Ch. Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 18 Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 18

Chapter 8 

Chapter 8 

I didn’t wait for him. 

Back in my room, I locked the door. Showered. Changed. Opened my laptop. 

The screen lit up. My reflection stared back from the black frame. Tired, yeah. But my eyes were clear. 

That’s when it clicked. Letting go isn’t feeling nothing when someone apologizes. It’s hurting and still walking away. 

Next morning, I checked out. 

The studio set me up with an apartment near the office. I left a note at the front desk. 

Brendan-go home. Don’t come looking. 

Moving day. Rain hammered the windows. 

I stood there watching water streak down the glass. My phone buzzed. 

Howard: Client fitting tomorrow. She saw your sketches. Wants you there. 

Me: Okay. 

Howard: Lily. You deserve to be seen. 

I stared at that message way too long. 

Before? I would’ve screenshot it. Sent it to Brendan. Waited for him to say something nice. 

Now? I just sent back a thumbs up. Got to work. 

The next few weeks were a blur. 

Studio mornings. Client afternoons. Design revisions at night. 

Somewhere in there, I found myself again. The version I’d buried. 

The one who got hyped over silk. Who teared up when brides cried in her gowns. Who grabbed lunch by the Seine with coworkers. Who bought herself flowers just because. 

Not waiting for someone else. Just wanting them. So I got them. 

Se Did My Love! 

14.4% 

Chapter 8 

This is literally homewrecking 

He’s ENGAGED and she’s posting this??? 

Girl the unloved one IS you 

One stood out: 

I work there. His fiancée is his childhood sweetheart-together NINE YEARS. She’s gorgeous and sweet. Tina plays 

victim at the office 24/7. It’s sick. 

Sarah texted again: Someone from Brendan’s company leaked it. 

They’ve been waiting to expose her. 

Also? Those screenshots you saved? I sent them to the account. Anonymous. 

I stared. You sent them? 

Yeah. Matter-of-fact. You didn’t wanna touch it. I did. Nobody knows. 

I sat there. No rush of victory. Just quiet. 

Thank you. 

Voice message from Sarah: “Don’t feel bad. Evidence is evidence. She posted it, she gets consequences. Same with 

Brendan.” 

She was right. 

Tina didn’t stay quiet. 

New post: The unloved one is the REAL third wheel. Love isn’t first-come-first-served. It’s about who gets CHOSEN. 

Internet lost it. 

Within the hour, people found everything. Four months at the company. Constant “boss’s favorite” vibes. Someone ID’d the bag-$3,200. 

Then someone made a timeline. PowerPoint style. Went viral. 

Slide 1: How One Secretary Destroyed a 9-Year Relationship in 4 Months 

Slide 2: March 21-Fiancée needs cramp meds. Forgotten. Secretary gets tea. 

Slide 3: April 7-Fiancée waiting, low blood sugar. Secretary gets Catch LA. 

Mr. Chatterbox for Her Mr. Iceberg for Me? Ice Melts, and So Did My Love! 

14.7% 

Chapter 8 

Slide 4: May 20-Fiancée’s birthday alone. Secretary’s birthday? Boss shows up. 

Slide 5: Paris trip-Fiancée’s birthday bag forgotten. Secretary gets same brand. 

Every slide had receipts. Screenshots. Dates. 

Brendan’s company got buried. PR dropped a statement. “Internal investigation.” 

Nobody cared. 

Where’s the boss? 

Where’s the fiancée? 

APOLOGIZE 

For days, Brendan’s name was everywhere. Projects frozen. Investors pissed. Office gossip out of control. 

Tina showed up at his office crying. 

Sarah got details through a friend. Tina sobbing: “Help me. Please. I just liked you. What did I do wrong? She couldn’t keep you-why am I the bad guy?” 

Brendan sat behind his desk. Face like stone. “Why’d you post all that?” 

Tina froze. “I was just… living my life…” 

“I have a fiancée.” 

Tears everywhere. “But you never told me no.” 

That sentence landed. 

Because she was right. He never did. He liked the attention. The admiration. Some girl treating him like he hung the 

moon. 

And he liked me waiting at home. 

Thought he could have both. 

Turns out you can’t. 

Brendan fired Tina. “Severe damage to company image.” 

She lost it outside the building. Someone filmed it. 

Chapter 8 

“BRENDAN! You’re blaming ME?! You BOUGHT that bag! YOU took me to restaurants! YOU invited me to movies! When I sat in your car, you didn’t mention your fiancée THEN!” 

Video went viral. Again. 

Finally, Brendan posted an apology. 

Admitted “blurred boundaries.” Admitted hurting his fiancée. Admitted “management failures.” 

Ended with: I owe Lily an apology I’ll never be able to repay. 

Comments weren’t kind. 

Don’t. Just leave her alone. 

Too little too late 

Lily RUN 

I saw the post while doing Lucy’s final fitting. 

Phone lit up. I glanced once. 

Locked the screen. 

Emma looked over. “Important?” 

I shook my head. “Just something old.” 

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