A Promise Unfulfilled, a Lover Unreturned

"You worked for her family for over a decade, and in the end, you got so little from the divorce. Seb, I really feel for you," Frank said.

It was far more than a decade. In my previous life, under my leadership, Black Group had once ruled as the country's most powerful company.

Yet in my later years, I couldn't even afford a box of painkillers. In the end, I was thrown out by Leonard's children and died of illness beside a pile of trash on a winter night.

The business empire I had spent my entire life building ultimately benefited Leonard and his children.

At that thought, I drained the glass in one go. The sharp liquor burned its way down my throat, yet it ignited the fire deep in my chest.

I was going to make them see for themselves whether they could still live so comfortably without me.

…

The next day, news of me registering a company spread like wildfire, and everyone in the circle reacted immediately.

Some saw opportunity and arrived overnight with proposals, hoping to invest. But even more people were gauging the Black family's reactions, mocking me and waiting to see what I would do.

I had no idea who was pulling the strings, but the paparazzi's articles were all belittling me, painting me as overconfident. I looked at the notifications on my phone and swiped them away without expression.

I didn't expect to receive a call from Clara.

"Sebastian, stop fooling around. Starting a company isn't a game, and your money won't last more than a few days. I haven't taken your position at the company away from you, so come back," she said.

I refused her coldly. "You don't need to worry about me, Ms. Black."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end. Clara sounded slightly annoyed, yet she still spoke patiently. "Sebastian, can't you try to understand me? I've just found my true love.

"Besides, instead of starting a small company, why don't you stay at Black Group? The southern district acquisition you were handling before—"

I hung up immediately. As expected, she only remembered my usefulness when she needed me.

The southern district project was a tough challenge that took me half a year to secure. I pushed myself through endless drinking at negotiations, ruining my stomach in the process, just to get it done. Without me, Black Group would have no idea where to even begin.

At Black Group, although I held the title of CEO, my monthly salary was only 3,000 dollars. That was because Shawn said that we were all family and shouldn't be so calculative.

I once naively believed that it was his test for me. Now it was clear that I was nothing more than a competent and extremely cheap worker they recruited.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

I made up my mind. Even if my new company couldn't take all the projects that I had brought to Black Group in my previous life, I would personally hand them to their fiercest rivals.

…

After I hung up on Clara, she was so furious that she threw her phone onto the floor.

Over the years, she had grown used to my obedience, calling me at will and dismissing me just as easily. Being hung up on so decisively had clearly embarrassed her.

Just then, her assistant, Hazel Simmons, entered awkwardly with a stack of documents that Clara could barely understand and asked her to sign them. The strain of pregnancy, along with years away from the company, left her feeling completely overwhelmed.

Leonard followed Hazel in and took Clara's hand, his eyes filled with concern. "Clara, don't exhaust yourself. I'm your husband now. Let me join the company and share your burden."

Clara hesitated. "You're still young and unfamiliar with the business. You should start by rotating through the departments."

Leonard's eyes turned red with grievance. "If Sebastian could be CEO, why can't I?"

Clara instinctively wanted to remind him that I was, at the very least, a top finance graduate from Ashford University. But when she looked into Leonard's eyes, brimming with tears, she lost all sense of reason. Her heart softened, and she nodded in agreement.

Leonard hugged her, tears in his eyes but a smile on his face. "I've just been worrying about you too much. Look at you—you've lost weight recently," he said gently.

…

My company had been running for less than two weeks, yet it was already operating smoothly.