Husband Handed My Work to Lover

Chapter 1

Sean left his laptop behind when he moved back to the city.

The company intranet was still logged into his account.

His wedding photo with Joy Jennings was plastered right on the front page.

I squeezed my thumb until the skin turned white, my heart hammered against my ribs when my phone suddenly rang.

Sean's voice sounded tense through the speaker.

"Sylvie? Are you busy in the fields?"

I let out a soft "Mhm."

He continued, his tone sounding forced.

"The company servers crashed. Some kind of virus, I heard. You didn't click on anything, did you?"

My fingernails dug deeper into my palm, but I couldn't feel the pain.

I thought he was calling to explain the photo.

Instead, he was just making sure his lie was still safe.

I closed my eyes and whispered.

"I don't even have access to the intranet, Sean. How could I see anything?"

Sean's voice instantly brightened.

"That's good. I heard this virus is nasty, it steals corporate secrets."

"By the way, the audit is next month. Get the Clearwater Valley branch files ready. I'll send someone to pick them up."

I froze, staring at the screen where he was smiling at Joy.

"You said you'd give me a position at headquarters this month, Sean."

There was a long silence on the other end.

He sighed, sounding like he was the one being victimized.

"Sylvie, I want to, but I'm still settling in. I don't have much say yet."

"I promise, once I'm stable here, I'll bring you over to work right by my side."

He said he was busy and hung up quickly.

I stared at his new title in the announcement.

"Regional General Manager, Sean Sterling."

A man in charge of every regional branch couldn't find a single opening for his own wife?

My phone buzzed again with a voice note from him.

"I forgot to mention, for the audit files, list Joy Jennings as the project lead."

My ears started ringing. I frantically typed a reply.

"Why? I've handled every single detail of the Clearwater project for three years. I've done more work than you have. Why Joy?"

Before I could hit send, two more voice notes popped up.

"You don't have an official contract yet, Sylvie. Your name isn't in the HQ system, and it looks bad for the branch."

"Joy has the right credentials on paper. Listing her makes the audit go smoother. Don't be petty about it."

I played those notes over and over.

The words I wanted to say stayed stuck in my throat.

He knew I didn't have a job title because he never gave me one.

He wasn't trying to fix my status; he was busy handing my life's work to Joy.

Three years ago, when we first moved to this wasteland, I scouted every acre of soil.

I wrote the entire proposal for the Organic Blue Potato project after months of research.

But when it was submitted, the lead name was his childhood sweetheart, Joy.

He told me back then that I wasn't in the system yet.

He claimed a regular employee could only submit three projects, and he'd used his quota.

Joy was a temp in the logistics department back then, so using her name was "logical."

I had no choice but to believe him.

Every contract with the farmers and every technical breakthrough happened because of me, but her name stayed on the paperwork.

Sean said since she submitted the proposal, she had to stay as the lead.

I swallowed my resentment, thinking my hard work would eventually pay off through his recommendation.

Then, last year, Joy showed up at the farm.

She wore a designer sundress and held her nose, looking at my muddy clothes with pure disgust.

Sean came running from the office in his suit, his face lighting up the moment he saw her.

"It's so dirty and remote here, Joy. What are you doing here?"

She smiled as he took her luggage.

"You invited me for a vacation, remember? I took three days off just to see you."

A sharp tapping on the window snapped me out of my thoughts.

It was Mrs. Gable, my neighbor.

Sylvie! Your pipes burst again! Waters leaking into my kitchen!

I rushed back to the shack to shut off the main valve, but the damage was done.

The water was already ankle-deep over the plywood floor.

Everything I owned was soaked, and the dampness was spreading through the thin walls.

I apologized to Mrs. Gable and promised to pay for the repairs.

She sighed and looked at me with pity.

This shack is a death trap, honey. When is that husband of yours coming back?

I kept my head down and didn't answer.

I dont get it, she continued. Why did you follow him to this hole in the wall?

You gave up your whole life for him, and now hes gone and left you behind.

I rubbed the thick calluses on my hands.

