Hidden No More My Billionaire Ex Wants Me Back

My billionaire CEO boyfriend loved the thrill of a secret affair. That was why he never acknowledged me in public. In the office, he was always cold and distant. But the second we were alone, he would lock the conference room door, pin my wrists, and press me against the table. In the elevator, he would stand as far away from me as possible, looking at me with pure disdain. But when no one was around, he would pull me by the waist and kiss me until I couldn't breathe. At company parties, I always sat at the farthest table, watching him charm the room and chat with others. But when it was over, he would drag me into a dark corner, his large hands slipping under my clothes, making me shiver. Gasping for air, I would whisper, "Julian, let's go public." He would pause, then kiss me even harder. "You know I'm doing this to protect you, Harper." "Besides, do you have any idea how hot you look right now?" Every single time, I would give in. Until my birthday. Julian threw a party for me, but he gave the seat of honor to his childhood friend, Chloe Bennet. He explained it so casually: "Even though it's your birthday, it's better if you don't draw too much attention. It's for your own good." "It's just a seat. Don't be petty." Before I could even reply, he pushed my birthday cake right in front of Chloe. Looking at them—so perfect, so matching, like a golden couple. Suddenly, I didn't want to fight for him anymore. After tonight, we were going to be strangers. Right then, Julian's mother, Eleanor Vance, walked in. Her gaze swept past me with barely a glance, and she went straight to Chloe. "Finally, we meet formally. Julian talks about you like you're his absolute world." My hand shook, nearly spilling my drink. Julian had told me this afternoon that his mother was coming to the dinner. I thought he was finally ready to introduce me to her. It turned out he was just laying the groundwork for someone else. Chloe's face flushed red, and she playfully nudged Julian. "Eleanor is teasing me. Aren't you going to say something?" Julian glanced at me first, his eyes carrying a silent warning. Then, he looked back at Chloe with pure affection and said nothing. Since he wanted me to stay quiet, I decided to do the exact opposite. I raised my glass. "Yes, Mrs. Vance. Make sure you remember your future daughter-in-law. Don't get her mixed up with anyone else." Eleanor didn't catch my sarcasm. She simply smiled at the other colleagues. "How could I? Our family decided on Chloe a long time ago." "Julian tries to keep it quiet, but his phone is full of her photos." "And when I was sick, Chloe brought me homemade healthy meals every single day." She opened her phone gallery to show everyone. It was full of photos of Julian and Chloe. Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland, surfing in Hawaii—they were always standing side-by-side. "Mrs. Vance, it was the least I could do," Chloe said, blushing. Under the table, my fists clenched so hard my nails dug into my palms. Iceland and Hawaii were places I had begged to go. But every time before we were supposed to leave, Julian always had an excuse. Either a major client was suddenly visiting, or he had to rush a project. The healthy meals were indeed made by hand. But every time I wanted to deliver them to his mother, Julian stopped me. "It's too early for you to meet her. Let me prepare my dad first." So I waited. I waited for him to be ready, for him to arrange everything. I waited for the chance to stand proudly by his side. But he already had someone else. He never needed me. Eleanor swiped to a photo of her in the hospital and patted Chloe's hand. She slipped an incredibly expensive diamond bracelet onto Chloe's wrist, looking deeply touched. "Especially after my surgery, I had to watch my diet. She customized a nutritional meal plan for me every day without fail." Chloe shot a quick, knowing look at me. She knew those meals were made by me. A few times, Julian had literally told her to come over and pick them up from our place. During that time, I got up at five every morning to research recipes and adjust nutrition ratios, taking it more seriously than my actual job. And now, all that effort was being credited to someone else. Her look was pure provocation. Then, she leaned back against Eleanor. "As long as you liked it, Mrs. Vance." My blood ran cold. She knew. She wanted to take my place. Suddenly, a colleague noticed something was off. "Harper, did you want to say something earlier?" Before I could speak, Julian took the glass out of my hand. "It's her birthday. She's had a bit too much to drink." He cut a perfect piece of steak and placed it on my plate. "You have a weak stomach and you still drink. Don't complain to me tonight if it hurts." His voice was familiar, his actions natural. As if he couldn't bear to see me suffer even a little bit. The colleagues laughed. "Oh, is it Harper's birthday today? We almost forgot." "Why is the birthday girl sitting all the way by the door?" The smoke from the