At the company banquet, my boyfriend of five years, Lucas Cowan, dropped to one knee and proposed to his first love in front of everyone.

I did not cry or make a scene. I stood off to the side, sipped my wine, and wished them well.

Afterward, Lucas pulled me aside to explain. "Rebecca's family has the resources I need. Her mother said she would only agree to the partnership if we married."

He paused, then added, "Don't worry. Once I get what I need, I'll divorce her and marry you."

I smiled and told him, "I understand. The company comes first."

In my previous life, I lost control on the spot. I stormed the stage and drove Rebecca out of the company myself.

She went straight into the arms of Lucas' biggest rival, and that company skyrocketed overnight. As a result, Lucas locked me in a basement and starved me to death.

This time, I wouldn't stand in their way.

What Lucas didn't know is that every connection, every deal, and every resource his company had ever relied on was arranged quietly by me through my family's connections.

From now on, each time he got close to Rebecca, I would cut off another lifeline, another resource.

I wanted to see what his precious company looked like when nothing was left to hold it up.

"Marry him! Marry him!"

The banquet hall erupted as cheers rang out from every corner.

My boyfriend, Lucas Cowan, knelt on one knee, proposing to his first love, Rebecca Hall, who had returned to the country just last month.

I stood off to the side, swirling the red wine in my glass.

A coworker nearby glanced at me, confusion written across her face. "Gina, weren't you and Lucas together? Why is he proposing to Rebecca all of a sudden? Did you two break up?"

On stage, Rebecca nodded, her smile bright.

"Yes," she said. "I do."

The crowd burst into applause again.

Lucas slid the ring onto her finger and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

I nodded calmly. "Yeah. We broke up."

My coworker's expression softened with pity. She seemed about to speak, but Lucas was already stepping off the stage and heading straight toward me.

Afterward, Lucas pulled me aside to explain. "Rebecca's family has the resources I need. Her mother said she would only agree to the partnership if we married."

He paused, then added, "Don't worry. Once I get what I need, I'll divorce her and marry you."

I smiled and told him, "I understand. The company comes first."

He blinked and stared at me, momentarily puzzled. "Really? You're not angry at all? Not even a little jealous?"

I shook my head. "Relax. I know you're doing this for us."

In my previous life, this was the moment I lost control. I stormed the stage and slapped Rebecca in front of everyone. No one could calm me down. In the end, I drove her out of the company.

I never expected what she would do next. She went straight to Lucas' biggest competitor. Backed by her family's resources, that company rose overnight and surpassed Lucas'.

As a result, Lucas snapped. He locked me in the basement and made my life unbearable for a week.

"If it weren't for you, my company would have succeeded," he had said, his voice shaking with rage. "Rebecca would never have ended up with someone else."

That was when I finally understood that he had always wanted to marry her. From the very beginning, it had been her.

After a week of hunger and cold, locked away and alone, I died.

This time, I had been given a second chance. I would let them have each other without making any scenes or shedding tears. I would stand there and watch them get married.

Lucas searched my face and found nothing, not even a flicker of anger.

Something shifted in his expression, almost like guilt. "Don't worry, Gina. You're the only one I've ever truly loved."

He went on, "Once her family's resources are secured and the company is stronger, I'll file for divorce. I promise. I will marry you."

He met my gaze with soft, tender eyes and pulled me into his arms.

A wave of nausea rose in my chest.

At that moment, Rebecca approached. Lucas released me at once and stepped back.

She looked me up and down, her gaze sharp with contempt. "Gina, I just took Lucas right out from under you. You're not upset, are you?"

She smiled faintly. "I can't help it. My family has money. Marriage is about matching status. Women with nothing should know better than to chase a CEO."

She slipped her arm through Lucas's and led him away, clearly pleased with herself.

I let her words pass and watched them leave together, close and at ease.

The moment they disappeared, I took out my phone and dialed.

The voice on the other end answered respectfully at once, "Miss Hudson, what are your instructions?"

"That supplier with the longest-standing contract with Lucas' company. Terminate the partnership," I said.

"Understood, Miss Hudson."

That supplier was Lucas' oldest business relationship. In the early days of his startup, I had found them and secured the deal through my family's connections. That had been my work.

This was only the beginning.

I raised the wine glass to my lips and took a slow sip.

Once every resource sustaining his company was gone, I wanted to see what he would have left.

Maybe guilt over how agreeable I had been at the banquet drove Lucas to find me the very next day with two plane tickets in hand.

"I booked us a trip abroad. Let's get away this weekend, just the two of us. Clear our heads," he claimed.

I had always loved traveling, so I agreed.

On the day of the flight, I waited at the airport for two and a half hours. Lucas never showed.

His call came just as boarding was about to start, his voice rushed and apologetic. "I'm sorry, Gina. Something came up at the company. I don't think I can make it. Go enjoy yourself."

