Chapter 5

Suddenly, a glass of ice-cold champagne was thrown right in Mia's face, cutting her off mid-sentence.

The champagne trickled down her hair, stinging her eyes and blurring her vision.

She stared at Liam in disbelief. This was the man who used to treat her like a treasure, promising he'd never let her get hurt, not even a little.

Liam stood there, gripping the empty glass, his face dark with anger. "Mia, calm down. Don't say anything that'll make things even more embarrassing for everyone."

The room went dead silent.

"Mr. Reed, let it go..." Gabriella tugged at Liam's sleeve, looking vulnerable. "It's all my fault. Of course Ms. Steele is upset. I'm so inexperienced. How could I ever be a director?"

Liam patted her hand, as if to comfort her.

He swept his gaze over the stunned employees, then fixed his eyes on Mia. "I'm the CEO. Who gets to be director is my call."

Mia clenched her teeth, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth.

Liam didn't look at her again. He raised his voice, addressing the room, where everyone was still frozen in shock.

He said, "Let's take the celebration elsewhere. Don't let this mess kill the vibe!"

Liam guided Gabriella out of the private room, never once looking back.

The others shot each other awkward looks, hesitated, then slipped out one by one, avoiding Mia's gaze.

Before she knew it, Mia was left standing all alone in the spacious VIP room.

Her heart felt like it had been smashed to pieces in that instant.

All the love, trust, and memories from nine years of fighting side by side were burned away, leaving nothing but ashes.

It was late at night when the front door clicked open, and keys rattled in the lock.

Liam came in smelling like a bar, fumbling for the lights. The sudden brightness made Mia, sitting in the dark on the couch, narrow her eyes against the glare.

"You're still up?" Liam muttered.

He loosened his tie and reached out to hug her, just like he always did.

Mia twisted away, pushing him off without mercy.

Liam stumbled back, frowning. "What's your deal? Still not done with the drama? It was just a glass of champagne. Are you really going to hold onto this forever?"

His tone carried blame. "Didn't you splash Gabriella, too? Doesn't that make us even?"

Mia's heart turned cold. He was really putting her on the same level as Gabriella.

Seeing her stay silent, Liam sobered up a bit, his tone softening. "It's just a design director position. Was it really worth flying all the way back from Nedrein just to make a scene?"

He sat down next to her on the couch. "Mia, you used to be so sensible."

Mia slowly turned her head, her eyes finally locking onto his face.

She demanded, "It's because of that pregnancy test, isn't it? You got her pregnant, so you gave her the director job to buy her silence?"

Liam's face froze, his eyes flickering away.

He said, "Mia, I'm a multimillionaire now. In the business world and the design scene, I'm one of the top players. Guys with my kind of money never stay loyal. They've all got wives at home and side chicks everywhere."

He paused, his tone dripping with condescension. "All these years, you've been the only woman by my side. I gave you a title, gave you dignity. Isn't that enough for you? What more do you want? Don't push your luck."

Mia felt like something exploded in her head.

It wasn't just a moment of stupidity or some drunken slip-up.

Deep down, Liam'd always believed in that twisted mindset. Successful men should have wives at home and side chicks everywhere.

How pathetic. Mia actually tried to fix things, made excuses for him, and even tortured herself over that stupid pregnancy test.

Liam had been rotten from the very start. His whole foundation was decaying, and collapse was only a matter of time.

Seeing her eyes go wide, Liam thought she was finally convinced.

He put his arm around her stiff shoulders, his voice turning even softer. "Gabi... Gabriella's just a little ambitious. She's just trying to get ahead. Why not give her a shot?"

"Mia, don't forget how hard you hustled to land that Genesis Design contract when we first started out. Give Gabriella a chance. Think of it as paying it forward for the break we got back then."

The memories of Genesis Design hit her like a tidal wave.

Back then, their studio was just starting out, totally unknown, but Mia had her eyes on a contract from the industry giant, Genesis Design.

She camped out at Genesis Design's building day in and day out, rain or shine, getting turned away again and again.

In the end, she had to sacrifice her health and dignity just to get five precious minutes.

And in those five minutes, she never breathed a word about her own struggles. She spent every second hyping up Liam's genius and vision, telling them his talent deserved to be seen by the world.

Now, he was at the top, doling out opportunities as he pleased, like some kingmaker.

And the very first chance he handed out? It went to the woman who'd used a pregnancy test to publicly humiliate his official girlfriend.

Ironic, and utterly sad.

Mia dug her nails into her palm, using the pain to hold onto the last shred of her dignity and sanity.

She said, "Fine. If you really think she's got what it takes, then call a meeting with all the execs tomorrow morning. Let them vote on it."