Blurb：
After eight years of secret marriage, Marvin Smith publicly humiliates his wife Tracy to please his assistant Wendy Jenkins. When Tracy defiantly discards Wendy’s gift, Marvin’s explosive reaction reveals the toxic dynamics of their hidden relationship. This office romance novel explores power, betrayal, and self-respect as Tracy confronts the reality of her marriage to Marvin Smith. Witness Tracy’s journey from obedient subordinate to empowered woman in this emotional workplace drama filled with tension between Marvin, Tracy, and Wendy. Perfect for readers who enjoy complex love triangles and strong female protagonists reclaiming their identity.
Content：
In the eighth year of our secret office marriage, Marvin lit up every LED screen in Ocean City, just to make his little assistant smile.
Amidst the well-wishes from everyone, the assistant cheerfully handed out gifts to the entire office.
I casually tossed my gift into the trash.
The assistant immediately ran to Marvin’s office, tears streaming down her face, to report me.
Moments later, Marvin, furious, suspended me from my position.
As I walked out of the company building, Marvin’s voice echoed from the loudspeakers on the top floor.
“Celebrating Wendy’s successful completion of her work, the gift is ready!”
Wendywas the assistant’s name.
As I watched the crowd rush past me, I calmly cut all ties with Marvin.
This hidden marriage had come to an end.
Chapter 1
Right before the gift hit the bottom of the trash bin, Marvin Smith came at me with boiling anger. His hands clenched as he stood an inch from my face, his eyes wide with rage.
“Tracy, someone gave you a gift out of kindness, and you tossed it without a second thought? Where’s your sense of decency?” he snapped.
“If you’re too high and mighty for this place, then pack up and leave. Stop being a thorn in everyone’s side!”
I suppressed a chuckle as I stared back at the man before me, his eyes red with fury.
Everything about Marvin was a joke.
I let out a weary sigh and met his gaze. “If someone cared about their image, they wouldn’t pull stunts like these for all to see. Plus, a decent person wouldn’t get caught in such an act with other women.”
The onlooking colleagues, who had been enjoying the show, looked at each other in disbelief.
Ever since I started working here, I never said no to Marvin. No matter how absurd his demands were, I would always carry them out to perfection.
To everyone, it was just the way things were.
Tracy, the ever-obedient servant to Marvin. Whatever he wanted could be his. With a snap of his fingers, I would make sure it would be there.
Marvin’s face twisted into a sneer, as if I had told the funniest joke. “Tracy, did you think before you speak?” he scoffed.
“I’ve told you time and again, always remember your place before you do or say anything.”
He emphasized on ‘your place’, making sure I caught the underlying threat.
He never forgot our disgraceful marriage. However, that did not stop him from playing favorites with his little assistant for all to see.
They were inseparable, doing everything together like two peas in a pod every day. It was clear to anyone with half a brain that they were soulmates.
“I’m serious, I know exactly what I’m saying and doing. If you didn’t understand, feel free to review the security tapes.”
I stepped back slowly. Without a second thought, I turned and walked away.
As I passed the trash can where the gift was in, I picked it up and flung it at the man trailing behind me.
“Handing out gifts before it’s even your turn, Mr. Smith? You’re quite the generous one. Looks like wedding bells are calling for you. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness and loving family!”
I rounded the last corner of the office when Marvin’s angry voice chased after me.
“Tracy, what’s gotten into you today? You better straighten up and come back to apologize. I might even forgive you if you do that. Wendy’s a single girl, and you’re out here sullying her name. You owe her an apology, or I swear you’ll regret it!”
I covered my ears and hurried away.
In the depths of winter, the world outside was a frozen wasteland.
With no taxis in sight for miles, I made my way home on foot.
It was not until I was nearly home that my body numb from the cold. Within my sight, I saw two familiar figures and instinctively headed the other way.
Wendy Jenkins greeted me with surprise. “Tracy, where are you off to?”
“Marvin’s place is just over here. Come in and warm up a bit. Marvin’s not the type to invite people over, but he won’t kick you out if I insist.”
Chapter 2
Marvin looked straight ahead, acting as if I did not exist.
I had told him time and again that no matter what happened, he should not bring people home especially not other women.
I called him out by name, Wendy’s in particular.
He just thought I was making a fuss over nothing, giving me an impatient look. “Isn’t it normal to have guests over? You really need to get over your jealousy.”
He yanked our custom couple’s frame from its spot by the door and chucked it into the trash without a second thought.
“Now that we’re secretly married, are you acting out just so everyone knows we’re hitched?”
…
I averted my gaze, refusing to look at the pair by the bedroom door.
I had lost count of how many times Wendy came into our home.
Wendy scurried over to me, her face a picture of feigned bewilderment as she clutched at my sleeve.
“Tracy, I’m always respectful to you, at work and in life. Why are you making my life difficult?”
She played the innocent card, but anyone with half a brain could see her true colors.
Yet Marvin was totally enthralled by her act.
A dark shadow crossed his eyes as he shot me an impatient look. “Even if she froze to death out here today, it shouldn’t be our problem. Come inside and warm up or leave, stop souring the mood at the door!”
The door flew open and then slammed shut with a bang, the fleeting warmth feeling like a taunt.
With nowhere else to turn, I headed back to the office.
Shivering all the way, I was numb by the time I arrived.
The weather outside was getting worse, and as dusk fell, a freezing drizzle began to fall.
I used to worry about Marvin getting caught in a weather like that, afraid he would suffer even the slightest discomfort.
Seeing my ragged reflection in the office’s glass, the irony could not be more bitter.
As I slowly got used to the warmth inside, I pulled out my phone with shaky hands, clinging to a sliver of hope.
The only thing Marvin ever left me was his ancient, untouched social feed, which, to my surprise, got an update today.
