Chapter 2

The next day, I organized all the projects Alexander had slashed budgets from, along with the invoices. Then Alexander came back.

He showed me the email, his tone dripping with dissatisfaction.

"Because the payment wasn't made on time yesterday, someone else booked the venue first. The wedding has to be postponed to a month from now."

I looked at his booking confirmation and frowned.

"Next month — you're holding the wedding? Then what about us?"

Alexander nodded and informed me as if it were the most natural thing in the world:

"We're still getting married as planned in three days. The wedding with Lily is just a ceremony — she'll fulfill her last wish and won't bother me anymore."

Without waiting for my consent, he brought Lily into the office.

"My prolonged absence from the company is affecting operations, and Lily really wants to work alongside me in her final days. Let's arrange a secretary position for her this month."

Lily looked at me, pretending to be sensible.

"I'll definitely work hard to help Alexander share the workload. If..."

She started crying again as she looked at me, as if I had done something terrible to her.

"If you don't like me, I'll leave right away. Please believe me — I have no intention of taking your place."

I took a deep breath and turned to Alexander.

"She's seriously ill and has no relevant work experience. What can she possibly contribute to the company?"

"The CEO's secretary is a highly important and demanding position."

Alexander immediately approved her onboarding application and took the documents from my desk.

"I would never joke about work. Lily is very meticulous, and even if she doesn't know something, I can teach her."

"From now on, she'll use the office closest to mine. I'll have someone clear out another office for you in a moment."

This office had been mine since the company was founded. I never imagined he could say something like that.

I smiled faintly and picked up the documents I had been working on.

"I'll head to the conference room first. No need to bother clearing out an office — I'll be moving back soon enough."

Alexander frowned, his tone annoyed.

"What I'm saying is, from now on, Lily..."

I ignored him and walked out of the office. To my surprise, Lily followed.

She was carrying another stack of documents, smiling smugly.

"I've already told you the truth — I'm perfectly healthy."

"All of this was Alexander's indulgence. How can you still be here, refusing to leave?"

My heart gave a sharp jolt, flooding with bitterness.

This company was built by the two of us together — and now he was trying to use a trick like this to force me out.

We had fought from nothing, chasing investors together, finding clients together.

We worked through entire nights without sleep, sitting in that office eating discounted fast food.

Now the company had gone public, and we were about to get married.

Yet he felt he owed Lily.

Alexander no longer needed a partner. Now that he had achieved success and fame, what he needed was a woman who looked up to him.

A canary he could cradle in his hands and protect.

Half an hour later, Lily's account was successfully added to the company's internal system.

But her profile picture wasn't a professional headshot — it was the wedding photo they had just taken.

[Joanna, please don't read too much into this. There was no time to take a new photo, and Alexander already approved it.]

I ignored Lily's message and forwarded the photo to multiple shareholders.

Citing the mixing of personal life with work, I requested that the photo be taken down.

The shareholders, who already had grievances about Alexander slashing project budgets, immediately agreed.

Lily's photo was quickly replaced with a proper professional headshot. Then Alexander called me into his office.

"Joanna, how could you be so cruel?"

"Lily just started working here, and you've already humiliated her like this. How is she supposed to work at this company now?"

I replied calmly.

"Work and private life must be kept separate — you cannot allow personal feelings to interfere with work."

Alexander's face darkened, and he tossed a suspension notice at me.

"Your emotions are affecting your work. Take some time off and rest."

"And in the meantime, Lily will take over your position."

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a share transfer agreement on Alexander's computer screen.

He was transferring five percent of the company's shares to Lily.

My fingers trembled, and the suspension notice slipped from my hand.

I let out a cold laugh. Alexander still believed he was in control of the company.

But over the past few days, the shareholders had long grown fed up with his embezzlement.

And I had already been in touch with them.

I was going to take back everything I had ever given him.