Marrying Without My Eight-Year Boyfriend Knowing
Chapter 16

My interactions with Edwin grew deeper and more frequent.

He would cook for me, clean up my place, and even do my laundry occasionally— like a diligent little housekeeper.

Sometimes, I couldn't help but ask, "Why do you do so much for me?"

With a sunny smile, he replied, "Someone once said, if you want a woman to fall

in love with you, you have to win her heart, body, and life."

"So... have you fallen for me?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Yes, yes, I've fallen for you."

After dinner, I was about to clear the dishes when he grabbed my hand.

"Baby, I remember you were thinking about starting your own business. I have a floor-do you want to check it out?"

I thought he was joking. After all, he was a male model-how could he possibly have...

But to my surprise, he was serious.

It was a whole floor in a prime building, fully decorated and ready for occupancy.

"Baby, the rent is the same as your old company's," he said proudly. "I negotiated it for you. Aren't I amazing?"

He tilted his head, tapping his cheek. "Aren't you going to reward me?"

Of course, I had to reward him. I leaned in and kissed him.

What an amazing boyfriend!

Benjamin was busier than ever. He seemed overwhelmed, drowning in work. Documents that didn't even belong to his department were piling up for his review.

Frustrated, he called in his secretary and threw a stack of papers on the desk. "Aren't these Sophia's responsibilities? Where is she?"

The secretary gave him a strange look.

"Mr. Smith, Sophia resigned two weeks ago. Didn't you know? You personally signed her contract."

"Two weeks?"

Benjamin was stunned. "When did I...?"

Suddenly, he remembered the papers he'd signed. Immediately, he called Zara into his office.

Zara, now dressed in luxury brands and with an increasingly polished appearance, shrugged off his anger.

"Benjamin, you said it yourself-Sophia is as ordinary as air now."

"And air isn't important, so I wasn't wrong, was I?"

"Don't be mad at me over this."

She acted spoiled, assuming he'd brush it off as usual.

But this time, things were different.

Benjamin shoved her away as she tried to cozy up to him.

"Idiot!" he snapped. "Who do you think you are? How dare you compare yourself to her?"

"Contact Sophia and get her back here. Otherwise, her team—”

The secretary interrupted helplessly, "Mr. Smith, her team left too."

In disbelief, Benjamin rushed to my old office.

The space was empty. The once lively atmosphere I had brought was completely gone.

An unbearable sense of suffocation gripped him. Something was slipping out of his control, and it left him uneasy.

Ignoring Zara, he drove straight to the house we used to share.

Everything was still in place, down to the clothes in the closet. Even the gifts he had given me were untouched.

He called his secretary. "Contact her. Ask if she still wants this company."

The response was blunt:

"Mr. Smith, Sophia already sold her shares to Mrs. Smith. This company isn't hers anymore."

It was like a bolt from the blue.

Shocked and shaken, Benjamin called me, but the call didn't go through.

Unbeknownst to him, I had blocked him and everyone in his circle the moment I decided to leave. If I was cutting ties, it would be clean and final.

Meanwhile, my small company was thriving.

New clients and opportunities came pouring in, and everything started taking shape.

As I was busy handling a major deal, Chloe called, her voice urgent.

“Sophia, Benjamin's lost it! He brought that woman to see your grandmother's grave!"

A chill ran through me.

The memory of my grandmother's death had always been a thorn in my heart. She died saving two boys-one of whom disappeared, and the other was Benjamin.

How dare he?

Edwin drove me to the cemetery.

From a distance, I could hear Zara's sweet, cloying voice as she crouched at the grave.

"You must be Sophia's grandmother, right? I heard she and Benjamin used to visit you often. Benjamin even said he wanted to take good care of her."

"But that promise won't happen now, because Benjamin will be taking care of me instead. You should help Sophia replace someone better from down there-though I doubt anyone could be as excellent as Benjamin..."

I shoved Benjamin aside and kicked Zara hard, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"I've tolerated you for long enough."

"Stealing my man and playing your games-I put up with it. But coming here and running your mouth in front of my grandmother? Who do you think you are?"

Benjamin didn't even help Zara up. Instead, he turned to me. "I knew you'd come if I brought her here."

I laughed in disbelief and slapped him across the face. "Take your woman and get out!"

Mrs. Smith arrived just in time to see the chaos. Immediately understanding the situation, she slapped Benjamin hard.

"You're a disgrace!"

"Bringing your mistress to Sophia's grandmother's grave? How did I raise such a bastard?"

Dragging him away, she left no room for argument.

With Benjamin gone, the cemetery security threw Zara out as well.

I stayed a little longer, tidying up my grandmother's resting place.

Edwin stood quietly by my side before following me as I left.

Zara was still at the gate, trying to hail a cab.

Unfortunately for her, the cemetery was in a remote area, and cars rarely passed

by.

I didn't bother reminding her, leaving with Edwin instead.