My Fiancé Took Her on Vacation Instead of Marrying Me? I Married WAY Better Chapter 01

My Fiancé Took Her on Vacation Instead of Marrying Me? I Married WAY Better Chapter 01

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, I handed my leave request—the one to go get married at City Hall—to my fiancé, Ethan Hale, who also happened to be my boss.

He denied it on the spot, in front of the whole team, and turned right around to approve a paid-time-off request for the new female assistant.

“She already booked her flight to Coral Bay. Be sensible and stay to cover her shift.”

“I’m heading to Coral Bay for a business trip anyway. I’ll look out for her along the way.”

“As for the wedding ceremony, we’ll push it back a little. A few days won’t kill us.”

My coworkers exchanged uneasy glances. The assistant cooed a sugary thank-you and slipped her arm around Ethan’s.

“Thanks for understanding, Serena. When Ethan and I get back, I’ll bring you some duty-free goodies.”

Watching those two, I didn’t do what I always did—swallow it and back down.

He had no idea that the wedding date I’d set with him was the final deadline of my family ultimatum.

If I wasn’t married before Valentine’s Day, I’d have to go back and accept the marriage pact my family had arranged.

I smiled, tossed my employee badge into the trash, and signed my voluntary resignation without hesitation.

Then I turned and called my grandfather—the richest man in The Sterling Circle.

“Grandpa, I give up. That marriage pact? I’ll take it.”

…

“Fine. I’m not taking leave.”

“I quit.”

The air in the office turned so thin you could hear people hold their breath.

Ethan’s face froze for a beat, then he let out a scornful laugh.

“Serena, what stunt are you pulling now?”

“You’re quitting to force me to marry you right now? Can you grow up?”

He snatched the resignation letter off my desk without even glancing at it and tossed it straight into the bin.

“Mira finally gets a break. As her senior, what’s wrong with picking up a little extra work for her?”

Mira Bennett’s eyes reddened instantly. She shrank behind him, all timid.

“You’re not really mad, are you, Serena?”

“I can cancel my flight if it’s causing trouble between you two…”

“Cancel nothing.” Ethan frowned and pulled her behind him. “Flights and hotel are already booked.”

He turned to me, cold.

“This is what happens when I spoil you too much—you have zero sense of the big picture.”

I watched him quietly.

Eight years.

I’d stayed with him from nothing to where he was now. I’d carried him through the company’s darkest days.

I’d sat through investor meetings, drafted proposals, chased clients—stayed up so many nights that for two straight weeks I averaged three hours of sleep.

And now, he poured every bit of his favor into another woman.

I nodded and placed my freshly signed resignation back in front of him.

“I’m not trying to force you.”

“I’m really done.”

Ethan’s face darkened, like I’d finally set him off.

He grabbed the project deck I’d just finished off my desk and shoved it into Mira’s hands.

“Fine. If you want to make a scene, Mira will take over this project from now on.”

Mira put on a worried look.

“Ethan, is that okay? Serena pulled all-nighters for this…”

“Take it.”

His tone left no room for argument.

“I run this company. If I say you can do it, you can do it.”

“If someone doesn’t want to work here anymore, her resources should go to someone more valuable.”

The office went dead silent.

Even Lisa, the easiest-going manager in the place, stood up.

“Ethan, that’s not fair. Serena has been on this project from day one. Mira just got here three days ago—”

“Lane.”

Ethan cut her off, eyes icy.

“Are you questioning my decision?”

“We’re going public soon. I need people who fight and push, not people who can only think about getting married.”

Lisa went pale with anger.

But I wasn’t looking at him anymore.

I pulled a cardboard box from under my desk and packed my things, piece by piece.

Eight years of my life fit into one box. Pathetic.

I turned to leave.

As I brushed past him, Ethan grabbed my wrist.

His grip wasn’t hard, but I caught the flicker of panic in it—barely there, maybe even invisible to him.

“Serena.”

“If you need to throw a tantrum, I’ll give you time.”

He held my gaze, still talking down to me like he was doing me a favor.

“One week.”

“After I get back from Coral Bay, you can cool off and come back to work.”

He paused, then added, as if granting me some great mercy:

“And then maybe I’ll consider taking you to City Hall.”

I looked down at his hand, then smiled.

“Ethan.”

“You don’t get to marry me anymore.”