No More Waiting My Billionaire Ex Begs for a Second Chance

On the seventh anniversary of building the company from scratch with Julian Vance, we finally went public. But on that very day, he couldn't wait to make his relationship with his dream girl Instagram-official. And he blocked me from seeing the post. The comment section instantly blew up. "Audrey Sterling gave up a lucrative corporate job to build this company with you from the ground up. Now that it’s went public, you’re throwing her to the wolves?" Julian replied, cold and impatient. "They say beggars can't be choosers. Back then, I didn't have a choice." "After seven years with her, I’m only more certain of one thing: if I marry, it must be for love." A mutual friend tried to talk some sense into him. "Audrey is the one running almost all the daily operations right now. What are you going to do if she quits?" Julian hesitated for a second, then doubled down. "She’s just a secretary. I can grab anyone off the street to do her job. The company doesn't need her." He didn't know that on the other side of the screen, I was logged into his shared account, watching him type every single word. I drained my iced Americano in one gulp. Then, I booked a one-way flight home, departing in three days. Half of my resignation letter was still spitting out of the printer when my office door was pushed open. Julian walked in. He threw a file onto my desk and ordered, "Audrey, redo this report." He didn't even look at me. His head was bent over his phone, a soft, faint smile playing on his lips. I recognized that smile. Back in college, whenever he got a letter from Chloe Bennett, he had that exact look on his face. It had been seven years. I had almost forgotten that he was capable of looking so gentle. It was just never for me. "Mr. Vance," I said, my voice completely flat. "This report was already approved by the finance department yesterday." He finally looked up, his brows knitting together. "I said redo it. Do you have a problem with that?" I lowered my eyes, my fingers unconsciously rubbing the barrel of my fountain pen. It was a birthday gift he had bought me during my first year at the company. It wasn't a luxury brand, but he had picked it out himself. "Fine. I’ll have it on your desk tomorrow." "I need it before you leave today." He turned to go, then paused as if remembering something. "By the way, order a box of liquor chocolates. Make sure they’re imported from Belgium. I need them for a gift." My heart sank a little. "A client?" "Are you jealous, Audrey?" He arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Relax, it’s for a client." "If you like them, order a box for yourself too. Put it on the company card." "No, thank you. I'm cutting back on sugar lately." I replied quietly, typing the request into my notes. Satisfied, he turned and walked out. The sharp click of his leather shoes faded down the hallway. Outside the window, the colorful banners from the IPO celebration hadn't even been fully cleared yet. Just yesterday, we were clinking glasses, celebrating the biggest victory of our seven-year journey. I thought it was the beginning of our new life together. I never expected it to be the end of my one-sided devotion. At 4:00 PM, I sent the revised report to Julian’s email. At 5:30 PM, I packed up and left the office right on time. As I passed his office, I saw him through the half-open door, adjusting his tie in front of the mirror. A bouquet of fresh white roses sat on his desk. They were in half-bloom, looking just as eager and full of anticipation as his face did at that moment. Marcus, the young assistant, crept over and whispered, "Audrey, is Mr. Vance dating someone?" I curved my lips slightly. "Just focus on your work." In the elevator, I stared at the reflection of the thirty-year-old woman in the steel doors. The spark in my eyes had died out long ago, replaced by day after day of sheer exhaustion. When Julian first started the company, I invested every penny of my savings. At our lowest point, I didn't even have a hundred dollars to my name. When the two of us were crammed into a tiny, ten-square-foot office eating instant noodles, he had looked into my eyes and said seriously, "Audrey, we will make it. Once we make it big, I’ll pay you a salary way better than that corporate job." I believed him. Not because of how much money he promised, but because I believed that one day, he would finally see me standing right behind him. Seven years later, the company was worth billions. But he no longer needed me. My phone rang. It was Julian. "Audrey, cancel tomorrow morning's meeting. I have some personal business to take care of." I already knew, but I asked anyway, "Do you need me to arrange a car?" "No, I’ll drive myself to pick up Chloe." Chloe. He said her name so naturally. "Alright. Is there anything else I need to prepare?" "No, you..." He paused. "Go home and get some rest." Before he hung up, I heard Chloe’s voice in the background. "Julian, who’s calling you this late?" "Just the secretary. Giving her some instructions." Secretary. With just one word, he drew a clear line between us.The next day, I arrived at the office early. The signed resignation letter sat quietly in my drawer, waiting for the right moment to be submitted. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Chloe. "Audrey, I heard you've been taking care of Julian for so many years. You’ve worked hard." "He told me that if it weren't for your excellent work, he wouldn't have kept you around for so long." "Julian and I are going to pick out wedding rings today, so please take care of the company while we're out." I read the text with a blank face. My finger hovered over the screen for a second, but in the end, I didn't reply. Then I opened the zip file she attached. It was filled with photos of Julian and her traveling together over the years. Five years ago, three years ago, one year ago. So they had never stopped talking. While I was drinking myself to a stomach ulcer at business dinners to secure contracts, they were skiing in the Alps. While I was staying up until dawn revising pitches, they were kissing under the Eiffel Tower. While I was taking work calls with an IV drip in my arm at the hospital, they were watching the sunset on a beach in the Maldives. ... I had suggested traveling together once, even just a short weekend getaway. But he would always rub his temples, leaning tiredly against my shoulder. "Audrey, I can't relax right now. Let’s go when the company goes public, okay? I’ll take you anywhere you want then." I had believed him. I even secretly researched so many travel guides. But as it turned out, his annual "solo business trips" were actually dates with Chloe. Staring at the screen, I suddenly laughed. Without a shred of hesitation, I took my resignation letter and walked straight to HR. Sarah, the HR specialist, looked at me in