Chapter 2

When I got the transfer notice and went to Ethan's office to confront him, Chloe was peeling a grape and feeding it to his mouth.

Seeing me walk in, she gasped dramatically, dropping the grape onto the carpet.

"Aria, why didn't you knock? You scared me to death."

Ethan looked at me, his face full of annoyance.

"Knocking before entering is basic workplace etiquette. Do I really need to teach you that?"

I ignored his criticism, walked over, and slammed the transfer order onto his desk.

"Explain this, Ethan."

"Why did you strip me of my Chief Technology Officer position and replace me with someone who can't even tell the difference between Java and Javascript?"

Ethan glanced at the document, leaning back in his leather chair with complete indifference.

"This is the board’s decision."

"Our IPO roadshow is coming up. We need a spokesperson with a good image. Just look at yourself."

He looked me up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised distaste.

"You wear no makeup, and the dark circles under your eyes are huge. People would think we're going bankrupt if they saw you."

"Chloe is an Ivy League MBA. She’s elegant and has a great image. She’s the perfect face for the company."

I let out a cold, bitter laugh.

"We are a tech company, Ethan, not a beauty pageant."

"The core algorithm was written by my team after working day and night for three months. Do you have any idea how little sleep I’ve had in the last hundred days?"

"And now, you want to hand over my life's work to a girl who only knows how to peel grapes?"

Chloe's eyes welled up with tears. She grabbed Ethan's sleeve and shook it gently.

"Ethan, babe, I told you I couldn't do it."

"Aria is a tech genius. She definitely looks down on someone like me who only does management."

"Maybe I should just leave. I don't want you two fighting because of me. It breaks my heart."

Ethan immediately held Chloe's hand, patting it comfortingly.

"Who said you have to leave? The one who should leave is the person who doesn’t know the rules."

He turned to look at me, all warmth gone from his eyes.

"Aria, you’re too aggressive."

"Chloe might not understand coding, but she knows how to make me relax. She knows how to support me."

"Unlike you. Every time we meet, you talk about bugs or server capacity. It’s incredibly boring."

"Starting today, you are transferred to the Administration Department. Go to a spa, get your face done, and focus on preparing for pregnancy. That should be your priority."

"As for the Tech Department, they will report directly to Chloe from now on."

Employees walking by peered through the glass walls, whispering.

I, the tech director who once held absolute power in this company, was now being watched like a joke.

I took a deep breath and pointed at Chloe.

"What if I refuse?"

Ethan stood up and walked over to me.

"Aria, stop throwing a tantrum."

"Without my capital venture, the code you write is just useless text."

"Just be good and listen to me. The title of Mrs. Vance will always be yours."

"There's a celebration gala tonight. Go home, change into something decent, and don’t embarrass me."

With that, he pulled a black card from his wallet and shoved it into my blazer pocket.

"Go buy a designer bag. Cheer up."

The gesture was exactly like throwing a bone to an upset pet.

Looking at the man who had once promised to split the world with me, I felt a deep, chilling sense of disgust.