My employer stated that he loved me and was leaving his wife to establish a future with me. I trusted him until I realized I was merely a pawn in a complicated marital power play. He exploited me to get his wife back. However, karma ultimately intervened and declared a victory.

At 35, I was not searching for love at the publishing house where I worked. Six years of arriving early, staying late, and putting my head down had resulted in a senior editor position and little more.

My flat was silent, but for the odd meow from my cat, Hemingway. My Saturdays were predictable. And my heart… well, I had put it up when my ex, David, left me for his college girlfriend.

But then there was Nathan—my employer.

Nathan had the corner office with glass windows and a spectacular view of the downtown skyline. He was 42 years old and had salt-and-pepper hair, which added to his appeal. And his smile had the ability to brighten up the entire conference room.

“Amy,” he’d say, leaning against my doorframe around 5:30 p.m. with his jacket hung over his shoulder. “You’re working late into the night once more.”

I’d look up from my writing, push my glasses back, and try not to notice the flutter in my chest. “Just finishing up!”

“You work too hard.” His gaze would stay on mine for too long. “Don’t forget to have a life.”

His statement was straightforward. He had it all—a successful profession, confidence, and Priscilla, his attractive wife who periodically walked through the office dressed in fashionable clothing that probably cost more than my monthly rent.

I wasn’t going to become the stereotypical single woman in the workplace who longs for her married boss. I buried those sentiments so deeply that I nearly convinced myself they didn’t exist.

Until the night, everything changed.

“Can I close this door?” Nathan stood in my office’s foyer, appearing particularly fatigued. It was beyond six o’clock, and the office had long since cleared out.

“Sure.” I saved the file that I was working on. “Everything okay?”

He sat on the chair opposite from mine. “Not really.” He rubbed his hands on his face. “Priscilla’s leaving me.”

“Oh.” My heart made a strange little leap, which I instantly felt horrible about. “I’m so sorry.”

“Do not be. It’s been a long time coming. We had been living separate lives in the same home for months.”

He looked up at me. “Do you know what she said? She stated, “I was more invested in this company than I was in our marriage.”

“That is not fair.” You’ve created something incredible here.”

“Have I?” His eyes met mine with such intensity that my breath caught. “Sometimes I think I’ve just been running in place.”

I had no idea what to say, so I provided what I had: a sympathetic ear and a cup of unpleasant workplace coffee. We spoke until the cleaning team came in. That night, we experienced a shift in our relationship that I couldn’t quite pinpoint, yet I was deeply aware of.

“Thanks for listening, Amy.” He rose to depart, softly squeezing my hands. “Do you know how wonderful you are? I’m not sure why I’ve never seen it before.”

I should’ve known better. But when Nathan started dropping by my office more regularly, bringing me coffee from the expensive cafe across the corner and asking for my thoughts on matters apart from work, I let myself believe.

***

Three weeks after our late-night discussion, he invited me to supper.

“We are just colleagues,” he emphasized, but his smirk suggested something different. “I could use the company.”

One supper became two, and then three. By the fourth, his hand had reached across the table and found mine. “I am falling for you, Amy. This sensation deeply frightens me.

My heart thumped against my chest. “Are you serious?” “What about Priscilla?”

“We’ll file for divorce next month. Amy, it’s over. It has been a long time.

A month later, he wasn’t hiding anything. His hand would brush against mine during talks. He’d pull me into discussions with the executive team, appreciating my opinion in ways he’d never done before. The office noticed. Of course, they did.

Melissa from accounting confronted me in the break room. “So… you and Nathan, huh?”

I occupied myself with the coffee machine. “We’re seeing each other.”

“Brave move, dating the boss.” Her tone clearly indicated her true beliefs. “Especially with his divorce not even finalized.”

I wanted to assure her it was not like that. I wanted to reassure her that we had bonded over genuine interests, such asbooks, dreams, and weaknesses. He included me in his discussions about the future.

“Move in with me,” Nathan asked one night as we lay tangled in his covers in the opulent downtown apartment he had moved into after leaving his family home. “Only for a time.” See how it feels.”

“Are you sure?”

“Never be this sure!”

***

Two weeks of domestic bliss ensued.

Nathan was preparing breakfast when I got up, and we spoke about our weekend plans and potential vacations. He even casually suggested babies, as if we had a future together.

“I’ve never felt this way before,” he said, caressing my hair one evening. “With Priscilla, everything was so planned. “This feels real.”

I believed him. God help me; I believed every word.

The call didn’t come until Tuesday afternoon. I was at my desk, reading the final proofs for our spring catalog.

“Hey, can you come up to my office?” Nathan’s voice seemed weird and distant.

I noticed him standing at the window.

“What’s going on?” I asked him what was going on while shutting the door behind me.

He turned, and I noticed something in his eyes had altered.

“Priscilla and I spoke last night. We’re going to try again.

Everything around me became blurry for a split second. “WHAT?” What do you mean?”

“I apologize, Amy. It’s complicated. We have a history of common investments…” He wasn’t even looking at me anymore, instead focusing on something beyond my shoulder. “I had packed up your belongings from the flat. My driver will transport you to your home tonight.”

Was it that simple? Could it be that the past few months were merely a fleeting dream?

“Look at me,” I commanded. “At least show me your eyes.”

When he eventually did it, there was no regret. I felt a sense of exasperation, akin to enduring an extended meeting.

“I thought…” I couldn’t finish. What did I think? Was it true that I was special? Was I loved?

