Chapter 1

After dedicating years to helping the company prepare for its initial public offering, my girlfriend was finally ready to reveal our relationship publicly. She was on the verge of making the announcement.

However, before she could do so, her arrogant assistant, who had always disliked me, preempted her. He confidently strode onto the stage, placed his arm around her waist, and flashed a victorious grin.

"I thought we agreed to wait a few more years? Couldn't resist any longer, could you?" he taunted, his voice laced with sarcasm.

My girlfriend didn't bother to explain. Instead, she handed him a document—the share transfer agreement—and declared to the audience that he was now the company's newest stakeholder.

The room exploded with astonishment, whispers and murmurs spreading rapidly.

The assistant, clearly reveling in the attention, directed his smugness towards me, throwing subtle insults my way.

And my girlfriend? She made no effort to stop him. In fact, her voice was ice-cold as she added, "You've contributed greatly to the company, but his skills are what we need for a more prosperous future."

I remained stoic, offering no argument. Instead, I smiled, nodded, and graciously handed over my remaining shares to the assistant as well.

"Let's see," I mused internally, "how they'll manage this company without its primary investor."

With that thought, I made my exit.

------

When Emily announced from the podium that Ryan had become the company's newest shareholder, the audience erupted into enthusiastic applause.

I stood motionless, my mind clouded from countless nights of overtime. For a moment, I doubted my own hearing.

"Check out Jake's expression—it's hilarious!"

"He's been with the CEO for ages and only got 2% of the shares. Ryan's barely started and snagged 20% just like that."

"Jake's always criticizing Ryan's work, but now? He looks like a complete fool."

The crowd made no effort to lower their voices, ensuring I heard every word. They weren't mocking me for fun—they were trying to gain favor with Ryan. And Emily? She didn't even attempt to silence them.

Ryan flashed me a smug smile, his voice dripping with mock innocence as he said, "Jake, no applause from you? Don't tell me you're upset about my new shares."

He paused, putting on an exaggerated pout. "I mean, if we're considering seniority, I suppose you should have received them instead."

With that, he lazily extended the contract towards me, as if offering a consolation prize. But before I could react, Emily snatched the papers away and firmly pushed them back into his hands with a playful yet decisive gesture.

"Ryan, you're too generous," she said with a gentle chuckle. "But the company values skill, not longevity."

Then, her gaze turned frosty as it settled on me.

"And you, Jake, don't you dare create a scene. Let's not forget the massive blunder you made last quarter, costing the company millions. The fact that I didn't terminate your employment outright was already lenient. What right do you have to expect shares?"

The two of them were in perfect harmony, like actors in a well-rehearsed performance. I couldn't help but find it amusing.

That "blunder" she mentioned? It was Ryan's fault. He had panicked when things went awry and pinned the blame on me. I'd attempted to present evidence and explain the truth to Emily, but she wouldn't believe me. She never did.

I'd grown accustomed to it by now. Over the years, Ryan had demonstrated little talent but had invested all his energy in undermining me. Fresh out of university, he knew how to charm people with his words. He'd won over most of our colleagues, and even Emily thought he was harmless and truthful.

So, whenever Ryan and I clashed, Emily always assumed I was at fault. And because of that, my coworkers had grown increasingly disrespectful towards me.

Ryan's voice interrupted my thoughts, still dripping with fake humility. "But I'm just concerned Jake might feel bad."

As he spoke, he leaned closer to Emily, his head almost resting on her shoulder in an uncomfortably intimate gesture. Emily didn't push him away. Instead, she shot me a sharp look.

"Jake, wipe that sour expression off your face!" she snapped. "I gave this decision serious consideration. Stop sulking and ruining everyone's mood. If you can't handle it, maybe you should just leave!"

The room erupted in agreement, voices chiming in to support her.

I knew Emily was just venting her frustration, but I couldn't help but laugh.

The investors? I had brought them in after countless sleepless nights. The proposals? I had rewritten them over and over again. The IPO? It had only succeeded because of my efforts.

And now, with the company finally going public, they wanted to cut me out entirely? They thought a few harsh words could erase all my hard work?

I grabbed my bag and strode towards the stage.

Ryan, clearly nervous, shrank behind Emily, his eyes wide with fear. Emily immediately stepped in front of him, shielding him like a mother bear protecting her cub.

"Jake, what do you think you're doing?" she demanded, her voice sharp with warning.

I pulled a document from my bag and held it out to her.

"I just think," I said calmly, "that Ryan's worked so hard, the shares you've given him aren't enough."

I smiled faintly. "Take mine too. Let's hope he can keep up the momentum."

Ryan's eyes lit up as he stared at the document, practically salivating at the thought of owning more shares.

Emily, however, looked at me with suspicion, her expression unreadable. The room fell silent as everyone tried to process what I had just done.

They all knew how much I had sacrificed for the company. I'd been there since day one, building it from the ground up. I'd handled everything—from securing investments to juggling the smallest of tasks.

Now that the IPO was a success, my shares were worth millions. Everyone had assumed I'd use this opportunity to negotiate for more. No one could have imagined I'd simply give them away.

What they didn't know was that Emily wasn't just my boss—she was my fiancée. For years, she had insisted we keep our relationship a secret to avoid workplace gossip.

But when Ryan showed up, I started to worry. I begged her to acknowledge our relationship, and after much pleading, she finally agreed to announce it on the day of the IPO.

Last night, I was so excited I couldn't even sleep.

But when the moment came, Ryan stepped onto the stage first, wrapping his arm around her waist. And Emily... she didn't stop him. She didn't even seem uncomfortable.

Everyone assumed they were a couple, and Emily didn't bother correcting them.

It wasn't that she didn't want our relationship to go public. She just didn't want this relationship to go public.

She remained silent, and I didn't say another word. I turned and walked away.

I had barely made it a few steps when I felt a warm hand grab my wrist.

I turned, surprised to see that it was Emily. She had never stopped me before. She always let me leave, knowing I'd inevitably come back to apologize.

But this time was different.

She pressed her lips together and said, "Jake, you're too impulsive. Ryan is calm and collected—everything you're not."

"I didn't want to cut you out, but after today, I don't have a choice. These shares need to go to someone who can handle them responsibly."

I couldn't help but laugh. This wasn't about my "impulsiveness." She was just trying to justify giving my shares to Ryan.

In the past, I might've argued with her. But now, I just felt... nothing.

"Okay," I said simply.

Emily blinked, clearly expecting me to put up more of a fight. Before she could say anything else, one of our coworkers called for a champagne toast. Emily shot me one last glance before turning away, the contract in her hand.

I watched her walk toward Ryan, then turned and left the banquet hall.

Outside, I pulled out my phone and made a call.

"Dad," I said, my voice steady. "You were right. I'm ready to come back and take over the family business."