The room became completely silent.

I stared at Adrian.

Then at the phone in his hand.

Then back at Adrian.

My brain refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.

Two years.

Two years of calling him my “sweetheart.”

Two years of complaining about my terrible boss.

Two years of sending voice messages saying things like:

“That Adrian Zhou is a monster.”

“He has no heart.”

“If I ever meet his wife, I will tell her to run.”

And that same man…

was standing in front of me.

My boyfriend.

Adrian lowered his phone.

His expression was strange.

Not angry.

Not offended.

Just… amused.

—So.

He crossed his arms.

—The woman who told me she loved me every night is the same woman who wanted me to disappear from the company?

My face burned.

—Wait.

I raised my hand.

—Before we discuss anything, I need to confirm something.

He looked at me.

—What?

I pointed at him.

—You are really Adrian Zhou?

A few seconds passed.

Then he laughed.

A real laugh.

The kind I had never heard from him at work.

—Elena.

—You have insulted my personality, my management style, my company, and my future marriage prospects.

He stepped closer.

—But you still doubt my identity?

I covered my face.

I wanted the floor to open.

—This is impossible.

Adrian looked at me quietly.

Then he asked:

—Do you really hate me that much?

I immediately answered:

—At work?

—Yes.

I thought about it.

—Yes.

His eyebrow lifted.

—And outside work?

Silence.

That was worse.

Because outside work…

I loved him.

I loved the man who listened to my complaints every night.

The man who knew when I was tired just from the way I typed.

The man who reminded me to eat breakfast.

The man who always said:

“Don’t let anyone make you feel like you are not enough.”

How could that same person be Adrian Zhou?

The man who made me cry in meetings.

Adrian suddenly smiled.

—Interesting.

—So you hate my work personality but love my real personality.

I immediately defended myself.

—How was I supposed to know they were the same person?

—You never asked.

—You never showed your face!

He became quiet.

That was true.

For two years, we avoided video calls.

Not because we didn’t trust each other.

But because every time we planned one, something happened.

Business trips.

Emergency meetings.

Family issues.

Until it became normal.

Adrian looked away.

—Actually…

His voice softened.

—I was going to tell you.

—When?

I crossed my arms.

—After I finished making you cry for the hundredth time?

He coughed.

For the first time, the great president of Shengyu Advertising looked embarrassed.

—About that…

I narrowed my eyes.

—Yes?

He sighed.

—I was too strict with you.

I froze.

Adrian Zhou apologizing?

The same man who once rejected my twelve-page report because “the title font had no emotion”?

He continued:

—I noticed your ability from the beginning.

—That’s why I pushed you harder.

I stared at him.

—You pushed me so hard I almost resigned.

—Yes.

He admitted.

—That part was my mistake.

For some reason, hearing him admit it made me even angrier.

—You could have just praised me once.

—You could have said “good job.”

—You could have acted like a normal human being.

Adrian lowered his eyes.

—If I treated you differently, people would think you got special treatment because of me.

I stopped.

Because that was actually something he would worry about.

He looked at me.

—But I didn’t expect my girlfriend to think I was the worst man alive.

I looked away.

—You deserved some of those insults.

He laughed.

—Probably.

A few seconds later, HR knocked on the door.

—President Zhou, should we continue the interview?

I immediately turned.

—Interview?

I pointed at him.

—Wait.

—You knew I was applying here?

Adrian nodded.

—Yes.

—Then this was all planned?

He hesitated.

That hesitation was suspicious.

—Adrian.

—Did you deliberately make me come here?

He looked away.

I understood.

—You did!

I grabbed a file from the table.

—You offered me a job before.

—You knew I would refuse.

—So you created an opportunity where I would have to meet you again.

Adrian smiled slightly.

Caught.

—Maybe.

I stared at him.

—You are unbelievable.

He walked closer.

—But you came.

I didn’t answer.

Because he was right.

I came.

And I was standing here.

Facing the man I had spent two years loving…

and three years hating.

Then Adrian placed a document in front of me.

I looked down.

It was my new employment contract.

My position.

My salary.

My benefits.

And at the bottom…

A special clause.

I froze.

—What is this?

Adrian looked at me calmly.

—Five days off every week.

I looked up.

He remembered.

The joke I made when I resigned.

Fifty thousand more.

Five days off.

He actually remembered.

—Why?

I asked quietly.

Adrian’s expression softened.

—Because you were right.

—You worked too much.

—You deserved better.

For a moment, I forgot he was my boss.

I forgot he was the man I insulted.

I only saw my boyfriend.

The man who had listened to every complaint.

But then my phone vibrated.

A message appeared.

From my best friend:

“Elena, I saw the news.”

“The new owner of Shengyu Advertising…”

“Is Adrian Zhou?”

My eyes widened.

Then another message arrived.

“Wait.”

“Didn’t you say your boyfriend was a mysterious billionaire?”

I slowly looked at Adrian.

He smiled.

—Looks like your secret boyfriend is no longer a secret.

I wanted to disappear.

Because now I had another problem.

The entire company knew the new president was my boyfriend.

And everyone had already seen the messages where I called him…

the worst boss in the world.