After pulling a grueling 24-hour shift to close two millions of dollars deals, I finally allowed myself a short break, just over ten minutes in the restroom. I dozed off without even realizing it.

That afternoon, a notice popped up on my phone. I had been fined 140 dollars without any explanation. I brushed it off at first.

But the next day, when I tried to clock in, the system rejected me. I had been terminated over an unpaid, unexplained 140 dollars fine.

Furious, I stormed into my CEO fiancé’s office to demand an explanation. His assistant, smug and condescending, did not even blink. "Taking a bathroom break during work hours is slacking off," she said. "What’s wrong with docking your pay for that? Everyone else manages to finish in under ten minutes. Why can’t you?"

Then my fiancé—Stefan Hawthorne—joined in, his voice cold and indifferent. "As a senior executive, you should lead by example. You broke the rules, so you face the consequences. That’s how we maintain standards."

I turned to leave, but something made me glance back. Through the blinds, I caught a glimpse of the two of them. Their figures overlapped, standing far too close.

Without hesitation, I picked up my phone and called the CEO of a rival company. "I’ll bring you contracts worth millions. I want to work for you."

"The conditions? Well, does your company have a time limit on bathroom breaks?"

——

A hearty laugh echoed through the phone. "Caitlyn, are you kidding me? Who came up with something that ridiculous?"

Then, I submitted my resume. "I'm dead serious. Find me a position."

Within seconds, Hayden sent me a link to a Vice President job posting. "Vice President, sound good? Or maybe I’ll hand over my spot as President?"

"You’ve been with Stefan Hawthorne since the beginning," he went on. "I’ve tried poaching you more times than I can count, but you never budged. What changed? Finally had a falling out?"

"That’s none of your business," I snapped. "What you should be thinking about is whether these contracts are enough to push your company past Stefan’s."

Hayden’s voice turned calm, but the ambition underneath was unmistakable. "Forget about the contract. Without you, the Hawthorne Group is nothing."

I filled out my employment information, attached the contract documents and hit send. "Then let’s have a happy partnership."

Seeing that I was not joking anymore, Hayden finally asked, more serious this time, "Caitlyn, if you’re truly sincere about joining us, I’d be happy to welcome you with open arms. But if this is just a way for you to vent your frustrations over Stefan, you'd better think twice before making a decision. I’m ready to offer you the second-highest position—just don’t stab me in the back."

A way to vent frustrations?

My heart clenched.

Who wouldn’t feel humiliated after being fired for taking a bathroom break that lasted ten minutes too long?

And the one who made that decision was my fiancé. The man I had loved for three years. The man I was about to marry. The man I co-founded a company with and helped build into the most powerful empire in the industry.

It shattered me—but deep down, I was not that surprised.

Stefan had been giving Alicia Remington special treatment for a while now. Some part of me had already seen this coming.

"I don’t joke about work," I said calmly. "Clean off my desk. I start tomorrow."

After I hung up, Hayden’s messages kept pouring in as if he still could not believe it. However, I did not have time to respond and I just started packing.

That was when the surveillance camera above the office crackled to life and a shrill voice blared from the speaker, "Caitlyn, your phone must remain on silent during work hours. Violations will result in a $30 fine."

It was Alicia’s voice.

Everyone in the office turned to look at me.

I did not even glance at her. I just kept packing my stuff.

A moment later, she stormed out of her office and snapped, "Caitlyn, didn’t you hear me? Mr. Hawthorne already paid your fine and gave you a break. Why can’t you just follow the company rules?"

I let out a small, cold smile. The corners of my mouth barely moved.

"What rules?" I said quietly. "I’ve already been fired."

Stefan had overheard the argument and came over. Stepping to my side, he spoke in a low voice, "She has already laid down the rules. I can’t undermine her in front of everyone. But I’ve paid the fine, so you don’t have to leave."

I shot him a cold glare and slammed my ID card onto the table. "Don’t bother. If you won’t fire me, then I’ll quit. I’m done."

Grabbing my suitcase, I turned to leave. But he stopped me again.

His expression darkened and he raised his voice in front of the whole office. "Caitlyn, stop being so dramatic."

"Alicia’s rules are there to keep order. Isn’t the office running more smoothly lately?"

I rolled my eyes.

Smoothly?

Just yesterday, someone had gone off in the group chat. [Salespeople on business trips can only book hard seats on the train, stay in hostels for 51 nights straight and treat clients at street stalls because the meal allowance is capped at 35 bucks.]

[Stefan thinks she’s saving the company money, but people are suffering.]

[How are we supposed to close deals worth millions or even tens of millions when we’re feeding clients meals that don’t even hit a hundred bucks?]

[Alicia is clueless and Stefan is even worse for approving her nonsense. I’ve been away on business, barely set foot in the office this month and now they’re even limiting bathroom breaks—twice a day, ten minutes each. At this rate, the company’s going to implode.]

I did not even bother acknowledging the new fine Alicia slapped on me for not silencing my phone. I turned my back on that circus and walked out of the company without once looking back.

When I got home, I collapsed into bed and slept until late afternoon. Then I dragged myself up and, for the first time in a while, cooked myself a decent meal.

