My executive boyfriend's newly hired assistant caused trouble again.

All because a client mentioned he was afraid of snakes, she sent him a king cobra as "exposure therapy." The client was bitten and nearly died.

Because of that, the company lost a multimillion-dollar project and had to pay two million in medical compensation.

Following the board's decision, I fired her on the spot. My boyfriend did not object. In fact, he cooperated with me throughout the paperwork.

One year later, at the celebration party for Grant Hale's promotion to CEO, I saw that same assistant again, dressed head to toe in luxury, standing beside him.

Before I could react, Grant threw a termination agreement at me and announced in front of everyone that Chloe Vance would be taking over my position.

His eyes were full of hatred as he gritted out, "Natalie, I have waited countless nights for this day. Didn't you love firing people?

"How does it feel to be fired in public?"

Everyone thought I would make a scene.

Instead, I laughed, calmly removed my employee badge, and walked out.

What Grant did not know was that the only reason he had been able to sit in the CEO's chair was because I had guaranteed him.

The moment I left, every ounce of power in his hands would be revoked.

His good days were officially over.

"She really took off her badge just like that?"

"I thought Vice President Natalie Shaw always fought her corner. Was that whole tough act fake?"

"What else is she supposed to do? The person firing her is Mr. Hale himself. Nobody's going to challenge the new CEO on his first day."

Their whispers drifted through the banquet hall.

I glanced at the employee badge lying on the table and said nothing.

I had poured everything I had into helping Grant Hale reach the CEO's office. I never imagined that his first act after gaining power would be to fire me so his little assistant could take my place.

Across the room, Chloe Vance smiled with naked satisfaction. My fingers curled tightly against my palm.

Then several sharper voices cut through the murmuring.

"Good. Mr. Hale made the right call. Natalie should have been thrown out ages ago."

"Why is everyone outraged when Mr. Hale fires her? She was allowed to fire employees whenever she wanted when she was vice president. That's a double standard."

"Honestly, she deserves it. She fired so many people. It's only fair she gets a taste of it herself."

I was not surprised.

Staffing and internal discipline had always fallen under my authority. Of course I had offended people.

But I had never fired anyone for personal reasons. The employees who were terminated under my watch had made serious mistakes that directly hurt the company. If the damage was not severe, I usually only demoted them or cut their pay, just as I had done with the people now speaking against me.

If they had worked hard afterward, they could have earned their positions back.

The room grew louder.

Grant looked on coldly from the stage, making no move to stop it. His face was full of contempt, and he even wore a mocking smirk, as if he were waiting for a good show.

That familiar expression caught me off guard. In the past, he only showed it to people he utterly despised. I never thought he would turn it on me.

Then someone else spoke up.

"Ms. Shaw didn't do anything wrong. Why should she be fired?"

"Exactly. Why is Chloe replacing her? We all remember how Chloe cost the company that big deal last year."

"If she hadn't been stupid enough to send that cobra to the client, the company would have been thriving by now. Instead, the client blacklisted us forever."

The second those words landed, everyone turned toward Chloe. Some employees began retelling the whole story to people who had joined later.

I lifted an eyebrow and looked toward the stage.

If not for Chloe, everyone's bonuses and months of work would not have gone up in smoke.

Grant's face darkened immediately.

Beside him, Chloe burst into tears.

"Grant, I knew this would happen. Even after all this time, nobody is willing to forgive me. I don't want to make things hard for you. Maybe I should just go back to collecting scrap and trash to survive."

"Life was hard, and people bullied me all the time. I was hungry most days. But as long as I could stay alive and see you once in a while, that was enough for me."

A single tear slid down her cheek at exactly the right moment.

Grant looked heartbroken.

His gaze hardened, and his voice rang across the hall.

"Enough! That incident was explained long ago. It was an accident. Chloe admitted her mistake and paid for it. Over the past year, she has changed a lot, and her abilities have improved. I believe she is qualified to serve as vice president.

"I do not want to hear anyone use that incident to attack her again. If I catch anyone doing it, you will end up the same way as Natalie Shaw."

The room fell silent.

The people who had still wanted to argue slowly lowered their heads.

Grant nodded with satisfaction. Then he turned to Chloe and said softly, "Don't worry. I will never let you go hungry again.

"Things are different now. I endured hundreds of days of humiliation for this moment. I will get justice for you.

"Everyone who framed you and hurt you back then will pay."

His tone grew colder with every word.

Then his eyes landed on me.

I met his stare and felt a chill crawl up my spine.

He hated me that much?

All because I fired Chloe in front of everyone a year ago?

If I had not done it, he would not be standing here celebrating his promotion. He would have been thrown out of the company right along with her.

Chloe had been his assistant. He was responsible for her conduct. Back then, the board's original decision was not just to fire Chloe. It was to fire Grant too.

I had personally guaranteed his future to the chairman and signed a performance pledge to win him a chance to redeem himself.

Even so, he had punished me with three months of cold silence.

