You Chose Her, I Took Your Empire

Elena Miller

The door to my office clicked shut, and Julian had me against it before I could even set my tablet down. He kissed me like he was starving, his hands firm on my waist, pulling me close. I melted into him as I felt the heat of his body through his clothes.

"Julian," I breathed, my hands tangling in his hair.

"One hour, Elena," he whispered against my neck. "In one hour, everything changes. I’ll be CEO, and you? You’ll be my VP. Then, there will be no more hiding. We can be together, officially. You want that, right?" 

I nodded, biting my lip. “Yes,” I said, and then he kissed me again.

I closed my eyes, letting his words sink in. For three years, I was his assistant. We had spent countless nights in this office mapping out the merger, sacrificing everything to get him the penthouse office as the CEO of Jenkins Holdings. 

The board meeting started in forty minutes. If Julian wasn't there, the entire deal could fall through.

I pushed against his chest, breaking the kiss. He didn't want to let go, his eyes searching mine, full of that intense, boyish adoration that always made me feel like the only person in the world.

"Julian, stop," I said. "You really have to go now. You can;t be late to the merger."

He groaned, resting his forehead against mine. "But I don’t want to leave you, my Elena."

"You have to be the CEO, remember?" I laughed, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

He leaned in, stealing one more long, lingering kiss. "I'll see you at the celebration tonight, Madame VP," he teased.

He walked toward the door, turning back once to wink at me before he finally exited. I smiled, feeling butterflies in my belly.

I stayed there for a second, catching my breath. The scent of his sandalwood cologne lingered in the air. I walked over to my desk and sat down. I felt electric. Everything we had worked for was finally happening. With him as the CEO, we were going to be the firm’s new power couple.

I reached for a glass and poured a small amount of wine. My hands were shaking, but only because I was so happy. This was it. This was the start of the life I had been waiting for since the day I met him four years ago.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s me, Miss Miller.”

“Come in,” I said, recognizing my staff’s voice.

 Sarah, a junior associate, opened the door and poked her head in. 

"Delivery for you, Ma’am," she said, setting a heavy, leather-bound folder on my desk. "And, uh, congratulations. Everyone knows it’s official now. You’re going to be a great VP."

She smiled at me and hurried out before I could respond. I touched the leather. It felt like a trophy. I was so busy admiring the folder that I didn't see my glass of wine sitting right at the edge of the desk. When my sleeve caught it, the glass tipped over, splashing across the mahogany.

"Dammit," I muttered.

I dove under the desk with a napkin, scrambling to wipe up the spill before it ruined the carpet. As I reached into the corner near the leg of the desk, my fingers brushed against something hard and metallic.

I pulled it out. 

It was Julian’s encrypted USB drive…

My heart skipped a beat. This wasn't just any drive; it contained every slide, every revenue projection, and every legal contingency for the board presentation. He had been so distracted by our making-out that he must have dropped it when he grabbed his notes.

Oh god. He couldn't start the meeting without this!

Panic hit me. I needed to act before he made an embarrassment out of himself in front of the board without his presentation. 

I stood up, grabbed the drive, and smoothed my skirt. I checked my reflection in the window, took one deep breath, and sprinted for the door.

I reached the hallway, my heels clicking rapidly against the floor. I took the stairs two at a time, my mind already picturing the look of relief on his face when I walked through those glass doors.

I reached the executive floor, breathless. The hallway was dead silent, the air heavy with the scent of floor wax. I slowed my pace as I neared the frosted glass doors of the boardroom. I didn't want to burst in and disrupt his flow, so I paused to smooth my hair.

I looked through the glass. The silhouette of the board table was empty, but Julian stood near the window. 

And he wasn't alone.

A woman was standing close to him. Marie, the daughter of the CEO from our merger partner. 

What is she doing here? Alone in the boardroom with my boyfriend?

My stomach dropped. I leaned in, expecting to see them discussing the final terms. Instead, I saw Julian reach out. He didn't shake her hand. Instead, he traced the line of her jaw with his thumb.

Then, he pulled her in.

My heart almost stopped as my eyes widened in shock.

His hands slid to her hips, anchoring her against him, and she responded by winding her arms tight around his neck like snakes. They kissed like they had been waiting months for the opportunity. The kiss was deep and sloppy and desperate. Julian leaned into her, his body pressing her against the wall. 

It was the same intensity he had used on me twenty minutes ago, only this time, he looked like he was worshipping her.

What the fvck is going on?

The USB drive felt like a burning coal in my hand.

I stood frozen. They pulled back, their foreheads pressed together. I watched him smile and whisper something into her ear that made her laugh. 

My blood was boiling, but I did not know what to do. I wanted to storm inside the boardroom and punch Julian in his perfect little face and spit at him. But my muscles refused to move. 

“Finally, Jules,” I heard Marie say. “We can be together. Father will be very happy to hear about this.”

“I bet he will,” answered Julian.  “Can’t wait for that moment, my Marie.”

My Marie? The fvcking nerve of this guy!

“I love you, Jules,” declared Marie.

I could not take it anymore, so I left. I did not want to hear anymore of their sh1t, and I sure did not want to hear Julian say ‘I love you’ back to that b1tch.

With a deep breath, I turned around and left. The "power couple" dream, the VP title, the three years of secrets… it was all a setup. I wasn't his partner. I was just his assistant that he occasionally fvcked! 

Julian just used me!

I looked at the USB drive. My hands were shaking. He didn't need me to save his presentation. He had already found someone else. 

How dare he make me believe he loved me? 

How dare he kiss that woman like he kissed me? 

I realized then that my career, my loyalty, and my heart had been nothing more than collateral damage in his climb to be the CEO of this company.

You will pay for this, Julian, I promised myself as I closed the door of my office and wiped away my tears.