Fired for a Cigarette_ The Cost of Loving Her

"Also, the engagement is off."

With that, I turned and walked out of the hospital without looking back.

But I had severely underestimated just how far Valeria would go to protect Brian.

Just as I was about to exit the ward, she grabbed the ashtray from the bedside table and smashed it against the back of my head.

When I regained consciousness, I found my hands and feet bound.

Valeria was right beside me and several police officers stood nearby.

She covered her face, sobbing as she spoke to them.

"After the accident, I begged him to turn himself in... but he said he’s the Deputy General Manager of a major company—how could he go to jail?"

“He said even if the truth got out, he could just pay off the victims' families. A few bucks would shut them up and he could walk free.”

Her words made the officers look at me with disgust and scorn.

By then, the victims' families had also arrived.

When they heard what she said, rage consumed them.

Several of them began punching and kicking me where I lay helplessly on the hospital bed.

“So what if you're rich? You think having money gives you a free pass to do anything?”

“I hate people like you the most! You do all kinds of evil and still sleep soundly at night. You're soulless!”

“My son is still lying in a hospital bed! I don’t care if you offer us a mountain of cash—I’ll make sure you rot in jail!”

I tried to speak—tried to explain—but no words came out.

Valeria knelt beside me and gently stroked my hair.

Her voice dropped to a whisper only I could hear.

"Don’t be scared. It’s just a temporary drug. It’ll keep you from talking for a while."

"Once you confess at the police station and take the blame, I’ll give you the antidote."

I could hardly believe it.

Valeria had actually drugged me for Brian.

I tried to struggle, to scream, to defend myself, but it was all useless.

I could only watch as the police dragged me away like a criminal.

At the station, I still couldn’t speak.

All I could do was repeatedly scribble that I was innocent—that I was being framed.

The officer sneered, tossing a flash drive across the table.

“Mr. Gerrin, you’re really going to deny everything until the very end, huh?”

“The car belongs to you. Your fiancée says you were the driver. And now, we even have dashcam footage of the scene. What more proof do you need?”

I recognized immediately that the footage had been doctored.

But no one cared. No one would listen.

Just as I was about to be transferred to the detention center, a voice cut through the tension.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?!”

It was Lucy. She had arrived just in time and rushed to stand protectively in front of me.

After hearing what I was being accused of, she immediately snapped back.

“That’s impossible! Andy wasn’t anywhere near that road when the accident happened! He didn’t hit anyone!”

“I want a lawyer—now!”

Lucy wasted no time.

Within hours, she’d cleared me of suspicion, exposed the falsified evidence and even managed to track down the antidote that returned my ability to speak.

Though I could talk again, my voice remained hoarse.

Lucy looked at me with clear anger and worry.

“Valeria and Brian are monsters. I’ll sue them both and make sure they rot in prison!”

But I gently caught her wrist and whispered through my damaged throat.

“How many days until the DeWalt project bid results are announced?”

“Tomorrow,” she replied, eyes narrowing in curiosity. “Why?”

A slow, cold smile formed on my lips.

“Then there’s no rush. Let’s wait until the winning company is announced.”

Lucy understood instantly.

With a knowing grin, she pulled two plane tickets out of her bag as if by magic.

“So, shall we go to Paris now?”

I gave a firm nod.

The next day, Valeria, brimming with confidence, attended the public bidding ceremony for the DeWalt project. She arrived in her most elegant outfit, carrying a congratulatory letter, her every step oozing pride.

With a wine glass in hand, she soaked in the compliments from the crowd around her.

“I heard the company led by Andy won the bid again. Congratulations, Ms. Brooks!”

“Ms. Brooks is incredibly lucky. With Andy, doing business must be effortless!”

But Valeria clearly disliked the mention of my name. Her smile vanished and her voice turned frosty.

“I secured this project entirely through my own efforts—and those of my assistant, Brian. Andy has nothing to do with it.”

“The person who deserves the most credit is Brian. He worked around the clock, leading the team without rest for 24 hours. Without him, we never would’ve secured this project.”

“I’ve already bought you that million-dollar luxury car you’ve been eyeing. After this, I’ll take you to pick it up.”

Brian’s voice trembled with emotion.

“Ms. Brooks, you’re far too generous. I don’t even know how to repay your kindness!”

“From now on, I’ll double my efforts to grow the company and take it to new heights!”

They were so wrapped up in their own little moment that they didn’t notice the shifting atmosphere around them—until the host on stage made the official announcement.

“The winning company for the DeWalt project is… Russell Group!”