Love Ended Where My Name Was Erased

I spent three months grinding away at a ten-billion-dollar acquisition deal, and finally succeeded.

At the celebration banquet, Ethan Pierce took all my credit and handed it to his first love, Lily Hayes.

He said, Lily just came back from overseas. She needs an impressive resume. You've always been understandingit's most appropriate to put this project under her name.

I looked at his matter-of-fact expression and said nothing.

Five years. For five years, I'd worked myself to the bone for him during the day and warmed his bed at night, only to end up not even worthy of having my name attached to my work.

At the charity gala, Lily Hayes accused me of stealing a brooch.

In front of all the city's elite, Ethan Pierce stripped me of my clothes and searched me.

My belongings scattered across the floor, proving my innocence.

He didn't even apologize.

He just frowned and said, "Alright, the misunderstanding's cleared up. Don't ruin the atmosphere of the gala."

I bent down. What I picked up wasn't the contents of my bag, but the Pierce Corporation employee badge lying on the floor.

Then, in front of everyone, I threw it into the champagne tower.

"Ethan, from today on, even if you get down on your knees and beg me, I'm never coming back."

Sophia Bennett POV

The celebration banquet for the Empire Group acquisition was held at the city's most luxurious hotel.

Crystal chandeliers sparkled brilliantly overhead, while elegantly dressed guests mingled with champagne glasses in hand.

I wore a well-tailored black business suit, holding a glass of champagne, standing quietly in a corner of the banquet hall.

As Chief Investment Analyst at Pierce Corporation, this three-hundred-billion-dollar acquisition had taken me and my team three entire months of grinding work, countless cups of espresso, and even a trip to the emergency room for gastric bleeding before we finally closed the deal.

I glanced down at the simple band on my ring fingersomething Ethan Pierce had casually bought for me last month.

I thought that tonight, at this celebration banquet, he would finally publicly acknowledge our five-year underground relationship.

As the grand doors swung open, the banquet hall fell instantly silent.

Ethan Pierce entered in a custom-tailored black suit, his posture impeccable, his features sharp and cold.

However, on his arm hung a woman in a pure white haute couture gown, her smile gentle and delicate.

Lily Hayes.

Ethan Pierce's first lovethe woman he'd pined for, who had spent years overseas.

My breathing hitched sharply, my knuckles turning white as I gripped my champagne flute.

Ethan Pierce walked onto the stage with Lily Hayes, took the microphone, and his deep, pleasant voice echoed throughout the hall:

"Thank you all for attending. I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce Pierce Corporation's new Vice President of Investment, Miss Lily Hayes. The successful landing of the Empire acquisition was entirely thanks to Miss Hayes and her overseas connections."

Thunderous applause filled the room.

I stood in the shadows, feeling as though all the blood in my body had reversed course, leaving even my fingertips numb with cold.

Entirely thanks to Lily Hayes? In these three months, Lily Hayes hadn't looked at a single punctuation mark of the acquisition documents.

And all my sleepless nights, my effort, my dedicationjust like that, in Ethan Pierce's offhand remark, became nothing more than a stepping stone to make his beauty smile.

Halfway through the banquet, I cornered Ethan Pierce on the deserted terrace.

"Why?"

My voice was soft, but it trembled with suppressed emotion.

Ethan Pierce lit a cigarette, the blue-white smoke blurring his hard features.

He looked at me, his eyes calm to the point of cruelty:

"Lily just returned to the country. To establish herself at Pierce Corporation, she needs an impressive resume. You've always been understanding. Putting this project under her name is the most appropriate solution."

"Understanding?"

I bit down hard on my lower lip, tasting blood.

"Ethan, I've worked myself to death for you for five years, been your underground lover for five years, and now... you're taking the results I achieved with my life and using them to curry favor with her?"

Ethan Pierce frowned slightly, seemingly displeased by my questioning.

"Sophia Bennett, don't be unreasonable."

He flicked his cigarette ash, his tone rational and cold.

"Whatever compensation you wantbonuses, stock options, or that penthouse downtownI can give it to you. But Lily is different. She's sensitive and can't handle being wronged. You've already gained enough from your position. Don't be greedy."

Greedy.

That word was like a rusty, dull knife sawing through my heart.

Eight years of secret admiration, five years as his girlfriendI thought even if I were a stone, I could eventually warm him up.

But it turned out that in his eyes, I was just a tool to be sacrificed at will, a subordinate who could be bought off with money.

"I understand."

I didn't cry. I just pulled at the corner of my mouth as the light in my heart slowly extinguished.

"I'm sorry. Mr. Pierce is right. I overstepped."

I turned and left the terrace, my spine straight, without a trace of lingering attachment.

Sophia Bennett POV

Late at night, I returned to the penthouse apartment I shared with Ethan Pierce.

