Chapter 4

I zoomed in on the structural map of the main tower.

"Take a look at the mosaic floor patterns in the main lobby."

At the very corner of the floor lines, two tiny, stylized letters were seamlessly woven into the design.

SB.

Summer Brooks.

"As a designer, I always leave my personal signature in my creations."

I turned around to face Ethan, whose expression was now completely lifeless.

"Ethan, would you like to explain why your genius assistant, Chloe, has my initials embedded all over her design?"

Dead silence fell over the room.

Chloe’s knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the floor.

"No... it wasn't me! Ethan made me do it!" She threw him under the bus instantly.

Ethan’s eyes flared with rage. "Shut the hell up, Chloe!"

Several industry titans in the audience shook their heads, their faces filled with pure disgust.

Christian stood up, buttoning his suit jacket.

"The Sterling Group hereby announces the disqualification of Ethan's firm from all current and future projects."

"Furthermore, we reserve the right to pursue legal action for commercial fraud."

Ethan sank into his chair, completely paralyzed.

He was finished.

In this industry, being blacklisted by Sterling Group meant immediate, permanent ruin.

I shut down the computer, pulled out my flash drive, and looked down at him.

"Seven years, Ethan. Consider it charity to a dog."

I walked out of the hall without looking back.

Three days later, news broke that Ethan’s company was facing a massive liquidity crisis.

Having lost the Star Bay project, all the upfront capital they had poured into it was gone.

The banks began calling in their loans, and furious suppliers blocked the office doors with protest signs.

Ethan was officially ruined.

Chloe fled faster than anyone, clearing out all the valuables from the $10 million penthouse overnight.

She even posted an update on Instagram: "Finally saw his true colors. Safe at last."

What a joke.

While I was sketching in my new studio, my phone rang. It was the building's security guard.

"Ms. Brooks, there's a man named Ethan Vance in the lobby demanding to see you. He refuses to leave."

I set my pen down.

"Send him up."

Ten minutes later, Ethan appeared at my office door.

He had a messy stubble, his suit was wrinkled, and he looked like a vagrant on the street.

The arrogant, high-and-mighty CEO was completely gone.

"Summer..." He croaked, his voice incredibly hoarse.

"Call me Ms. Brooks," I said, leaning back in my chair without even looking up.

A flash of humiliation crossed Ethan’s face, but he forced himself to swallow it.

Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he knelt right in front of my desk.

"Summer, I was wrong!"

"I am so incredibly sorry! Chloe is a fraud—she not only stole from me, but she also sold our client list to our competitors!"

"Summer, please help me! Just talk to Mr. Sterling for me, please!"

"If you help me get through this, I'll give you fifty percent of the company's shares immediately!"

I watched his pathetic performance, feeling nothing but intense disgust.

"Fifty percent of the shares?" I laughed. "You want me to take on fifty percent of your bankrupt company's debt?"

Exposed, Ethan's face flushed red and white.

"Then let's start over, okay?" He reached out, trying to grab my hand. "We have seven years of history, Summer. You used to care about me so much."

"Remember when your stomach hurt, and I drove across the city in the middle of the night just to get you medicine..."

I kicked the edge of my desk, pushing my swivel chair back to avoid his touch.

"Don't you dare bring up the past."

My gaze turned ice-cold.

"The Summer who would have died for you died the exact second she saw you putting my ring on another woman's finger."