Chapter 1

After years of helping the company prepare for its IPO, my girlfriend—finally ready to go public about our relationship—was about to make the announcement.

But before she could, her ever-smug assistant, who’s never liked me, beat her to it. Stepping onto the stage, he wrapped his arm around her waist, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Didn’t you say we’d wait a few more years? Couldn’t hold out even for that long, huh?" he said, his tone thick with mockery.

My girlfriend didn’t bother explaining. Instead, she handed him a document—the transfer of shares agreement—and announced to the room that he was the company’s newest shareholder.

The crowd erupted in shock, with murmurs and whispers spreading like wildfire.

The assistant, clearly basking in the attention, turned his smugness toward me, throwing out thinly veiled jabs.

And my girlfriend? She didn’t stop him. In fact, her tone was cold as ice when she added:

"You’ve done a lot for the company, but his talent is what we need to ensure a brighter future."

I didn’t flinch. I didn’t argue. Instead, I smiled, nodded, and graciously handed over my remaining shares to the assistant as well.

"Let’s see," I thought to myself, "how far they can take this company without its biggest investor."

And with that, I walked away.