Chapter 2

Rachel shoved me aside forcefully and shielded Bryon behind her, staring at me warily with icy hatred in her eyes.

It was as if we were not lovers anymore, but rather, sworn enemies instead.

My heart hurt so much that I couldn't even breathe properly anymore.

Rachel was my girlfriend of seven years and the person whom I thought I was going to marry. Meanwhile, Bryon was the intern whom I had patiently and painstakingly taught everything I knew and who looked up to me as his mentor.

I used to trust them both unconditionally. But I never thought that they had already been seeing each other behind my back and were now even joining forces to plot my downfall.

"What's going on here?"

Just then, Steven and a few other board members hurried over.

"Please don't blame Corey for any of this!" Bryon immediately yelled. "It's normal for him to be mad because he took my place sleeping with the 80-year-old granny!"

Rachel felt a pang in her heart when she saw how upset and aggrieved Bryon looked. She immediately defended him.

"Corey was the one holding the grudge against Bryon and forcing him to kneel and grovel at his feet as soon as he got back to the office!"

But I hadn't even done anything!

"How could you do such a despicable thing, Corey Dalton!"

The directors immediately chided and condemned me harshly as soon as they heard what Rachel said. They even reached out to help Bryon off the ground.

"How could you bully people like this? Are you trying to force him to the end of his wits?"

I looked at Steven, hoping that he would uphold justice for me. Instead, he stormed up to me with a dark look on his face and punched me right in the face until I saw stars.

I was stunned for a few long seconds before I asked him incredulously, "Steve? Are you not even going to ask me for my side of the story? Have you already forgotten your promise to me as my best friend?"

However, Steven also backstabbed me by glaring at me coldly and saying, "Being friends is one thing, but your horrible work ethic is another! And don't you dare try being sentimental and using that 'best friend' label on me!

"Bryon had only just begun working in the workforce, and you are his direct superior! You can't possibly watch him destroy his own future like this, can you? Even Rachel is more willing to help him than you are!

"What's the big deal about you making a small sacrifice for him like this? Would it kill you to be nice to him?"

Every word he said felt like a sharp knife to my heart. It hurt so much that I shivered hard and could barely even remain standing on my feet.

Meanwhile, Rachel added, "That's right! You're a leader, which means you should shoulder all the responsibilities of being one!

"And to add on to that, the Parsons had been kind enough to raise me as their own daughter for 20 years. You'd better stop it with your fuss now and quit pestering others about it!"

Why was I now responsible for repaying the Parsons' favor when Rachel was the one who owed them? And when had I ever pestered anybody about anything?

In the past, Steven once told me that I should look out for Bryon for Rachel's sake.

When the company was just starting up, Bryon kept falling ill, and Rachel insisted on staying with him to take care of him the entire time. So, I was forced to travel all over the country and secure funds and investors for the company all by myself.

I didn't even buy new clothes for myself for years, and yet, I was told to buy Bryon new clothes all the time. And if both he and I saw a watch that we both liked, I was also forced to give it up for him instead.

There were plenty more instances like this, but I never told anyone, not even Steven, because I didn't want anyone to worry about me.

Rachel knew about all these, and she used to feel sorry for me and make it up to me afterward. But now, they'd all changed and turned against me.

"Although I'm getting engaged to Bryon, and you're now forced to marry the 80-year-old granny, we can still technically have a 'relationship' with each other," Rachel then said, looking every bit confident and self-righteous.

She was really fond of playing mind games at this point. This was a public slap to the face, taking me to be the fool instead!

I was so speechless that I ended up laughing in anger.

This place was absolutely disgusting. I knew I was going to throw up if I stayed another second longer, so I turned and left.

Bryon's faux concerned voice then sounded behind me.

"Do you think we're going a little too overboard if we treat Corey like this?"

Rachel sighed softly and said, "We'll make it up to him next time."

Make it up to me?

Over my dead body.

I didn't care about it anymore.