Chapter 4

Melissa looked at me as if I were some unreasonable stranger throwing a tantrum.

A look of smug satisfaction spread across Nicolas' face as he said in a patronizing tone, "Why don't you come with us, Leonel? After all, we couldn't have launched this new company without your help."

He smirked and added, "That's so generous of you, Leonel. Not only did you give up Melissa, but you even handed us all those resources."

White-hot anger shot to my head. I snapped and swung my fist at him. "Nicolas, this is your last warning. You don't get to talk to me like that!"

But before my fist even touched him, he stumbled back, crashing into a table and chairs with a loud bang.

His voice instantly turned tearful and wounded. "I really did want to thank you, Leonel. Why are you so hostile toward me? Is it because my dad works as your family's chauffeur, and I'm destined to spend my whole life being looked down on?"

His words struck a chord within Melissa. She grabbed my arm and shoved me against the sharp corner of the table. Again and again, more than a dozen times, she slammed me against it.

A searing pain shot through me, and I felt like the bones in my back were on the verge of snapping.

Finally, she let go of me and helped Nicolas to his feet.

"Leonel, who do you think you are, looking down on Nicky? Since you think you're above him, I'll make you swallow your pride before him."

"Get on your knees and apologize to Nicky!" she demanded.

I pressed a hand to my aching back and met her gaze with a cold stare. "What if I don't?"

She let out a cold laugh, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Fine. You asked for it. Leonel, have you forgotten what I'm holding over you?"

Then she barked an order. "Call an immediate meeting with the legal department. I've got a bombshell to drop."

My heart clenched, and I rushed out after her.

The bodyguards blocked me at the conference room door. Inside, Melissa was live-streaming a press conference.

"Here's the bombshell," she said. "Leonel from Zucker Group? His mom's nothing but a homewrecker! Leonel, a homewrecker's son, doesn't deserve to be the CEO of Zucker Group."

A violent tremor ran through me. I froze in place, completely blindsided.

I'd only ever shared my past with her. And I'd made it crystal clear that Mom wasn't a homewrecker. It was Dad's ex-wife who dragged out their divorce for five years, all because she wanted a bigger settlement.

Back then, Melissa had comforted me, saying my origins weren't my fault. But now, those same sweet words had turned into blades, cutting me to pieces.

Nicolas fanned the flames for the cameras. "You can imagine what kind of man a homewrecker's son grows up to be. And who knows how many shady deals are being pulled in a company run by someone like that?"

He continued, "If it were me, I'd have packed up and crawled back to whatever hole I came from. How does he even have the nerve to call himself a CEO?"

Melissa's icy glare fell on me as I stood outside the conference room. She raised the microphone and spoke with deliberate clarity. "From now on, Young Group will pay triple to monopolize every company that works with Zucker Group. Anyone who dares to work with Leonel is making an enemy of me!"

Unfazed, I chuckled in her face. Then I pulled out my phone and told Victor, "She wants to monopolize all my partnerships? Let's see how deep her pockets really are. Pull all of our investments from Young Group now."

Five minutes later, as Melissa tearfully poured out the hardships of her relationship with Nicolas, she answered a call. In an instant, the color drained from her face.