“I’ll have HR sort out any awkwardness at work,” he continued, as if we were talking about a failed print run. “There’s no need to make it personal. Let’s address this like grownups and move on.”

I went away without saying another word. Pride was all I had left.

***

Marcus from Design phoned me that night. We weren’t very close, but he was always nice, with a soft grin that reached his eyes.

“Are you okay?” I saw you leaving today. “You looked…”

“Destroyed?” I laughed bitterly. “I’m fine.”

“No, you are not.” “And you should know something.”

What he told me transformed my sadness into something deeper. Apparently, someone overheard Nathan talking to his golf friend in the executive restroom.

It was about “giving Priscilla a scare” and “showing her what she’d be missing.” Something about “that editor who’s always had feelings for Nathan.”

My heart broke when I discovered I was only a piece in his marital chess game.

“He never filed for divorce, Amy,” Marcus explained. “I reviewed public records. Perhaps they had intended to. Perhaps she was planning to leave him. I do not know. I was just worried about you.”

I hung up and shouted into my pillow until my throat hurt.

I almost did not go to work the next day. But something chilly and determined had crept inside my chest overnight. I did my makeup with surgical perfection, wore my most flattering clothing, and arrived at the workplace 10 minutes late… just enough to guarantee that everyone was at their desk.

Nathan was in the open kitchenette with many department heads. And there was Priscilla, lovely as usual, eating pastries. It was surprising, definitely. But the consequence would be… epic!

I strolled right up to them, sporting a ghostly smile.

“Good morning, everyone,” I began, my voice resonating over the suddenly silent room. “I just wanted to share some news.”

Nathan’s head shot up, and his eyes narrowed.

I took a little plastic stick from my handbag and held it up. “I’m pregnant.”

The hush was total. I could hear the HVAC system hum overhead.

“AMY??” Nathan gasped. “Am I losing my mind?” “Let’s talk privately.”

“Why? I believed it was critical to be open with coworkers.” Isn’t that what you always say at staff meetings?”

Priscilla’s face was utterly motionless, her gaze shifting between the pregnancy test in my fingers and her husband’s reddening face.

“This is ridiculous,” Nathan said. “You’re making a scene over nothing.”

“Nothing? Is that who I am for you now? NOTHING?”

Something snapped in him, and his carefully crafted CEO persona split wide open.

“Do you want the truth?” Fine”! His voice became louder with each syllable. “I’ve never loved you! I used you to wake Priscilla up and show her what she’d be risking by leaving me.”

Gasps rang around us, and Priscilla’s knuckles became white around the edge of the pastry dish.

“You think I was going to let her walk away with half my company in the divorce?” He exclaimed, jabbing a finger at his wife. “Half of what I built?” I was not going to let that happen!”

I almost felt awful for him. He had thoroughly shown himself, and he was unaware of it.

Priscilla laid the platter down with meticulous care. She proceeded to the elevator and left without saying anything.

I followed quickly after, ignoring the looks, murmurs, and Marcus’s attempt to support my arm with his hand.

***

The next two weeks were filled with uncertainty and confusion. I took sick leave and ignored phone calls and texts from coworkers. People started departing, clients canceled projects, and Nathan was imprisoned in his own mess. He arrived late, left early, and snapped at anybody who dared challenge him.

And then, one dreary Sunday afternoon, my doorbell rang.

Priscilla stood there, looking much more attractive in jeans and a plain sweater than she did in her luxury attire.

“May I come in?”

I moved aside, too astonished to speak.

She sat on my couch and declined my uncomfortable offer of tea. “I filed for divorce,” she explained. “And I’m taking control of the company.”

“What? How…?”

“Our prenup included a morals clause. Nathan was always so focused on my potential misdeeds that he failed to consider his own actions. A little smile appeared on her lips. “And it turns out I hold 51% of the company’s shares. Always have. My family’s money supported the startup.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. Why did she tell me this?

“Are you really pregnant?” she questioned abruptly.

I shake my head. “No. I purchased the test at the pharmacy that morning.”

To my amazement, she laughed. “Brilliant!”

She stood and approached me, her demeanor becoming serious. “I have overhauled the executive team. Nathan’s gone. I need someone who has a strong understanding of editing, possesses trustworthiness, and isn’t afraid to challenge authority.

She extended her hand. “Will you be back? The director position offers quadruple your previous salary and requires you to report directly to me.

“Why would you want me, of all people?”

“Because you were bold enough to burn everything down when you realized the truth. That is precisely the type of person I want at my side while I rebuild.

Six months later, the firm prospered under new management. Priscilla and I formed an unexpected friendship out of mutual respect and the special tie that exists between two women who have loved and lost the same undeserving guy.

I met Nathan once at a café across town. He’d aged years in months, his arrogant stride giving way to sagging shoulders and darting eyes.

“Amy?!” he said, nervously approaching my table. “You look… good.”

“Thank you.” I did not invite him to sit.

“I heard the company’s doing well.” His attempt to grin failed horribly. “Priscilla always was the smarter one.”

“Yes!” She was.”

He nodded and shifted uneasily. “I apologize” for everything. I was… “I was not myself.”

“No,” I said, grabbing my belongings. “You were completely yourself.” That was the problem.”

As I went away, I felt nothing but peaceful contentment. Some people utilize others as stepping stones… as pawns in their selfish games. But here’s the thing about pawns: they may traverse the board and evolve into something strong.

And occasionally they’re the ones who say, “CHECKMATE…!”