candle I had blown out was still drifting in the air. The first slice of my birthday cake had already been cut and served to Chloe by Julian. My birthday, amidst their laughter, felt like an afterthought. Following the jokes of the crowd, Eleanor suddenly looked at me. "Does this girl have a crush on Julian?" The room went dead silent. I looked up at Julian. He looked back at me. Seven years. All it took was one sentence. "She doesn't have a crush on me. She's my girlfriend." Just one sentence would have been enough. Instead, Julian lowered his head, pushing a bowl of soup to Chloe. "Mom, ignore her." Someone couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. "Looks like the boss is really annoyed with her." "Harper, have you been secretly in love with Julian all these years?" "No wonder she's been single." Chloe quickly waved her hands. "Stop teasing Harper, guys. She's sensitive." I stared at Julian. He was focused on cutting up food, acting as if he hadn't heard a single word. The string that had been pulled tight in my heart for seven years suddenly snapped without making a sound. I stood up and grabbed my bag. Julian frowned. "Where are you going?" "Home." "You haven't eaten the cake." I glanced at the cake in front of Chloe, which was missing a corner. "Save it for her." "After all, she's the one sitting at the head table, blowing out the candles, and wearing the bracelet." "Don't let it go to waste." Julian's face darkened instantly. "Harper Ward, don't be childish." I didn't look back. Before the door closed, I could hear Chloe urging him. "Julian, shouldn't you go after her?" But Julian's voice echoed across the table. "No need." "If I spoil her now, she'll just throw bigger tantrums later." I stood outside the door for two seconds, then pressed the elevator button.Ten minutes later, Julian came down anyway. I found out later that his mother had forced him to. He held his car keys in his left hand and a slice of cake in his right. He walked up to me and sighed. "Are you done throwing your tantrum?" I looked at him. "What do you think I'm mad about?" "What else could it be?" He held out the cake. "You're upset because Chloe got the bracelet." "This is your favorite sea salt chestnut cake. No one touched it. I saved it especially for you." It was always like this. He would stab me, and then flawlessly offer me half a piece of candy. He knew I loved chestnuts, he knew my stomach was weak, he knew how to warm my cold hands in winter. But he didn't know I had dignity. I didn't take the cake. "Why has your mother believed Chloe was your girlfriend for seven years?" Julian paused. He probably didn't expect me to be so direct. "When we started dating, you were still an intern." "My mom visited the office a lot. I was afraid she'd slip up and affect your full-time offer, so I used Chloe as a shield." "And after that?" "After that, it was too complicated to explain." He said it so casually, like it was the most logical thing in the world. "My mom has a bad heart. If I suddenly introduced a different girl after seven years, wouldn't she think something went wrong in my life?" I stared at him. "So the easiest solution was to make sure I never showed up?" "Here we go again." Julian's eyebrows knitted together. "As long as I know you're my girlfriend, isn't that enough?" "I keep your stomach meds in my office year-round. I even paid the rent for your apartment." "Harper, have I not been good to you? Do you not see that?" "It's just a title." "Why do you have to cling to it?" I suddenly wanted to laugh. "What about the family dinner next week?" "What about it?" "Your mom said she wants to finalize things between you and Chloe." "It's just a dinner with the elders." "The toasts?" "We'll do them." "The family photo?" "We'll take it." "What if she calls you her husband?" Julian's face finally turned cold. "Harper, are you interrogating me?" I didn't stop. "What about the ring?" He stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. He reached out and pinched my cheek. "Even if she wears a ring, so what?" "I'm not signing a marriage certificate with her, and I'm not sleeping with her." He leaned in close, his voice softening. "You know who I'm actually going to marry in the end, don't you?" If this were in the past, I probably would have softened because of this sentence. Julian was the master of this. He gave me no status. But he promised me a future. He gave me no respect. But he told me I was the only one in the end. As long as I still believed in that "future," he would never have to change the present. "You think not sleeping with her makes you loyal to me?" The smile on Julian's face completely faded. "Fine." "It's your birthday. Let's not fight." He pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket. Inside was a delicate platinum necklace. The back of the pendant was engraved with *H & J*. I had shown him this design last year. I told him I wanted something to prove we were actually in a relationship. He had called it childish back then. Now, he finally bought it. The moment my