Everything Stolen, I Left to Become CEO
Rowan felt wronged. Two guys, two girls. No pair was appropriate for me to join. So I took the middle path... up the mountain. The top three teams went on stage to receive their prizes. Darcy and Jethro handed them out. That's when everyone learned what the prizes were. First place got 30 thousand dollars in cash. Second place got the latest model of a premium tech brand smartphone. Third place got a high-end domestic brand tablet. Many secretly regretted not pushing harder to complete more tasks! Just then, SummitCore's grueling training session ended. A bunch of exhausted white-collar workers looked ready to collapse. The worst part? They still had to go back to the hotel for a meeting, listening to their bosses drone on while hungry. Worse than torture! Looking over, they saw Stratagem Tech handing out prizes—and such awesome ones! SummitCore employees couldn't help but feel envious, a wave of misery washing over them. Why don't we have benefits like that?! Zora, being a VP, hadn't participated in the training and couldn't understand the employees' pain. As she saw her staff looking dejected, whispering about Stratagem Tech's prizes, her face turned livid. "What a bunch of freeloaders! A four-hour session and you're already whining? No work output, no team spirit, just a bunch of useless idiots!" Thinking she'd lost to Darcy yet again in winning hearts, Zora exploded, forgetting her usual pretense. The employees, already in a bad mood, were infuriated by being called "idiots." "Dr. Moss, we're employees, not your servants! Who are you to insult us?!" "Yeah, you bosses are the worst! Squeezing our labor and now pulling this psychological abuse? Who do you think you are?!" As the complaints grew, Zane tried to intervene, but it was too late. His face dark, he pulled Zora aside. To his staff, he said, "Sorry, Dr. Moss isn't feeling well today. Please don't take it to heart." He waved a hand. "Everyone, head back to the hotel to rest. We'll meet in the conference room later." Seeing him undermine her in front of the staff only angered Zora more. She jerked her arm free and snapped, "Zane, are you kidding me?! I'm helping you manage, and you're blaming me?!" By now, Stratagem Tech's prize ceremony had ended. Many turned toward the commotion. Whoa, the SummitCore boss and his girlfriend are fighting! Fresh gossip! Within seconds, the entire Stratagem Tech group was watching from their vantage point. Cindy joined the spectacle, nudging Darcy's arm. "How long have they been together, and they're already fighting?" Darcy unscrewed her water bottle, taking a sip. "Don't know." She truly had zero interest in Zane and Zora's drama now. She started walking away. Cindy followed. "Remember what I said? About sending the Vance family a 'gift' before their engagement?" Darcy glanced at her. "Got the evidence?" Cindy's smile was sly. "Not yet. But soon. My cousin says he'll have it for me in a couple of days." Hearing about her cousin again, Darcy asked curiously, "With the Blackwood family's size and wealth, why did your cousin's whole family go overseas? Wouldn't staying in Aethelburg be better?" Cindy sighed, "Every family has its mess." After that, she didn't elaborate. Darcy sensed she didn't want to talk about it and didn't press. For Zane, being surrounded and laughed at by the Stratagem Tech crowd was humiliating enough. But when he caught Darcy's cool glance sliding right past him, her eyes flat as a still lake as she looked away, he felt like a thin wire was tightening around his neck, choking him. If he'd seen even a hint of mockery on her face, he wouldn't have felt so bad. He'd have taken it as her still resenting him. But there was nothing. Her face showed neither joy nor sorrow. It was like she was ignoring him. Yes. Ignoring!She truly didn't care about him anymore. Maybe she never loved him at all. This realization shocked Zane into a cold sweat. He unconsciously took a few steps back, then quickly turned and strode toward the hotel, leaving Zora alone on the spot. After waiting in vain for him to come comfort her, Zora stamped her foot, her face red, and ran after him. "Zane, wait for me!" That evening, the Stratagem Tech crew had a bonfire party. Everyone was grilling, eating, and chatting away. Then halfway through, some folks started dancing and shaking their hips—the vibe was off the charts! Before long, someone suggested playing a game. The game was the currently popular "Truth or Dare." Jethro had changed into clean, crisp clothes—a white button-down and black casual trousers. He lounged lazily in a chair by the bonfire, legs crossed.He seemed indifferent, but Rowan knew better. The boss' gaze kept drifting toward Darcy.
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