The Intern, My Cheating Husband, and My Billion-Dollar Revenge For three months, this naive intern had been working with us. Now, my husband wanted to make her a new shareholder. His friend tried to talk some sense into him. “Skylar Reed served dangerously adulterated drinks to a client, leading to their hospitalization with severe internal bleeding; she sent a funeral bouquet to a sick client, causing them to suffer a heart attack on the spot; she baselessly accused an international client of corporate espionage, almost getting the company sued… Are you *really* sure you want to make someone like that a new shareholder?” “Plenty of our loyal mid-to-senior level employees don’t even have shares yet. If you do this, they’ll be completely disheartened, won’t they?” “Besides, will your wife even agree? She’s the company’s second-largest shareholder.” My husband, Damian, just puffed on his cigarette and chuckled. “Ellie will definitely agree; she never challenges my decisions. As for those old-timers, if they’re not on board, they can pack their bags.” “Skylar might be young and prone to mistakes, but she has ambition. What’s wrong with bending the rules for a good employee?” “When I look at Skylar, I see the young Ellie, before life got so tough. I couldn’t shield the young Ellie back then, but I can shield the young Skylar. I can’t let her go through the same hardships we did.” I listened in silence, a cold smirk playing on my lips, then turned and walked away. At the shareholder meeting, Damian proposed Skylar Reed become a new shareholder. The company veterans instantly objected, but I raised my hand. “I agree!” After all, this debt-ridden company was just looking for someone to take the fall.
I stopped outside Damian Thorne’s office window. Mr. Harrison’s voice started up again. “Damian, you’re insistent on shoving Skylar Reed onto the board… Is there a personal motive here?” Damian chuckled. “Mr. Harrison, I won’t lie to you. Yes, I’ve developed feelings for Skylar.” “As for Ellie… Hmph, she’s just a corporate socialite now. How do you think those big deals came through? Wasn’t it all thanks to her looks and… her body? Why do those senior executives at the client companies only want to deal with *her*? God knows how many times she’s slept with them behind closed doors. She’s so dirty.” My body froze, as if doused with ice water. I had drunk myself to stomach bleeding for this company, plastered a fake smile on my face until my muscles ached, only for him to call me “so dirty”? Damian’s tone softened slightly. “But I know she did it for the company. I just had to pretend not to notice.” “But she’s tainted, and Skylar can’t be. Skylar is as clean as a blank page. I have to protect her, help her succeed, and keep her from going down Ellie’s dirty path.” Mr. Harrison looked confused. “But… what’s so great about this Skylar Reed? Why should she get all the benefits?” Damian took a drag from his cigarette, seeming to get lost in thought. “Don’t you see it? Her naive, innocent, and kind demeanor… she’s so much like Ellie was in college! And she’s even more delicate than young Ellie, making you want to protect her.” Mr. Harrison hesitated. “Naive? Innocent? Ellie back then… she wasn’t quite like that, was she? I remember her being quite strong-willed and hardworking…” Just then, the office door burst open with a loud *bang*, interrupting Mr. Harrison. “Damian, sweetie!” Skylar Reed burst in, completely ignoring Mr. Harrison, and plopped herself directly onto Damian’s lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck with practiced ease, and she snuggled into his embrace. Damian didn’t seem awkward at all; instead, he lovingly wrapped an arm around her waist. “What’s wrong, my little troublemaker? What kind of mischief have you gotten into now?” Skylar pouted, wiggling her body. “Today, I accidentally sent our purchasing price list to Mr. Jenkins instead of the product brochure. Now he knows how much we’re making and he’s furious! What should I do, Damian? I really didn’t mean to!” Damian laughed heartily, as if this was the funniest thing in the world. “I thought it was something major! What’s so hard about that? Just let Ellie handle it. She’s best at smoothing things over. She can fix any mess.” Skylar’s eyes lit up. “So… if we secure this project in the end, will it count towards my业绩? Will Ms. Vance get mad?” Damian pinched her cheek, his voice indulgent. “Of course it’s yours! Silly girl, the credit, the bonus, it’s all yours! What’s she going to say? I’m here.” Skylar instantly beamed, giving Damian a loud, unashamed kiss on the cheek. Mr. Harrison, beside them, was squirming in his seat, his face deeply uncomfortable. “Uh… Damian, something just came up. I’ll take my leave now.” Damian patted Skylar’s behind. “Skylar, stand up for a moment. I’ll see Mr. Harrison out.” Skylar wiggled playfully, hugging him tighter. “No way, I’m tired. I want Damian to hold me!” Damian gave a helpless yet delighted smile, and just waved goodbye to Mr. Harrison while still holding Skylar. Mr. Harrison shook his head, sighed, and quickly left. Before the door was fully closed, ambiguous kissing sounds and Skylar’s soft gasps could be heard from inside.
