Chapter 5

I lost track of how long I stood in the storm.

Suddenly, a black umbrella appeared over my head, blocking out the heavy rain.

I looked up. A cold, striking, and incredibly sharp face came into view.

Elena Vance.

The CEO of Vance Group, Chloe’s biggest rival in the tech industry.

She was also my true, "secret business partner" for the past two years.

"Mr. Vance, it seems your homecoming party didn't go as planned," Elena said smoothly, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

I stood up straight, looking at her.

"Are you here to mock me, Ms. Vance?"

Elena smiled faintly, handing me a dry trench coat.

"I’m just here to bring my Chief Technology Officer home."

"My car is waiting. Let’s go."

I didn't decline. I followed her into the Rolls-Royce Phantom parked by the curb.

Inside, the heater was blasting. Elena handed me a cup of hot coffee.

"The hard drive. You actually destroyed it?" she asked casually.

I held the warm cup, letting the heat seep into my hands.

"It was a dummy. Filled with anime files."

Elena raised an eyebrow, a smirk of appreciation playing on her lips.

"And the real source code?"

I tapped my temple.

"All in here. I’m the only person on this planet who can make that system run."

Elena leaned back against the leather seat, her long fingers tapping her knee.

"Chloe thinks she can kick you out and use your tech to ring the bell on Nasdaq."

"She has no idea you built a backdoor into that entire system."

I sneered, a dark look crossing my eyes.

"Did she really think my work was that easy to steal?"

"I’m going to let her climb as high as she can, just so she can feel the bone-crushing pain when she falls."

Elena looked at me, her eyes deep and scheming.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Help me prepare a grand gift," I said, watching the city lights blur past.

"Doesn't Chloe want an IPO launch? I want the whole world to see who she really is."

The next morning, while I was resting in the hotel Elena had booked for me, my phone rang frantically.

It was Chloe.

I pressed answer and quietly hit the record button.

"Ethan! What the hell did you do to the source code!"

Chloe’s voice was hysterical, like a wounded animal.

"Why are all the test runs showing errors? The system won't even boot up!"

"The investors want to see the final demo tomorrow morning! Hand over the decryption key right now!"

I took a slow sip of my milk.

"Ms. Aura, we are getting a divorce. Whether your company goes public or goes bankrupt has nothing to do with me."

Chloe gritted her teeth. "Ethan, don't push me!"

"You think I can't touch you just because you won't hand it over?"

"Lest you forget, your sister Lily's kidney transplant surgery years ago was paid for by the company! Three million dollars!"

"I have every single bank transfer and signature. If I report this to the police, it's grand larceny and embezzlement!"

"It’s enough to put you in federal prison for ten years!"

My grip on the phone tightened.

Lily had suffered from acute kidney failure back then, needing an urgent transplant.

I was locked in the stealth lab and couldn't leave. Chloe had offered to use company funds to pay for it, saying we would deduct it from my future dividends.

So she had been setting me up even back then.

She intentionally framed that medical payment as embezzlement just so she could hold it over my head today!

"Chloe, you are truly disgusting," I spat.

"Call it whatever you want!" Chloe laughed coldly. "Three o'clock today. Come to the office, sign the divorce papers, and hand over the decryption key."

"Otherwise, expect a warrant for your arrest. You can spend the rest of your youth in a cell!"

She slammed the phone down.

I stared at the black screen, laughing out of sheer anger.

Great. Perfect.

Chloe, if you want to play dirty, let’s play.