The location was prime, the property worth a fortune, yet it was as cold and empty as a showroom.

Over these five years, I'd tried so hard to fill it with lifebuying flowers, adding soft rugs, changing to warm-toned curtains. But looking at it now, it all seemed ridiculously futile.

I pulled out a suitcase and began packing my things.

Actually, I didn't own muchjust a few changes of business attire and some professional books.

At two in the morning, the sound of the password lock opening came from the entrance.

Ethan Pierce walked in carrying the faint scent of alcohol and Lily Hayes's floral perfume.

He loosened his tie and saw the suitcase in the living room, his brow furrowing.

"What are you throwing a tantrum about now?"

He approached, habitually reaching out to hold me.

"I already explained what happened tonight. Tomorrow, finance will transfer fifty million into your account. Sophia, don't make me think you're being unreasonable."

I sidestepped his touch.

"I'm not throwing a tantrum."

I looked at him calmly.

"Mr. Pierce, since Miss Hayes is back, it's inappropriate for me to continue living here."

Ethan Pierce's hand froze in midair.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms, lowering his head to kiss me.

"Let go!"

My stomach churned violently. I pushed him away with force.

Ethan Pierce stumbled back a step, his expression darkening completely.

"Sophia Bennett, my patience has limits."

He looked at me coldly.

"The position of Mrs. Pierce can only belong to Lily, but I never said I was kicking you out. As long as you behave yourself, you'll still be Pierce Corporation's Chief Analyst, and you can still stay by my side."

I looked at this devastatingly handsome man before me and suddenly felt he was utterly unfamiliar.

How could he speak such shameless words so matter-of-factly?

He wanted Lily Hayes as his legitimate wife and me as his hidden mistress.

"Ethan, you're disgusting."

Leaving those words behind, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the apartment without looking back.

The next morning, at Pierce Corporation's Investment Department.

I had just stepped out of the elevator when I saw that my formerly spacious and bright private office had been fitted with a new nameplate: "Vice President - Lily Hayes."

Lily Hayes was directing staff to move my files out. When she saw me, she gave me an apologetic smile:

"Sophia, Ethan said I needed a quiet environment to familiarize myself with the business, so he's letting me use this office first. I hope you don't mind squeezing into the open office area for now. You understand, right?"

Colleagues around us were stealing glances.

I looked at my personal belongings being carelessly piled into a cubicle and said lightly:

"I don't mind. As long as Vice President Hayes is happy."

I walked to that cramped cubicle, sat down, opened my computer, logged into the company's HR system, and clicked on the "Resignation Application" page.

On the third day after Lily Hayes's airborne appointment as Vice President, Pierce Corporation held an important board meeting.

The core topic was a risk assessment for an overseas new energy project.

This project involved five billion dollars in fundingone misstep could severely damage Pierce Corporation.

Sophia Bennett POV

The atmosphere in the conference room was tense.

Lily Hayes stood in front of the projection screen, holding the assessment report my team had stayed up all night preparing, but her presentation was stumbling and incoherent.

"Regarding this project's internal rate of return, we estimate it to be... uh, we estimate eight percent. And the cash flow break-even period would require... require fifteen years."

The moment those words left her mouth, the room erupted.

Several senior directors' faces turned ashen.

One director slammed his hand on the table:

"Fifteen years to break even? Eight percent return? Miss Hayes, do you even know what the current cost of capital is? You're actually recommending this garbage project to the board as a priority investment?!"

Lily Hayes's eyes reddened from being yelled at, and she looked pleadingly toward Ethan Pierce, who sat at the head of the table.

Ethan Pierce frowned deeply, about to speak up to save her, when I suddenly stood up.

Without looking at Ethan Pierce, I walked straight to Lily Hayes, took the laser pointer from her hand, and switched to a different PPT slide.

"Directors, Miss Hayes just read the wrong data set."

I said,

"Eight percent is the stress test result under an extremely pessimistic model. In reality, based on our calculations of local policy subsidies and carbon credit trading, the baseline IRR is above twenty-two percent, with a cash flow break-even period of four years and seven months. The detailed sensitivity analysis is on page thirty-two of the report."

In just three minutes, with extremely precise data and rigorous logic, I defused what could have been a catastrophic trust crisis.

The directors' expressions softened, and they looked at me with admiration.

Lily Hayes, standing beside me, had turned pale.

After the meeting ended, I was summoned to the CEO's office.

The moment I pushed open the door, a file folder came flying at me.

I didn't dodge. The sharp plastic edge grazed my temple, instantly drawing blood.

"Sophia Bennett, you really showed off in that conference room today, didn't you? Are you proud of yourself?"

Ethan Pierce sat in his chair, his eyes frighteningly dark.

Lily Hayes sat on the sofa, crying softly.