Yeah, I whispered to myself. Why did I give up everything?

Three years ago, we had just gotten our marriage license.

Sean was just a low-level salesman back then.

He told me he didn't want to be a nobody forever.

He said he needed to pay his dues in the field to earn a real promotion.

I was so proud of his ambition that I canceled our wedding and quit my job.

I sold the house and car my parents bought me.

I took every cent of my savings and followed him to Clearwater Valley.

On our first day, an old staffer showed us the dorms.

It was a tiny room, barely two hundred square feet, with a single cot and a plastic chair.

There was no bathroom, and the exposed pipes looked ready to snap.

Seans eyes went red as he held me.

Sylvie, I couldn't afford a real dowry, and now Ive brought you to this hellhole... Ill make it up to you for the rest of my life.

Believe in me. Ill work until I break to get us back to the city.

Back then, he was actually good to me.

He went into the fields with me and stood up for me when the farmers were difficult.

Life was hard, but he fanned me in the summer and gave me his coat in the winter.

I really thought we were building a future together.

But as soon as the blue potato harvest became a success, he found reasons to move into a climate-controlled office.

He stopped helping with the manual labor.

He just sent people to bring me the ledgers and contracts to review while he sat in the shade.

Then Joy arrived.

He said her parents were pressuring her, and she needed a break.

He booked her a nice hotel in town and took her to fancy dinners while I ate canned soup.

Then he said shed be forced into an arranged marriage unless she got a corporate job.

So, he used the success of my project to write her a glowing recommendation.

With a few strokes of a pen, he gave Joy everything that belonged to me.

The shack was uninhabitable now, so I moved back into the shipping container by the field.

After changing into dry clothes, I saw an unread email.

Dear Ms. Hart, we regret to inform you that your job application has been rejected.

Three years. Twelve applications. All rejected.

It didn't make sense.

I had the degree and three years of results. Why wouldn't they hire me?

I scrolled to the bottom of the rejection letter to see the sender's name.

[email protected]

Joy Jennings.

I thought she was in logistics.

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I searched her name on the intranet.

Joy Jennings. Assistant Manager of Human Resources. Lead Recruiter for HQ and Regional Branches.

Sean had been lying to my face.

He gave my credits to Joy so she could become the HR manager.

And she used that power to block me from ever leaving this farm.

They were the power couple, while I was the dirt under their boots.

Was I just a stepping stone for them?

I didn't sleep at all that night.

The next morning, I packed a bag, determined to go to headquarters.

But when I stepped out of the container, a group of angry farmers blocked my path.

Hey, Sylvie! Were still missing two hundred thousand for last months harvest!

Your man ran off to the city. If you dont pay up, you aren't leaving this valley!

My throat was so dry it felt like swallowing glass.

But they were right.

Since Sean left, he had transferred all twenty-five employees out of this branch.

I was the only one left, and I wasn't even on the payroll.

Two hours later, I was on a bumpy bus ride to the station.

I had used the last of my savingsDthe final $200,000Dto pay the farmers.

I only had a few bucks left for a bus ticket.

Three years ago, I came here with two million dollars.

I had sunk almost all of it into the project, and I hadn't seen a dime back.

I wasn't the spoiled girl I used to be.

I clutched my old backpack and didn't make a sound.

I could handle the labor, but I couldn't handle being discarded like trash.

I needed an answer from Sean.

Clearwater was so far away that I didn't reach the city until three nights later.

I managed to sneak into the company headquarters.

Passing the grand ballroom, I saw Joy in a stunning evening gown.

On the massive screen behind her was the presentation I had stayed up all night to finish.

But where my name should have been, hers was written in bold letters.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. Then Sean walked onto the stage.

I heard the employees near the door gossiping.

Mr. Sterling is personally presenting the Manager of the Year award to his own wife. They really are the ultimate power couple.

Did you see the prize? A five-million-dollar bonus and a luxury penthouse downtown!

I gripped my backpack straps, watching Sean hand the trophy to Joy.

The look they shared was sickeningly sweet.

