Chapter 3

3

The next morning, I walked into Ford Tech with a team of lawyers and bodyguards Silas had provided.

Inside the CEO's office, Everett was waiting.

"Have you made up your mind?" I asked. "The company is in your name, but the money is mine. I'm taking my share."

"Or, you can agree to my terms."

Seeing me so cold and professional seemed to make Everett nervous.

"Serena, maybe you shouldn't leave? We still have a connection, don't we?"

"I was just angry yesterday. I didn't mean those things."

"The company needs you. Please, stay."

He looked at me with that puppy-dog gaze that used to work on me every time.

In the past, I would have melted. But now? I felt nothing but revulsion.

"Everett, I was a fool for years, but I'm not an idiot."

"You're only begging me to stay because of the European deal, aren't you?"

He froze. His mask slipped.

"The deal is almost done. But... they want you to be the project lead."

"This is a huge opportunity, Serena. We can take the company global."

"Do you know how hard it is to land a contract like this?"

I shrugged. "What if I don't want it?"

"Don't be petty, Serena. Think about the future."

"If you stay, I'll forgive everything you've done the last few days."

"We can still be friends. Isn't that what you want?"

His shamelessness was truly a work of art.

One of my lawyers couldn't help but speak up. "Mr. Ford, let's be clear. Ms. Sterling is leaving."

"We'd prefer not to take this to court. It's a waste of time for everyone."

"Her demands are simple. She's taking her core team with her."

Everything was messy because I'd let him put the company in his name out of love.

If we went to court, it would be a long battle, but I'd win eventually.

Everett knew that.

I started reading off the names of the people I was taking. Everett slammed his hand on the desk.

"Serena, are you trying to kill me? Those are the pillars of this company!"

"Especially Joe. He's the head of our entire tech department!"

"I won't allow it. Ask for something else."

I stared him down. "This isn't a negotiation. Agree, or I'll see you in court."

Before he could argue, Joe himself pushed the door open and walked in.

Everett looked confused, but Joe ignored him and smiled at me.

"Serena, I heard you were leaving. Good. Everett, if she goes, I go."

"I've worked with Serena for years. She's the brains here. If she's not here, I have no reason to stay."

"I don't care about the bonuses. I'm out."

Joe was like a father to me. He'd mentored me when I first started.

He was the reason I was so successful. He was also an old friend of my father's.

There was no way he was staying with a fraud like Everett.

Everett realized he was losing everything. With a shaking hand, he signed the release papers.

I walked out of that building with Joe and my best engineers, and we went straight to Silas's office.

We posted the news on social media immediately. The fallout was massive.

Everyone in the industry knew Everett was a puppet.

When the news broke that the Sterling princess had officially left Ford Tech, the rumors started flying.

Most people thought we were the perfect couple. Seeing the split was a shock.

Then, a 'whistleblower' appeared in the comments.

"The truth is simple. Serena got a big ego and started cheating on Everett."

"Everett caught her with multiple guys. She gave him the company to keep him quiet and ran to her brother's firm."

"Everett is the victim here. He wasted twenty years on a total slut. Rumor has it she's even sleeping with her subordinates."

I saw the comment. Seconds later, Lily Quinn liked it and shared it.

The internet exploded. My notifications were a sea of insults.

I was being branded as a cheating, manipulative heiress.