ManyWriters

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.

The IPO Betrayal, Love, Shares, and Corporate Backstabbing

The firm's financial woes began approximately a year ago, coinciding with Ryan's extended tenure at the company.


I recall it vividly—Emily had burst into my office one day, requesting that I relinquish control of the company's monetary affairs.


When I inquired about her reasons, she explained her desire for me to concentrate solely on investments and projects.


At the time, I didn't give it much consideration and informed her I'd need to tidy up the financial records first.


However, she claimed I was moving too slowly and insisted I turn everything over to Ryan.


I couldn't have possibly imagined then that she was doing it to shield Ryan, granting him access to misappropriate company funds.


Even the recent transfer of company shares—surely it was linked to all of this, wasn't it?


While I had spent sleepless nights over the past year securing investors and overseeing projects, what had been going through her mind?


Chapter 8