Chapter 1My Ex Girlfriend Fired Me—I Bought Her Company

Three days after getting terminated, I still walked into the company’s conference room.

My ex‑girlfriend, Skyler, looked me over with open contempt.

“Carter, given your current situation, you don’t even belong in this room.”

She paused, her tone turning patronizing, almost generous.

“Hand over your client portfolio and transition everything properly for Dax.”

“Maybe then I’ll let you stay—scrubbing toilets.”

After ten years by her side, this was how it ended.

Mopping floors in the company I helped build.

I didn’t move.

The door opened, and her assistant stepped inside, stopping beside me.

“Let me introduce everyone,”

“This is our new CEO.”

When Skyler, my ex‑girlfriend and former CEO, gleefully told me that her earlier attempt to win me back was just a joke, I didn’t get angry.

I just pulled out my phone to call a cab home.

The colleagues around us stared with mocking eyes, sneering:

“Carter, the CEO said she doesn’t want you around. Why are you still here? Go on, book another flight!”

“Didn’t you say you got an offer overseas? What happened—they changed their mind about you?”

Skyler watched them cold‑shoulder me with indulgence, making no move to stop them.

This kind of suffocating, humiliating workplace bullying had surrounded me for years.

In the past, I would’ve fought back, hurt that my CEO girlfriend wouldn’t speak up for me.

Now, I felt nothing—like watching clowns perform.

“My business isn’t your concern, is it?” I said calmly.

Skyler snorted, her eyes sweeping over me with disgust:

“Still acting tough at a time like this?”

“With your limited skills, if I hadn’t carried you all these years, you might not even have food on the table!”

“Going abroad? What a joke.”

Yes, I was a top‑tier graduate who’d turned down a dream offer to help her build a company from scratch. But in Skyler’s eyes, I was worthless—someone who’d only survived because of her.

It almost made me laugh.

I’d loved Skyler completely. Even staying in a mid‑level role forever wouldn’t have bothered me.

But then she started reassigning my projects to her new assistant, Dax, without consulting me.

She even pinned Dax’s mistakes on me, forcing me to take the fall.

Then she used that as an excuse to cut my pay and suspend me, while promoting Dax and giving him a raise.

That’s when I finally woke up. This one‑sided relationship had to end.

So I quit on the spot, broke up with her, and decided to pursue my career abroad.

I never expected her to show up just before my flight to play this “joke” on me.

For a moment, I didn’t feel sadness—just bewilderment.

How blind had I been, falling for someone like her?

I shook my head, not bothering to argue:

“You’re right about everything. Can I go now?”

I stepped around Skyler, ready to leave.

But she grabbed my arm, staring me down with disdain:

“You’re really committed to the act, aren’t you? Your ‘overseas offer’ is exposed, and you’re still pretending?”

“For old times’ sake, I’ll give you an out.”

“Come back with me, and I’ll make you Dax’s assistant.”

Seeing her condescending act, I finally understood the real point of her joke.

On the surface, it was a bet with Dax to see if I’d take the bait.

Really, she just wanted to keep me at the company as a workhorse for her and Dax.

I had to admit, Skyler had planned Dax’s career carefully—promotion, raise, even an assistant.

As for me, I’d helped her achieve her dream of running a company, and she’d taken everything from me to pave Dax’s way.

I laughed coldly. “Dax isn’t skilled enough to deserve my help.”

Skyler’s face darkened.

“Carter, it seems I’ve been too soft on you all these years. That’s why you’re so full of yourself—”

Before she could finish, a figure approached from across the terminal.

“Skyler!”

Her expression instantly softened. “Dax!”

Dax was the only one in the whole company who didn’t call her “CEO”—he used her first name.

Even I, her actual boyfriend, never had that privilege.

Dax glanced at me and smiled at Skyler.

“See? I knew Carter’s ‘overseas move’ was just an excuse. He never actually left.”

Skyler shot me a sidelong glare, her eyes full of contempt.

“Some people overestimate their importance—think the company can’t run without them!”

“Not like you, Dax. You’re capable and humble. Since he won’t take the offer, let’s drop it.”

“Let’s go.”

But Dax held Skyler’s hand, putting on a pitiful look.

“Skyler, wait. Ever since Carter quit, I haven’t been able to find my watch.”

“It was my grandmother’s heirloom.”

Then he turned to me, pleading:

“Carter, please give it back to me.”

Before I could process what was happening, Skyler glared at me furiously.

“Carter, you stole something?”

I started to deny it, but she cut me off coldly.

“Don’t even try. Why would Dax make this up?”

“You’re jobless now—who knows what you’re capable of?”

Then she ordered the others:

“Open his suitcase and check!”

I stared at Skyler in disbelief.

After ten years together, she knew my character better than anyone.

But on Dax’s word alone, she would publicly rummage through my luggage?

Earlier, with her cruel joke, I hadn’t wanted to engage.

But now, this bullying crossed a line.

Not disappointment. Not heartache.

Just anger and disgust.

“Stop!”

I shouted, but Dax pretended to be sincere.

“Carter, why so defensive? You didn’t actually take it, did you?”

That made Skyler look at me with even more disgust. She signaled two people to block me as she said coldly:

“Ignore him. Keep searching.”

Watching my suitcase being dumped, my clothes and belongings scattered on the floor, my anger peaked.

I yelled for airport security.

Only then did they sheepishly back off.

“It’s not here,” Dax said, sounding disappointed. “Forget it. Let’s not make things harder for Carter. He’s having a tough enough time.”

But Skyler shot me a fierce look. “I think someone already sold it.”

Then she said gently to Dax:

“It’s fine. I’ll buy you a new one.”

As she left, she threw me a cold glance.

“Carter, when you’re living on the streets, don’t come begging to me.”

With that, she left with the group, Dax shooting me a挑衅 look over his shoulder.

I said nothing, just laughed coldly inside.

They didn’t know yet—the company’s projects had imploded. It was about to go bankrupt and be acquired.

And I’d turned down the overseas trip because the new parent company had appointed me as the incoming CEO.