Marrying His Rival On Our Anniversary

Ten years. Three thousand six hundred days of loving Lance Harrison.

Today was the day his parents were scheduled to inspect our corporate headquarters, and I had personally taken charge of the entire preparation. From the minute-by-minute itinerary of the tour down to the sugar-free pastries tailored for his parents' dietary restrictions, I had stayed up until three in the morning, revising the thirty-page reception proposal eight times.

But on the morning of their arrival, Lance sent a last-minute text:

"The new intern, Mia, is going to handle the walk-through. Let her run with your plan."

Mia took my proposal and executed it to perfection, keeping his parents charmed and comfortable every step of the way.

At the end of the tour, Lance's mother openly asked him, "Is this lovely girl the one you've been dating for nearly a decade? So sharp, so thoughtful. She even made sure our desserts were made with xylitol. No wonder you adore her."

Lance just smiled. He didn't correct her.

Later, in his office, I confronted him, tears burning my eyes. "Why?"

He looked at me, cold and indifferent. "We aren't even engaged yet, Natalie. And you're already this desperate to parade yourself in front of my parents? Are you really that eager to force my hand?"

I froze. The sheer cruelty of his words left me breathless.

He brushed past my shoulder, pausing just enough to whisper, "Don't make a scene. It's unflattering."

I didn't argue.

Ten years. On what would have been our anniversary, he would block my bridal car: "You said you'd marry me! Why are you marrying someone else?!"

And I would smile: "You told me not to make a scene, Lance. But I've always preferred a clean break."

Lance left after his warning, leaving me alone in his silent office.

By the time I composed myself and walked out, his father and mother had finished their speeches. Mia was standing right beside them.

His mother looked at Mia with pure, doting affection. "My dear, we didn't bring much for our first meeting. But I want you to have this." She slipped off a heavy, vintage gold heirloom braceletthe one passed down to the daughters-in-law of the Harrison family.

My heart squeezed. That bracelet was only supposed to be given to the woman marrying into the family. And his mother was giving it to Mia? Just like that?

Mia waved her hands, feigning modesty. "Oh, no, Mrs. Harrison! It's too beautiful. I couldn't possibly accept this!"

"Still calling me Mrs. Harrison?" his mother teased, beaming.

Mia blushed deeply. "But..."

"Take it, sweetheart," his mother insisted, taking her wrist. "You're family now. Don't be shy with your own mother."

Mia's blush deepened. She cast a timid, searching look at Lance.

I stood in the crowd, my hands trembling inside my pockets.

Lance's gaze swept over the room, pausing briefly on my face. He offered a faint, easy smile. "If my mother wants you to have it, Mia, take it."

Mia looked up, her eyes wide with bashful delight.

His father laughed. "She's shy, Lance. Put it on her yourself."

Lance didn't hesitate. He took the gold bracelet and slipped it over Mia's wrist.

She looked down, offering no resistance.

Someone popped a confetti cannon. The room erupted into cheers.

"Congratulations, Mr. Harrison and Mia!"

"Mia, you sly dog! We had no idea you were dating the boss!"

"Right? We all thought it was Natalie!"

"Yeah, with the way Natalie's been hovering over him, trying so hard to impress his parents today... who wouldn't have guessed wrong?"

I turned and quietly left the lobby.

Everything was still running on my schedule. Today was actually his mother's birthday. I had planned a surprise celebration after the inspection. Now, under his mother's direction, it had morphed into an impromptu engagement party.

A tiered cake was rolled out. I watched from afar as the crowd pushed Lance to Mia's side.

They stood shoulder to shoulder. Mia's ears were bright red. Lance looked entirely unbothered, calm and collected.

He picked up the cake knife and looked at her. "Do you prefer sweet or savory?"

"Whatever you cut for me... I'll love it," she murmured.

Cue the teasing, suggestive sighs from the staff.

His mother laughed heartily. "Look at these two. So sweet."

Lance cut a slice with a strawberry on top. "I know you love strawberries. This one's for you." As he said it, his eyes drifted toward my corner.

I looked away, walking back to the conference room to pack up my things.

While I was organizing the files, the door clicked open. Mia walked in, humming a tune.

When she saw me, her smile stiffened. "Na... Natalie."

I didn't say a word, just continued stacking folders.

"Natalie, wait!" She rushed over and grabbed my arm. "I didn't expect things to go this way! I was put on the spot, I couldn't say no! Look... I'll give you the bracelet right now!"

She began tugging at the gold band on her wrist. But even though the bracelet was clearly loose, she struggled, wincing as if it were stuck fast.

"Stop acting," I said quietly. "Keep it."

"Natalie!" She grabbed me again. "I really didn't mean to. Just give me a second, I can get it off"

"What is going on here?"

