Betrayed By My Fiancé And My Father

"Keep the engine running, Thomas," I told my driver, pausing by the open door of the town car.

"Will you be long, Ms. Montgomery?" Thomas asked, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel.

"Just dropping off an anniversary gift. I should be back in ten minutes."

"Happy anniversary, ma'am. Two years is a solid milestone."

"Thank you, Thomas. Let's hope it's the start of many more."

I closed the car door and walked into the towering glass lobby of Mercer Tech. The afternoon sun reflected off the polished marble floors.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Montgomery," the security guard greeted as I approached the VIP elevator.

"Hey, Stan. How's the new grandbaby?"

"Keeping us awake, but we love him. Going up to see the boss?"

"Surprising him for our anniversary."

"He's a lucky man. Have a good one."

"You too, Stan."

I swiped my keycard and rode the elevator to the penthouse suite. The doors parted to reveal a sleek, minimalist reception area.

"Liam," I said, leaning against the front desk.

Liam jumped, spilling a drop of coffee on his keyboard. "Elara! You didn't tell me you were coming."

"That's the point of a surprise." I tapped the leather portfolio tucked under my arm. "Is he free?"

"He's in a closed-door meeting with Chloe. Marketing strategy for the upcoming launch."

"I won't interrupt. I'll just leave this on his desk and wait in the lounge."

"He said no interruptions, Elara. Not even for you."

"I'm his lead investor and his girlfriend. I think I get a pass."

"He was really adamant. You know how stressed he gets before a product launch."

"Relax, Liam. I'll just peek in. If they're deep in the trenches, I'll back away."

Leaving the receptionist behind, I walked down the quiet hallway. The frosted glass door to Julian's private office stood an inch open. A sliver of light spilled onto the carpet. I reached for the brass handle.

"You need to push the timeline harder," Chloe demanded. Her voice cut sharply through the silence.

"I am moving as fast as I can," Julian replied.

"Two years, Julian. I've watched you play house with her for two years."

"Her money built this office. Her father's name got us the server contracts. You know that."

"And now you have the contracts. You don't need her."

I froze. My pulse thumped in my ears.

"I need her signature on the final equity release," Julian said.

"Will she actually sign it?"

"She trusts me entirely. She thinks we're getting married."

"Are you?"

"God, no. I can't stand the way she looks down at me. Like I'm some charity case she rescued."

"You're the brains behind this company."

"Exactly. And by Friday, I'll be the sole owner."

My fingers gripped the leather portfolio tight enough to bend the cardboard inside. Two years of my life. Millions of dollars from my personal trust. I had defended Julian to my father, fought my own board of directors to secure his funding, and this was how he viewed me. A charity worker. A naive bankroll.

"What's the exact plan?" Chloe asked. A drawer slammed shut.

"I drafted a dummy contract. It looks like a standard Series B restructuring agreement. Page four contains a clause that dilutes her shares down to zero point five percent, transferring the controlling interest to my holding company."

"She has lawyers, Julian. Good ones."

"She uses the firm she hired for me. I already instructed them not to redline the document. They work for the CEO. I told them she requested the transfer privately."

"That's brilliant."

"I know."

"What about the new algorithm?" Chloe asked. "Elara's name is on the patent application."

"I had legal swap the filings last week," Julian said smoothly. "Her name is gone. It's solely under Mercer Tech now."

"How did you get past her father's auditors?"

"I forged her initials on the authorization form. She signs so much paperwork for me, no one questioned it."

"Forgery? That's risky."

"Only if she finds out before Friday. Once I have the controlling shares, she won't have the leverage to sue. She'll be too embarrassed to admit her perfect boyfriend played her."

"When do you drop the axe?"

"Friday night. Our anniversary dinner. I'll frame it as a romantic gesture. A merging of our assets. I'll pour the wine, look into her eyes, and she'll sign without reading a single page."

"And then?"

"Monday morning, I lock her out of the building. I revoke her server access. I issue a press release stating she stepped down to pursue other interests."

"I want her corner office."

"It's yours, baby."

A soft rustle of clothing followed his promise.

"You better not be lying to me, Julian," Chloe murmured.

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"She bought you that watch, didn't she?" Chloe noted.

"Yeah. A Patek. Tacky, honestly, but I wear it to keep her happy."

"Take it off."

"Impatient today, aren't we?"

I didn't need to hear anymore. The illusion I had built around Julian Mercer shattered into jagged little pieces. He wasn't the struggling, brilliant entrepreneur I fell in love with. He was a parasite.

I stepped back. My flats made no sound against the thick carpet. I didn't barge in. I didn't scream or throw the portfolio at his head. That would be too easy. That would give him a chance to lie, to spin a story, to manipulate me one last time.

Instead, I turned around. I walked back down the hallway, my expression completely blank.

"Change your mind?" Liam asked as I approached his desk.

"They sounded deep in debate," I said, forcing a light, easy smile. "I don't want to break his focus. He works so hard."

"He really does. Should I tell him you dropped by?"

"No. Let's keep it a secret. I want to surprise him tonight."

"You're the best girlfriend ever, Elara."

"I try."

I stepped into the elevator. The doors slid shut, cutting off the penthouse.

I pulled out my phone and dialed my lead attorney.

"Marcus," I said when he answered.

"Elara. Did Julian sign the final papers?"

"He's not getting them. Shred the documents."

"Excuse me?"