They Broke Me, So I Took Everything Back

Cyril's POV

My sister had come to the city that night, sent by our parents to talk some sense into me, hoping I'd stop being so stubborn. She arrived just in time to pull me out of a dicey situation with a group of women who clearly had other intentions. Who would've thought that taking me to a hotel to sleep it off would get twisted into this mess?

It made sense now. Ever since that night, Shirley's attitude toward me had been strange — hot one moment, cold the next. She'd kept it together long enough for me to land all those major clients for her, and to help her push the company to the brink of going public. Only now, on the eve of her big success, did she decide to strike.

Sure, her lack of trust stung, but she was the first woman I'd ever truly cared about. I didn't want a misunderstanding to tear us apart. More than that, I didn't want my parents to find out that my first real shot at love had crashed and burned. After all, I'd left my hometown to escape the marriage they'd arranged for me.

I wanted to choose my own path, to find someone to walk beside me as an equal, not be shackled to some business merger disguised as a relationship. I'd never told anyone, not even Shirley. I was afraid that if she knew I came from money, she'd feel insecure and overwhelmed by expectations.

Every woman I'd met back home only saw me for my status. But Shirley... when she looked at me, her eyes sparkled like I was the only person in the world. Remembering those moments brought a bitter smile to my face.

"What's so funny?" Shirley's voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and laced with disgust. "You really think now is the time to laugh?"

I met her gaze, steady and unflinching. "Do you really believe I'm some gigolo who slept his way to the top?"

She scoffed. "What else am I supposed to think? Do you honestly believe there's anything about you worth respecting?"

Her words squeezed my heart like a vice. I took a deep breath, fighting the sting of betrayal. "The woman in that photo... she's my sister."

Laughter erupted around us, harsh and mocking.

"Your sister?" Digby sneered, then laughed hard. "What, every woman you sleep with is suddenly your 'sister'? Gotta admit, that adds a spicy twist to your sob story."

The crowd's jeers grew louder, someone even whistling in approval. Meanwhile, Shirley's eyes burned with contempt. "Enough! Take your severance and get out. From this moment on, we're nothing to each other!"

I clenched the dismissal notice in my fist, feeling a coldness seeping into my bones. Five years. Five years of hiding who I was, working in the shadows to help her build this empire, only to be cast aside like garbage the moment she no longer needed me.

Fine. If she wanted me gone, I'd go. I'd consider those five years a gift to a woman who never really saw me.

I turned toward her and, with a low and steady voice, said, "Shirley, you'll regret this."

But instead of taking it seriously, she simply laughed. "Regret? The only thing I regret is ever wasting my time on a worthless scumbag like you."

She then reached out to Digby and they exchanged smug smiles. Hand in hand, they made their way to the stage. Only then did I notice their matching outfits — his tailored suit and her plunging gown, a perfectly coordinated set.

Shirley raised their joined hands high, her voice ringing out confidently, "Tomorrow marks the most important day in our company's history — we're going public! But of course, none of this would've been possible without the hard work of everyone here. May we continue to achieve greatness together!"

As such, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.