Mrs. Harrison pushed the door open, her face hardening the moment she saw us struggling. "Are you the difficult marketing director I've heard about? The one who constantly bullies Mia?"

I froze. "Bullying?" Is that how she saw me?

I looked at Mia, who immediately averted her eyes. Suddenly, the puzzle pieces fell into place.

"I've heard about you, Natalie," Mrs. Harrison said coldly. "They say you run your department like a tyrant. Tell me, do you think you own this company? Or do you actually believe you're going to marry my son?"

The air left my lungs. How could she have heard these things on her first day here? Unless...

I clenched my fists.

Was it Lance? Had he been painting me as a bitter, overbearing tyrant to his family?

The door opened wider, and Lance stepped in. "What's happening?"

His mother turned to him. "You really need to clean house, Lance. This woman actually tried to steal the heirloom I just gave Mia."

Lance looked at me.

"I didn't," I said, my voice tight.

Mia finally managed to slip the bracelet off. She grabbed my hand, trying to force it onto my wrist. "Please don't be angry, Natalie. I'm returning it to you."

Mrs. Harrison gasped. "Mia! Why are you giving away my gift?"

Mia's eyes welled with tears. "But... Natalie has loved Lance for so long."

"Just because she wants him doesn't mean she gets to rob you! If she bullies you at work, that's one thing, but you cannot let her walk all over you like this!" Mrs. Harrison pulled Mia protectively into her side. "Don't worry. Lance and I have your back."

"But... I'm just an intern. I don't deserve this bracelet..."

"Who says you don't?"

Suddenly, Lance grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm as he easily unclasped the bracelet from my arm and handed it back to Mia. "If I say you deserve it, you do."

Then, he looked at me. "As of right now, Natalie, you are relieved of your duties. Mia will be taking over as Director."

I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing.

He frowned, a brief flicker of hesitation passing through his eyes before his expression hardened again. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Natalie."

His mother beamed. "There. Now she answers to you, Mia."

Mia looked at the gold bracelet back on her wrist. She gave me a looka subtle, fleeting smirk of triumph that quickly vanished behind a shy nod.

Watching the three of them play their parts, I felt a sudden, sharp urge to laugh at my own stupidity.

I looked at Lance. "Fine, Mr. Harrison. Honestly, I was getting tired of that seat anyway."

I walked past him without another word.

Down in the parking garage, just as I unlocked my car, a hand grabbed my wrist from behind.

"In a few weeks, I'll promote you to VP under me," Lance said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "Mia will still report to you. Don't take this to heart. My mother loves her, and I couldn't embarrass her in public."

It was always like this. After every fight, he would explain, throw me a bone, and expect me to forgive him.

I gritted my teeth and threw his hand off.

Before he could react, I got into my car and drove away, leaving him standing in the exhaust fumes.

By the time I got home, my phone was buzzing with over a dozen texts from him.

The first few were the usual excuses. But the last message was a screenshot of a booking confirmation.

Cape Cod. A cottage by the ocean.

"Natalie, don't worry. While you're on administrative leave, I'm taking time off too. The trip to the coast youve been begging for? Were going. Let's call it our early honeymoon."

I stared at the screen. If he had sent this a year ago, my heart would have skipped a beat.

Now? I felt nothing but a dull ache.

I typed back a simple reply: "Don't bother."

He replied almost instantly: "Be good. Stop being angry. I booked the tickets for 8 AM tomorrow. I'm staying late at the office tonight to clear my schedule so I can be fully yours. Don't wait up for dinner." He added a heart emoji.

I set the phone down.

Whatever. I would wait for him to get home and lay it all out.

My family had set me up on a blind date, and I had agreed to go.

This ten-year relationship was over.

But I waited all night.

It wasn't until dawn that the front door unlocked. Lance walked in, smelling of expensive gin and late-night smoke, his steps slightly unsteady. It was long past 8 AM.

"I thought we had an 8 AM flight to Cape Cod?" I asked.

He blinked, rubbing his temples as if trying to recall. Then he let out a dry laugh. "Oh. I cancelled the tickets. I'm taking Mia instead."

I went numb.

"You've seen the ocean a dozen times, Natalie," he said, collapsing onto the sofa, clearly exhausted from pulling an all-nighter. "I was planning to come home and pack last night, but the team threw a promotion party for Mia. I had a few too many drinks. She mentioned she'd never seen the ocean. So, I switched the names on the booking."

Even though I had already checked out emotionally, the casual cruelty still stung. "You promised."

The alcohol slowed his reaction. He smiledthe kind of dismissive, tired smile reserved for a nagging wife. "Natalie, we've been together for ten years. We're basically an old married couple. Why are you keeping score over something so trivial? Besides, you've planned beach trips three times already. Don't be greedy."

