I sat at my desk, staring at the spreadsheet on my screen, trying to focus, but the numbers blurred together.

The office hummed with keyboards, phones, and low chatter, but one conversation kept slicing through my concentration.

“Did you hear?” Sarah from accounting whispered. “Mr. Ryan is getting engaged.”

My fingers froze above the keyboard.

“No way! To whom?” Jennifer from HR asked.

“Some woman from his social circle,” Sarah replied. “Old family friends.”

“She’s so lucky,” Jennifer breathed. “Imagine having someone like Mr. Ryan—all to yourself.”

The conversation grew more animated, and a sense of dread weighed heavily on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

“Will you please...