The CEO's Twisted Deception

Chloe, my fiancée and the CEO of the company we built together, to Liam, her new executive assistant. I stared at it from

udget had been cut again, by thirty percent this time. The message was cold and

rting. Now it just felt like a low, constant reminder of my fading relevance. I

uit. Liam was beside her, a little too close, whispering something in her ear that made her smile. He was young, c

ck, a place I never woul

ced authority. She talked about growth, about new directi

oom. Her gaze landed on me for a brief, cold moment. "The 'Aether' project, led by Ethan, has consistently ru

oject was my brainchild, the core technology

erate a lack of fiscal responsibility. Ethan' s salary will be re

s, the people I had mentored and worked alongside for a decade. I looked at Chloe, searching for any sign of th

my chair scraping loudly against the floor. The ro

oard box. A framed photo of Chloe and me on the day we signed the papers for Apex. A c

as open. She was inside with Liam,

voice steady despite

. Liam' s smile vanished, repl

ting like that," Chloe said, her tone sh

, keeping my voice low. "Cutting the budget for our core technology while you bu

gy. The car was a bonus for his outstanding performance. Maybe if you sho

, seventy-hour weeks, my personal savings poured into

I said. The words

anger to disbelief. "You can't be

seri

e to cool off. This project has been very stressful for hi

the very systems that made her a celebrated CEO. I thought of the sacrifices, the missed family events, the share

ard and phone on her desk. The phone was a company phone, but the

oto of us was face down. The smiling faces were a p

hint of panic in her voice. "You

ot turning around. "Apex has you. And i

ind me. The weight in my chest was still there, but for the