Chapter 2

He spoke suddenly, breaking the quiet.

I leaned back in the seat, watching the streetlights blur past the window.

I said, "Back in college, he was student council president. I was a volunteer under him.

"After graduation, I gave up my spot in the grad program to start the company with him."

I even laughed at myself. What a cliché.

He said, "What he did tonight was low."

"Very low," I agreed, my lips twisting into a bitter smile. "He took hypocrisy to a whole new level."

Back at Grandview Gardens, I packed my things as fast as I could.

I left behind every gift Elijah had ever given me.

I also left behind everything I'd ever bought for him.

I only took my clothes, my laptop, and the half-wall of professional books from the study.

Three suitcases full.

As I was dragging them toward the door, Elijah came home.

He still carried the scent of the banquet hall, alcohol, and... a faint trace of perfume.

Sofia's perfume.

He blocked the doorway, his brow furrowed at the sight of my luggage. "Isabella, do you really have to do this?"

I looked at him, who suddenly felt like a stranger. "Do what? Isn't moving out of your place right after a breakup what a decent ex-girlfriend is supposed to do?"

"You know that's not what I mean," he said irritably, tugging at his tie. "It's so late. Where are you even going?"

"None of your concern, Mr. Smith." I tried to move past him to the door.

He grabbed my wrist, hard. "We need to talk."

"Talk about what?"

He said, "About your outburst at the party. About our ten years. About the company."

"Outburst?" It was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard.

I said, "Elijah, who was really out of line here? You're the one who made me a laughingstock in front of the entire company."

"But you can't just announce a breakup in front of all our investors like that," he shot back. "Do you have any idea the damage that could do to the company? What our stock is going to look like tomorrow?"

"And?" I stared back coldly. "You want me to swallow this for the sake of your share price? Pretend nothing happened?

"Keep playing the perfect, understanding fiancée until you find the right moment to kick me out gracefully?"

He let go of my wrist, his eyes darting away. "I never said that."

I said, "But that's exactly what you're thinking. Elijah, you're so selfish."

I pulled the door open and walked out with my suitcases, never looking back.

"Isabella." He called my name from behind, a strange urgency in his voice I'd never heard before.

I didn't stop.

As I reached the elevator, I heard the door slam shut behind me.

He still didn't come after me.

The elevator doors slid shut, reflecting my pale face and a mocking smile.

I took out my phone and dialed Abigail.

My college roommate, my best friend. Now a top-tier lawyer.

She asked, "Hey, Bella? What's up so late?"

"Abigail, I need your help," I said, taking a deep breath to steady my voice. "I need to split assets with Elijah."

Abigail moved fast.

Early next morning, she and her team were at the hotel where I was staying.

"This is the equity structure for AeroPulse Technologies, the company Elijah and I founded together," I said, handing her a document. "I own 35%. I'm the largest individual shareholder besides him."

She took the file, but her expression grew more serious with each page. "Bella... this might be a problem."

"What do you mean?" A cold dread settled in my stomach.

"This shareholder agreement is from three years ago. But from what I know, AeroPulse underwent a restructuring for their Series B funding last month."

She pulled up a document on her laptop and turned it toward me.

"To attract new investors, Elijah diluted some of the original shares. And your stake... took the biggest hit," she said.

I looked at the new shareholder list. My world froze.

Next to my name, the number was no longer 35%.

It was 5%.

And the majority of those diluted shares... had gone to an investment firm called Verdant Capital.