Travis had only attended a few meetings with Vanessa, and yet he effortlessly took credit for everything I had done.

Even the meetings he sat in were based entirely on my plans. All he did was read them out loud.

As I recalled this, I realized Vanessa was truly heartless.

With all that had happened, she had burned away the last trace of any marital bond between us.

I nodded numbly and said nonchalantly, “Fine. I’ll step aside.”

A hint of triumph flashed across Travis’ eyes, but he protested, “No, it shouldn’t be this way. I’m just a newcomer. I’m hardly qualified to handle domestic and international product development.

“I just heard that Stephen has been working on this product for almost a year, and it still isn’t finalized. I just wanted to help out a bit.”

Vanessa gently patted Travis’ shoulder. “Travis, don’t underestimate yourself. You studied at a top university, you were top of your class, and your major fits perfectly. No one else is as qualified as you!”

I almost laughed out loud when I heard what she said.

I knew Travis had no real skills at all. His so-called education was merely a degree he bought with money.

Only Vanessa treated him like he was a treasure.

Once she had reassured him, she turned back to belittle me, “Stephen, you’ve been working on this product for so long, and we still haven’t seen the results. Isn’t that because you aren’t capable enough?

“You can’t do anything right. I’ve been kind enough not to fire you! You should learn from Travis and stop causing me trouble.”

I secretly let out a sigh.

Vanessa probably forgot that she relied on me for every single decision in the company back then. She depended on me for absolutely everything.

Now that the company was on track, she began to believe she could do everything herself and wanted to shove me aside.

She droned on, spittle flying as she went on a tirade.

I took a deep breath and walked straight toward Travis.

The employees around us kept glancing back and forth, wearing expressions of eager curiosity.

It was as though they were sure I would be throwing punches at Travis at the next second.

However, I stopped in front of him with a smile and pulled out my chief's badge from my bag.

I handed it to Travis and said earnestly, “R&D is exhausting. I’ll let you be the chief.”

In an instant, the employees who had been waiting for drama looked shocked.

They thought I had finally lost it.

Everyone knew how much effort I had poured into this product, even how carefully I had trained the team.

Vanessa’s voice immediately turned colder as she stared at Travis holding the badge. “Stephen, what exactly are you doing?”

Strangely, I could hear a hint of displeasure in her tone.

I had just handed Travis a huge gift. She should be happy about it.

Letting Travis take all the credit and removing every barrier for him—was this not exactly what Vanessa wanted?

Travis gripped the badge tightly, like he was afraid I would take it back. He finally tore his greedy eyes away from it and gave me a troubled look and said, “Stephen, are you mad? Is that why you’re giving me the chief position?

“Please don’t misunderstand. Vanessa just wanted me to come over and help you out. It’s for the good of the company.

“I’ve never thought of replacing you. I can’t take this badge.”

He reached out, trying to return the badge to me.

Yet he moved like a snail, clearly unwilling to let go of this windfall.

I gave Travis a friendly smile and pushed his hand back.

“How could I be mad? I’m not upset at all. You’re a real talent. Of course, you deserve the best!”

Vanessa shot me a suspicious glance, but when she saw no trace of displeasure on my face, she just pouted and added, “Travis, just take it. Don’t feel embarrassed. After all, he’s doing it willingly. We didn’t force him!”

Travis thanked me repeatedly, pretending to be humble, but the smug look on his face gave him away.

I secretly let out a smirk. I had managed to finalize the material that would actually make the product work just a couple of days ago.

The formula was complicated, and no one else could replicate it.

Besides, Travis had no idea that being chief was not as easy as it looked. The chief was the core of the team and bore all the responsibility.

Without me, the product they had spent a year developing would be nothing more than a pile of junk. If Travis could not deliver, Vanessa’s company would be on the hook for all the losses and face a massive compensation bill.

Noticing my silence after handing over the chief position, Vanessa looked slightly uneasy. She cleared her throat and awkwardly said, “Alright, Stephen, stop standing here. It’s sweltering outside. Come on into the office and get ready to cut the celebration cake.”

She tilted her chin like she was granting me some grand favor.

I almost laughed at the absurdity. I was deliberately left out of the ribbon-cutting, and they thought a stupid cake could make me feel better.

What a joke!

The thought of cutting the cake with Vanessa made me feel inexplicably sick.

I was about to speak when Travis suddenly piped up, “Yeah, Stephen, you go ahead and get some cake first. A lot of confetti fell during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. I’ll stay behind and clean it up.”

