He Promised to Stay, Then Chose Another Novel

Tears Shape Destiny by Dylan 13 Summary Liam's rare attendance at the meeting immediately indicated the importance of the client present. Chloe arrived late, having taken extra time to prepare, and tried to sit beside Liam, but he coldly ordered her to sit elsewhere. The narrator felt the tension from Liam's icy glare as the meeting began with Jason introducing their proposals to Mr. Anderson. Chloe presented first, delivering a surprisingly polished pitch that closely mirrored the narrator's own work, deepening suspicions that she had stolen and deleted the narrator's files. Mr.

Anderson praised her enthusiastically, boosting her confidence. When it was the narrator's turn, they confidently presented a flawless, last-minute revised proposal that visibly shocked everyone, especially Chloe, whose triumphant smile faded as Mr. Anderson expressed even greater approval for the narrator's work. After the meeting, Chloe confronted the narrator angrily, warning not to be too confident about the decision. The narrator calmly challenged her, leading to a tense exchange where Chloe accidentally admitted to deleting the narrator's files.

Colleagues overheard and condemned Chloe's unprofessional behavior, while the narrator revealed they had backup copies of their work on a USB drive, leaving Chloe speechless. As the meeting ended, Liam informed the narrator that their proposal had been approved, but an awkward silence followed. A colleague then confronted Liam about Chloe's misconduct, questioning whether he would cover for her because she was his girlfriend. Chloe denied the accusations, but the narrator produced a recorded confession from Chloe, ready to expose the truth and finally settle a long-standing grudge.

Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below Chapter 13 His attendance at meetings was a rare occurrence, so his presence today immediately signaled the significance of this particular client. Chloe, on the other hand, was running behind schedule-clearly having taken extra time to touch up her makeup before arriving. The moment she stepped into the room, she made a beeline for the seat beside him. Liam's expression was icy. "Sit on the other side," he ordered curtly. Reluctantly, Chloe rose and moved to take the seat next to me instead.

I lowered my gaze, busying myself with arranging the freshly printed documents on the table. Yet, I couldn't shake the sensation of a piercing stare fixed on me from across. The intensity of the look made me uneasy-I knew it was Liam's. Fortunately, Jason arrived shortly after, accompanied by the client, and the meeting finally began. After giving Mr. Anderson a concise summary of the project, Jason invited us to present our proposals one by one. "Mr. Anderson, we have prepared two proposals for your review," he explained. Chloe stood up first.

"Let me go first-I don't think she's quite ready yet," she said with a dismissive glance toward me, as if convinced I had nothing of value prepared and that the papers before me were just a chaotic mess of notes. Her presentation was surprisingly polished-so polished, in fact, that it hardly seemed like her own work. Even more unsettling, many sections mirrored mine almost exactly. This only deepened my suspicion: not only had she deleted my files, but she had also read through my material before doing so. When Chloe finished, Jason looked thoroughly impressed, and Mr.

Anderson showered her with praise. "Excellent, excellent-this is exactly what I had in mind, precisely what I was hoping for," he said enthusiastically. Chloe returned to her seat, a victorious smile playing on her lips, then turned toward me. "Your turn now. Go ahead," she said, clearly confident I would falter and embarrass myself. I gathered the documents I'd just organized and stood up. Luckily, I had made some last-minute revisions, and the proposal was now flawless.

For the next ten minutes, as I delivered my presentation, the expressions around the table shifted dramatically-shock, approval, disbelief all flickering across their faces. Chloe, in particular, looked utterly stunned. By the time I finished, her triumphant smile had faded into a scowl. When Mr. Anderson voiced his approval, her face darkened even further. "Great work-this one is wonderful too, even a notch better than the first," he declared. Jason's eyes lit up as he turned to Mr. Anderson. "Then which one do you prefer?" The rest of the discussion unfolded between them.

I left my proposal on the table and quietly exited the conference room. - Outside, Chloe, still visibly furious, stepped in front of me. "Don't get too cocky. You never know which one they'll pick," she warned. I had initially planned to ignore her, but releasing her from this moment felt like letting go of a grudge I'd held for years. "We'll just wait and see. Don't count your chickens before they hatch," I replied calmly. Her hands clenched into tight fists. "Where did you get that proposal? Who helped you write it?" she demanded.

Turning to face her, I replied firmly, "I wrote it myself, of course. You saw me printing it just now." In a moment of panic, Chloe blurted out, "That's impossible! Your files were clearly deleted-how could you still have a proposal?" The words hung in the air, and she immediately regretted them. I wasn't about to let her backtrack. "How did you know my files were deleted? Were you the one who deleted them?" "It wasn't me! How could it be? You're just slandering me!" she cried. Luckily, we were still in the open office, and everyone nearby had overheard. "Am I slandering you?

You just admitted it yourself-and everyone heard," I said calmly. A colleague who had long disliked Chloe spoke up, "I heard it loud and clear. You said you deleted her files!" "I always suspected you never did any real work-turns out you just play dirty tricks! Disgusting!" another added. I held up a USB drive. "I was prepared. All you deleted were my draft versions!" Chloe's face flushed bright red. She stood frozen, unable to respond-until the office door opened. Liam and the others emerged, and Mr. Anderson wore a smile that suggested the deal was sealed.

Everyone dispersed quickly, and once Mr. Anderson had left, Liam returned. He stopped at my desk. "Your proposal was approved. Mr. Anderson was very satisfied," he said. I nodded in acknowledgment. Liam hesitated, seeming as though he wanted to say more, but an awkward silence stretched between us. Then, a colleague stepped forward and recounted our earlier argument to Liam and Jason. After listening carefully, the colleague turned to Liam. "Director Liam, we want to know how you'll handle this. Her behavior was completely unprofessional.

You can't cover for her just because she's your girlfriend, right?" Chloe sprang to her feet. "Don't frame me! I didn't do anything-she's the one lying about me!" I had waited three long years to settle this score, and I wasn't about to let her slip away now. Pulling out my phone, I said, "I happened to record what you said in the print room earlier. Let everyone hear it." Chloe froze, stunned. She had never expected me to have a backup plan. Conclusion The chapter closes on a powerful moment of vindication and truth, where years of silent struggle finally find their voice.

The protagonist's calm resilience and preparedness not only expose Chloe's deceit but also shift the balance of power, revealing the strength that lies in integrity and perseverance. The tension between them, charged with past wounds and present confrontations, underscores the emotional weight of betrayal and the desire for justice. At the same time, the presence of Liam and the reactions of their colleagues highlight the complex dynamics of loyalty, professionalism, and personal relationships within the workplace.

With Chloe's duplicity exposed and the proposal approved, the dynamics within the office are bound to shift dramatically. Expect the emotional stakes to rise as Liam's position becomes more complicated-his silence and hesitation hint at inner conflicts that may soon come to light, challenging alliances and personal boundaries. Meanwhile, the protagonist's long-awaited vindication sets the stage for a new phase of empowerment, but also invites fresh challenges. How will Chloe respond to being publicly outmaneuvered, and what consequences will her actions have on her relationships and career?