I said nothing for a moment. He braced himself, expecting me to snap.

Instead, I answered in a light, almost breezy tone, "Okay. Don't worry. I'll relax enough for both of us."

A brief silence followed before he asked, "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be? I know how hard you're pushing yourself. You're doing it for our future."

"Gina, you're amazing..."

"Focus on work. I'll be fine." I rolled my eyes where he could not see me, then kept my voice sweet until the call ended. "Work hard, babe."

The moment I hung up, I switched my phone to airplane mode, leaned back, and looked out at the blue sky through the terminal window.

Traveling alone beat traveling with a man like him.

…

When the plane landed, I turned my phone back on.

As expected, Rebecca had posted.

[Accidentally cut my hand cooking, and my fiancé was at my side in no time! He even took over the kitchen and made me soup from scratch. Marrying a man who can cook and actually cares about you? Best decision I ever made!]

The attached photo showed Lucas at the stove in an apron, his back to the camera.

In five years together, he had never cooked for me. He always said he was particular about kitchens. They had to be spotless.

Once, I burned my hand while cooking. He held my fingers, his face full of concern, and gently applied ointment to the swelling.

Then he sat back down. He never offered to help. I finished the meal myself, my hand throbbing the entire time.

I used to think he simply disliked cooking. Now I saw it clearly. It was not the cooking he disliked. It was me.

I walked out of the airport and made a call. On the other end was a key investor in one of Lucas' most important projects, a connection that came through my family and one I had arranged myself.

I told him the partnership was over.

He did not ask questions. He gave a single-word reply, his tone final. "Understood."

Lucas was unaware that each time he chose to leave me behind, he lost something he could never get back.

I spent a full week abroad and enjoyed every minute.

When I returned to the office, Lucas was in a foul mood. I heard him through the door, his voice raised. "What is going on? How does a solid partnership collapse overnight? And now the supplier situation too…"

He slammed his fist on the desk.

His secretary flinched and stepped back.

"Ungrateful vultures. They turn on you without a second thought," he grumbled.

I stood just outside the doorway, out of sight, and allowed myself a small smile.

Rebecca leaned against him, her arm looped through his. "Baby, don't stress. Once we're married, everything my family has will be yours."

That settled him. The tension in his shoulders eased.

"That's my girl. Smart and beautiful. Exactly the kind of woman I want," he said.

Rebecca tilted her head with a coy smile. "What about Gina?"

Lucas paused, then answered without hesitation, "She's different. She has an ordinary family and an ordinary background. She was never a serious option. Marriage is about matching your level. You're the only one who belongs beside me."

I listened a moment longer, then turned and walked back to my desk.

Once, I had hidden my family background from Lucas because I worried he would feel inferior. It turned out that the five years we had spent together meant nothing to him. What mattered to him was money and resources.

A few minutes later, Lucas stepped out of his office. A hickey marked his neck.

He came to my desk and lowered his voice. "Babe, the company is in rough shape. There's a big multi-party deal tonight, and I need you there with me. We'll handle it together. We have to land it."

I agreed without hesitation.

…

That evening, I learned he had brought Rebecca as well.

He leaned close to my ear, his voice low and apologetic. "Sorry, babe. She's my fiancée on paper, so we have to keep up appearances."

I gave him the same easy smile I had worn for days and told him it was fine.

Gratitude flickered across his face. "You've been so good lately. I keep falling for you all over again. When we get back, I'll buy you that bag you wanted."

I felt sick.

He said nothing more and returned to Rebecca's side.

Dinner proceeded smoothly until Rebecca suddenly pressed a hand to her stomach and winced.

Lucas was at her side at once. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I think I drank too much…"

The mood at the table shifted. The other businessmen fell quiet, their energy fading.

Lucas considered the situation for a moment, then spoke. "My apologies, gentlemen. My fiancée isn't feeling well. I need to take her to rest."

He then pointed at me. "Gina here is the strongest drinker in our company. Tonight, she'll keep you company. Consider it my apology."

My grip tightened around my wine glass.

I kept my voice low. "Lucas, have you forgotten that I have a stomach condition?"

I had endured more nights like this than I could count. Once, while trying to secure a key partner away from a rival company, I drank until my stomach bled. The damage never fully healed.

In the hospital afterward, Lucas held my hand and promised, with complete conviction, that he would never let me go through that again.

Now, only a flicker of discomfort crossed his face. "It'll be fine. Just this once. Nothing will happen. The company is in crisis. This deal matters. You have to make it work."

He took Rebecca by the arm and walked out.

The room fell silent.

The businessmen around the table turned to me. Their eyes held neither mockery nor hunger. They simply waited.

I set my glass down and spoke quietly. "I think you've all seen enough tonight. I'll be stepping away from the company. There's no need for any of you to continue supporting it."

What Lucas didn't know was that I had arranged tonight's dinner and this so-called critical deal.