He Exiled Me for Five Years to Make Room for His Mistress Chapter 09

He Exiled Me for Five Years to Make Room for His Mistress Chapter 09

After returning to Nevada, I threw myself completely into work.

The new project progressed smoothly, and the team I led won an international award.

At the awards ceremony, the host introduced me by saying, “This young scientist spent five years holding her ground under brutal conditions and helped close a critical technology gap for the nation.”

Thunderous applause filled the room.

I thought that this was what my life was supposed to mean.

Ethan’s company eventually went bankrupt.

His father never woke up after the stroke. I heard that even before he died, he was still cursing Ethan for being useless.

When I heard the news, I was running tests in the lab.

A coworker asked me how I felt.

I said I felt nothing.

Karma had finally caught up with him. That was all.

Emily ended up even worse.

Derek abandoned her and called her used-up trash.

She was left on the streets with two children, with none of her former polish or glamour remaining.

Someone photographed her working a low-wage job at a local market.

The delicate makeup she used to wear had been replaced by a face worn down by hardship.

People online said karma had finally caught up with her.

I only thought it was sad.

My mother finally reached out to me.

She said she had seen the news and knew I had been framed.

On the phone, she cried and apologized.

“Claire, I’m sorry. I should have believed you.”

I said it was okay.

But we both knew some wounds could no longer be healed.

My father would never come back, and the time we had lost would never return.

At the Nevada project, I met a coworker who understood me.

His name was Logan Reed, and he was a workaholic too.

We often stayed late together, discussing technical problems deep into the night.

He never asked about my past. He would simply bring me a cup of coffee whenever I needed one.

One day, he said, “Ms. Harper, you’re beautiful when you smile. You should smile more often.”

I froze.

Only then did I realize how long it had been since I had truly smiled.