Three Strikes, I’m Gone

I ended my fiveyear secret relationship the night my boyfriend handed my project to the girl he'd known since college for the third time. "Let's break up." Tobias went still for a second.

Then, abruptly, he pinned me back down on the bed, his voice mocking. "Break up with me, and you think you'll be able to sleep?" I got up and started getting dressed, and gave him a small smile. "Don't trouble yourself.

I've found someone else." Chapter 1 Midnight. I took a cab back to my own place.

Half an hour earlier, we had only just finished making love when a text from a coworker came in. [Old Man Yarrow gave the Downtown project to Ramona. Supposedly Mr.

Warwick asked for her specifically.] The intimacy felt fake. Hot water poured down on me. Even that couldn't wash the chill out of my body.

I remembered something Tobias had once said out of jealousy. "This is the second time I've run into you having dinner with that old high school friend of yours." "Three strikes and you're out.

One more time, and we're done." I'd learned. Three strikes and you're out. This was the third time Tobias had handed one of my projects over to Ramona. So.

Tobias, I'm done with you first. I sat on the couch without moving for a long time. Until dawn.

I sent a WhatsApp message to my old friend from college. [I've made up my mind.] [I'll start at your company after Labor Day.] She replied quickly. [Great.

Did you… tell your boyfriend?] I held back the tears that were about to spill over and typed: [We broke up.] Tobias and I grew up together.

After his parents divorced, he was raised by his mom. Growing up, he was the kid every parent wished was theirs. Valedictorian. A rising star in finance.

I bombed the SAT and only got into an ordinary state school on the coast. No one knew I liked him but me.

While he was still in college, he was already interning at his father's company. Half a year after I moved to New York for work, the company I worked for was acquired by Tobias.

He became the big boss. At the company's celebration party, I had a little to drink. Tobias took me home. That night, everything spun out of control.

The next day, Tobias sat there shirtless, his back covered in scratches, looking at me with a complicated expression. I gave a casual little laugh. "I'm a grown woman.

It was just an accident." At that, though, the corner of Tobias's mouth curved up. "You're barely grown." He got up to make breakfast. I watched his back in silence.

It was as though he had eyes in the back of his head. "It wasn't an accident. I'm serious about this. About you." And just like that, Tobias and I started dating.

I had a sleep disorder. The only way I could fall asleep was by touching someone's ear. When I was little, it was my mom's.

After I started college, I spent a long stretch getting by on sleeping pills. After Tobias and I got together, my sleep got much better. The company strictly banned office romances.

No one knew about us. In private, we lived together and cooked together like any ordinary couple. Tobias had once brought up going public. I said no.

I'd just been promoted to team lead back then. I didn't want anyone thinking Tobias was playing favorites.

Then, three years in, a girl a couple of years behind Tobias in college came back from studying abroad. She was parachuted in as department manager.

And took two projects right out of my hands. Chapter 2 I'd been on both projects for more than six months. Tobias always said, "Ramona has experience leading teams overseas.

It's purely about getting the projects done efficiently." After the second project was taken from me, I handed in my resignation, and Tobias refused it.

Between exhaustion and too little sleep, I passed out. Tobias rushed back from overseas.

When I opened my eyes, he was keeping watch by the bed, looking haggard. "How are you feeling?" "What are you trying to prove?

If the security guard hadn't found you passed out, you would've spent the night in the parking garage." "I didn't think things through last time.

It won't happen again, okay?" And just like that, Tobias and I made up.

In recognition of all the hard work I'd put in, even if I had no big wins to show for it, the company promoted me to department supervisor.

Before I knew it, well over a year had gone by. Ramona was promoted to department director. And I was still spinning my wheels in the same spot.

Nobody keeps paving the way for someone else forever. I got to the office right on time. The first thing I did was hand in my resignation. Ms.

Ogilvie looked hesitant. "Annabel, why don't you think it over some more?" I shook my head. "No need. I've made up my mind." I still had a month to hand off my work.

I went back to my desk. A few coworkers gave me sympathetic looks. The ten o'clock meeting got pushed to two in the afternoon. My coworkers gossiped in low voices. "Apparently Ms.

Paxton wasn't feeling well last night and ended up in the hospital in the middle of the night." "Mr.

Warwick went straight to the hospital the second he got the call this morning." "Looks like she really is going to be the boss's wife now." Several gazes landed on me.

I scrolled on my phone. And accidentally tapped into the office group chat. I saw a photo Ramona's assistant had sneaked. Tobias and Ramona standing at the end of a hallway.

Going by the photo alone, they looked like a perfect match. Everyone replied the same way: they totally shipped it. I squeezed my eyes shut.

And forced down the pain welling up in my chest. In a daze, I remembered something from over a month ago. Ramona had been sexually harassed by a supplier.

Tobias had charged over in the middle of the night and beaten the guy up. Ramona was too scared to get to and from work alone, too scared even to sleep at home by herself.

That week, rain or shine, Tobias drove her to work and back. He even stayed at her place with her for two nights.

On the third night, I stopped him. "If you go out, we're breaking up." Tobias's brows knit tight, and his gaze turned heavy. "Ramona's traumatized right now.

She was a couple of years behind me in college. I can't just leave her on her own." With that, Tobias left. That night, my stomach was upset, and my period was late.

I had a pregnancy test delivered. Tobias got home at the same time as the delivery guy. He was back unexpectedly early that night.

He looked at the pregnancy test, shaken. "What does this mean?" I ignored him and went straight into the bathroom. Two lines.

