By my third month on the job, I discovered that my coworkers had been calling me the old crow behind my back.

The nickname came from none other than Jace's condescending secretarybecause at 32, I was still clutching onto an eight-year relationship that hadn't ended in marriage.

I confronted Jace. "Do you know your employees have been calling me the old crow?"

He didn't even bother to look up. "That's just Sadieshe speaks her mind and means no harm. You're 32; why get so worked up over what a young girl says?"

Then he gave me a faint, mocking smile. "Though honestly, it's a pretty fitting nickname."

It felt like a cold hand had wrapped around my heart. So that was iteight years of my youth, nothing more than a joke to him.

I turned and walked away, handed in my resignation, and blocked every way he could reach me. But for the first time, the man who had always seemed so calm and untouchable finally panicked.

"Elara," he pleaded, "please come back."
Chapter 1 The Old Crow
The first time I really heard the words "old crow" was during the company's Monday morning meeting.
Sadie Laurent kept her eyes down as I scolded her, a teardrop glistening at the corner of her lashes. And during the short break, someone muttered under their breath, "She really is an old crowalways picking on the young and pretty ones."
For a moment, my thoughts froze.
That single line stirred up a storm. Whispers rippled across the room, each one sharper than the last.
"She's just throwing her weight aroundbossing people for no reason."
"Thirty-two, and still clinging to an eight-year relationship that's going nowhere. Talk about persistent."
I set my cup down, and the room went dead silent. Countless eyes turned to me, as if I were the one who'd done something wrong.
Sadie dabbed her reddened eyes with a tissue. "Ms. Stone, I'll double-check the data again."
"Not double-checkredoing," I said, forcing my voice to stay cold despite the sting in my chest. "Before tomorrow's morning briefing, I want a precise analysis report and a recovery plan on my desk."
At that, I swept my gaze over her, then the rest of the room. "Meeting adjourned."
I stood and walked out first. Behind me, the murmurs rose again like a rising tidethis time, louder and bolder.
"Pompous bitch. She's only got that director's seat because of Mr. Pryor."
"The old crow's on a rampage again. Guess menopause came early."
Back in my office, my computer pinged with a new internal email. The subject line read in bold. 'Suggestions for Improving Management Communication and Supporting Employee Mental Health'
It was sent from the HR director, but I knew whose hand was really behind it. Sadie's tears, once again, carried more weight than my performance report ever could.
I let out a bitter laugh and closed the page. Then Jace Pryor's extension rang through. His voice was calm, lazyalmost soothing. "Elara, you sure lost your temper in that meeting. You made the girl cry. Sadie's young and inexperienced. Mistakes happen. Try to go easy on her, okay?"
In the background, I could hear faint sniffles through the line. I swallowed my irritation, keeping my tone even. "Sadie's data errors were serious. They directly affected this quarter's financial report."
"Well, mistakes happen," he said lightly. "Sadie's not been feeling wellbad timing with her cycle. Cut her some slack. Anyway, dinner tonight? I booked a table at that new Japanese place."
After work, I climbed into Jace's familiar black sports car. The tension in my face finally eased a little.
"She's just a kid who doesn't know better," he coaxed, his voice almost pleading. "Teach her, for my sake, alright?"
I let it go and didn't press the matter further.
When we entered the private room, Sadie was already therelong hair loose, makeup flawless. The moment she saw us, she rose to her feet.
Chapter 2 When Loyalty Turns to Ash
"Mr. Pryor, Elara, I was worried you'd get bored waiting for the food, so I ordered ahead. See if they're to your liking?"
I glanced at Jace, but he went straight to sit beside her instead, smiling as he said, "Sadie felt bad for upsetting you and came to make amends. See? She's thoughtful like that."
Sadie poured me a glass of sake and lifted her cup toward me. "Elara, it's my fault for messing up the data and dragging you into all that gossipyou know what? I'll just drink this as an apology."
She downed it in one gulp, her cheeks turning pink, making her look even more delicate and charming. Jace gave her an approving glance before asking casually, "People were gossiping about Elara? What were they saying?"
Sadie pressed her lips together, smiling faintly. "It's better if you ask Elara yourself, Mr. Pryor. I really shouldn't repeat it."
Jace turned to me then, curiosity flickering in his eyes. I met his gaze evenly. "Your employees called me the old crow."
He didn't even blink before laughing outright. "Sadie was just teasing you, trying to get acquainted. You actually took it seriously?"
Then he sized me up, smirking. "Though to be honest, it kind of fits you."
I stared at the face I'd known for eight years and suddenly felt like I was looking at a stranger. "Jace, do you really think that's funny? Hearing people call me the old crowdoes that make you laugh?"
The air went still. Sadie made a show of standing up, her eyes glistening. "Mr. Pryor, am I making things awkward? I'll go. You two talk"
"Sit down, Sadie." Jace pressed her back into her seat, then shot me a look of irritation. "Elara Stone, she apologized sincerely. Do you have to keep pushing? It's just a nickname. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?"
It felt as if a knife plunged straight into my chest. Watching his hand still resting on Sadie's wrist, I almost laughed at how ridiculous it all was. Eight years of trust and loveshattered in an instant.
"Wonderful," I said, forcing a smile. "Just wonderful."
I picked up the glass of sake Sadie had poured. "This apologyis too rich for me."