The Escape Plan Chapter 1

When Christian broke up with me for the nth time, I was pulling an all-nighter for my annual performance review.

"Chloe, I'm giving you twenty minutes. Get to the club and apologize, or we're done."

I instantly broke down.

"This report is critical for my promotion. Can you pick another day to throw a tantrum?"

His tone was light, dismissive. "Tantrum? Looks like your job is more important than me. Fine, let's break up."

"Oh, and by the way, I can be pretty petty."

"Stopping your promotion is just one phone call away."

I slammed the phone down, furious. But suddenly, a stream of floating comments—like a Twitch chat—appeared in front of my eyes.

[Does the FL (Female Lead) actually believe his threats? The ML (Male Lead) already secretly approved her promotion. He just wants to surprise her!]

[As long as she shows she'd choose him over her career, he'd give her the CEO chair if she asked. He'd never actually ruin her future.]

[Avoidant attachment style at its finest. Says 'go away' but means 'hug me tight.' He needs her to cling to him.]

[The ML is literally standing outside her door right now, waiting for her to run out and comfort him. This angst is delicious!]

I was skeptical, hand hovering over the doorknob to go find him.

Then, a WeChat notification popped up.

"Heard your promotion is dead in the water, Miss Zhou. Interested in jumping ship?"

* * *

I stared at the message from a user named "Wings."

After racking my brain, I ruled out a prank.

Was this Christian using a burner account to test me?

No. Christian was too arrogant for that.

In our ten-year relationship, I was always the one to cave, to apologize.

The drama of me rushing over to beg for forgiveness? We'd rehearsed it a thousand times.

My unconditional love had made him fearless.

So who was this?

The floating comments gave me the answer immediately.

[The ML's arch-nemesis is trying to poach her! He overheard the ML on the phone in the club bathroom. He texted the FL the second he walked out. Ruthless.]

[The FL isn't just the ML's girlfriend; she's a key player at the company. Julian Gu, the rival CEO, naturally wants to steal talent.]

[Let's be real, Julian has been thirsting after the FL for ages. This is personal.]

I narrowed my eyes. Julian Gu.

My team beat his company, Gu Corp, in the last bidding war.

At the after-party, people joked that we should connect.

Back then, he didn't even look at me.

I stood there, smile freezing on my face, until he finally, coldly, let me scan his QR code.

I thought he'd delete me the next day. Turns out, he kept me.

But I only half-believed the comments.

Christian never hid our relationship, but in public, he treated me with the cold detachment of a superior.

To outsiders, I was just a corporate slave making $3,000 a month.

Julian loved mocking Christian for it.

"Finding a corporate slave who doubles as a free bed-warmer? Christian really is a brilliant businessman."

Julian looked down on me.

His job offer felt less like an opportunity and more like a way to piss off Christian.

I scrolled past his name.

Christian's assistant had sent a voice note.

"Chloe, please come quick. Mr. Pei is drunk and refuses to leave."

He also sent a video of Christian making a scene.

I hesitated, about to change clothes, then froze.

There she was. Bella, giggling in the background at the 30-second mark.

[The ML is pulling this stunt again. Calling the Second Female Lead over just to make the FL jealous.]

[He knows she falls for it every time. Scare her a little, and she loses her mind.]

[Go to him, girl! I bet my membership on it—if you apologize tonight, he'll be on his knees waiting for you.]

[I get the ML. Seeing your partner suffer over a breakup feels so validating. It proves they love you.]

I was stunned.

The floating text wasn't a hallucination.

They called me the FL, and Christian the ML.

Christian was exactly as they described—always threatening breakups, waiting for me to salvage things.

If I didn't go, he'd get everyone around us to pressure me.

But even when I went, he wouldn't soften immediately.

Last time, I took a red-eye train just to comfort him.

I walked in, exhausted, and he didn't even look at me. Instead, he leaned into Bella.

"Who told her to come? I thought you had a backbone. Didn't we break up?"

But seconds later, his body betrayed him. He clung to me.

That night, he wouldn't let me go. Seven times.

The next day, he showered me with bags and trips, overcompensating.

I once asked him, "Aren't you afraid I'll run away if you treat me like this?"

He buried his face in my neck.

"Wifey would never leave me over something so small."

"Chloe, as long as you take one step toward me, I'll walk the remaining ninety-nine steps to you."

But he didn't know. After being tortured like this repeatedly...

I didn't want to take a single step anymore.

I was too tired for this exhausting love.

Seeing no reply from me, the assistant kept calling.

I hesitated. Should I coax him one more time?

Then Bella sent a message.

"Christian says don't bother coming. He wants me to watch the sunrise with him!"

She sent a short video.

"Christian, Chloe isn't coming. Is she really breaking up with you?"

Christian downed his drink. "We broke up. Don't mention her."

"Didn't you want to see the sunrise? Let's go."

He glanced at the camera.

He knew she was recording.

I took a deep breath and threw my phone onto the couch.

I turned back to my laptop.

Optimizing my PPT.

Instead of believing the comments about a secret promotion, I chose to believe in my own competence.

I wasn't Christian or Bella, born with a silver spoon.

I grew up poor. I had to seize every opportunity myself.