Chapter 2

From that day on, Ethan kept finding reasons to be around me.

When I worked late, he brought dinner to my desk himself.

When my manager interrupted me during a meeting, Ethan spoke calmly.

“Let Eva finish.”

The entire conference room fell silent.

When I missed the last train home, he had his driver take me back to my apartment.

By the next morning, everyone in the company was talking about us.

The Brooks heir had set his sights on the new management trainee.

Mia cornered me in the restroom.

“Eva, have you forgotten what I told you? The better he treats you now, the harder you will fall in the end. Do not accept anything from him, and do not believe he will help you secure a permanent role. This is exactly how they trapped Anna.”

I washed my hands and smiled at her.

“Do not worry. I know what I am doing.”

Of course I knew.

Every time Ethan came near me, I saw someone holding up a phone nearby.

They were recording my reactions and waiting for me to take the bait.

A week later, Ethan moved me onto the Strategy Department’s most important acquisition deal.

The project lead was clearly unhappy, but he did not dare object.

Before the end of the day, Ethan placed a black jewelry box on my desk.

A diamond necklace rested inside.

“Come to the anniversary gala as my date.”

He stood behind me and fastened the necklace. His fingertips brushed the back of my neck.

Several people in the office began cheering and teasing us.

Ethan looked down at me with enough tenderness to fool anyone.

“Eva, I want everyone to know that you are special to me.”

I pretended to panic.

“But I do not have anything suitable to wear.”

The next morning, a dark blue designer gown was delivered to the office.

Everyone around me reacted with envy.

“That dress costs more than two years of my salary.”

“Eva, are you really going to become the next Mrs. Brooks?”

I lowered my head and pretended to be shy.

My fingers found a label on the side of the garment box.

**Property of the Brooks Brand Department. Sample Inventory.**

Ethan had not bought the gown for me.

Chloe had borrowed it from the company’s sample closet.

At noon, I went to the conference room to deliver some documents.

Before I opened the door, I heard Chloe’s mocking voice.

“She almost cried when she received the dress. She really thinks putting on a glass slipper will turn her into a princess.”

The others looked at one another and burst out laughing.

I did not enter the room.

I returned to my desk and opened my laptop.

Another anonymous email was waiting for me.

This time, the attachment contained messages from the Crown Club group chat.

Chloe had posted a photograph of me holding the gown.

“Cinderella has her glass slipper.”

Someone replied.

“What happens next?”

Ethan answered almost immediately.

“Put the confidential file in her personal email account. Once she thinks she is about to be fired and sued, I will step in and save her.”

I saved screenshots of the conversation.

A few minutes later, the office door opened.

Two employees from the Information Security Department walked straight toward my desk.

“Eva Stone, turn over your laptop and employee badge immediately. We suspect you transferred confidential company information outside the network.”