On the day of Skylar Thorne’s and my third anniversary, I waited for her in an icy cable car all night, freezing solid. I called her countless times, but she never picked up. Finally, just as my phone’s battery blinked its last bar, she answered. My heart swelled with hope, but instead of her voice, it was her male assistant, Devin Shaw, who spoke: “Mr. Hayes, we’re at the hot springs. Ms. Thorne said she doesn’t want to be disturbed.” Amidst Devin’s mocking laughter, my phone died completely. It hit me then: I was the only one who remembered our three-year promise. She had forgotten it long ago. As night fell, the temperature in the cable car plummeted. The cold seeped into every bone, and with it, despair clawed at my heart. Memories flashed like a frantic montage, as if these were my last moments on Earth. But fate, it seemed, had a shred of pity. I endured the agonizing cold and didn’t freeze to death. The moment I woke up, the first thing I did was make a call. I dialed that long-uncalled number: “Dad, I’m ready to come home and take over the family business. On one condition: acquire all of Thorne Enterprises.”
When they found me, my limbs were stiff with cold. My body had long gone numb, and I lay in the cable car, barely clinging to life. With the staff’s help, I was rushed to the emergency room. Skylar was listed as my emergency contact. When the doctor called her, her languid voice filled the phone. “So what if he froze all night? He’s not dead. Tell him I’ll come after I’ve had my sleep.” After she hung up, the nurse looked at me with profound pity. I lay silently on the bed, my thoughts replaying. Last night, I’d foolishly thought Devin was deliberately blocking Skylar’s calls. But hearing Skylar’s callous indifference to my near-death experience, my heart hardened. There was nothing left to give her. My life, it seemed, meant so little to her. I pulled out my phone and dialed that long-uncalled number again: “Dad, I’m ready to come home and take over the family business. On one condition: acquire all of Thorne Enterprises.” My father’s relieved voice came through the line. “Son, you’ve finally come to your senses. Three days, max. I’ll personally come pick you up.” It wasn’t until the afternoon that Skylar finally showed up, with Devin in tow. The moment she stepped through the door, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “What is that awful smell?” I’d been unconscious from the cold all night, and I’d had an accident. I hadn’t had a chance to change my clothes after waking up. Devin, standing behind her, looked at me with feigned concern. “Mr. Hayes, we were indeed with a crucial client at the hot springs last night. That contract was extremely important, which is why we couldn’t answer your calls.” Skylar looked at me with blatant disdain. “Why bother explaining to him? Thanks to you, we secured that big deal last night.” So, in Skylar’s eyes, I was worth less than a contract. That contract, the very one they were celebrating, was only secured because of my connections. If I hadn’t specifically brokered the partnership with Mr. Stone, how else would they have landed such a massive deal? Yet, at this moment, Skylar was crediting all the success to Devin. The irony was sickening. Devin, hearing Skylar’s praise, shot me a triumphant look. Before Devin joined the company, Skylar and I always treated each other with respect, like a perfectly polite couple. But ever since he appeared, everything changed. Skylar had no patience for incompetence. If an employee made a mistake, she’d never give them a second chance. Even I, when I made errors, faced her harsh criticism. But Devin? Every time he made a rookie mistake, she’d just laugh it off, always finding excuses for him. She’d claim it was “to give new hires more opportunities to learn from their mistakes.” Initially, I didn’t think much of it, until I accidentally overheard their conversation one day. “Devin, it’s great to be young and full of vitality. Not like Owen, so lifeless these days.” “He just walks around with a long face all the time.” It turned out Skylar was just bored with me and had found someone new. Her heart had already shifted towards Devin. Skylar and I built this company from the ground up right after college. I even gave up my family’s inheritance for her. In the early days, it was my connections and background that got the company off the ground. I thought we’d walk this path together until the end, but I never imagined I was planning for a future that only included me. Skylar had already kicked me out of the game. Just as I was lost in thought, Skylar’s cold words sharply cut through my reverie. “When we get back to the office, I plan to give Devin ten percent of the shares.” “And your Vice President position? That’s going to Devin too. Consider it a reward for securing that big deal.” If I’d heard these words before, I would have erupted in a furious rage. But now, my heart was eerily calm. When you’ve been disappointed beyond measure, there’s no hope left to crush. I simply replied, my voice flat, “Fine.” She didn’t expect me to agree so readily. A flicker of surprise crossed Skylar’s face, but it was quickly overshadowed by glee. “Smart move.” With that, she took Devin and left. In three days, I’d be gone for good. Nothing here mattered to me anymore.
