The Ex's Ruthless Revenge

riend, Caleb, over ten years. We were college sweethearts, a golden couple, and

in a hospital. When I returned to the office, my keycard was denied,

ed loudly that "non-essential personnel" were to stay clear, looking directly at me. Caleb, the man who had promised me the wor

een on his collar. The pieces clicked: the late nights, the "business dinners," his su

b I was leaving, but not without my full share of the company, valued at the post-Apex funding price. I

call the one person I never thought I

pte

Easton

the line, then a smooth, low voice answe

oke M

, the one with the panoramic view of the city, probably frowning at his phone. We were rivals. His company, Ne

he sound of my name a question in itsel

the chaos inside me. "I' m calling with a business pro

small victory. "The Apex deal? I thought that was

changed," I

instincts kicking in. "Brooke, wha

illion-dollar opportunity. I built the architecture, I have the relationship w

id, his tone shifting from suspicion to something softer. "I' ve seen you at conf

b living on instant noodles, coding in your garage. You put your i

d. He kne

e today," he continued, his voice c

through me. "How

he game getting kicked out of her own company on the eve of a major f

w, looking down at the city lights that had once see

red into Caleb Roy and our startup, Innovate. We were college sweeth

on. He was the charismatic frontman, the visionary. I was the workho

hteen-hour days. We shared cheap pizza on the floor of our tin

real, so soli

thought it was just burnout. But it wasn't. I

preg

is face alight with a joy I hadn' t seen in years. "A b

r the seed round. I held his face in my hands. "Caleb, let' s

e light in his eyes flickered. He set me down gently, his

t think about it. The Apex deal is next week. This is the culmination o

s is just the beginning. After the deal closes, we' ll be on top of the world. We

Let' s not distract from this one final push. After we sign

y a decade of love and sha

I had whispered.