She Left Me to Burn in the Fire for Her New Boyfriend Chapter 1

I spent two grueling months on an overseas business trip, moving mountains to secure a massive partnership that would save my girlfriend's company from bankruptcy.

When I finally landed, exhausted but thrilled, I called her to share the good news. She told me not to bother showing up to the celebration gala.

"You need to let Felix take the credit for this."

"He's new to the company and needs to build authority before I promote him to General Manager. He needs this win more than you do."

Her tone was so casual, so completely entitled, that I literally couldn't believe my ears.

It wasn't until the fire alarms violently blared at the gala, right as I reached out to grab Christine's hand to guide her to safety, that the truth really sank in.

She completely bypassed me, grabbing Felix's hand instead, and sprinted toward the emergency exit without a single backward glance.

At that exact moment, my heart turned to ash. I turned around and silently accepted the olive branch from her biggest corporate rival.

...

"Victor, are you out of your mind? You seriously came to ruin Felix's night? Why couldn't you just stay home? What is your problem!"

Christine was furious when she saw me at the venue. She grabbed my arm and dragged me into a deserted corner of the banquet hall.

"Can you just drop it? If you hadn't stubbornly hoarded the project I specifically assigned to Felix, the company would have recovered months ago. Why did you have to drag it out!"

I stared at her, letting out a cold, bitter laugh.

"I busted my ass negotiating this deal. I was just about to sign the final contract, and you want Felix to just waltz in and take the credit? On what grounds?"

"The kid doesn't even know the difference between the printer and the paper shredder in his own office. What makes you think he can handle a project of this magnitude?"

For the past two months, I had practically killed myself for Christine's company. I hadn't slept a full night in weeks.

I was drowning in endless meetings, staying up until dawn writing proposals, and practically begging investors for capital. I poured my literal blood, sweat, and tears into landing this multi-million dollar contract.

Footsteps approached. Felix strolled over with a glass of red wine in his hand, a painfully fake, apologetic smile plastered across his face.

"Victor, thank you so much for handling the overseas grunt work for me."

"Don't worry, I'll take over hosting the executives and finalizing the paperwork. You can finally rest."

Before I could even open my mouth, Christine chimed in with a sneer. "Why are you being so polite to him? He's completely rigid and unimaginative. You have way more vision than he does, so obviously you'll manage this project better."

Felix sighed softly. "Please don't be mad at Christine, Victor. She's just worried about my lack of experience."

"I'm getting promoted to General Manager soon, and I really need a flagship project to prove myself."

Christine looked at him, her eyes practically melting with affection. "Felix, why are you apologizing to him? Paving the way for your success is his privilege!"

"Please don't say that, Christine. You'll upset him," Felix replied weakly, playing the role of the innocent peacemaker to perfection.

But the moment Christine looked away, he shot me a smug, incredibly punchy smirk.

My chest felt suffocatingly tight. A wave of profound exhaustion washed over me.

While I was halfway across the world sacrificing my health to keep her business afloat, she hadn't bothered to call me once. Not a single text to ask if I was okay.

Felix had just graduated college, yet Christine instantly made him her personal executive assistant.

And now, the moment I returned, she was pushing him into the General Manager seat.

He had only been at the company for three months!

"It's time for the opening speech. Ignore him, let's go."

Up on the stage, Christine cheerfully popped a bottle of champagne.

Felix pulled her into his arms, intimately brushing a stray drop of liquor from her bangs.

The surrounding colleagues whispered with unmistakable envy.

"No way. Did the new manager just kiss the CEO?"

"So they really are dating? I thought the kid was just bragging."

"Obviously they are. Look at the way she stares at him. She's completely hooked."

Listening to the office gossip, I thought about the four years Christine and I had been together. She absolutely refused to make our relationship public.

She claimed office romances created a toxic environment, insisting that as the boss, she had to set a professional standard.

She never let me ride in her car.

Yet she personally chauffeured Felix to and from work every single day.

She demanded we pretend to be distant colleagues during business hours.

Yet she allowed Felix to take naps in the private bedroom attached to her office.

If Felix so much as sneezed during a board meeting, she would instantly pause the presentation and escort him out to rest.

We had explosive fights over this exact double standard.

"You have a filthy mind, Victor! You see dirt wherever you look!"

"Why are you so insecure? Felix is just like a little brother to me. You're a grown man in his thirties, why are you picking fights with a kid!"

Christine always resorted to the silent treatment, and I was always the one who surrendered, apologizing just to keep the peace.

If this were the old me, I would have stormed the stage and knocked Felix's teeth down his throat.

But tonight, I was just completely drained.

Before I could even turn to leave, a piercing fire alarm suddenly shattered the atmosphere.