Five Years Building His Legacy, I Was Just His Stand-in

The day the company went public.

Ethan and I snuck away from the employees to celebrate privately in the office.

Just as he unhooked my straps, my phone buzzed.

"Do you think Sophie Wilson will still be the Sales Director?"

I froze for a moment, then smiled and wrapped my arms around Ethan's shoulders.

"The company announcement has already been sent out. How could you even think something so ridiculous?"

Ethan's breathing grew heavier as he kissed my lips.

"I forgot to tell you—the announcement was withdrawn."

"Nora Bailey said the Sales Director position sounds challenging, and she wants to give it a try."

Chapter 1

Hearing Ethan's words, my mind went completely blank, and my jaw clenched instinctively.

Until I tasted something metallic and sweet on my tongue.

Ethan let out a pained grunt and frowned at me.

"What's wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?"

His eyes were full of harshness, with an expression I couldn't understand.

I stepped back several paces to put distance between us. Even though I tried to stay calm, my unsteady voice betrayed my emotions.

"Promotions in the company are based on performance. Nora just came back—why should she get special treatment?"

"And you promised me. This was supposed to be my position."

Ethan set down his wine glass and lit a cigarette with some irritation, looking at me through the smoke.

"Sophie, are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?"

"If we're talking about it, she's been with the company longer than you. Even if she's coming back from outside, her seniority is something you can't compare to."

"Besides, if we're really talking about special treatment, you didn't even qualify to get into Starshine Corp in the first place."

After saying this in a low voice, he looked at me with cold eyes.

The blood in my body instantly froze.

He was right.

Five years ago, I was just a fresh college graduate with no work experience or family support, so I kept hitting walls during my job search.

When I first came to Starshine Corp, it was Nora who interviewed me.

Back then, she wore exquisite makeup and a custom-made dress. After looking me up and down, she sneered.

"Where did this country bumpkin come from, coming to interview at our company? Do you even understand fashion?"

Being fresh out of college and thin-skinned, I argued with her, my face red, until others stopped me.

"She's the boss's darling. If you want to work here, how dare you argue with her?"

"I'd suggest you study what she likes and figure out how to please her instead."

That's when I learned about her relationship with Ethan.

Three years as a couple, deeply in love. The entire company was built just for her.

Just because she wanted unique clothes and bags, Ethan recruited famous designers to the company to create custom designs for her.

Even the company's name was something she casually came up with.

Nora had bragged countless times during meetings that whatever she wanted, Ethan would do anything to make it happen.

But during the company's most critical period, she suddenly ran off with confidential documents and jumped to a rival company.

That time, Starshine Corp fell into crisis and nearly went bankrupt.

Ethan was almost completely broken and depressed.

During that period, it was me who ran around everywhere to bring in orders and business for the company.

It was me who stayed by his side through the hardest times.

Meanwhile, Nora stood on high, mocking Ethan.

Everyone thought they had broken up for good and would never cross paths again.

Including me.

But I never expected Nora to come back.

Seeing my silence, Ethan straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and spoke on his own.

"Her previous company's boss ran off abroad with all the money."

"She suffered a lot and lost a lot of weight."

"When I saw her downstairs at the company a few days ago, I almost didn't recognize her."

I didn't want to hear Ethan talk about this. My tone turned cold.

"So what? She brought it on herself."

"If it weren't for her back then..."

"Shut up." Ethan interrupted me. He raised his hand, and a slap almost landed on my face.

I looked at him in shock.

His expression was blank, but in the end, he chose to lower his hand.

"Sophie, I trained you and gave you capabilities, not hoping you'd become so cold-blooded."

My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. I lost my temper, pushed him away, and ran out of the office.

Throwing out one last line, "Anyway, I don't agree with this. The Sales Director position is something I earned myself!"

As I left, I ran into my assistant at the door, who was holding a cake and about to knock. He looked at me in surprise.

"Sophie, I came to bring you and Mr. Ramirez a celebration cake. What happened?"

Following his gaze, I realized how disheveled I looked.

My messy hair and clothes slipping off my shoulders made it obvious what had just happened in the office.

Not to mention the numerous marks his kisses had left on my neck.

This was Ethan's unique habit. I'd told him many times, but he said he wanted everyone to know I was his.

I used to feel smug about his possessiveness.

But now...

I covered my neck and answered as calmly as possible.

"It's nothing. I have something to do. You go in first."

That's when Ethan opened the door. He wore a well-tailored suit, his clothes neat and tidy without a single wrinkle.

As if nothing that just happened inside had anything to do with him.

He stood there, frowning slightly as he looked at us.

When he saw my bare shoulders, his face immediately turned cold.

He took off his jacket and draped it over me, demanding, "Sophie, you're a woman. Do you really have to make yourself look like this?"

Ethan sneered. Without giving me a chance to explain, he started putting on a show in front of others.

"Besides, even if I gave Nora the Sales Director position, it's only because I feel sorry for her."

"In the end, the person who stays by my side is still you, isn't it?"

Looking at Ethan's self-righteous appearance, I just felt sick to my stomach.

I pulled off his jacket and handed it back to him.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in sharing a man with someone else."

The next second, someone yanked my arm back hard. I stumbled into his arms, caught off guard.

I was pulled back into the office, and the door slammed shut.

Ethan's eyes were already filled with anger.

He pressed me hard against the door, growling in my ear like a wild beast.

"Sophie, have I been too good to you?"

Pain shot through my pinned shoulders. I opened my mouth to argue back, but tears fell uncontrollably.

"Yes, you've been very good to me all these years."

"But as soon as Nora appears, you're going to take it all back?"

Ethan, who had been furious just moments ago, froze when he saw me like this and hurried to wipe my tears.

"Did I hurt you?"

I avoided his gaze and choked out, "Anyway, it's either her or me."

He was instantly both angry and amused.

"You've been an executive for so many years, and you're still so childish. Just like that cocktail party last time—if I hadn't been there..."

"Sophie, why do you always make people worry about you?"

He didn't finish, but I remembered.

When I first joined the company, I offended Nora and was assigned to entertain a client.

That client got drunk and started getting handsy with me.

The other colleagues pretended not to see.

Only Ethan, who was negotiating a deal next door, rushed in and protected me.

The client didn't recognize him at first and, after hurling insults, hit him on the head with a bottle.

Even now, he still has a scar on his temple.

The familiar warmth on my face made my heart ache with grievance, and I finally couldn't help but soften my tone.

"I'm just afraid she'll take you away from me."

"I earned that company position with my own abilities. Nora has no right to take it."

After saying this, I suddenly felt defeated.

I suddenly realized that the position wasn't something I absolutely had to have.

At the root of it all, I was afraid—afraid that after Nora appeared, I would lose Ethan.

When it came to him, I always felt insecure.

Ethan gently held me. He sighed and pressed his forehead against mine.

"Don't worry."

"It's all yours."

"No one can take it away."