He closed his eyes and leaned back.

I stared at him, a heavy weight pressing down on my chest.

Yes, I had planned three beach trips. And I had never made it to a single one.

The first time, Lance had caught a severe fever the night before. I cancelled on my best friend and nursed him for three days.

The second time, he was facing a crucial bidding war. I cancelled my flight and stayed up for forty-eight hours revising his pitch deck.

The third time, his schedule clashed with an important client meeting, and there was no one else to host. I threw my luggage back in the closet, slipped on my Louboutins, and went to the dinner in his place.

Three times. I had never actually seen the water.

But he only remembered the bookings.

I nudged his shoulder. "Then I'll go with someone else."

"Mmh," he mumbled, eyes closed. "Go with Zoe."

"It's not Zoe."

His breathing grew slow and even. He was asleep.

I didn't wake him.

I picked up my phone and texted my blind date, confirming our trip for the following day.

Before leaving, I had to hand over some transition documents to my team. But the moment I stepped into the office, Mia was waiting for me, wearing a sharp designer suit that used to be my style.

"Oh, Natalie! You're here," she chirped. "Perfect timing. I need these documents printedtwo copies of each. Put them on my desk when you're done. You know where it is, right? Your old office."

I looked at the massive stack of papers she was thrusting toward my chest. I shook my head. "I'm here to drop off my files, not to do your admin work."

Mia's smile turned patronizing. "Natalie, Lance made it clear. I'm the Director now. Have you forgotten?"

"I am on leave."

"And did I approve that leave?" She crossed her arms, suddenly carrying herself with the unearned confidence of someone who had been in charge for years. "As your direct supervisor, I need to sign off on any PTO. Did you submit a request?"

I looked her up and down. "Do you honestly think I need your permission?"

Her brow furrowed. I let out a soft, humorless laugh, ignored the papers, and turned on my heel.

"Natalie."

Lance stepped out of the executive suite, having witnessed the entire exchange.

Mia quickly scooped up the heavy stack of files. "It's fine, Lance. Natalie used to be my boss, it's natural she doesn't want to take orders from me. I'll print them myself."

She lifted the heavy stack, wincing as if she were carrying the weight of the world.

Lance's voice was cold. "If she's too good for it, are you, the Director, supposed to do grunt work?"

A wave of irritation washed over me.

"It's really fine, Lance, I can manage..." Mia took a step, stumbled dramatically, and fell, sending the papers flying across the floor.

Lance rushed forward, catching her by the arm. "Careful!"

"I'm okay, really..." Mia clutched her ankle, looking up at me with tears pooling in her eyes.

Lance's gaze snapped to me, hard and unforgiving. "Natalie. You aren't the Director anymore. If you want to throw a temper tantrum, do it somewhere else. If you don't want to work, fine." He stood up, adjusting his cuffs. "Go to HR and collect your severance. We don't need you here."

The office fell dead silent. Everyone was watching.

I looked at him, slightly surprised but mostly relieved.

"Go on," Lance said, his tone casual, indifferent.

I didn't argue. He had saved me the trouble of drafting a resignation letter.

"Thank you, Mr. Harrison," I said, offering a polite, empty smile before turning around.

I saw his eyes twitch, a shadow of unease crossing his face.

The moment I got to my car, my phone lit up with a text from him:

"Don't worry, I won't let them actually fire you. Mia is new to the role and needs to establish authority. You embarrassed her in front of the whole staff; I had to react. Once you get back from your trip with Zoe, I'll announce your promotion to VP. And..."

Another message arriveda photo of a velvet box containing two platinum engagement bands. Engraved inside were our initials.

"I'll finally make us public."

I didn't reply.

On the day of my flight, I ran into Lance at the airport.

He was with Mia. I was alone.

My blind date and I were flying from different cities, planning to meet at our destination: Lake Tahoe.

"Wait for me a second," Lance told Mia before walking over to me.

"Why are you alone?" he asked, looking at my single suitcase.

"We're meeting there," I said.

He scanned me from head to toe, then took off his designer coat and draped it over my shoulders. "Don't worry about the Cape Cod trip. There are other people joining us, it's not just Mia and me."

I nodded. "Okay."

"Natalie," he said, his eyes softening with a rare touch of vulnerability. "Be safe. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks."

"When we get back, it'll be our tenth anniversary." He looked at me searchingly. "Let's get married then."

I thought about it, then smiled. "That day is indeed a perfect day for a wedding."

His face lit up. "Then we'll have double the reason to celebrate."

"Yes."

Our flights were boarding at the same time. He and Mia headed toward one gate; I went toward another.

Lance waved. "See you when we get back."

I nodded, letting the coat slide off my shoulders onto a nearby terminal chair.

I never said the man I was marrying was him.