The day I was discharged from the hospital, I was alone. Skylar had already left with Devin, a step ahead of me. When I received the SnapChat group message, I saw Skylar had thrown a huge celebration for Devin. She even ordered a special banner to hang on the wall, emblazoned with golden letters: “CONGRATULATIONS, DEVIN SHAW, ON YOUR PROMOTION TO VICE PRESIDENT!” I remembered the early days when Skylar and I first started the company. When we secured our first big order, we celebrated with just a bowl of instant ramen. Skylar ate the noodles, and I had the broth. Those times were tough, but our hearts were full. Now, we had plenty of money, but our spirits were empty. We had long grown apart, together in name only. My phone suddenly rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I answered to Skylar’s furious voice: “Owen Hayes, why aren’t you here yet? What airs are you putting on?” “If it weren’t for needing your signature on the company share transfer agreement, I wouldn’t bother calling you.” “Get over here now. We’re waiting only for you.” She didn’t give me a chance to say a single word before she hung up. When I pushed open the private room door, everyone was gathered around Devin, showering him with sycophantic praise. The moment they saw me, the cheerful atmosphere instantly died. It was as if I was an unwelcome intruder. Devin walked towards me, holding a bottle of red wine, his eyes glinting with challenge. “Mr. Hayes… Oh, no, I mean, Mr. Hayes, you’re just a team leader now.” “You’re late. You owe us three drinks.” He handed me the bottle of red wine. I glanced at Skylar, who stood behind Devin. Her face was impassive, silently endorsing everything. Yet, she knew perfectly well I was on medication and couldn’t drink. Seeing my lack of response, Devin directly shoved the entire bottle into my arms. In an instant, the red wine splattered all over me. My bespoke white suit was immediately stained crimson. That suit was a reward from Skylar when I secured our first major deal. Devin put on a show of apology, “My bad, Mr. Hayes, I didn’t mean to do that.” I was about to erupt, but Skylar walked up behind me. “It’s just a suit, why apologize to him? That white thing is yellowed anyway; it should have been thrown out ages ago.” I scoffed internally. She was right, it should have been thrown out. Not just the suit, but the person wearing it, too.
I turned to leave; I shouldn’t have come to this event in the first place. Before I could step out the door, Skylar’s voice stopped me. “Wait, Owen. Sign this share transfer agreement before you go.” Skylar rushed towards me, holding a contract and a pen. Devin followed closely, as if afraid I might escape. I picked up the pen and signed my name on the contract without even glancing at it. As surprise flashed across their faces, I asked, “Can I go now?” Devin looked at the contract, his excitement barely contained, and nodded at Skylar. They seemed shocked by how easily I’d agreed. The process was far simpler than they’d imagined. After I left, the sound of joyous laughter erupted from the private room once more. “Congratulations, Devin Shaw, on your promotion to Vice President!” A cold smirk played on my lips as I walked away. Devin, your tenure as Vice President will be the shortest in history. Because you won’t last more than three days. While they were celebrating in the private room, I returned to the office and meticulously organized all my client lists, preparing for what was to come. Before I knew it, night had fallen. When I arrived home with my laptop, Skylar was already back. But there was also another unwelcome guest in the house. Devin was busily preparing a hangover remedy for Skylar in the kitchen. He didn’t show an ounce of panic when he saw me, remaining perfectly composed. It was as if this was his own home. He was wearing my house slippers, and I was standing barefoot on the cold floor. The chill crept up from my feet, reaching deep into my heart. Skylar, sprawled on the sofa, was completely drunk, slurring, “Devin, let’s keep drinking. We won’t stop until we’re wasted!” “To your promotion to Vice President!” Devin then solicitously brought a bowl of the hangover remedy to Skylar. They treated me as if I didn’t exist, as if I were thin air. Devin intimately helped Skylar up from the sofa and carefully placed a cushion behind her. His actions were so practiced, so tender, it was as if he were Skylar’s legitimate boyfriend. After feeding Skylar the remedy, Devin finally seemed to notice me. He approached, a cold sneer on his face. “Owen, Ms. Thorne just wouldn’t let me leave. She insisted I escort her home. What could I do?” At this point, calling Devin manipulative wouldn’t be an exaggeration. His petty triumph was sickeningly evident. Before, every time he came to our house under the pretense of delivering documents, I’d get jealous and angry, even having huge fights with Skylar. But now, I felt absolutely nothing. He tried to provoke me, searching for an outburst or a flicker of jealousy on my face. But I didn’t give him the satisfaction this time. I simply turned and walked towards my study, laptop in hand. I closed the study door, shutting them out. I thought Devin would leave after Skylar finished her hangover remedy. But to my shock, he was bold enough to stay the night.
