Betrayal's Bitter Taste

Betrayal's Bitter Taste

Gavin

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I clutched the heavy trophy, validation for placing first at the International "Le Cordon Bleu" Grand Prix, a win that felt like the culmination of a lifelong dream. It was our fifth anniversary, and I couldn't wait to surprise Olivia with both the trophy and the Sterling Corporation contract-a multi-million dollar deal that would secure our future. But when I pushed through the restaurant doors, the festive buzz hit me first, then the sight of Olivia on a makeshift stage, her hand intertwined with Mark' s, my long-time mentor. Her amplified voice cut through the air: "...and I owe it all to one person... Mark!" The roar of applause, then Mark's lips on hers, a full, lingering kiss, right there in front of everyone. My world tilted. When Olivia finally noticed me, her smile faltered for a mere second, replaced by a cool annoyance. "Ethan," she flatly stated, "You' re back. This isn' t a good time." Mark smirked, wearing my head chef' s jacket, confirming my deepest fears. The contract I' d just secured was scoffed at, called "naive." How could she? The woman I loved, the partner I built everything with, dismissed me as "incompetent," her betrayal a physical blow. The humiliation burned, a hot, sharp thing in my throat. I stood there, reeling, the echoes of their mocking laughter ringing in my ears. But that was the moment everything changed. The pristine pages of the Sterling contract tore with a satisfying rip as I shredded it into pieces, letting them flutter to her feet like fallen snow. I walked out of that restaurant, turning my back on five years of my life, picking up the phone to call the one man who could help me reclaim my future: my father.

Introduction

I clutched the heavy trophy, validation for placing first at the International "Le Cordon Bleu" Grand Prix, a win that felt like the culmination of a lifelong dream. It was our fifth anniversary, and I couldn't wait to surprise Olivia with both the trophy and the Sterling Corporation contract-a multi-million dollar deal that would secure our future.

But when I pushed through the restaurant doors, the festive buzz hit me first, then the sight of Olivia on a makeshift stage, her hand intertwined with Mark' s, my long-time mentor. Her amplified voice cut through the air: "...and I owe it all to one person... Mark!" The roar of applause, then Mark's lips on hers, a full, lingering kiss, right there in front of everyone.

My world tilted. When Olivia finally noticed me, her smile faltered for a mere second, replaced by a cool annoyance. "Ethan," she flatly stated, "You' re back. This isn' t a good time." Mark smirked, wearing my head chef' s jacket, confirming my deepest fears. The contract I' d just secured was scoffed at, called "naive."

How could she? The woman I loved, the partner I built everything with, dismissed me as "incompetent," her betrayal a physical blow. The humiliation burned, a hot, sharp thing in my throat. I stood there, reeling, the echoes of their mocking laughter ringing in my ears.

But that was the moment everything changed. The pristine pages of the Sterling contract tore with a satisfying rip as I shredded it into pieces, letting them flutter to her feet like fallen snow. I walked out of that restaurant, turning my back on five years of my life, picking up the phone to call the one man who could help me reclaim my future: my father.

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When Love Turns to Ash

When Love Turns to Ash

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My world revolved around Jax Harding, my older brother's captivating rockstar friend. From sixteen, I adored him; at eighteen, I clung to his casual promise: "When you're 22, maybe I'll settle down." That offhand comment became my life's beacon, guiding every choice, meticulously planning my twenty-second birthday as our destiny. But on that pivotal day in a Lower East Side bar, clutching my gift, my dream exploded. I overheard Jax' s cold voice: "Can't believe Savvy's showing up. She' s still hung up on that stupid thing I said." Then the crushing plot: "We' re gonna tell Savvy I' m engaged to Chloe, maybe even hint she' s pregnant. That should scare her off." My gift, my future, slipped from my numb fingers. I fled into the cold New York rain, devastated by betrayal. Later, Jax introduced Chloe as his "fiancée" while his bandmates mocked my "adorable crush"-he did nothing. As an art installation fell, he saved Chloe, abandoning me to severe injury. In the hospital, he came for "damage control," then shockingly shoved me into a fountain, leaving me to bleed, calling me a "jealous psycho." How could the man I loved, who once saved me, become this cruel and publicly humiliate me? Why was my devotion seen as an annoyance to be brutally extinguished with lies and assault? Was I just a problem, my loyalty met with hatred? I would not be his victim. Injured and betrayed, I made an unshakeable vow: I was done. I blocked his number and everyone connected to him, severing ties. This was not an escape; this was my rebirth. Florence awaited, a new life on my terms, unburdened by broken promises.

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