked you to approve for Julia? Why hasn’t it gone through yet?” His voice burst out with harsh criticism.

“How long are you going to drag this out? Don’t you know Julia desperately needs the money?”

When I stayed silent, his tone softened.

“Vivian, Julia urgently needs funds for her brother’s treatment. You know that, so why haven’t you approved it yet?”

“I filed the bonus application a long time ago, but Finance hasn’t released the money yet.”

Hearing disappointment in my own voice, I answered slowly.

“Then why don’t you go push for it? Julia is so kind and pitiful—don’t you know how to help her?” Ethan lowered his voice a little.

“Vivian, just do me this favor, alright?”

Hearing that gentle demand, my chest tightened. Just a favor for her? Then what am I to you?

You care about everything she faces, so I’m supposed to just do you a favor, right?

I muttered inwardly.

Julia, with nothing more than a junior high diploma, should never have been in this company. Ethan had slipped her in through the back door.

Everyone could see favoritism written all over his face.

“Also, Vivian.”

Ethan’s voice came again.

“Julia submitted an application for promotion to department manager.”

“Please help polish her materials and photos and send them to management.”

I froze when I heard this. “Didn’t I just get promoted to department manager two weeks ago? How is she applying?”

“She has a sick brother who needs money, right? Managers earn a good salary. What’s wrong with you making a little sacrifice?” Ethan replied.