She snapped her mouth shut, her eyes swimming with pity.
I didn't need pity.
I needed closure.
At seven sharp, the gala commenced.
Jonathan took the stage, radiating charisma and dominance.
The livestream cameras swept the audience, pausing on my face for a fraction of a second before moving on to more important people.
Jonathan's speech was masterful. He thanked the angel investors, the executive team, the strategic partners.
He even thanked the janitorial staff for their diligence.
But he never mentioned me.
Whispers rippled through the crowd. The weight of their gazes pricked my skin like needles.
Then came the awards ceremony. The atmosphere grew electric.
Names were called. Applause thundered.
I sat in the shadows of the second row, my thumb unconsciously tracing the plain silver band I still wore on my ring finger.
"Next," Jonathan's voice rose, tinged with excitement, "is tonight's most anticipated segment—the Special Year-End Bonus."
The hall fell into a hush so deep you could hear a pin drop.
The spotlight prowled across the audience, searching.
Ideally, it should have landed on me.
My heart skipped a beat, a traitorous flare of hope igniting in my chest.
But the light swung past me.
And locked onto Anna Pruitt.
She gasped, covering her mouth with delicate hands, eyes wide with feigned shock before a shy, victorious smile bloomed on her face.
Jonathan descended the stage stairs, step by deliberate step, walking toward her.
He stopped in front of Anna and produced a velvet box.
Flipped it open.
A three-carat diamond fractured the stage lights into a blinding prism.
"Anna," Jonathan's voice boomed through the speakers, "in just these few months, you have breathed new life into this company. You gave us direction when we were lost."
"I hope this ring symbolizes the solid, intimate partnership we are building."
He plucked the ring from the velvet.
Anna extended her hand, allowing him to slide the diamond onto her finger.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Anna threw herself into Jonathan's arms, burying her face in his neck.
The massive LED screen behind them displayed a cinematic close-up of the ring and their embrace.
Then, without warning, the director cut the feed.
The screen filled with my face.
Pale. Stiff. Shattered.
A collective gasp rippled through the room as the audience saw the raw devastation broadcast ten feet high.