: The Investor

The next second, I was rudely shoved aside.

Aidan Sterling frowned, his face filled with disgust as he wiped at the spot on his chest where I'd bumped into him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." I apologized sincerely.

"You've bumped into me twice in two days. If it wasn't on purpose, then your cerebellum must be defective."

Maybe my stomach was in too much pain, or maybe I was just too exhausted.

My nerves were completely frayed—too fragile to withstand Aidan Sterling's cutting remarks.

"Heh." He scoffed, his eyes turning ice-cold as they landed on me.

"What's with the victim act? Are you going to cry just because I told you the truth?"

'That's right. I didn't even cry back when Aidan Sterling knelt in the snow, begging me not to break up with him.'

Looking at the impeccably dressed, proud, and cold Aidan Sterling before me, I could no longer see a single trace of the man he used to be.

I knew he remembered me. The disgust and hatred in his eyes as they bored into mine were too clear to ignore.

'He probably wants nothing more to do with me. I might as well do one last good deed before I die.'

"I'm sorry. I'll be sure to stay out of your way from now on."

With that, I skirted around him and walked away.

By the time I got back with a cup of hot water, Chloe Croft was already back from the restroom.

"Where did you go? I came back and you were gone. You scared me half to death!"

"I just went to get a cup of hot water."

'Bumping into Aidan Sterling was a fluke. No need to bring it up.'

I thought turning in the script would be the end of it.

But the next day, I got a frantic call from Chloe Croft.

"Myla, it's not good! The investors rejected the script. You need to get to the office, now!"

When I rushed to the office, Chloe Croft and the investor's representative were both in the conference room.

I was ushered inside. Chloe Croft's expression was grim as she stared at the person sitting with their back to us.

"May I ask what part of the script you're unsatisfied with?"

I knew this must be the main investor Chloe Croft had mentioned, so I addressed him directly.

After a long pause, a familiar voice spoke.

"The ending."

The chair swiveled around, revealing Aidan Sterling's cold face.

'So he was the big-shot investor.'

He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. There was no surprise in them.

I didn't rush to speak, but Chloe Croft couldn't stop herself from jumping in on my behalf.

"President Sterling, audiences today prefer happy endings. This is in line with market demand."

Aidan Sterling nodded. Chloe Croft thought he was taking her point, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, he spoke again, his voice low.

"But I don't like this ending. Change it."

'Overbearing CEOs really are a different breed. So confident, even when they're in the wrong.'

"If you want to change the ending, then you should find someone else. I can't write it."

'It's not like I haven't sold out for money before, but this is the one project I refuse to compromise on.'

Aidan Sterling looked at me, the corners of his lips curling into a cold, thin smile.

"Fine. If you can't write it, then you can pay the penalty for breach of contract."

Chloe Croft's face paled instantly. I glanced at her, and she discreetly scribbled a number on a piece of paper.

[$10 million]

'Forget selling me; even if we sold the entire company, we'd be hard-pressed to come up with $10 million.'

I sighed inwardly and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

'Forget it. I'm dying anyway. What does artistic integrity matter?'

"Fine. I'll change it."

The meeting ended. The capitalists left satisfied, and I was the unlucky workhorse left behind.

But it seemed fate decided I wasn't miserable enough.

Aidan Sterling's assistant, Felix Cole, caught up to me. "Miss Quinn," he said, blocking my path, "to make communicating about the script easier, we'll need you to come work out of our office for the time being."

I frowned, my gaze shifting to Aidan Sterling, who stood behind him, indifferently fending off small talk from others.

'Doesn't he despise me? Why does he want me right under his nose?'

I couldn't make sense of it. My empty stomach began to protest, so I hastily agreed and left.

Back in the break room, I had just taken out my medicine when the door swung open.

"What are you doing?"

Aidan Sterling's voice rang out, startling me so badly that I dropped the pills, scattering them across the floor.

: Retribution

I didn't answer him, instead frantically scooping the pills from the floor and putting them back in the bottle.

These weren't just painkillers; they were my lifeline.

Aidan Sterling silently watched me kneel on the floor, picking up the pills one by one.

I was about to toss the last three straight into my mouth, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"They fell on the floor. Are you really going to eat them like that?"

I irritably shook his hand off.

He'd changed a lot in eight years, but that annoying germaphobia of his had stuck around.

"None of your business."

I quickly swallowed the pills. Aidan Sterling's brow furrowed even more tightly.

I drank some water and was about to leave, but he spoke again.

"What medicine is that?"

I stopped and looked at him, confused.

Seeing my questioning gaze, Aidan Sterling let out a mocking laugh.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just curious. Have you done so many wicked things that you're finally getting what you deserve?"

I smiled bitterly to myself. 'Isn't this exactly my comeuppance?'

'After all, I'm the one who shattered an innocent eighteen-year-old's heart, took his virginity, and then ruthlessly dumped him.'

'Now I have late-stage stomach cancer. I guess this is just desserts for the wicked.'

But I didn't want him to gloat over me. I curled my lips into a brazen smile.

"Sorry to disappoint you. I just haven't been eating enough fruit lately, so I'm taking some Vitamin C."

After leaving the company, I went to the orphanage in the West End.

"Director, what did the doctor say about Sophie's eyes?"

The Director shook her head regretfully. "We still haven't found a donor. The doctors are at a loss."

For some reason, I suddenly thought of running into Aidan Sterling a couple of days ago.

I took the Director's hand and patted it gently. "Don't worry, Director. Our Sophie is so sweet and lovely. The day will definitely come when she can see again."

Before I left, I transferred another sum of money to the Director.

"Myla, you're not getting any younger. You need to save some money for yourself. If you meet someone you like, you should get married and start a family. You've already done more than enough for the orphanage. Your thought alone is enough."

I grew up in the orphanage, and the Director was like a mother to all of us.

"Director, I make plenty of money now. You don't have to worry about me."

I hadn't told anyone about my illness, not even the Director.

She had enough to worry about at the orphanage. I was grown now; I didn't want her to lose sleep over me.

When I got home, the first thing I did was go online to register as an organ donor.

'Aidan Sterling's words were crude, but he had a point. My organs will be of no use to me after I die, so I might as well donate them to someone who needs them.'

The next day, I arrived at Aidan Sterling's company on time. Felix Cole came to meet me.

"Miss Quinn, you'll be working here. President Sterling's office is right next door."

I looked at the glass wall, so clean it was practically invisible, and hesitated.

"Can I move to a different desk? I'm under too much pressure sitting here. It'll be hard to write."

"I'm sorry, Miss Quinn, but this spot was personally arranged by President Sterling."

'Fine. So it's non-negotiable.'

Luckily, the very important Aidan Sterling was busy, and he didn't return to his office even as the lunch break approached.

But then, Faye Lowell arrived.

Faye Lowell walked up to me, visibly pregnant and carrying a lunchbox.

She looked shocked, so I felt compelled to explain. "I'm handling the screenplay for President Sterling's new investment project. I'll be working here for a few days until the script is approved."

"It seems you and Aidan are quite fated, Miss Quinn."

Her eyes curved in a friendly smile, but her gaze somehow made me feel guilty.

I heard footsteps behind me. Aidan Sterling was back.

He strode over to Faye Lowell and took the lunchbox from her hands.

"Why did you bring this yourself? You could've just had the driver do it."

"It's no bother. I was just sitting around at home anyway."

They walked into the office as they talked, ignoring me as if I were thin air.

I had no right to be upset, but my heart began to ache uncontrollably.