The pained expression on Luhan’s face made Subin turn away from him. Nothing had worked out the way she’d planned — not telling him about her new job, not her well-intentioned, woefully misbegotten proposal. She’d only ended up hurting him and being hurt herself. Subin grimaced. They needed to talk, but not here. She walked toward her desk.

Luhan didn’t want her help, not when it came to his personal life. He wanted her to be his assistant, period. She had resigned herself to it this past weekend. Today she had accepted it. A good thing, too.

He’d been correct about one thing. She deserved better than a guy like him. A week ago she might have been satisfied marrying him to help save his mother’s farm and not care if he loved her, but no longer. Subin knew what she wanted — true love, requited love and a happily ever after. She wasn’t about to settle for anything less, not with Luhan or any other man.

At her desk, she turned to face him, but he wasn’t there. Luhan hadn’t followed her back. Her chest tightened. Where could he be?

What was he going to do without Subin? Luhan stood frozen in the elevator. He couldn’t move his feet, couldn’t do anything but watch her walk away as the doors closed. When the lift doors opened, he walked out, not even knowing what floor he was on.

I’m Nam Woohyun’s new executive assistant. Subin’s words reverberated through Luhan’s head. Anger and disbelief gave way to numbness.

As he walked into a mass of desks and noise, the air buzzed with energy. Luhan recognized the drive and ambition on the determined faces surrounding him. He’d pulled Subin from a similar bull pen to be his assistant six years ago.

Subin.

A heaviness settled in the centre of his chest. She’d made it further in her career. Instead of congratulating her as any proud, happy boss would, Luhan had acted — was acting — like a spoiled, jealous child who’d lost his favourite toy. Subin had achieved another goal, and he still thought only of himself. He hung his head.

Luhan walked farther and saw one of his friends beckoning him over.

"Nice call on Intel." Kim Jongdae said with a grin.

"Thanks." Luhan said glumly. His friend raised an eyebrow questioningly, but didn’t press further. Jongdae knew how Luhan liked to keep his own problems quietly to himself.

"Have a chocolate." He gave Luhan a cigar-shaped chocolate tied with a pink ribbon. "Hyerin and I just had a baby last week. Her name is Jimin."

"Congratulations, Jongdae. Sorry I haven’t been able to visit, I’ve been so occupied with things." Luhan stuck the cigar in his shirt pocket. Subin would like it. Subin. An instant, squeezing hurt gripped his heart. He ignored it. "Thanks."

"With what?" Jongdae asked.

"Family stuff." Luhan noticed the pictures lining the edge of Jongdae’s cluttered desk. "You’ll need another picture for little Jimin now.”

Jongdae chuckled. “Jisung is not so thrilled about a sister. He complains that she won’t be able to play football with him.”

Luhan smiled. “I’ll come over sometime next week, and then we can play together,” he promised, just as Jongdae’s phone started ringing.

As his friend answered his phone, Luhan looked at the pictures. A picture of his friend with a pretty, dark-haired woman. A picture of a toddler with a similar grin like Jongdae. And a picture of all three of them, with the woman pregnant. All smiling at the camera happily, arms around each other.

A funny, tingly sensation grabbed hold of his stomach. Nothing on his desk suggested he had a family. Nothing in his office suggested he had a life outside of work.

Because…he didn’t.

The truth hit with the force of a er punch to his gut.<