shock. "Audrey, you've been here since the company was founded. We just went public! Why are you leaving now?" "Besides, didn't Mr. Vance promise to grant you any wish once the company went public? Isn't it a pity to leave now?" My love for Julian was an open secret in the company. But he never allowed any public intimacy, nor did he let me cross any boundaries. He even insisted we take different routes to and from work. My colleagues all thought I was just leaving because of unrequited love. In hindsight, that was actually for the best. Loving him was my choice. Now that I didn't love him anymore, I could walk away cleanly. As for that wish... I had originally planned to use it to propose to him. He had once told me he didn't care for marriage, so he didn't plan on getting married anytime soon. I had waited seven years, so I didn't mind waiting a few more. But now, I was exhausted. I didn't want to wait anymore. "Yeah, maybe it is a pity. But I really just want to take a good rest. Let's just process the paperwork." Seeing how determined I was, Sarah stopped trying to persuade me. After wrapping up the exit process, I went back to our shared apartment. I saw Julian staring blankly at a diamond ring. When he saw me walk in, he hurriedly hid it, acting guilty. "You're back? Oh, by the way, I have a business trip tomorrow. Just letting you know." I set my keys down. "Okay." I never argued, nor did I ever question his decisions. Just as I was about to walk into the bedroom, he grabbed my wrist. "Audrey, why aren't you asking me how long I'll be gone?" I froze. I hadn't expected him to ask that. In the past, he would only notify me so I could pack his bags. Looking at his guilty, dodging eyes, I forced a small smile. "Sorry, I’m just a bit distracted today." He smiled gently and suddenly kissed me on the cheek. "Audrey, we haven't even celebrated our company going public yet. Tell me, what's your wish? I’ll make it happen when I get back." I knew I should let go. But a small, stubborn part of me still wanted to make one last attempt. Just to give these seven years a proper closure. I took his hand and looked him in the eye. "Julian, if my wish is for us to get married, would you say yes?"He froze. His eyes flickered, unable to look me in the eye. It took him a long time to squeeze out a forced, awkward smile. "Audrey, you know I’m not ready for marriage yet. The company just went public, and there are still so many things to handle..." The answer was already clear. Why did I have to humiliate myself like this? I hid my breaking heart behind a bitter smile. "I know. Just kidding," I cut him off, not wanting to hear any more of his tired excuses. It wasn't that he wasn't ready for marriage. He just wasn't ready to marry me. This realization felt like a dull knife, sawing slowly back and forth across my chest. I should have seen it coming. From the way he always refused to take photos with me, to how he never introduced me to his family, to how he always referred to me as his secretary to the outside world. The signs were always there. I had simply chosen to ignore them. "So, what do you want instead?" He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, asking eagerly, "Shares? A massive bonus? You can ask for anything." I shook my head. "We’ll talk when you get back." I turned and walked into the bedroom to pack. His bags, and mine. A barrage of texts flashed on my phone. Predictably, they were from Chloe. "Audrey, Julian is traveling tomorrow. Make sure to pack the new clothes I bought him today." "I have great taste, don't I? He looks so much younger in them." "In the future, leave the wardrobe shopping to me. You’re not as indispensable as everyone says. At least, you couldn't keep your man." I had bought almost all of Julian's clothes. But today, there were indeed several new designer pieces hanging in the closet. In the pocket of one jacket, I found a few unopened condoms. I knew Chloe had left them there on purpose to mark her territory. But I felt nothing. I simply blocked her number. I went back to packing my few belongings. After seven years, I had shockingly little stuff. Everything fit into a single suitcase. Just like my place in Julian's life—easily cleared out, without leaving a trace. When I reached for one of the few evening gowns he had actually bought for me, my hands paused. He had personally taken me to buy it before last year's annual gala. "Audrey, you look beautiful in this," he had said with a smile, gently adjusting my collar. Now I realized that was nothing more than a boss rewarding a valuable employee. It had absolutely nothing to do with the love I thought we shared. Just as I zipped up my suitcase, I heard him speaking on the phone in his study. "Julian, are you seriously proposing to Chloe tomorrow? What about Audrey? Are you really okay letting her go?" "Of course I'm not letting her go easily. That's why you all need to keep your mouths shut. Don't let her find out." "Wow, man. You’re really living the dream. Having your cake and eating it too, keeping both your loyal girl and your dream girl." "She’s not my dream girl. Audrey doesn't even compare to Chloe. Besides, she’s too dependent on me. She can't survive without me." ... I felt like I was nailed to the floor, unable to move. Listening to the man I had loved for ten years dismiss my devotion so casually. There was no affection in his voice. Only arrogance and contempt. I stood there and listened to the entire conversation. Every word was like a rusty blade carving into my heart, until I went completely numb. An old college photo slipped out from between the pages of a book. In the photo, I was standing next to Julian, smiling like an idiot. But his eyes were looking slightly away from the camera, as if searching for someone else. Now I knew. He was looking for Chloe. Even though Chloe was abroad back then, and even though I was the one who stayed by his side through every dark night, his heart had never belonged to me for a single second. I threw the photo into the trash. Along with my seven years of youth and love. The next morning, when I woke up, Julian was already gone. A note was left on the kitchen counter: "Audrey, wait for me." I picked up the note, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the trash can. Dragging my suitcase to the door, I took one last look at the place we had shared for years. From our rented apartment to this purchased villa, I thought we were building a home together. Now I finally understood that it was just my own delusion. My phone vibrated. It was a text from Julian. "Audrey, I forgot the client's gift at home. Find it and have it delivered to this address." I didn't need to ask to know he was talking about the ring. But I simply hired a courier to deliver it. Then, I hailed a cab and headed straight to the airport. On the way, I sent Julian my final text: "Julian, let's break up."