Chapter 4

Over the next few days, Austin and Chloe ran rampant through the company.

He handed her the title of "Chief Brand Officer"—a woman without a single day of corporate experience suddenly sitting on the executive board.

Chloe turned my old office into an eyesore and flooded social media with lavish, cozy photos of her and Austin playing power couple.

The senior staff were furious, but under Austin's ruthless protection, nobody dared speak up.

As for me, I was systematically stripped of every operational privilege.

Austin revoked my building access, locked my corporate email, and reassigned me to a cramped, windowless desk right beside the staff breakroom.

In everyone's eyes, I had been utterly crushed and discarded.

"See that? That's what happens when an ex tries to fight the true love."

"She had it coming. Too cold, too bossy. Men always prefer someone sweet like Chloe."

"I heard Mr. Miller took back the luxury penthouse and the sports car. She's only hanging around because she has nowhere else to go."

I let the gossip wash over me.

Every day, I showed up strictly on time, keeping my head down over my personal encrypted laptop.

To the casual observer, I was just aimlessly browsing the web to kill time.

By Thursday afternoon, the executive office dropped a massive bombshell:

Austin and Chloe were getting engaged.

The gala was scheduled for Sunday evening at the city's most exclusive seven-star hotel.

Engraved invitations were blasted across high society and every major media outlet, setting the stage for a wildly publicized society event.

Austin wanted two things: to cement Chloe's status as his undisputed future bride, and to parade himself in front of the press as the grand victor of our messy split.

As the workday ended, the click of designer heels approached. Chloe personally dropped a thick, gold-embossed card onto my keyboard.

She looked down her nose at me, practically glowing with arrogance.

"Make sure you show up this Sunday, Sienna. Come bear witness to our happiness."

I didn't reach for it.

Smirking, she bent down, lowering her voice so only I could hear:

"You lost, Sienna. The second I landed back in this country, your game was over."

Straightening up, she brushed a strand of styled hair over her shoulder and laughed softly.

"Oh, by the way, Austin told me to pass along a message: after this weekend, don't bother showing your face here anymore."

"Your corner office, your status, everything you built—it all belongs to me now."

She spun on her heels, paused at the exit, and turned back with a sly, knowing grin.

"One more thing. I happen to have some very interesting files regarding Miller Corp's financing round from three years ago. I haven't shown Austin yet, but if you keep loitering around here like a stray dog, I won't hesitate to leak them to the tabloids."

With a theatrical sway of her hips, she strutted away.

I nearly laughed out loud.

The real, executed capital restructuring contract from three years ago had never left my personal vault.

Whatever knockoff Chloe had dug up only had my real signature on the first and last pages; the critical controlling equity and default acceleration clauses were nothing more than boilerplates.

She thought she was holding an ace when she was holding a blank card.

Slowly, I picked up the gaudy invitation from my keyboard and smiled.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

My calm smile caught her off guard, making her freeze before she hurried off.

Ignoring her retreating silhouette, I tapped my phone screen and dialed my lawyer.

"Marcus," I said, my voice deadpan and deadly calm.

"Bring our entire legal team to the engagement party this Sunday. We're delivering a special gift."

It was time to shut this circus down.