Love Ends Here

Lawrence Hale has been Julia Ware's assistant and lover for seven years, but she's now getting engaged to someone else.

She calls off their engagement during an auction, and he thinks she wants to propose to him. It's only when a face that looks almost identical to him shows up that he realizes he's never been more than a replacement.

"Lawrence, you're already 30. You're not young anymore. Are you really planning to stay at that company forever? If you're not getting married, just come back for a blind date. Your Aunt Ella found a young lady for you. She's coming back from abroad next month, and she seems nice. Come meet her."

It was nearing the end of the workday when Lawrence Hale received the call from his mother, Maddison Pace.

It wasn't the first time she had called to pressure him about marriage. Usually, he'd hesitate or brush it off. But this time, his answer was different.

"Alright. I'll come back once I quit my job."

On the other end, Maddison went silent for a moment. "You're serious about coming back?"

"Yeah, I'll be back."

After hanging up, Lawrence started packing up his desk to leave when the office phone buzzed.

"Come in."

Lawrence pushed the door open, and his gaze immediately landed on the woman standing by the floor-to-ceiling window.

She had a stunning figure and a beautiful face. Under the golden rays of the setting sun, she looked almost ethereal.

When Lawrence approached Julia Ware, she turned and looped her arms around his neck. She then whispered in his ear, "I'm coming to your place tonight."

"I've got plans tonight," he replied, stepping back.

However, Julia grabbed his wrist. "What plans could you possibly have?"

"I have a meeting with a client." Lawrence rejected her again.

Unfazed, Julia reached out and unbuttoned his collar. The marks beneath his white shirt were enough to make anyone blush.

"You know I don't like men who don't listen to me," she murmured, before leaning in to kiss him.

Lawrence frowned but didn't resist. Her kisses trailed over him, but inside, he felt nothing but emptiness.

The night before, he had delivered some documents to Julia at a bar. That was when he overheard her conversation with a group of socialites.

"Ms. Ware, we heard your grandma's setting you up with a fiancé. What about your boy toy, Lawrence?"

Julia had replied nonchalantly, "What about him? He's just a fling. Do you think I'd actually keep him around? If he hadn't been so attentive, I would've replaced him long ago. I'd never marry him."

Everyone knew Lawrence was head over heels for Julia—so much so that no matter the time or place, he'd drop everything for her.

But he never expected that he was nothing more than a fling in Julia's eyes.

At that moment, Lawrence finally woke up.

That night, he drove Julia home as usual. When they reached her door, she turned and wrapped herself around him, igniting