Feeling the stinging pain on my forehead, my heart remained utterly calm:

"I was only trying to save the company's project."

"Save it?"

Ethan Pierce laughed coldly, suddenly standing and walking up to me, looking down at me from above.

"You knew perfectly well that Lily wasn't familiar with those numbers. Why didn't you go over them with her before the meeting? You deliberately embarrassed her in front of the board, deliberately used your expertise to highlight her incompetence. Sophia Bennett, when did your heart become so vicious?"

I looked at him steadily and laughed.

I'd stayed up for three nights straight preparing that report. Lily Hayes hadn't even bothered to glance at it before taking it to claim credit.

When she made mistakes, I stepped in to fix them and saved Pierce Corporation's reputation. But in the end, I became the vicious one.

"Yes, I'm vicious."

I closed my eyes.

"Mr. Pierce is absolutely right. Every mistake is my fault. I apologize to Miss Hayes."

I turned toward Lily Hayes on the sofa and gave her a slight bow, my voice dead:

"I'm sorry, Miss Hayes. It's my fault for not covering up your incompetence well enough and letting you be wronged."

"Sophia Bennett! Get out of my sight!"

Ethan Pierce's furious voice rang out behind me.

I straightened my spine and walked out of the office. My heart had completely died.

Sophia Bennett POV

Friday was my twenty-eighth birthday.

For the past four years, no matter how busy Ethan Pierce was, he would cancel all his engagements on this day and have dinner with me at a discreet restaurant.

This was our unspoken secret, the only warmth I could draw from this hidden relationship.

Last month, Ethan Pierce had kissed my earlobe and promised he would give me a huge surprise for this year's birthday.

At seven o'clock that evening, I arrived punctually at the restaurant and sat by the window.

Outside, autumn rain began to fall, and the temperature dropped sharply.

I wore a thin dress, looking at the exquisite cake on the table, quietly waiting.

Eight o'clock. Nine o'clock. Ten o'clock.

The restaurant's clientele changed wave after wave. The servers' glances toward me gradually shifted from admiration to pity.

Eleven-thirty.

I picked up my phone and dialed Ethan Pierce's number.

The phone rang for a long time before someone answered, but it wasn't Ethan Pierce's deep voiceit was Lily Hayes's sweet, delicate tone.

"Hello? Sophia? Ethan can't come to the phone right now."

My fingers tightened around my phone:

"Where is he?"

"We're at the vet hospital."

Lily Hayes's voice carried a hint of sweet complaint.

"My Ragdoll cat suddenly got diarrhea. I was terrified, so Ethan immediately drove me here. He was running around holding the cat and got all sweatyhe left his phone in the car. Sophia, it's so late. Is there some urgent work matter?"

A cat with diarrhea.

I looked at the cold rain outside the window and suddenly found it all absurd.

My birthday that I'd looked forward to with such anticipation, my five years of youthin Ethan Pierce's eyes, they couldn't even compare to Lily Hayes's cat having diarrhea.

"Nothing urgent."

I said,

"Sorry to bother you."

I hung up, picked up my fork, and shoved a large piece of cake into my mouth.

Too sweet. Sweet to the point of bitterness, so bitter my tears fell without warning.

I didn't wipe them away. I just kept eating that cake, one bite after another.

After paying the bill, I walked out of the restaurant and into the cold, rainy night.

Back at my temporary rental apartment, I opened my laptop and logged into Pierce Corporation's HR system.

I looked at the resignation application I'd already drafted, my cursor hovering over the "Submit" button.

My phone screen lit up with a message from Ethan Pierce:

Lily's cat got sick. I won't come over tonight. I'll make up for your gift tomorrow.

I looked at that message without replying.

I opened my photo album and, without a moment's hesitation, permanently deleted all five thousand-plus photos and videos of Ethan Pierce.

Then I moved my cursor and pressed "Submit."

The system displayed: Your resignation application has been submitted. Thirty-day handover countdown begins.

Eight years of foolish infatuation, five years of absurd devotionin this moment, it all finally came to an end.

After submitting my resignation application, it required approval from both the department head and the CEO according to protocol.

But Ethan Pierce had recently devoted all his attention to Lily Hayes and hadn't logged into the office system at all.

The HR director sighed and simply approved it by default.

The thirty-day countdown began quietly.

Lily Hayes decided to host an extremely lavish charity gala in Pierce Corporation's name.

"Sophia, Ethan says you're the most detail-oriented. I'm putting you in charge of coordinating this gala."

Lily Hayes tossed a thick planning document onto my cramped desk, her tone carrying a condescending sense of charity.

"I want white roses flown in from overseas. The lighting at the gala must be warm-toned. Also, you need to personally review all the media releasesthey must highlight my image as Pierce Corporation's future mistress."

I looked at the planning document without even lifting my eyelids.

"Alright."

