She Chose the Intern Over Me, So I Married Someone Else

Day 3,600 of being with Cora Mason, her parents came to inspect the company.

I led the team myself.

From the walkthrough schedule down to the little sugar-free desserts for her parents, I'd stayed up all night revising that hospitality plan eight times. Then, the morning of the inspection, Cora gave last-minute notice: the new intern would take over everything in my place.

Theo Delgado took my plan and had her parents eating out of his hand.

He even asked Cora, right in front of everyone:

"Don't tell me this is the one you've been seeing for almost ten years?

"Smart, thorough. He even knew to swap our desserts for the sugar-free kind.

"No wonder you like him."

Cora only smiled. She didn't correct him.

In her office, eyes burning, I demanded to know why.

She answered, cold:

"We're not even engaged, and here you are, so desperate to show your face in front of my parents.

"Duncan Gilbert, are you really in this much of a hurry to marry me?"

I froze.

She brushed past me:

"Don't push it too far."

I didn't argue.

On our tenth anniversary, she stood in front of my wedding car:

"You said you were marrying me. Why are you marrying someone else?"

I smiled:

"Ms. Mason doesn't like pushing things too far. I do."

…

Cora left her warning and walked out, leaving me alone in that office, silent for a long time.

By the time I came out, Ned Mason and Sylvia Mason had already finished their remarks, Theo standing beside them the whole time.

Ned looked at him with a warmth he couldn't hide:

"Son, it's our first time meeting and I didn't prepare anything for you.

"This family heirloom jade signet ring, take it and wear it."

Down in the crowd, my heart lurched up into my throat.

The family heirloom jade signet ring.

The Masons only brought that out for a son-in-law. And Ned was just slipping it off to give to Theo?

Theo put up a hand to stop him:

"No, no, sir! It's far too valuable. I couldn't possibly take it!"

"Still calling me 'sir'?"

Sylvia beamed at him.

Theo's face went red:

"But…"

"That's enough, son."

Sylvia caught him by the wrist:

"We're family now. Why are you still standing on ceremony with your mom and dad?"

Theo's face went redder. He looked over at Cora.

Down in the crowd, my fists shook—barely.

Cora's gaze skimmed across my face. A faint smile surfaced:

"Mom and Dad are giving it to you. Just take it."

Theo still didn't move.

Ned laughed:

"He's shy. You put it on for him."

Sylvia didn't refuse either. Smiling, she took Theo's wrist and slid the signet ring onto his thumb.

Theo smiled and lowered his head. In the end, he didn't resist.

Someone set off the confetti cannons first, no one knew who.

The whole room erupted:

"A hundred years of happiness to Ms. Mason and Theo!"

"Theo, you sly thing! Who knew your girlfriend was the boss herself! You kept that buried deep!"

"Right? If you hadn't said anything, we'd have thought it was Director Gilbert!"

"Exactly! The way he fawns over Ms. Mason every single day, and how eager he was to perform when her parents came to inspect, anyone who didn't know would've sworn the two of them were the couple!"

I rose and walked out, and every part of it kept running on the plan I'd written.

Today was supposed to be Sylvia's birthday.

The birthday surprise I'd prepared to follow her speech.

Now, under Sylvia's own direction, it had become a blessing gift for the happy new couple.

A cake as tall as a person was wheeled in.

I watched Cora get shoved to Theo's side, watched Sylvia push him forward to the cake.