I stumbled back a step, then slowly turned and walked away. Ten years. A full decade. Damian and I built this empire from nothing. I thought we were partners fighting side-by-side, a loving couple. And he, he used the memories of our shared hardships as an excuse to coddle another woman’s “innocence” and “ignorance.” Skylar Reed had been with the company for three months, and Damian had already made countless exceptions for her. He’d not only spent millions on her but also alienated many long-standing clients, causing indirect losses of at least a hundred million. I’d warned him, but he just told me not to overthink it. “Young people need a chance to make mistakes. Some clients are indeed too demanding; if they leave, they leave.” Left with no choice, while Skylar made one blunder after another, I was left to clean up her messes. If it weren’t for me, the company would have faced a major crisis long ago. But what did all my hard work get me? I suddenly let out a self-deprecating laugh, realizing how foolish I’d been. I took a deep breath and pressed the intercom button. “Book me and Chloe Vance tickets to Sea City. We’re leaving tonight.” The next morning, as I was getting ready in my hotel room, my phone rang. It was Damian. “Ellie Vance! Where the hell are you? Skylar’s project is a disaster! The client is furious, threatening to cancel the contract and blacklist us in the industry! Get over here and fix it for her, now!” He roared, completely out of his mind. I held the phone slightly away from my ear. “Didn’t you say some clients were too demanding? That if they leave, they leave? Why the change of tune now?” Damian paused, stumped, then immediately started yelling again. “Is this client the same as the others? He’s a long-term partner who brings in twenty million annually! Are you out of your mind? Do I really need to remind you of this?” His words changed faster than the weather. I forced myself to keep my temper in check. “I’m in Sea City right now, pretty swamped.” “Damian, didn’t you always say I was too overbearing, hogging projects and not giving new people a chance to grow? Well, I think now’s the perfect time. Let Skylar handle it herself; she’ll learn faster.” Damian grew even more enraged. “You’re her mentor! It’s your job to guide her! How can you just abandon her? I’m telling you, if this project falls through, you’ll be held responsible!” I chuckled softly. “Oh? Is that so… And if, by some miracle, this project *does* get secured, will the bonus and credit be mine?” Damian clearly hadn’t expected me to state my terms so directly. He paused, then spoke with clear dissatisfaction. “Ellie! Why have you become so petty? Competing for credit with a newbie?” “You’re a long-standing employee and a shareholder; you should have the generosity to support new talent! You can’t hog all the frontline resources forever, can you? You should step back and start thinking about having a family; that’s what truly matters!” He finally said what was on his mind. Everyone in the company respected me. Whenever there was a problem, they mostly came to me for advice, not him. He had long resented me for sidelining him. He was desperate to tie me down with my identity as his wife, force me out of the company, and clear the path for him and Skylar. My eyes turned utterly cold. “Damian, you’re right. Mentoring new talent is crucial. So why don’t you personally guide Skylar Reed? You’re the boss; your direct instruction will surely be more effective than mine.” Damian was completely furious now, his voice suddenly rising. “That client only trusts you! No one else will do any good! I don’t care where you are or who you’re meeting, fix this immediately! Otherwise, don’t blame me for revoking your shareholder status!”
*Click.* He hung up after roaring, not even giving me a chance to retort. “Revoke my shareholder status?” I murmured to myself. “Damian, have you forgotten how this company grew from a small workshop to what it is today? Do you really think your 40% stake gives you the right to do whatever you want, to control everything?” My mind raced. I held 30% of the shares, and the other six senior executives held 30%. Whose slice of the pie was he planning to take to bring Skylar in? No matter whose, he was digging his own grave. I still called Skylar’s client, even paying out of my own pocket to send them a gift. I also promised that starting next quarter, all discounts and promotions would be set at 90%. It took a lot of effort, but I finally appeased the client. Chloe, who had been listening quietly beside me, finally couldn’t hold back. She spoke with indignation. “Auntie! Why are you still cleaning up Skylar Reed’s messes? She’s just a shameless woman who only knows how to seduce men! It was her own stupidity that caused this trouble, and Uncle Damian… he’s just unbelievable!” I raised a hand to stop her. “Chloe, Auntie will teach you another lesson today. In business, you can cross people, but you should never cross money.” “As for Skylar Reed… let her gloat. The higher she jumps now, the harder she’ll fall later. Don’t worry, I have a plan.” I stood up, picked up my purse and jacket. “Get ready. I have a meeting with the trust company tomorrow. That’s the most important thing right now.” After all, securing my rightful assets was what truly mattered. This company, which was about to go bankrupt, Damian and Skylar could have it if they wanted it! Skylar Reed’s project was successfully signed. Damian threw a celebration dinner for her. In the ballroom of a five-star hotel, Skylar raised her glass, her face radiant with triumph. Several empty bottles of Romanée-Conti littered the table. All the project department employees were there, their faces filled with sycophantic smiles. I expressionlessly scrolled through her social media. Below, it was a stream of likes and fawning comments. “Skylar, you’re amazing!” “Please look out for us, CEO Skylar!” Skylar replied below. “Once I become a shareholder, I’ll give everyone a raise!” Below, there were countless likes and flattering remarks. A cold smile played on my lips. Several of the company veterans hadn’t liked or commented. It seemed not all hearts were lost yet. Just then, my phone vibrated violently. It was Damian calling. “Ellie, what are you doing? Have you seen social media? Skylar did something amazing for the company today! As a company shareholder, why aren’t you showing some support? Leave a comment, a like, set an example for the newcomer!” I rolled my eyes and said calmly. “I don’t make a habit of constantly checking other people’s social media. I have a lot of work to do.” Damian clicked his tongue, his tone laced with displeasure and suspicion. “You’ve been in Sea City for a week now, haven’t you? What project is so tricky that Ms. Vance needs to personally tackle it for so long?” His mind was clearly drifting further and further from work. I chuckled, a hint of mockery in my voice. “The ABV company project. A two hundred million dollar budget! Our competitor, Mr. Sterling, has been here for over a month, personally overseeing it. If you think it’s easy, why don’t you try it, Mr. Thorne?” The other end of the phone went silent for a moment. Damian seemed to sober up a bit. He knew very well the importance of the ABV project; it was a huge deal he knew he couldn’t handle. I seized the moment, my voice returning to a calm tone. “Don’t worry, though, things are almost wrapped up here. I’ll be back tomorrow, right on time for the shareholder meeting.”