fingers moved, Julian smiled. "You still like it, don't you?" But his next sentence was: "Chloe went to three different stores to find it." My hand froze. He noticed nothing. "She was also the one who suggested engraving the letters on the back so you could wear it at work without anyone noticing." I snapped the box shut. "I don't want it." Julian's smile vanished instantly. "Now what?" "Since Chloe chose it, give it to her." "She went out of her way to help me find a gift, and you're seriously jealous over this?" He was clearly losing his patience. "Harper, you didn't use to be like this." I asked, "What was I like before?" He answered without hesitation. "Low-maintenance. Understanding." I nodded slowly. So that was what he loved most about me. I didn't fight, I didn't ask, I didn't force him to make a choice. That was what he called "low-maintenance." My phone buzzed. It was a text from Chloe. She had sent it to Julian, but his screen lit up right in front of me: "Julian, your mom wants me to wear a red dress next week. Can I wear the one you said looked good on me?" Julian looked down and typed: "Sure." He paused, then added: "Just don't wear it too short. There will be older relatives." I stood beside him, watching him act like a real boyfriend, carefully considering what another woman should wear to meet his parents. Strangely, I didn't feel a single spark of jealousy. "Julian." "Yeah?" "I'm not jealous anymore." He froze for a moment, and his tense expression finally relaxed. He reached out to hold my hand. "See? Isn't this much better?" I took a step back. He thought I was just throwing a tantrum. But he didn't know. I hadn't "figured things out." I just didn't want him anymore.The next afternoon, I went to Julian's apartment to get my things. In our seven years of dating, I had always kept my own rented apartment. It wasn't that I didn't want to move in. Julian wouldn't let me. He said colleagues occasionally stopped by his place, and the permanent presence of a woman would be too obvious. So my pajamas could only be stuffed into the deepest corner of the closet. My toothbrush had to be sealed in a plastic bag after every use. My skincare products couldn't be left on the bathroom counter. I was allowed to keep a maximum of three outfits there. Even my slippers were the same gray, men's-style as his. I lived like a temporary guest for seven years. But now that I was leaving, it made packing incredibly easy. A twenty-inch suitcase was still half empty. As soon as I zipped it shut, the front door opened. Chloe walked in, dragging two large suitcases. Julian followed behind her, carrying her handbag and holding a framed photo in his arms. Seeing my suitcase, he actually chuckled. "Wow, look at you being so proactive." Chloe quickly explained, "Harper, Julian's mom and relatives are coming over next week. My room has no signs of life, so it would be easy to blow my cover. I need to stay here for a few days." She took the framed photo from Julian. It was a photo of them skiing seven years ago. I was actually there that day. But when it was posted on social media, I had been cropped out. Chloe smiled sheepishly. "Julian's mom said a couple's apartment should at least have a photo of them together." With that, she placed the frame on the master bedroom nightstand. She didn't ask for my permission. And Julian didn't see anything wrong with it. I stared at the photo. Seven years ago, I was cropped out of the frame. Today, she had placed herself right inside his master bedroom. "She's sleeping in the master bedroom?" "Yeah." Julian wheeled Chloe's suitcases inside. "I'll sleep in the study." Chloe quickly said, "How about I sleep on the couch? Really, I'll be fine." Julian immediately frowned. "You have a bad back. Why would you sleep on the couch?" The words came out so fast. He didn't even realize it himself. But I suddenly remembered three years ago. During a major project launch, I had worked overtime until two in the morning, and my back hurt so badly I couldn't even stand straight. That night, I wanted to sleep in the master bed. Julian refused. He said the cleaner was coming the next day, and leaving my hair on the bed would be hard to explain. In the end, I curled up on the couch, crying in pain all night. The next day, he bought me the most expensive pain-relief patches and held me in his arms. "Be good, just bear with it for now." "You know you're the one I care about the most, right?" It turned out his "care" was always so cheap. A single pack of patches was enough to make up for my night of agony. I pulled out my keys and placed them on the table. "Perfect." Julian looked up. "What's perfect?" "Now you don't have to worry about me coming back unexpectedly and ruining your little show." I laid my access card down too. "Let's break up." Chloe's face went pale instantly. But Julian only stayed quiet for two seconds. Then, he actually laughed. "Just because of this?" "No." "Then why?" "Because I don't want to be with you anymore." The smile on his face finally died. I looked at him. "Julian, I