Tobias couldn't take it anymore and barged into the bathroom.

He looked stunned, then wrapped his arms around me carefully and said gently, "We'll go to City Hall for a marriage license at the end of the month." "Tonight was my fault.

Let's not fight anymore." Ramona called Tobias again that night. He didn't pick up. He cut off all private contact with Ramona. Back then, I let myself hope.

Maybe Tobias and I would have a pretty decent future after all. But only a few days later, I passed out at home out of nowhere. When I woke up, I was alone in the hospital room.

I called Tobias. It was noisy in the background, like a bar.

His voice sounded the same as always, but with a thread of cold mockery. "Annabel, faking a pregnancy to force me into marriage and get Ramona out of the picture—was lying to me fun?" That was how I found out.

The pregnancy wasn't real. The report had been wrong. Chapter 3 Tobias was convinced I'd bribed the doctor. For the month after that, Tobias and I were locked in a cold war.

We slept in separate rooms. Strangers under the same roof. Night after night, I couldn't sleep.

In the end, it was Tobias who backed down first. "Let's not bring this up again." I couldn't help trying to explain. "I really didn't lie to you." "Mm." Tobias gave a soft laugh, his tone careless.

Only now did I understand. From beginning to end, Tobias had never believed me. Messages in the group chat kept pouring in. I didn't want to look anymore.

It was noon before Tobias and Ramona came back to the office. The moment the two of them walked in, our coworkers traded knowing smiles.

Ramona blushed and ducked behind Tobias again. Shay, who sat closest to me, said quietly, "Mr. Warwick and Ms.

Paxton actually make a pretty cute couple." I answered offhandedly, "Yeah. They're a good match." With that, I picked up my mug and stood.

Just in time to catch Tobias looking my way. His gaze was dark and unreadable, bottomless. I looked away and went to the break room. Ramona walked in.

She leaned against the counter and gave me a charming smile. "I know about you and Mr. Warwick. But so what?

Whatever I want, he gives me." "Whether it's a person or a project." "Annabel, you can't beat me." I gave a thin smile. "Then let's wait and see whether you can actually hold on to any of it in the end." Ramona's face shifted slightly.

She sneered, "Annabel, stop acting tough. Mr. Warwick already promised me.

At the end of the year, when I get promoted, he's transferring you to a branch office out of state." "No matter how much work you do, nobody cares." Something in my chest caught.

But my expression didn't change at all. I tapped my phone. "Go on. I'm recording." Ramona's face changed completely, and she reached out to snatch my phone.

I took a step back and gave her a small smile. "Kidding. You fell for that?" Ramona's face filled with fury, and she raised her hand to hit me. I stepped aside.

Ramona lost her balance and knocked over a cup on the counter. Boiling water splashed out. Ramona screamed. A crowd gathered at the door. Tobias got there fast.

His gaze swept the room and finally landed on me. His face gave nothing away. His voice was low. "What happened?" Ramona's lashes glistened with tears.

She sobbed, "I just wanted to explain about the project. It's not Annabel's fault.

She just got worked up for a second." "She put more than half a year of hard work into that project. I get why she wouldn't want to hand it over." Tobias stared at me.

His face was stony with anger, his eyes colder than I had ever seen them. "Apologize." I'd bitten the inside of my lip until it bled.

I took a deep breath. "Taking one side's word for it isn't Mr.

Warwick's style." I glanced at the corner. "Don't forget, there's a security camera in the break room too." Tobias stepped forward, his dark gaze bearing down on me. "I'll find out what really happened myself." "Ramona is excellent at her job.

Her promotions and the projects she manages are all decisions made for the good of the company as a whole." "Annabel, you've really disappointed me." "I'll say it one more time.

Apologize." I dug my nails hard into my palms and fought back the burning in my throat. "Absolutely not." Something flickered in Ramona's eyes, and she tugged at the hem of Tobias's shirt. "Mr.

Warwick, I want to go to the hospital." Tobias gave me one last, long look. Then he swept Ramona up in his arms and strode off. The coworkers around me were still whispering.

All kinds of strange looks landed on me. Ms. Ogilvie handed me a tissue. "Annabel, I believe you." Chapter 4 I forced a smile. "Thanks." Ms.

Ogilvie looked uncomfortable. "Admin handles the security footage, and they need Mr. Warwick's authorization." "I know.

Thank you, really." That afternoon, I took the rest of the day off and went home. That night, Tobias called. I didn't answer. I let the screen light up and go dark.

He sent a WhatsApp message. [Ramona's innocent. Why do you have to go after her?] I took a deep breath. And buried my face in my knees. The next day was Saturday.

The moment I woke up, Ms. Ogilvie called. Something had gone wrong with the Downtown venue project. I hurried to the office. The conference room was dead silent.

Tobias's gaze swept over me, cold and without a trace of warmth. "Explain." I pressed my lips together. "Let me check the data first." Ramona's eyes were red, her face full of righteous indignation. "Annabel, the project handoff was for the good of the company.

You can't tamper with the data and drag the whole company down just because you have a personal problem with me, can you?" "You know exactly how important this project is to me.

You're trying to sabotage it on purpose to frame me!" "If you have a problem with me, say it to my face. Don't pull stunts behind my back!" I glanced at her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Tobias's cold, displeased face. The lights were too bright. They made my eyes sting. I took a deep breath and said to Ramona, "What's the rush?

Can't wait to pin the blame on me?" Something shifted in Ramona's eyes. "You