Late at night, as I was organizing files in my study, I heard some utterly sickening sounds from the living room. At first, I thought it was Skylar, throwing up from being drunk. But the moment I opened my study door, I witnessed the full extent of their shamelessness. Two naked figures, illuminated by the moonlight, were intertwined on the sofa. My blood ran cold, freezing in my veins. My clenched fists dug my nails deep into my palms. Staring at the two of them in the living room, a surge of rage coursed through me, with nowhere to go. Skylar, emboldened by the alcohol, mockingly taunted me, shamelessly trampling my dignity as a man. “Devin, it’s great to be young! So many tricks, unlike Owen. He’s so rigid, only knows one position.” Devin’s voice dropped, a playful whine. “So, who’s better? Me, or that old stick-in-the-mud?” Skylar hooked her arm around Devin’s neck, laughing sensuously. “What do you even need to ask? Of course, you’re better.” Their entangled forms moved from the sofa to the floor. Lurid sounds filled the air. They seemed to have completely forgotten I was still in the study. Their audacity was astounding. I forced myself to suppress my rage and dialed the police. I would ruin them completely. As the living room lights flickered on, their naked bodies were exposed from the darkness. In their panic, Skylar grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa, trying to cover herself, her face contorted with terror as she stared at me. “Owen, what are you doing here?” I spoke coldly, “This is my home. Why shouldn’t I be here?” Devin quickly pulled on his boxers, then walked towards me, a sneer on his face. “Ms. Thorne, don’t be afraid of him. He’s just a lowly team leader now anyway.” “You’re the CEO of this company. And with my ten percent shares, we run this company, not him.” Skylar, who had been panicking, suddenly regained her composure after hearing Devin’s words. She picked up her clothes, dressed, and then glared at me. “That’s right, Owen. I run this company now. Get out, immediately!” For three years, through thick and thin, I had poured my heart and soul into this company. All my efforts, all my contributions, were dismissed with a single, dismissive sentence from Skylar. I pulled out the resignation letter I’d prepared earlier and tossed it onto the floor. “Perfect. I’ve wanted to resign for a long time.” Devin picked up the letter, confirming its contents with a glance. Then he laughed. “Owen, since you’re voluntarily resigning, all the shares under your name will now belong to us.” “You’re such a fool, handing over the company like this!” With that, Devin mocked me to my face, his laughter sharp and cruel. The moment I caught them in their betrayal, my heart had completely withered. Skylar, I ask you, honestly, in these past three years, from building this company from scratch to achieving some success, when did I not help you overcome every company crisis? When did I not provide the connections and background for every major deal? Even that time the company faced a financial crisis, it was my father’s assets that served as collateral for the bank loan. And you, for a male assistant, fired me and told me to get lost. You didn’t hesitate to become my enemy. Not only did you negate three years of my effort and dedication, but you also shattered three years of my genuine love for you. I wanted to see how this company would function without me. I sneered at Skylar: “You want the company’s shares? That’s a pipe dream. I’ll make sure you walk away penniless.” Just then, a frantic knock echoed from the door. The moment it opened, two police officers rushed in. “We received a report of suspected solicitation here.” The moment the police burst through the door, Devin was wearing only his boxers, his upper body bare. Skylar’s dress barely covered her private parts.
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