Forsevenyears,shehadbeensecretlyinlovewithherbestfriendsolderbrother.Butnow,rumorswereflyinghewasgettingengaged.
Andthe bride…wasnther.
WhenOliviaBrownrushedtotheprivatesuitewhereJoe Evanswas,shewasjustabouttopushthedoor openwhen sheheardavoicefrominside.
Joe,youfinallygotwhatyouwanted.Yourfirstlovecameback,andyourfamilyevenarrangedamarriageforyou.Thismustbethehappiestdayofyourlife.
Hisfriendsvoicecarriedateasingedge.
Thatstandingirlfriendofyoursshouldbediscardednow,right?Youreheartless,man.Justtofillthevoid,youevenwentafteryoursistersbestfriend.
Herentirebodystiffened.
Itwaslikeabucketoficewaterhadbeenpoured overherfromheadtotoe.
Shecouldntseehisexpressionthroughthedoor,butshecouldhearthecasualindifferenceinhisvoice.
Giveitsometime.ThegirllovesmetoomuchifItellherthetruthoutright,shedprobablycryherselftodeath.Illbreakittohergently.
Sevenyears.
Theyhadbeensecretlytogetherforsevenyears.
Hehad spoiledher,indulgedher,givenhereverything…exceptapublicacknowledgment.
Atfirst,helaughed andsaid,Olivia,justwaitalittlelonger.IfJenniferEvansfindsoutIstoleherbestfriend,shell killme.
Later,whenshegraduatedandbecamehissecretary,hesaid,Olivia,letskeepwaiting.OfficerelationshipsarecomplicatedIdontwantyou todealwithallthegossip.
Shebelievedeveryword.

Shehadwaitedforhiminsilence,hiddenintheshadows,playingtheroleofhissecretlover.
Butnow,shehadheardthetruthwithherownears.
HisrefusaltogopublichadnothingtodowithJennifer.
Nothingtodowithofficerumors.
46.2% Chapter1 Itwassimplybecause… Hehadneverlovedher.
Shewasjustastandin.
Asthedoorhandleturnedandthepeopleinsidepreparedtostepout,Oliviastumbledbackinadazeandran.
Sheranallthewayhome,straightintoJoesforbiddenroomtheonehehadneverletherenter,nomatterhowmuchshebeggedoractedcute.
Tonight,shepushedthedooropenwithouthesitation.
Inside,dozensofphoto albumswereneatlyarrangedonthedesk.
Shepickedoneup,flippedthroughit,andfeltherfingerstremble.
Everysinglepictureinsidewasofawoman.
Awomanwholookedalmostlikehersevenoreightpointssimilar.
Butitwasnther.
Sothiswashisfirstlove.
TheonehewasabouttomarrythedaughteroftheHarrisCorporation.

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Inthedrawer,thickstacksofplaneticketslayneatlyarrangedhundreds,maybeeventhousandsofthem.
Whenshecheckedthedates,sherealizedoverthepastsevenyears,whiletheyweresupposedlytogether,Joehadbeenflyingabroadalmosteveryweek.
Toseeher.
Heneverletherenterthisroombecauseitwasfilledwithhisloveforanotherwoman.
Oliviaseyesburnedwithunshedtears.
A longtimepassedbeforeshefinallyletoutabitterlaugh.
Shelaughedathowfoolishshehadbeen.
Howstupid.
Howridiculous.
Sevenyearsoflove…andithadallbeenàlie.
Justthen,herphonerang.
Itwasherfather.
46.4% Unart Chapter1 Olivia,haveyouthoughtabouttheengagement?Hisvoicewaswarm,yettingedwithconcern.Youvebeen stayingoverthereeversinceuniversity.Iknowyouhaveaboyfriend,butinalltheseyears,hasheeveroncecomehometoseeme?TheyoungmanIpickedforyouisoutstanding- Herambledonashealwaysdid,butthistime,sheinterrupted,hervoicechokedwithemotion.
Dad,Imsorry.Imwillingtogetengaged.
Therewassilenceontheotherend.Then,herfatherspokeagain,hisvoicefilledwithdisbelief.
You…youmeanit? Yes.

Thistime,IllcomebacktoLondonandneverleaveagain.
Herfatherwasoverjoyed,repeatinggood, goodseveraltimesbeforefinallyhangingup.
Oliviacarefullyputeverythingbackinplaceandquietlywalkedoutoftheroom.
Justasshesteppedintothelivingroom, thefrontdoorswungopen.
Themanshehadlovedforsevenyearsstoodthere.
Joetookonelookatherredrimmedeyesandimmediately reachedintohispocket,pullingoutadelicatejewelrybox.Hisvoicewassoft,coaxing.
Iknewyoudcry.Youmustveseentheengagementnews,huh? Itsfake,hereassuredher.Justforbusiness.Thefamiliesneedustoputonashowforawhile,butIwontmarrySophiaHarris.
Shelookedintohiswarm,gentleeyes.
Butsheheardnothing.
Becauseshe already knewthetruth.
Shecasuallyplacedthejewelryboxon thetableandnoddedwithacalmnessthatsentachillthroughhim.
Isee.
Shedidntcareifhisengagementwasfakeorreal.
Becauseherengagementwasreal.
Joehadpreparedhimselftocoaxandcomfortherforhours,butheruncharacteristiccalmnessmadehishearttightenwithunease.