Just as I laid the dishes on the table, I heard the sound of the door unlocking.

Stefan and Alicia waltzed in like they owned the place, sat down without a word and started helping themselves to the food.

I stared at them coldly. "I made this. What do you think you’re doing?"

Stefan frowned. "Didn’t you see the messages I sent?"

I opened my phone. For the past month, ever since he hired Alicia, he had not messaged me once. But today, there were more than a dozen—all about her.

First, he scolded me for embarrassing him.

Then he said I was too harsh and made Alicia cry.

And finally, he gave me an ultimatum: apologize or the engagement was off.

[You humiliated Alicia in public today. That’s on you. She did nothing wrong. Everything she does is for the company.]

[I’m bringing her home for dinner. Cook something decent. And apologize.]

He glanced into the soup and scoffed, which only added fuel to the fire.

"I told you Alicia doesn’t like cilantro. Are you blind? Pick it out. All of it."

Then, he picked up a piece of meat, gently blew on it and offered it to her. "This is Caitlyn’s specialty. Try it."

She took the bite off his spoon, still pouting. "The food’s okay... but unless she apologizes in front of the whole company, I’m not forgiving her."

"How can I lead a team when she’s this defiant?"

Stefan turned to me again, his eyes blazing. "You heard her. Apologize to Alicia—right now. Or don’t bother coming back to work. And forget about the engagement too."

We had once promised never to throw around the word breakup during fights.

But lately, he had used it over and over again. Always because of Alicia.

And now, the two of them were openly flirting—right in front of me. My hands trembled as I clutched my phone. I was so furious, I nearly crushed it.

"If anything needs to be thrown out, it's you!"

My voice came out firm, even if slightly muffled. "Stefan, take this woman and get out!"

"You brought your mistress into the office and openly flirted with her in front of everyone. Do you really think I’m the kind of woman who would tolerate that?"

"This isn’t just you breaking off the engagement—it’s mutual!"

Stefan’s expression turned stormy, his voice cold. "This is our wedding apartment. You’re throwing me out?"

I met his gaze without a trace of emotion. "This is my family’s apartment. So take your little assistant and leave. Now."

However, Alicia was not about to slink away quietly. She let out a sharp snort, her face twisted in smug defiance. "You dare throw me out? Do you even know who you’re messing with?"

Crossing her arms and lifting her chin, she declared, "I’m backed by someone powerful in the investment world. If you get on your knees and apologize now, I might even be generous enough to speak on your behalf."

Stefan’s frown deepened and his voice turned stern. "Did you hear that, Caitlyn Sinclair? Apologize to Alicia—right now. The company still depends on her."

I did not hesitate. I slammed the door shut in their faces.

"I don’t care who back you up," I called through the door. "And the company? That has nothing to do with me."

Alicia’s shriek of rage was muffled by the heavy door.

Finally, silence returned to the room. But the food I had prepared had already been tainted by their presence.

I had lost my appetite. Grabbing my bag, I headed out for dinner instead.

While waiting for my food, I checked my phone and saw a new message from Stefan on WhatsApp.

[Caitlyn, I’m warning you—if you don’t apologize to Alicia in public, our engagement is over.]

I rolled my eyes and blocked him immediately.

I had not had time to leave the company group chat yet, but by morning, gossip was spreading like wildfire. Someone claimed to have seen Stefan and Alicia stepping out of the same car that morning, still wearing the same clothes as the day before.

Another coworker chimed in, saying the two of them had been spotted entering a hotel. Alicia and her friends had apparently been waiting by the roadside and someone had snapped a photo.

The truth was undeniable.

I exited the group chat on the spot and went straight to the Aldrich Group.

I did not want to see another word about them.

Hayden had already set up an office for me, but he still looked slightly surprised when I walked in. "You’re really here? I half expected I’d prep everything and you wouldn’t show."

I handed him two signed contracts. "The annual industry evaluation is coming up. Whether you come out on top this year is in your hands now."

His eyes lit up with ambition. "Don’t worry. With you on board, we’ll definitely beat the Hawthorne Group this year."

I had three years of experience and a solid client base to show for it. That afternoon, I secured another contract.

But just as I was stepping out of the meeting room, I saw Stefan holding Alicia close, whispering something in her ear.

As soon as he noticed me, he pulled away from her and rushed over.

"Don’t take what they said in the office group chat too seriously," he said, trying to sound casual. "Alicia’s apartment had a water leak. As her boss, I just offered her a place to stay."

Really?

Anyone with a functioning brain could tell they had spent the night together.

I said nothing and turned to leave.

He followed behind, still trying to make excuses. "Caitlyn, I know you want to come back. Alicia drafted a project proposal. If you help her land this deal, you can have your position back."

I let out a sharp laugh. "You’re dreaming. I wouldn’t help her even if my job depended on it."

He sighed, putting on a self-righteous tone that made my skin crawl. "She just graduated, Caitlyn. She doesn’t have experience handling clients. If you help her win this one, consider it your way of making up for yesterday’s… behavior."

"Don’t be so stubborn. If you land the deal, your job is yours again—and we’ll continue with the engagement."

Was this man even hearing himself? We were clearly speaking two entirely different languages.

Without another word, I brushed past him and walked away.