Chapter 1

After Breaking Up, I Resigned and Was Ready to Go Abroad. Then My Ex-Girlfriend, the CEO, Suddenly Tried to Win Me Back at the Airport.

She said she had fired her little assistant and that from now on, I would be the company's second-in-command.

But when I gave up going abroad and was ready to go back with her, she shook off my hand and made a flirtatious call to her assistant:

"Leo, you won the bet. This loser really thought I would take him back."

Then she turned to me with a cold smile:

"It was just a joke. Did you actually believe it? If you want to leave, go ahead. No one's stopping you this time."

The colleagues present laughed at me, saying I was like a dog that would come running back at her slightest gesture.

But what they didn't know was that I gave up going abroad only because my new company had just completed the acquisition. I was about to become their new CEO.

When Mia, my ex-girlfriend and former CEO, gleefully told me that her earlier attempt to win me back was just a joke, I didn't get angry.

I just took out my phone to call a cab back to my place.

The colleagues around us looked at me with mocking eyes, jeering:

"Jack, the CEO said she doesn't want to keep you. What are you still doing here? Go on, book another flight!"

"Didn't you say you got an offer from abroad? What happened? Did they change their mind about you?"

Mia indulgently watched them cold-shoulder me, making no attempt to stop them.

This kind of oppressive and embarrassing workplace bullying had often surrounded me in recent years.

In the past, I would have definitely argued back, feeling hurt that my girlfriend, who was the CEO, wouldn't speak up for me.

But now I felt nothing, even thinking it was like watching clowns perform.

"My business is none of your concern, is it?" I said calmly.

Mia snorted, her eyes scanning me up and down with disgust:

"You're still being stubborn at a time like this?"

"With your meager abilities, if I hadn't been supporting you all these years, you might not even have food to eat!"

"Going abroad? What a joke."

Yes, I was a graduate from a prestigious university who had given up a high-paying job that others could only dream of.

I had helped her build a company from the ground up, but in Mia's eyes, I was worthless, only getting by with her help.

It made me want to laugh.

In the past, I loved Mia with all my heart. Even if I had remained in a managerial position after decades of hard work, I wouldn't have complained.

But it wasn't until she repeatedly took away my projects and gave them to her new assistant Leo without my consent.

She even pushed Leo's mistakes onto me, making me take the blame.

Then she used this as an excuse to cut my salary and suspend me, while giving Leo a promotion and a raise.

I finally woke up and realized that this relationship, maintained solely by my efforts, needed to end.

So I resigned on the spot, broke up with her, and decided to develop my career abroad.

I never expected that just as I was about to board the plane, she would come and play this kind of "joke" on me.

For a moment, I didn't feel sorrow, just bewilderment.

How blind must I have been in the past to fall in love with such a woman?

I shook my head, not bothering to waste words with her:

"You're right about everything. Can I go now?"

I tried to walk around Mia, ready to leave.

But Mia suddenly grabbed my hand, staring at me intently, and said disdainfully:

"How can you act so well! Your excuse about going abroad has been exposed, and you're still pretending?"

"For the sake of our past relationship, I'll give you a way out."

"Come back with me, and I'll let you be Leo's assistant."

Seeing her benevolent attitude, I finally understood the true purpose of Mia's joke this time.

On the surface, it was a bet with Leo to see if I would take the bait.

In reality, she just wanted me to stay at the company and continue being a workhorse for her and Leo.

I have to say, Mia had indeed thought very carefully about Leo's future development, giving him a promotion and raise, and even assigning someone to assist him.

As for me, I had helped her realize her dream of becoming a boss step by step.

Yet she unhesitatingly took everything away from me to pave the way for Leo.

I laughed coldly: "Leo's skills aren't good enough to deserve my help."

Mia's face immediately darkened.

"Jack, it seems I've been too lenient with you all these years, that's why you think so highly of yourself..."

Before she could finish, a figure suddenly walked over from the distance.

"Sister Mia!"

Mia instantly became gentle, going to meet him: "Leo!"

Leo was the only person in the entire company who didn't call Mia "CEO," but intimately called her "sister."

Even I, as Mia's legitimate boyfriend, didn't have the privilege of calling her by name.

Leo glanced at me and smiled at Mia:

"See, I knew Brother Jack's talk about going abroad for development was just an excuse. He really didn't leave."

Mia glanced at me sideways, her eyes full of disgust:

"Some people think too highly of themselves, believing the company can't run without them!"

"Not like you, Leo. You're capable and humble. Since he won't take the opportunity given to him, let's forget it."

"Let's go."

But Leo held Mia's hand, looking pitiful:

"Sister Mia, we can't leave yet. Ever since Brother Jack resigned last time, I can't find my watch."

"That watch was a relic from my grandmother."

Then he suddenly turned to me, pleading:

"Brother Jack, please give it back to me."

Before I could understand what was happening, Mia suddenly glared at me angrily:

"Jack, you actually stole something?"

I was about to deny it, but Mia coldly interrupted:

"Don't try to deny it. Why would Leo falsely accuse you?"

"You don't even have a job now, who knows if you've resorted to petty theft?"

Then she ordered the others:

"Open his suitcase and check!"

I looked at Mia in disbelief.

After ten years of being together day and night, she knew my character better than anyone.

Just because of Leo's baseless accusation, she wanted to open my suitcase in public?

Earlier, when she played that nasty joke on me, I didn't want to argue with her.

But now, this behavior bordering on bullying completely ignited my anger.

Not disappointment, not heartache.

Only anger and disgust.

"Stop!"

I shouted angrily, but Leo pretended to be sincere:

"Brother Jack, why are you angry? Don't tell me you really took it!"

This made Mia look at me even more disgustedly, signaling two people to block me as she said coldly:

"Don't mind him, keep searching!"

Watching my suitcase being overturned, my private clothes and belongings scattered on the ground.

My anger reached its peak, and I shouted for airport security.

Only then did they sheepishly stop.

"Didn't find it," Leo said disappointedly. "Forget it, don't trouble Brother Jack, he's not having an easy time either."

But Mia shot me a fierce glare: "I think someone stole it and sold it!"

Then she said gently:

"It's okay, Leo. I'll go with you to buy a new one."

As she left, she gave me a cold look.

"Jack, when you end up on the streets in the future, don't come begging me."

With that, she left with the group, Leo giving me a challenging look.

I said nothing, just laughed coldly in my heart.

They didn't know yet that the company's projects had imploded, and it was about to go bankrupt and be acquired.

And I gave up going abroad only because the new company had appointed me as the new CEO of this company.