He Sold My Future to Please Her, I Bought My Freedom With His Money Chapter 01

He Sold My Future to Please Her, I Bought My Freedom With His Money Chapter 01

Three years into our secret marriage, Julian Sterling finally gave me a real Valentine’s Day gift.

A fully funded three-year program in Oakhaven. For my career, he said.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I lay there turning the same thought over and over — maybe when I came back, we wouldn’t have to hide anymore.

The next morning, his voice stopped me in the hallway — low and soft through the break room door, meant only for the new intern.

“Once she’s in Oakhaven, every major project here gets put under your name. All of them.”

“What if she finds out?” Barely a whisper.

A beat of silence. When he answered, his voice was almost casual.

“She’s getting a hundred grand as a relocation stipend. That should more than cover the heartbreak.”

My back found the wall. For a second, I almost laughed.

Three years of a secret marriage. A thousand nights in the office after two a.m. And all of it — every night, every sacrifice — priced at less than thirty-four grand a year.

I didn’t storm in. I didn’t say a word. I pulled out my phone and returned the call from the rival headhunter I’d been ignoring for six months.

“Hi. I’m in. I can start whenever you need me.”

***

The break room door swung open. Julian stepped out, and his eyes stayed on me a fraction longer than usual.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Just got here.”

I held up my cup and brushed past him into the break room. Filled it myself.

He stayed in the doorway, watching. There was a time he would’ve filled it for me. That stopped about six months ago.

Chloe Lawson slipped out behind him and went still the moment she saw me.

“Hi, Ms. Hayes.”

She wouldn’t look at me. Her fingers kept twisting her badge lanyard.

“Chloe.” I nodded once.

“She had a couple of questions about the dataset. I walked her through it.”

His voice was flat again — the same even tone he used in front of everyone. Like the man in the break room just moments ago had been someone else entirely.

I took a sip and said nothing.

“How’s the visa paperwork coming?”

“Still processing.”

“Don’t sit on it.” He reached into his jacket and set a bank card on the counter.

“Your apartment in Oakhaven is all set — within walking distance of the business school. There’s a hundred thousand on that card. Your relocation stipend.”

“Thanks, Mr. Sterling.”

I picked up the card and slipped it into my pocket. He stood there waiting — for the question I always used to ask. Dinner tonight?

I took my cup and walked out.

Back in my office, I locked the door. The bank card hit the desk with a sharp little click when I tossed it down.

The headhunter’s chat window was still glowing on my monitor.

[So you’ve finally made up your mind.]

[AE Corp’s regional president has been holding this spot for you for six months.]

[I’ll fly out to Oakhaven HQ Monday. Ready to start.]

I closed the chat and started sorting my project files. Starlight was mine — built from the ground up through more all-nighters than I could count.

The core codebase, the client list — all of it lived on my personal cloud drive. A knock pulled me back.

I walked over and unlocked the door. “Come in.”

Julian’s assistant stepped in, arms full of paperwork.

“Ms. Hayes, Mr. Sterling wants the full handover list for Project Starlight.”

“Already?” I flipped through the stack — every page was mine. My notes, my annotations.

“Mr. Sterling said since you’ll be out next week, it’s better to wrap it up early so you can relax.” Her eyes kept drifting — anywhere but my face.

“Who’s taking over?”

“Chloe. Mr. Sterling’s call.”

My hand went still on the mouse.

“He said he’ll be training her himself.” The assistant’s voice dropped.

“Got it. Leave them there.” I nodded toward the corner of my desk.

She set the stack down and got out of there like the room was on fire.

The office emptied out around six. Julian let himself in carrying a food container.

“Still at it?” He came up behind me, hands settling on my shoulders, kneading gently.

“The handover list’s longer than I expected.” I didn’t look up.

“Don’t run yourself into the ground — eat first.” He popped open the container. Clam chowder, from the place I used to love.

“I’ve got a business dinner tonight I can’t get out of, so I can’t stay and eat with you.”

“Okay.” I picked up the spoon and stirred.

“I know it’s not fair to you.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“Once things calm down, I’ll make it up to you. Promise.”

The chowder slid down my throat, and my stomach turned.

“It’s fine.”

Julian walked out like a man who’d checked every box.

A short while later, I was standing at the window. Below, the Maybach rolled out of the parking garage.

The passenger window slid halfway down, and there was Chloe, smiling. Julian reached across and buckled her seatbelt.