Chapter 1

I worked my butt off at the company for three years.

But my boss, to pave the way for his son, told me to pack my things and go home.

My girlfriend of five years also got together with the boss's son at that very time.

They all thought I was just an ordinary guy grinding away.

When I showed up in front of them again, I pulled out a rental contract:

“Mr. Henderson, it's time to pay next quarter's rent. Otherwise, I’ll have to send someone to change the locks!”

When I was delivering some documents to the boss, I accidentally caught my girlfriend of five years passionately kissing Brandon Henderson, the intern, in the stairwell.

After work, I went home, intending to confront Chloe, but she never came back.

I clicked on her SnapChat story, updated half an hour ago:

In the video, she was wearing a sexy slip dress, dancing intimately with Brandon, her arms wrapped around him. They both wore matching couple rings on their index fingers.

I stared at the video for a long time, a heavy feeling in my chest.

Truth be told, Chloe’s change of heart had been brewing for a while.

Three months ago, when the boss publicly announced that Brandon was his only son, the way she looked at Brandon had completely shifted.

From then on, she became increasingly impatient with me.

She, who used to love sleeping in, started waking up early every day, meticulously getting ready before heading out.

At work, she’d always gravitate towards Brandon, chatting him up.

Whatever Brandon said, it always left her cheeks flushed.

Not only that, last week, when I had a high fever and was on an IV drip in the hospital, Chloe abandoned me there to go watch a movie with Brandon.

It wasn't that I hadn't thought about breaking up.

But the thought of our five years together always made me hesitant to let go.

Yet, my repeated tolerance and concessions only made her even more blatant.

This time, I felt completely fed up!

She finally stumbled in at dawn, completely wasted.

The moment she walked in, she, as usual, demanded I draw her a bath.

I didn't move, just stared at her with cold eyes. “I saw you kissing Brandon in the stairwell today.”

She shrugged, completely unconcerned. “So what if you did? Not only did Brandon and I kiss, we booked a hotel room too!”

“Brandon is our boss’s son! Look at you, three years at the company, and you’re still just a team leader. Your family isn’t well off, and you don’t even try hard. You’re such a loser!”

I clenched my fist but quickly loosened it.

Actually, I had planned to take her home to meet my parents after this busy period and casually tell her that I was a landlord with a massive portfolio, and even this very office building belonged to my family.

But now, the last flicker of hope I had for her was extinguished!

“Let’s break up,” I said flatly.

Perhaps she hadn't expected me to be the one to suggest breaking up, as her drunkenness seemed to fade a little.

She shrieked, “How dare you break up with me? If anyone’s breaking up, it’s me!”

“Hmph, people always strive for better opportunities, you know? If you’re not ambitious, you can’t blame me. Goodbye, loser!”

With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

The next day, as soon as I arrived at the company, I received a notice that my team leader position had been revoked.

My colleagues around me looked at me with pity.

Mark, a former team member, whispered, trying to stand up for me, “Alex, you’re so capable and responsible, why would the company demote you?”

I frowned, a little puzzled myself.

I had joined this company right after graduation, working diligently for three years, securing several major projects for them.

You could say I contributed a significant part to the company's current success.

It wasn't enough that they didn't promote me or give me a raise; they were actively trying to suppress me.

Others might tolerate it, but not me!