Chapter 20
It just so happened that my brother had come from Emperor Bay that night to persuade me on behalf of our parents, hoping I’d stop being stubborn with the family. He arrived just in time to pull me away from a group of men who had been looking to take advantage of me.” Who would have thought that him bringing me to a hotel to rest would be caught on camera by someone with ulterior motives?} No wonder Nicholas had been acting so strangely ever since that night, distant yet still tried to act warmly.”
Turns out, he had been holding it in all this time. He waited until I had secured major clients for him and quietly leveraged my family’s influence to help to start an IPO for his company. Tonight, he finally chose to lash out.
I was disappointed by his lack of trust in me.”
Yet, he was also the first man I had ever truly fallen for. I don’t want us to drift apart because of a misunderstanding>
Even more, I didn’t want my parents to find out that my first all–consuming love had ended before it even truly began. After all, I had fled Emperor Bay to escape the marriage they had arranged for me.”
I wanted to choose my own partner, to stand beside someone as equals, not be trapped in a loveless business alliance. But I had never told anyone this. Not even Nicholas.
I was afraid that if he found out I was the Queen Bee of the Elite Circles, he would feel insecure, overwhelmed, crushed by the weight of it all.8
Since childhood, every man around me had only liked me because of my status. I hated those calculated displays of affection, those compliments laced with ulterior motives. But Nicholas–when he looked at me, his eyes were filled with stars.
The memories of how beautiful things once were made me laugh uncontrollably.
“What are you laughing at?” Nicholas frowned, his voice laced with disdain. “How could you laugh at times like this?“}
I lifted my head and met his gaze head–on “Do you really think I’m the kind of woman who sleeps her way to the top?“}
“Then what else did you do?” he let out a cold scoff. “Do you think you have left that’s worth my respect?“}
It felt like an invisible hand had clenched around my heart, squeezing so tightly that made even breathing became painful.
I took a deep breath and spoke slowly. “The man in the photo–is my brother.”
“Your ‘brother‘?” Gwendoline burst into laughter. “Do you think we’re idiots? Calling some random ‘sworn brother‘ your real brother? What? Do you call every man you sleep with ‘brother‘? Gotta admit, that does add a certain… spice to things!“}
The laughter around me grew sharper, someone even whistled.“)
Nicholas’s gaze was full of contempt. “Enough. Stop embarrassing yourself. Take your termination letter and get out. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other.“>
I clenched the letter in my hand, feeling nothing but cold emptiness inside. For five years, I hid my true identity, working as an ordinary employee to help him grow his company as quickly as possible.
Now, after I personally payed his way to the top, he was ready to cast
aside
stayed for a fool. I’d just consider the last five years of my youth wasted on an
“Nicholas, you’ll regret this.“}
Hearing my quiet murmur, Nicholas reacted as if I had just told the world’s funni
a used tool. I could handle losing–but I refused to be
oaf.§
t joke.
“Regret?” He let out a mocking laugh. “The only thing I regret is ever meeting a faithless whore like you!“}
With that, he extended his hand toward Gwendoline. The two exchanged a know the banquet hall.}
smile and walked hand in hand toward the center of
It was only then that I noticed–Nicholas’s tailored suit and Gwendoline’s low–cut evening gown were a matching designer set. He raised their interlocked fingers high, his voice loud and confident.
“Tomorrow marks the most important moment in our company’s history–going public! Non the hard work of everyone here. Let’s continue striving for greatness together!”
Thunderous applause erupted, followed by waves of cheers.
of this would have been possible without