Later, when I promised I would help him become executive CEO, his attitude toward me finally softened.

Now he had barely taken the seat before he rushed to fire me and claim justice for Chloe.

How ridiculous.

Seeing the cold smile on my face, Grant frowned and walked down from the stage.

"Natalie Shaw, if not for you, Chloe would never have been fired. She would never have suffered all those things.

"You owe her a public apology."

I ignored him, picked up the termination agreement from the floor, and turned to leave.

Grant had security block my way.

Chloe hurried after us, still wearing the expression of someone wronged beyond measure.

"Grant, look at her. She doesn't want to apologize at all.

"I just came back to the company and this is already happening. Who will listen to me after this? Instead of helping you, I'll only drag you down.

"Rather than watch that happen and make things difficult for you, I might as well leave now."

As she spoke, she moved closer to Grant instead of leaving.

Her reddened eyes fell perfectly into his line of sight.

Grant grabbed her wrist at once, as if terrified she might actually go.

"I told you I would get justice for you. Do you trust me that little?"

Chloe did not answer. She only lowered her head.

Grant coaxed her for several more sentences, and only when the corners of her mouth lifted did he finally relax.

The sight of them together was painful to watch.

In six years with Grant, I had never seen him this gentle or this patient.

Not even when we were supposedly in love.

In daily life, even basic kindness from him had become a luxury. Most of what existed between us was argument, cold war, sudden disappearances, and nights when he never came home.

So whenever he showed the smallest sign of softness, I would mistake it for a change of heart.

To keep that tiny bit of warmth, I fought for anything he casually asked for.

Even when he once said, "Then let me have the CEO's seat."

And what happened in the end?

He took everything I had fought so hard to build, accepted it as if it were owed to him, then turned around and kicked me aside so someone else could take my place.

Maybe there had been no room for me in his heart for a long time.

I was the only fool still believing that if I tried hard enough, he would eventually see me.

Thinking about it now, I had been unbelievably stupid.

Grant's cold voice pulled me back.

"Cat got your tongue, Natalie? Apologize to Chloe. Now.

"If you don't apologize, don't even think about leaving this room today."

The moment he finished speaking, the security guards around me closed in, each one holding a baton.

So that was how determined he was to force an apology out of me.

Chloe watched with expectation written across her face, satisfaction glinting in her eyes.

Seeing Grant so determined to defend Chloe, I felt something press down on my chest until even breathing took effort.

Once, he had stood in front of everyone and defended me just like this.

He had demanded justice for me.

That was the moment I fell for him.

Who would have thought that one day, he would demand justice from me for someone else?

And worse, I had done nothing wrong. I had never framed anyone.

The justice he wanted was never going to be the truth.

When I stayed silent, his brows knitted tighter.

Chloe handed him a glass of wine and whispered something by his ear. His gloomy expression softened at once.

Then he looked at me coldly again.

"Natalie, you owe Chloe this. I'm doing this for your own good. When someone makes a mistake, they should take responsibility. Isn't that what you always tell your subordinates?

"Why does that rule suddenly not apply when it's you?"

As soon as he said that, the room filled with agreement.

"Mr. Hale is right. Ms. Shaw, you should just apologize."

"Why make such a big deal out of it? Maybe if you apologize, you won't even have to leave the company."

I looked coldly at them and said nothing.

They were nothing but opportunists.

Now that I had lost power, they could not wait to step on me personally and use it to curry favor with the newly appointed Grant Hale.

When I still did not move, Grant finally lost his patience.

His irritation grew more obvious, and he snapped, "Since you refuse to apologize, then bow to Chloe.

"Once you bow, this ends here. I won't use this against you again."

I stared at him coldly and refused without hesitation.

"You want me to bow and apologize to her? Dream on.

"This matter had a conclusion a year ago. Now you're dragging it out again. What exactly are you hiding?"

The moment he announced my termination in front of everyone, I saw him clearly.

His whole heart was with Chloe now. There was no trace of me in his eyes.

So why should I keep lying to myself and keep orbiting around him?

Grant heard me and smashed the wineglass in his hand.

His voice turned icy.

"Natalie! I'm only asking you to apologize and admit you were wrong. Is that really worth twisting into some conspiracy against you?

"Besides, I'm doing this for you. So many colleagues are watching. Do you really want to embarrass yourself and be criticized for this in the future?

"Apologize now, or we will—"

He paused deliberately before finishing.

"Choose what happens next for yourself."

I had heard those words from him countless times.

Whenever I resisted or refused to obey, he would threaten me with a breakup.

In the past, I treasured our six-year relationship so much that before he could even say the word "break up," I would rush to agree with him.

That had taught him that those words were my weakness.

After I gave in, he would look at me with that pitiful, condescending expression and warn me that there would not be a next time.

That move had worked on me again and again.

But this time, I did not want to compromise anymore.

I looked him in the eyes and said each word clearly.

"Fine. Then let's break up."

The moment I said it, an unexpected lightness spread through my chest.

Grant, however, stiffened where he stood.