don't want you anymore." He stared at me for a long time. Suddenly, he reached out and pinched my chin. His grip wasn't tight, and there was even a hint of playfulness in it. "You were jealous of Chloe yesterday, and today you're breaking up with me?" "Who are you trying to fool?" I slapped his hand away. "I'm not fooling anyone this time." "Fine." He didn't argue. Instead, he opened the front door for me. "I'll let you cool off." "Don't come back during the family dinner next week. I don't want you to feel hurt seeing it." I dragged my suitcase out. As the elevator doors were closing, he called out, "I'll pick you up when it's over." I didn't reply. That night, about two hours after I returned to my rented apartment, the doorbell rang. A courier was standing outside. The sender—Julian Vance. Inside the box were my pajamas, my toothbrush, my two bottles of skincare, and those gray slippers. Everything was packed incredibly neatly. On top of everything sat a sticky note. "In case my family sees them, I packed them for you." "Be good for the next few days. I'll pick you up after the dinner." I sat on the floor, staring at it for a long time. It turned out the "home" he spoke of was never mine. Whenever Chloe needed to move in, any trace of my existence could be boxed up and shipped out by him. Two months ago, a partner company in Boston had offered me a position. I had turned it down. I couldn't bear to leave him. But now, I dialed the recruiter's number. The call was picked up almost instantly. "Ms. Ward?" "Is that position from last time still open?" The hiring manager laughed. "It's always open for you. Have you made up your mind?" I looked down at the box of my belongings, hand-packed and thrown out by Julian. "Yes, I have." "I'm coming to Boston." Over the next week, I finalized my resignation. The new company wanted me urgently, and my current employer agreed to let me wrap up early. I canceled my lease and shipped my luggage. Julian didn't reach out once. He probably genuinely believed I was just waiting for him to give me an excuse to come back. And for the first time, I realized. Once you stop waiting for someone, things move incredibly fast.Saturday afternoon at three, I boarded the train to Boston with my two suitcases. At the exact same time, the Vance family dinner was starting. Chloe, dressed in a stunning red dress, sat right next to Eleanor. The relatives were calling her the "new bride" left and right. Julian leaned back in his chair, his expression indifferent, looking like he was just playing along with a mandatory corporate routine. It wasn't until his grandmother pulled out a jewelry box containing a ring that he finally frowned. "Let's skip the ring." Eleanor lowered her voice. "We've already come this far. What's wrong with putting it on for a second?" Chloe looked at him too. "Julian, just for a moment." Julian didn't take it. It wasn't that he suddenly realized how much I was hurting. He just thought it would be too much of a hassle to comfort me later. "She already overthinks everything." "If she sees a photo of the ring, she's going to throw a fit tonight." The smile on Chloe's face stiffened for a fraction of a second. But she quickly smiled again. "You really do care about Harper." Julian laughed softly. "With her temper, only I can put up with her." "No ring, but we can do the rest." "Before she starts threatening to break up again." So, the toasts were made. The family photos were taken. The relatives called Chloe "daughter-in-law" over and over again. And Julian didn't say a single word to stop them. It wasn't until the dinner ended that he finally picked up his phone. I had sent him one last message at noon. "No need to pick me up." He stared at the screen for two seconds, his heart softening slightly. He smirked. Then, he replied: "I've given you time to cool off." "I'll be there at nine." "Don't cry on my shoulder when I get there." The next second, a "Not Delivered" warning appeared under his message. Julian frowned. "She blocked me?" Chloe leaned in to look. "Harper seems really mad this time." "She's just bluffing," Julian said, putting his phone away. "It's been seven years. When has she ever actually left?" Despite his words, he took a ten-mile detour on his way back. He bought my favorite chestnut cake. Passing by a florist, he pulled over. The florist asked what to write on the card. He thought about it, a smile playing on his lips. "Write—Stop playing around. Come home." At 9:20 PM. Julian stood outside my rented apartment. "Incorrect passcode." He frowned and tried again. Still incorrect. The smile on his face slowly dissolved. He knocked on the door for a long time. There was no sound from inside. Instead, the door next door opened. The landlord, wearing a jacket, peeked her head out. "Who are you looking for?" "Harper Ward." "She's gone." Julian paused. "Gone... what do you mean?" The landlord answered bluntly. "Gone means she ended her lease and moved out. All her stuff is gone." "She said she's never coming back." Julian snapped his head up.