Underground love

My third year into a secret relationship with Justin Zhou, he suddenly announced his engagement.

The bride wasn't me.

Someone who knew about us piped up, defending me. Justin just smirked and said, "If you feel so bad for her, why don't you marry the broke heiress?"

Later, Grandpa fell seriously ill, the family business was in crisis, and I was forced to reveal my pregnancy and take over.

"Miss Hayes, is the child Mr. Zhou's?"

I gave the reporters a polished smile. "The child has nothing to do with Mr. Zhou."

I heard Justin was so furious watching me, slightly pregnant, on TV that he trashed his apartment.

Later still, someone snapped a photo of the most elusive, mysterious tycoon in the city, whispering to a woman on a busy street.

"Ashley, the baby's almost a year old, he'll be calling me 'Dad' soon. Aren't you going to give me a title yet?"

1.

I pushed open the door to the private room. Justin was on one knee, a huge diamond ring in his hand, proposing.

But not to me.

A pretty, elegant young woman in a white dress stood before him, nodding tearfully, "Yes, I do."

I entered, unnoticed. Justin was focused on slipping the ring onto her finger.

Only after she left with her friend to freshen up did he glance at me. "Olivia's innocent, easily scared. Took a lot of effort to win her over."

"Better she doesn't know about our little… history."

"She said yes, so I'm announcing the engagement tomorrow."

We'd been secretly dating for three years. Only a handful of people, besides our families, knew.

His words hung in the air. The few in the room who knew the truth all looked at me.

I took a deep breath. "Justin, can we hold off on the announcement? Just for a month? Two weeks, even…"

He laughed, a flicker of mockery in his eyes. "Ashley, still clinging on, even now?"

2.

"Justin, for old times' sake…"

"Enough!" He slammed his glass down. "Three years. The Zhou family covered at least three million in Hayes Corp losses. Isn't that enough?"

I was speechless.

"Go home. Don't want Olivia getting the wrong idea when she sees you here."

I turned stiffly, and as I opened the door, I heard him say to someone, "If you feel so bad for her, why don't you marry the broke heiress?"

I laughed bitterly. The Hayes family was indeed struggling, especially after my parents' deaths. The company was practically falling apart.

But Justin seemed to have forgotten that it was our "broke" family who had saved him and his grandfather years ago. All he remembered was the Hayes family "forcing" me on him.

3.

News of Justin and Olivia's engagement spread like wildfire. Grandpa, already weak from the loss of my parents, was rushed to intensive care.

I kept vigil at the hospital, while my uncle barged into the company with his cronies. Before, with the Zhou family backing me, they wouldn't dare. Now, facing a parentless orphan, they were ruthless.

During a brief moment of lucidity, Grandpa gripped my hand. "Ashley, this company is your parents' life's wo...