Introduction

For ten years, Liam was my world.

I was the silent force behind Aegis, his tech empire, turning a garage startup into a titan on the brink of its IPO.

Every all-nighter, every neutralized threat, every high-stakes deal – I was there, a ghost in the shadows, believing his promise: "Once Aegis goes public, Ava... I' ll make you my wife."

But tonight, at the pre-IPO celebration, I overheard him.

He called me a "loyal old dog," suitable only for a "generous severance package," while declaring his intention to marry "pure, clean" Chloe.

My world shattered. The man I loved, the man I sacrificed everything for, saw me as something disposable, a liability from a past he wanted to bury.

He said Chloe was the "prize at the top," and I was merely a "partner for the climb."

The ultimate betrayal, a decade of my life reduced to a job, my loyalty deemed an investment he' d now pay out with calculated interest.

I walked through hell for him, taking bullets and doing his dirty work so his hands could stay "clean," only to be cast aside for being "unclean" myself.

Then, he was kidnapped. And even after he threw me away like trash, I walked into a den of armed killers, taking two bullets for him, just to cut the final ties.

He ran straight to his new love, leaving me bleeding on the cold concrete.

Now, he' s back, crawling, begging for forgiveness and offering me everything-his company, his name, his future-because his "prize" betrayed him.

But I'm not a trophy to be won back. He shattered me, and I refuse to be pieced back together for his convenience.

My past is a battlefield, my scars are my resume, and this time, I choose myself.