Replacement CEO

On our seventh anniversary, my husband Richard Cox left me to spend the night with his first love, Nina Baxter.

I discarded the well-prepared dinner that was already cold and sat in silence all night.

The next day, Nina apologized to me, saying if she had known it was our anniversary, she wouldn't have kept him so long.

"But thank you for looking after Richard all these years."

Richard stood silently by her side.

Later, I stepped aside for Nina and decided to leave.

Richard chased after me like a madman, his voice trembling as he pleaded, "Sammy, stay. Can we go back to how we used to be?"

Then I found out I was pregnant.

On the day of our seventh anniversary, I had prepared flowers and a cake, eager to surprise Richard with the news, but he never came home.

All the dishes had gone cold.

I called him over a dozen times, but no one answered.

Growing increasingly worried, I decided to take a chance and head to the lounge that Richard used to frequent.

He had a private room on the top floor there, which was reserved for business meetings.

I drove straight to the top floor.

As the elevator doors slid open gently, I beheld Richard standing just outside the room. His eyes were fixed on the woman facing him, his gaze filled with both tenderness and a deep, yearning longing.

The woman wore a sleeveless black dress, elegantly styled and perfectly tailored.

I leaned forward to get a better look at her face and froze in place.

It was a face I would never forget.

It was Richard's dream girl, the woman he could never forget—Nina.

I had seen a photo of Nina in Richard's study. She was probably in her teens then, wearing a white dress, looking like an innocent princess.

Richard had his arm around her. They seemed like inseparable childhood sweethearts, the ideal pair.

I should have turned and left, but I couldn't help dialing Richard's number once more.

The ringtone echoed, and he glanced at his phone, frowning as he hung up.

"If you have something to do, go ahead," Nina urged him.

"It's nothing."

I leaned against the elevator wall, tears streaming down my face.

After all, what was a seventh anniversary compared to a reunion with his dream girl?

I don't know how long I stood there, but eventually, I saw Richard and his group coming downstairs, Nina's slender arm linked through his.

Ms. Taylor, Richard's assistant, approached to report, mentioning me, "Sammy, she also... "

Richard seemed terrified to mention me in front of Nina and interrupted her.

"Why bring her up? Just a cheap knock-off."

Hearing that, I was rooted to the spot.

The city was always dry, but at that moment, I suddenly smelled a salty, damp scent.