He theatrically grabbed a broom and dustpan, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead.

I nearly forgot that they were supposed to cut the cake together. Travis was clearly playing the victim, trying to see how much Vanessa cared about him.

Sure enough, she snatched the broom from him and said in a coquettish tone, “Travis, your hands need to stay steady for delicate work. You shouldn’t do jobs like this!”

Then, she tossed the broom at my feet and said in disdain, “Stephen, clean this up before going inside. Or don’t even think about joining the lunch later.”

I looked at the broom at my feet and could not help but let out a cold chuckle.

Vanessa had always done this. It was the carrot and the stick approach.

My schedule at work had always been packed full. I had never had a seat at the lunch table.

Now, she was granting me this privilege? It was absolutely disgusting!

Travis, who was holding the dustpan, deliberately tilted it toward me. A piece of tissue smeared with snot landed on my shoe.

He covered his mouth and said in a pretentious tone, “Sorry, Stephen, I didn’t hold it steady.”

I said nothing and simply reached for the cleaning tools.

Travis’ smugness grew as his mouth twitched into a grin. He said in a falsely courteous tone, all while flaunting his pride, “Stephen, sorry for the trouble. I’ll leave it to you, then. Once Vanessa and I finish cutting the cake, you—ah!”

Before he could finish speaking, Travis’ expression suddenly twisted, and he exclaimed in shock.

I dumped the trash from the dustpan over his head, curling my lips in a mocking grin.

“Garbage belongs with garbage. That’s the only way to stay clean!”

Travis jumped in a panic. His tailored suit was now covered in dirt.

Vanessa was dumbfounded. She stared at me blankly for a moment before she finally reacted.

She began brushing the filth off Travis’ clothes while scolding me, “Stephen, are you out of your mind? You’re just jealous that Travis is more capable than you, so you’re deliberately targeting him!”

I shrugged and let out a cold smirk, “Quit with the self-delusions. I’m not jealous of a loser. And stop bossing me around. You’re not even worthy of it!”

Vanessa’s face flushed red with anger. She seemed ready to argue further, but I had already turned around and walked away casually.

I wandered along the path, trying to clear my mind. Before I knew it, I found myself in front of a small coffee shop.

I stared at the sign for a moment, then unconsciously went in and ordered a cup of coffee.

This was the place where Vanessa and I had first met.

Back in freshman year, a senior in our club was celebrating his birthday and invited the members for coffee.

I was from a rural background and my family was extremely poor. I was quiet, sensitive, and insecure. However, I did not want to kill the vibe, so I forced myself to go.

Everyone brought expensive gifts for the senior while I clutched my cloth bag tightly.

It contained a few jars of beef sauce my mother had made. Among all the fancy presents, my gift felt completely out of place.

I nervously took a sip of coffee and exclaimed, “Why is it so bitter?”

Instantly, laughter erupted around me. They mocked me for never having drunk coffee, calling me a country bumpkin.

Just as I felt utterly embarrassed, Vanessa stood up and added milk and sugar to my cup.

She even scolded those who were laughing at me, “What’s the big deal? Some people just don’t like black coffee. It’s a matter of taste.”

I realized she was speaking up for me, protecting my dignity.

When we left the coffee shop, she noticed the gift I had not given away and asked about it.

Embarrassed, I took out the jars of beef sauce. She did not mind at all. She even opened one and said it tasted great.

She explained the flavors of different types of coffee and asked if I liked the one I just drank.

Even with the milk and sugar, the coffee was still bitter, but inside, I felt warm.

I nodded and said it was good, not telling her the truth.

Later, I learned Vanessa was in the same major as me.

She came from the mountains and, through her hard work, got into this university. Perhaps because of our similar backgrounds, we developed a quiet bond and grew close.

Her confidence and composure drew me in like sunlight in the middle of a cold winter.

Over the days we spent together, I fell for her. I sank in deeper and deeper, unable to pull myself away.

I finally gathered the courage to confess during the university sports meet.

Yet, fate had other plans. Vanessa fainted on the track due to low blood sugar. I rushed her to the infirmary and handed her the candy I always carried. I then ran to the store to get her water.

By the time I returned, Travis had stolen the credit and even taken the opportunity to confess to her.

When I saw her face light up with happiness, I could only step back and support her as a friend.

Still, I never expected that Travis’ feelings for her were not genuine. It was not long before he broke up with her. He told her that his parents were abroad and that she was nothing more than a toy to him.