[Snowy day, sweetheart, and roast dinners pure bliss.]
The photo showed Wendy sprawled in front of a panoramic window, lost in the snowy view, with a table laden with bubbly drinks and roasted meals behind her.
The company’s rumor mill went into overdrive in the chat group, and after a few daring souls tagging the main characters, Marvin and Wendy’s names were suddenly everywhere.
[At last, the open secret’s out, and they can stop sneaking around like kids stealing candy from a candy shop!]
[Do you think their parents realize how tough it is for their kids to scrounge up those sweet moments day by day?]
[Enough said, let’s toast to our old pal!]
Marvin was in that company-wide chat too, and he did not miss a beat every message was read.
However, he never corrected their wild guesses or the face-to-face congratulations. He seemed to relish the spotlight.
His silence only cemented the rumors.
I had confronted him about it more than once, exploding after holding it in too long, and all he would do was furrow his brows.
“I’m already busting my back at work, and now you want me to play referee too? Plus, they’re just having fun. If they’re happy, they’ll work harder. Or would you rather have a workplace as lively as a graveyard?”
Chapter 3
He was right I never should have cared in the first place. There was nothing left to care about even then.
I cut ties with every company chat group without a second thought.
As the sky began to lighten, I made my way home but ran into Marvin at the elevator. He glanced at me like I was nothing, scorned, and quickly looked away.
“Spent the night here mulling things over? Come to any realizations?”
I hit the elevator button, my voice dripping with indifference. “Yeah, I’ve had an epiphany. I’m done.”
Marvin whipped around to face me, arms folded, taking in my ragged state from head to toe.
“You never wanted to be my right hand from the get-go. Guess what? That other company you’re eyeing? They wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole now. Last warning think before you let anything else slip.”
He was not wrong.
Back when I was fresh on the job scene, I had options. However, Marvin, in the early days of his venture, was alone and scared out of his wits.
He pleaded with me to join him, to weather the storm together. I could not stand to see him worry, so I said yes without a second thought.
We signed a secret pact to keep our work partnership from getting tangled up with personal ties, thinking it would keep things clean.
He always acted like feelings and careers were apples and oranges.
I thought by sacrificing my own path and sticking by him, he would eventually see my worth.
That he would need me after all our time together.
I was so wrong.
Right from the start.
“I’ve already thought this through,” I said, inhaling deeply before stepping into the elevator.
However, Marvin lunged for the closing doors, yanking me back out and gripping my arm like a vise.
“Tracy, what’s with all this talk lately? Is it because I celebrated with someone else?
“I’ve told you a million times, Wendy’s the ace up our sleeve right now, I need to keep her on board. With the market this cutthroat, you’re not the help I need. Can’t you just back off and-”
His phone cut him off mid-rant.
Marvin’s frown deepened, and it did not take a genius to guess who was on the line.
From the moment Wendy started at the company, there were many times when she and Marvin kept in touch. It was unavoidable.
Marvin was told more than once how much it bothered me. I even begged him not to do it when I was around.
However, he brushed me off, thinking I was just being dramatic, not getting the bind he was in.
This time, though, I did not say a word nor lift a finger to stop him.
I just took the elevator down and headed home.
When I got there, the place was spotless. That was a relief. I went straight to the guest room to rest.
I was sure I would be tossing and turning all night, but I crashed out and slept like a rock.
That was, until evening came, when that wicked stomach pain hit me out of nowhere. It was so bad I could not even stand up straight.
I popped some painkillers from the nightstand, hunched over, and made my way to the hospital.
Holding the doctor’s report, I was in a daze. I was about to book it out of there when I saw Marvin, holding Wendy close. She was wearing my jacket.
Wendy spotted me first. Her eyes flickered with surprise before she shuffled over.
“Tracy, what are you doing here so late?”
“I had loads for dinner last night and it messed me up. Marvin’s been looking after me all night. He even grabbed my ID from the office first thing this morning and has been running around with me at the hospital all day.
“I’ve always been kind of sickly, but usually I’m okay. Marvin just worries too much. He called me his treasure and had to bring me here just to calm his nerves.”
I gripped the doctor’s report so hard my knuckles went white. I managed a tight-lipped smile. “It’s not often you find a supervisor who cares that much.”
Marvin gave me a hard look. “You haven’t answered her. What are you doing here?”
I looked away, slipping the report into my pocket when I thought they would not notice.
“I was just out there, casually job hunting. I’m no treasure, after all, I have to find a way to make a living. ”
I had no interest in small talk with the person before me, so I sidestepped them and made my exit.
Wendy spun around and caught my arm, her eyes brimming with urgency.
“Tracy, I’m so sorry about not bringing you along yesterday. It’s been eating me up. You have to stick with us it’s freezing, and taxis don’t come by that often.
“I gave Marvin an earful yesterday, trust me. He’s given his word, if I’m saying yes, anything goes with him.”
I curled an eyebrow, took a quick look at the man behind her, but did not bite.
Marvin closed in, his tone heavy with reproach, “Tracy, why do you have to be so thankless? When people reach out to you, why do you reject their kindness?
“You’re spinning tales now. Forget your age, even your younger self wouldn’t land a job here. Making up stories about job hunting comes way too easy to you.
“I haven’t seen any resignation from you. You’ve got no special status here, your words mean nothing. Who gave you the nerve to just up and quit?”
I avoided his gaze, just gave a robotic nod.
“Say what you will, I’m done. I’ve got no interest in your spiel. If I don’t quit, I’ll just skip work forever.”
“You!” Marvin lunged, finger aimed at my nose.
I inhaled deeply, not in the mood for a spat, and headed to the department I needed, as per the instructions.
“Hi, I need to schedule an abortion as soon as possible.”
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