He Sent Me Overseas to Marry Her, I’m Staying Overseas to Never See Him Again Novel – Chapter 1 After seven years together, my fiancé did something he had never done before. He used his boardroom privilege to send me to the London branch as the head of the international division. I thought Bennett Hale had finally decided to acknowledge what I was capable of. I thought he had finally started to believe that a woman could shatter the glass ceiling on her own. Then, by accident, I overheard him outside the break room, giving instructions to a friend over the phone. “Make sure Claire’s flight is confirmed. Next Tuesday, Tessa and I are overseas empireheading to the courthouse and throwing the reception.
I need Claire out of the country by then.” His friend asked carefully, “Bennett, you’re hiding this from both sides. What if Claire finds out and makes a scene?” Bennett let out a low, satisfied laugh. “She won’t find out. I gave her more than enough work. She’ll be too busy to notice.” “Besides, I gave her the overseas empire she’s always wanted. Even if she does find out, she’ll understand why I made this choice.” “What successful man has only one woman by his side?” My mind went entirely blank. I stood frozen in place for a long moment before letting out a quiet, self-mocking laugh. Fine. If that was how he wanted it, then fine. Once I left for London, I was never coming back. ****** I walked back to my office and looked at Bennett, who was sitting across from my desk. The moment he saw me come in, he stood up and lifted his hand, as if he was about to brush a loose strand of hair behind my ear like he always did.
I tilted my head and avoided him. His hand hung in the air for two seconds before he lowered it as if nothing had happened. “Did you read the transfer order?” I nodded. “I did. I’m very satisfied with it.” A faint smile curved his mouth. “Good. Don’t be hard on yourself over there. If you want anything, charge it to my personal account. I’ll approve an unlimited budget for you.” I answered calmly, “I don’t want anything. I’m going there to build something, not to enjoy myself.” Awkwardness flickered across his face. “Right. You’ve always been a workaholic. You love your work even more than you love me.” A knock sounded at the door. The intern, Ellie Brooks, pushed it open with excitement written all over her face. “Ms. Rowan, Mr. Hale, this is the seventh-anniversary album for the core team.” “Everyone else has signed it. We’re only missing the two bosses.” I took the album from her and stared at it for a long time.
On the cover was a photo of us from seven years ago, sitting in a rented basement office as we wrote our first line of code. Back then, Bennett had been wearing a faded T-shirt . His arm was slung around my shoulders, and his grin was bright and reckless. He had said that once the company went public, he would give me a show-stopping wedding that would turn every head in the city. When Ellie handed the album to Bennett, his gaze barely lingered on the photo. He flipped straight to the last page and signed his name in a careless scrawl. “Let’s do less of this performative stuff in the future. Everyone’s time is valuable.” The smile froze on Ellie’s face. She looked at me helplessly. I took the album back and signed my name carefully beside the boy in the old T-shirt. After Ellie left, Bennett’s phone buzzed on the desk. The screen lit up with a single character. Tessa. He glanced at the screen instinctively, then looked at me. When he answered, his voice softened unconsciously. “Yeah, I’m still at the office.” “That place is too sweet. Your stomach can’t handle it.
Be good and pick somewhere else.” “Okay. I’ll come get you later.” After he hung up, he turned around, straightened his tie, and restored his strictly professional facade. “Your flight is next Tuesday,” he said, looking at me. “The executives over there are all waiting for you. Don’t delay the trip.” “Next Tuesday…” I stared at his face and asked, “Are you going to take me to the airport yourself?” Bennett’s fingers paused. “I have an important industry summit that day. I can’t get away.” He did not look at me when he said it. His thumb rubbed lightly over the band on his finger. He did not know he had that habit. But I knew it too well. Every time he lied, he did that. “Okay.” I pulled a document from my drawer and pushed it across the desk toward him. “Since you’re giving me full authority, sign this independent operating agreement for the London branch too. It’ll make decision-making easier.” Bennett froze for half a second. “Independent operating agreement? Is that really necessary?” “It’s thousands of miles away.
If every decision has to go through headquarters, we’ll miss our window of opportunity.” Bennett stayed silent for two seconds. Then, without even reading the contents, he flipped straight to the last page and signed. He was in a hurry to see Tessa. He left quickly, and when he reached the door, he finally turned back to look at me. “Claire, do good work over there. I’m doing this for your own good.”