I responded flatly.

Over the next two weeks, I executed all of Lily Hayes's unreasonable demands.

I slept only three hours a night, coordinating venues, confirming procedures, verifying guest lists.

I never initiated contact with Ethan Pierce again, nor did I show even a trace of grievance over Lily Hayes's deliberate difficulties.

Occasionally, when Ethan Pierce ran into me in the company hallways, he would see my gaunt face and cold eyes.

The day before the gala, I compiled all my work handover documents, encrypted them, and sent them to my deputy in the investment department.

I looked at the countdown calendar on my computer screen.

Tomorrow would be my last day at Pierce Corporation.

Sophia Bennett POV

The charity gala was held at the city's largest estate.

As night fell, luxury cars gathered.

Lily Hayes wore the custom-made gown Ethan Pierce had spent a fortune on for her, her arm linked with his as she moved among the guests like a star surrounded by admirers.

I wore an inconspicuous black business suit with a walkie-talkie earpiece, standing in the shadows at the edge of the banquet hall, coldly watching it all.

As the gala reached its climax and the most important charity auction was about to begin, a scream suddenly came from backstage.

Lily Hayes, holding up her dress, ran out of the lounge with a pale face and red-rimmed eyes, throwing herself into Ethan Pierce's arms:

"Ethan! It's gone! The 'Heart of the Ocean' sapphire brooch that was supposed to be the finale auction piece is missing!"

The entire venue erupted in shock. That brooch was worth nearly a hundred million dollarsEthan Pierce had specifically acquired it to bolster Lily Hayes's standing.

"What happened?"

Ethan Pierce held her, his brow furrowed.

Lily Hayes trembled all over, then suddenly turned and pointed directly at me standing in the corner:

"It's her! Only Lily and Sophia knew the safe's password! When I was changing clothes earlier, only she went into the lounge!"

All eyes instantly turned to me like spotlights.

Skeptical, contemptuous, eager gazes.

I removed my earpiece and walked calmly into the center of the crowd.

I looked at Lily Hayes's face:

"I entered the lounge to deliver tonight's speaking notes to you. I put them down and left. I never touched the safe."

"Who else could it be but you?!"

Lily Hayes cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Sophia, I know you've always resented me, thinking I took your position, but you can't jeopardize the company's reputation like this!"

The surrounding guests began whispering among themselves.

I ignored the gossip and simply looked quietly at Ethan Pierce.

Eight years.

I'd known him for eight years, managed over ten billion dollars for him, and never made a single error.

Yet Ethan Pierce looked at me with eyes that held no trustonly coldness and impatience.

"Sophia, open your bag and let security search it."

Ethan Pierce said coldly.

"If you didn't take it, a search will prove your innocence. Don't make things difficult for Lily."

"Search my bag?"

I softly repeated those words, feeling the last trace of warmth in my chest being drained away.

In this circle, being publicly searched was tantamount to having my dignity stripped away and trampled on the ground.

To calm Lily Hayes's tears, Ethan Pierce chose without hesitation to sacrifice my dignity.

"Ethan, are you really going to search my bag?"

I looked at him.

Ethan Pierce hesitated for a moment, but seeing Lily Hayes in his arms, he frowned:

"It's just a formality. Sophia, think of the bigger picture."

Think of the bigger picture.

I laughed.

I didn't wait for security to approach. I opened the zipper of my cheap black canvas bag myself and dumped everything inside onto the polished marble floor.

Lipstick, a notebook, several pens, a box of stomach medicine, and a few access cards.

Scattered everywhere.

No sapphire brooch.

Just then, a security guard ran out of the lounge, sweating profusely, holding up the brilliant brooch:

"Found it! Miss Hayes, the brooch fell into the velvet gap behind the safe. It wasn't stolen!"

The banquet hall fell into deathly silence.

Lily Hayes froze for a moment, then covered her mouth with a regretful and innocent expression:

"Oh my, so it fell into the gap. Sophia, I'm so sorry. I was too anxious just now and spoke without thinking. Please don't be angry with me."

Ethan Pierce also breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the mess on the floor, frowned, and said to me:

"Alright, since it was a misunderstanding, that's resolved. Sophia, pick up your things. Don't let this affect the gala's atmosphere."

Casual and dismissive, as though the trampling of my dignity moments ago had been nothing more than an insignificant joke.

I looked down at those things on the floor.

I didn't pick them up.

I slowly bent down, unclipped the Pierce Corporation employee badge from around my neck, and gently tossed it onto that pile of belongings.

"I'm not picking them up."

I straightened, my gaze calmly sweeping past Lily Hayes before finally landing on Ethan Pierce's shocked face.

"Ethan, I quit."

With that, I turned and, under everyone's stunned gazes, walked step by step out of the brilliantly lit banquet hall without looking back.