Chapter 3

As the year drew to a close, inspectors from headquarters would arrive.

Blueprint Industries, left behind by Mr. White, and the headquarters established by Neil, both fell under the White Group. They operated independently most of the time, only interacting during the annual review when headquarters would send someone over.

Neil seemed indifferent to his ambitious younger brother and never interfered with Luke’s actions.

I handled almost every project throughout the year.

With the year-end review approaching, I was incredibly busy.

Despite this, I maintained my usual routine of preparing lunch for Luke every morning.

He once said that nothing tasted as good as homemade food.

Because of that remark, I began making his lunch every day after graduation.

When I went to deliver a project proposal to the general manager’s office, the secretary at the front desk awkwardly stopped me.

“Theresa, Mr. White is currently with a guest…”

Normally, I would go through even when there were guests, and I had never been stopped before.

Thinking about the unexplained scent of perfume on Luke lately, and the lipstick left in his car, I smiled at the secretary. “It won’t be long. I just need Mr. White to sign some documents from headquarters.”

“We can’t afford any delays, can we?”

Feeling troubled, the secretary finally stepped aside.

Walking in with my high heels, at the doorway, I saw Luke dining with a girl.

They were enjoying a lively conversation, the atmosphere warm and congenial.

Luke even laughed as he served food to the girl beside him.

I saw her face clearly. It was Chloe, the only daughter of the Hill family, known for her delicacy and arrogance, and frequently mentioned in financial news as the most likely match for Luke.

The lunchbox on the table was the one I had prepared.

All those odd feelings of unease seemed to suddenly make sense.

I stood there, my fingernails digging unconsciously into my palm.

The sharp pain overwhelmed the sourness in my heart.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. “Mr. White, there are some documents for you to sign.”

As soon as he saw me, Luke’s expression changed momentarily.

“Bring them in and place them here.”

He stood up smoothly, but Chloe laughed and held onto his arm.

“Luke said it was you who prepared the lunch.”

“It tastes good. You like cooking for others, huh? Make one for me too in the future.”

She held Luke close, her eyes gleaming with a clear warning.

Luke laughed, trying to smooth things over. “If you want, I can order it for you every day. No need for you to ask.”

He patted Chloe’s hand before he continued, “Go wait in the car. I’ll handle some business first.”

With a smirk, Chloe glanced at me disdainfully and walked away with her head held high.

Before leaving, she dropped a line. “People should stick to their roles and shouldn’t covet what’s beyond their reach.”

How ironic. I was Luke’s real girlfriend.

I stood still. Her words felt like blades, cutting my heart piece by piece.

Luke stated while he signed the documents on his desk, “Our families have been doing business together recently, and this project was secured thanks to Chloe’s help. Don’t overthink it.”

Really?

I stared blankly at the half-eaten lunch on the desk.

My voice was hoarse. “That was what I prepared for you.”

Glancing indifferently at the lunchbox, Luke didn’t look up at me when he said, “Unlike you, she was raised delicately. Be understanding.”

She was different from me. She was a wealthy heiress, and I was merely an orphan without an impressive background.

So, I shouldn’t mind?

Unable to say anything more, I stepped forward and picked up the documents.

Bending down, I caught the scent of women’s perfume on Luke.

It was unpleasant.