Damian gave an “Oh,” then tentatively asked. “Uh, you’ve seen the agenda and proposals for the shareholder meeting, right?” My gaze swept over the equity transfer proposal on my computer screen. My voice remained calm. “Yes, I’ve seen it.” He was silent for a second, then asked cautiously. “So… do you have any objections?” I smiled indifferently. “No objections.” From the other end of the phone, I heard his sigh of relief, his voice instantly becoming relaxed and triumphant again. “That’s good! That’s good! Ellie, I knew you were sensible! You’ve worked hard, get some good rest tonight. See you tomorrow!” Before he finished speaking, Skylar Reed’s sweet, simpering voice came through the phone. “Damian, come on! I want to drink a loving cup with you! Mwah!” Damian hastily muffled the receiver. I pretended not to hear and simply hung up. 【Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.】 It seemed the old saying was absolutely right. I smiled coldly. The night was still long. And the show was about to begin. At the shareholder meeting, Skylar Reed walked in wearing a professional suit. Her gaze swept across the room, finally settling on the chair next to the head of the table. It was my seat. The faces of several veteran shareholders immediately darkened, their gazes turning to me with concern. I smiled faintly, unhurriedly walked to the third seat down the long table, and sat down calmly. Damian seemed quite pleased with my “discretion,” cleared his throat, and announced the start of the meeting. “I propose that Ms. Skylar Reed of the Project Department be exceptionally granted company shareholder status, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the company recently.” Before he finished speaking, Mr. Henderson, a senior shareholder, slammed his hand on the table. “I object! Skylar Reed has only been with us for three months, and she’s made a pile of major mistakes! What right does she have to become a shareholder? How many diligent, long-serving employees in this company haven’t had this opportunity!” Another executive, Mr. Davies, also sneered in agreement. “Outstanding contributions? I heard the deal she just signed was also secured with Ms. Vance’s remote assistance, wasn’t it? How does the credit for that just fall to her?” Damian’s face instantly turned grim. “Why dwell on past minor mistakes? Skylar is a quick learner and has made rapid progress! The MegaCorp project she just signed was secured by her independently!” “Ellie, tell them, whose credit is the MegaCorp deal, really?” All eyes immediately focused on me. I slowly lifted my head, my voice clear and steady. “The credit, of course, goes to Skylar Reed. She’s young and capable, full of drive. She did indeed… contribute to that project.” Skylar immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her back straightening, an unconcealed look of triumph on her face. Damian also smiled with satisfaction, a hint of “I knew you were sensible” approval in his gaze toward me. Mr. Henderson and the others, however, were wide-eyed, staring at me in disbelief, their eyes filled with disappointment and incomprehension. Damian struck while the iron was hot, his momentum growing. “Excellent! Since her contribution is outstanding, she should be given a commensurate reward! I propose granting Skylar Reed 20% of the company shares!” “Twenty!” Mr. Davies gasped in shock. “That makes her the third-largest shareholder directly! More shares than us?” Damian shook his head, a smile playing on his lips, his gaze falling on me once more. “Not third, but second.” “Ellie Vance, you have 30% of the shares, don’t you? You’ll transfer 20% to Skylar. From now on, keeping 10% will be enough for you. You’ve been tired lately anyway; this is a good chance for you to rest more.” At these words, the entire room fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned by this blatant usurpation. Mr. Henderson shot to his feet, his face ashen, seemingly wanting to curse but too furious to speak. “Ms. Vance! This… this is outrageous! You can’t agree to this!” Under everyone’s tense gaze, I slowly smiled. Sure enough, the only pie he dared to touch was mine. I slowly, firmly, raised my right hand. “I agree.”
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