Chapter 2

"Ms. Sanders, William has done more for this company than anyone else. He's officially the marketing manager, but he's been handling assistant director duties all along. And now, just as we're about to go public, you bring someone else in for that role. Isn't that too much?"

"Exactly. Without William, there wouldn't be Sanders Technology today. If you don't appoint him Assistant Director, I'll be the first to object!"

Several colleagues who had worked alongside me for years couldn't hold back their frustration and spoke up in my defense.

Catherine's expression darkened instantly. She swept her gaze across the room and said coldly, "Am I the boss, or are you the boss? Do I need your approval to make decisions?"

Her gaze softened as they landed on me.

"I know this seems unfair, but Benedict is a returnee with a PhD in Economics. He understands public company management and is more qualified in every way. This isn't personal—it's for the company's future. After ten years by my side, you should be able to see that."

I lost my patience and snapped, "Stop with the fancy excuses. Isn't this really because he's your childhood sweetheart?"

In college, Catherine had been my senior. She was striking, from a respected family, and admired by every guy at school.

It was rumored she had a childhood love. They had a passionate romance, but for some reason, he left the country after high school.

After she had been drinking one night, I walked her home, and she kept muttering Benedict's name.

When I heard the name just now, I knew exactly what was going on.

Catherine's face flickered with unease at my blunt revelation, then quickly shifted to disdain.

"That's right. He is my first love, but am I wrong for saying so? Let me be honest. The company is about to go public, and based on your skills and qualifications, you're not suited for the assistant director role. The reason I've kept the position vacant all these years was to reserve it for him."

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. I swayed on my feet, and in that instant, the last thread of hope inside me snapped.

Back then, she said she kept me from the assistant director role so I wouldn't create distance with the team. I had trusted her blindly.

When I finally heard the truth from her, it dawned on me that ten years of my life had been wasted and that I had never mattered to her at all.

Rage, sorrow, and resentment surged through me all at once.

If giving the assistant director role to her childhood love without talking to me was a rejection of my ten years of effort, then keeping the position empty for ten years just for him was an insult to the love I had devoted to her.

Back in my office, I couldn't make sense of it. For ten years, I had given everything to her and to the company. I had sacrificed countless opportunities, and she had known my feelings, even enjoyed the love I gave her.

I couldn't understand why she would suddenly treat me like this. After ten years of pouring my heart and soul into the company and loving her so deeply, could it really be that all of it didn't compare to a childhood sweetheart who had suddenly returned?

"William, everyone knows how much you care for Catherine. They've all been rooting for you, and now she brings her first love into the company to take the assistant director role that should have been yours. It's outrageous. You should quit and take the team with you," Lucas Grant said, storming into my office.

He was the angriest about her betrayal this time, and to protest, he even suggested the entire team walk out and go on strike.