Joy Jennings stayed in the trenches, dedicated herself to the Blue Potato project, and led her team through every crisis, Sean announced.

Last year, she made this project the top performer in the company. This award is well-deserved!

Well-deserved?

How could he even say that?

I funded the project. I solved the technical crises with the engineers.

Sean spent his time drinking tea in his office. He didn't even deserve a thank you.

And Joy, who only visited for three days, deserved nothing.

I started to march toward the stage, but a security guard grabbed my arm.

Who are you? Which department?

Show me your ID badge.

I jerked my arm away and turned, locking eyes with Joy as she stepped off the stage.

She froze, her face turning pale for a split second.

Then she walked toward me with a smug look.

What are you doing here?

I glanced at the trophy in her hand.

Why are you on that stage, Joy?

She was wearing four-inch heels, making her tower over me.

She hid the trophy behind her back and leaned in close to my ear.

Come to my office. Ill give you what you want.

Joy dropped a contract on the desk and pushed a pen toward me.

Sign this, and youre an official employee. 0-05,000 a month, a year-end bonus, full benefits, and a housing allowance.

She leaned back in her expensive leather chair with a mocking smile.

For a farm girl like you, thats a fortune, isn't it?

I sat across from her, staring at the calluses on my hands, then at the contract.

The position was for a junior sales rep back in Clearwater Valley.

The lowest rank possible, but with an unusually high salary.

It was hush money.

I looked up. Whats the catch?

She shrugged.

Simple. You sign this and you go back to the valley.

You don't come back to the city without a formal transfer order from HQ.

I stood up so fast my chair nearly flipped.

Youre out of your mind, Joy!

I want to see Sean. Right now.

She tapped her knuckles on the desk.

What good will that do? Hes the one who drafted this contract.

My anger turned into a cold weight in my chest.

What did you say...?

The door opened, and Sean walked in, looking sharp in his designer suit.

Joy, give us a minute, he said.

Joy smirked at me, patted Sean on the shoulder, and stood up.

Dont be too long, babe. We have a victory party to get to.

He nodded, closed the door, and rushed over to me.

Why didn't you tell me you were coming? What if someone saw you?

What are you afraid of, Sean? Afraid theyll find out you dumped your wife in the woods so you could marry another woman?

Seans expression hardened.

So you know.

He lowered his voice to a hiss.

Corporate policy forbids managers from having family members in their direct line of command to prevent nepotism.

Im the Regional GM now. If people knew my wife was the lead on the Blue Potato project, it would ruin my career!

Joy already had the credits, but shes in HR now. If we pretend to be married, no one asks questions. Its the only way to protect what Ive built!

I was stunned by his audacity. I stared at him for a long time.

Three years ago, I sacrificed everything because he said paying my dues would lead to a great future.

Now, he was erasing our entire marriage for that same future.

I squeezed my palms until the skin broke. The sharp pain cleared my head.

I actually started to laugh.

Sean, you told everyone Joy is the mastermind. You told everyone shes your wife. How could I possibly hurt your career?

Seans eyes darkened.

Because everyone in Clearwater knows youre the one who actually did the work.

I pointed at the contract on the desk.

You wrote this?

He nodded.

Every word. I fought to get you that salary. Im trying to take care of you, Sylvie.

I swore Id never let you suffer after all those years in the dirt...

I cut him off.

So your plan is to keep me trapped in that valley forever?

He shook his head quickly.

No, but my position depends on the success of that project. If things go wrong there, Im finished. I need you to keep things running.

Everything was about him. His job. His career. His reputation.

It was pathetic. I had spent three years in the sun and rain for this.

Sean picked up the pen.

Sign it. Ill have Joy advance you three months' pay right now.

Trust me, Sylvie. Once I have more power, Ill bring you back here.

Ill tell everyone the truth then. Ill make sure everyone knows youre the real genius behind the project!

I looked at the pen, then picked up my bag.

Forget it.

He looked shocked that Id say no.

I walked out before he could say another word.

But I didn't leave the building. I took my phone, which had been recording the entire time, and headed straight for the CEOs office.