While My Mom Was Dying, My CEO Girlfriend Was Marrying Her Golden Boy

I had just finished packing my bags when Chloe walked through the door. Her cheeks were flushed. The moment she saw me, her smile vanished. Her eyebrows knitted together as she slammed her hand down on my suitcase. "Are you throwing a tantrum? Packing your bags just because I had security throw you out of the wedding?" "Can you be any more petty, Ethan? There were so many high-profile guests there! If they found out you were my boyfriend, do you have any idea how badly that would have ruined Julian’s big day?" Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. A few days ago, at her wedding, Chloe had called me a madman in front of everyone. She had watched with a cold smile as security guards insulted me, beat me, and threw me onto the street like trash. My colleagues had pointed fingers at me, gossiping that I was a gold-digger trying to ruin the CEO's wedding for a payout. But that money was mine. And Chloe was supposed to be my girlfriend. I chuckled darkly and pushed her hand off my suitcase. Chloe frowned, her lips thinning into a hard line. "Fine. Stop acting like you're the victim here. Why are you throwing such a massive fit? Did your mother say something to you again?" "Tell you what. I'll go to the hospital with you tomorrow and explain things to her. Happy now?" See my mother? She wasn't even fit to utter her name. My mother had been sick for a long time. Her biggest wish was to see me settled down before she passed. But Chloe kept dragging her feet, claiming she "wasn't ready to settle down" and "wanted to enjoy her youth." Yet, two weeks ago, when Julian posted on Snapchat about his parents pressuring him to get married, she panicked. "Ethan, Julian's parents are forcing his hand. I'm just going to have a fake wedding with him to get them off his back. It's just a show." And then, she went ahead and legally registered their marriage, throwing a massive wedding for the world to see. When my mother heard the news, the shock sent her into cardiac arrest. The doctor told me she needed immediate surgery. I begged Chloe for my money, but she wouldn't even transfer $50,000 for the surgery. My own hard-earned money. In the end, I could only watch the woman who raised me turn into a cold corpse. Thinking of this, the anger in my chest threatened to spill over. I closed my eyes, forcing a cold smile. "No need. I..." Before I could tell her my mother was dead, Chloe cut me off impatiently. "Alright, alright! Is this about the money I didn't give you? I'll transfer it to you right now, okay? I only kept it because I was thinking about our future." I wanted to laugh. I really did. Over the last few years, I hadn't even seen a penny of my paycheck. She had linked my salary card directly to what she called our "Joint Future Fund." To take any money out, I needed her permission. And even if she approved it, I had to find a way to pay it back. She called it "saving for our future." And back then, like a naive idiot, I actually believed her. Only later did I find out she was using that very fund to buy Julian luxury cars and pay the down payment on his penthouse. Yet, when it came to me, she was incredibly stingy. She wouldn't even spare a dime for my mother's life-saving surgery. I reached out and blocked her fingers on her phone. My face was completely expressionless. "Don't bother. I don't need it anymore." Chloe froze. She shot me a cold, suspicious glare. "Don't need it? Oh, I get it. You were lying to me! You didn't need money for her. You just wanted to stop my wedding with Julian!" "Ethan, it was just a wedding ceremony. I don't get why you and your mother are making such a big, dramatic deal out of it." She had completely forgotten. She had forgotten her promise to give me a grand wedding, and she had forgotten my mother's dying wish. I smiled bitterly. "Yeah. My mom and I were blind. We shouldn't have cared about you at all." Chloe’s face darkened instantly. I didn’t want to waste another breath on her. I grabbed my suitcase and pushed past her. Right outside the door, I ran into Julian. He was holding a condom wrapper—peach scented, the flavor I hated most. "Chloe, babe, you left this in the backseat of the car. I brought it up for you... Oh, Ethan? What are you doing here?" I stared at his smug face, then down at the wrapper. My heart was dead quiet. "Just packing my bags. Happy wedding, by the way." With that, I walked past him. This time, Chloe didn’t try to stop me. She was too busy looking at Julian with eyes full of sweetness. "Ethan! If you want to throw a tantrum and live on the streets, go ahead! I won't stop you!" "But remember, you are the one walking out. I didn't kick you out!" I walked down the stairs to her cheerful voice. Looking up at the bedroom window as the lights flickered on, I let out a cold laugh. I pulled out my phone and sent my resignation letter straight to the company’s HR inbox.

The next morning, I went to the office early to pack my desk. A few colleagues were already whispering nearby. "Some people really thought they were the co-owner just because they’ve been with the CEO for a few years. Turns out, he was just her little side-toy." "I knew Chloe and Julian had something going on. Ethan used to act like he was the official boyfriend and banned us from talking about them. Now? Chloe married Julian. Talk about a slap in the face!" If this were the old me, my face would have turned red, and I would have tried to explain myself. But now, I felt nothing. I walked straight to the HR department and submitted my physical resignation form. "We're processing it," the HR rep said, not even looking up. "Once the CEO signs off, you're free to go." I nodded and went back to my cubicle to pack my personal belongings. When I picked up the framed photo of Chloe, my mother, and me, memories flooded my mind. Years ago, my father died in a car accident, and my mother fell gravely ill from grief. I brought her to the hospital, which was where I met Chloe, who was working as a student nurse. To pay for my mother's medical bills, I worked day and night. Chloe was the one who looked after my mother when I couldn't, and she was the one who held me when I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Back then, even when I was covered in dirt and completely broke, she loved me with everything she had. But once our startup took off, everything changed. "Ethan, I'm so scared that once you get rich, you'll leave me." Using that insecurity as an excuse, she took back all my shares. Overnight, I went from the co-founder to a mere team lead. She put me on a basic salary. And eventually, she took even that basic salary away, locking it in her "Future Fund." Six months ago, Julian returned to the country. Chloe immediately made him the Senior Vice President, offering him a seven-figure salary. She threw a massive welcome party for him, and when the team cheered, she even shared a drink with him from the same glass. She completely forgot that day was also my birthday. That was the moment I realized this relationship had reached its expiration date. I took the photo, carefully cut Chloe out of it, and tossed her half into the trash. "Oh my god, Chloe and Julian look so perfect together! Like a match made in heaven!" My colleagues’ sycophantic voices echoed through the office. I looked up and saw Chloe and Julian walking in, their fingers locked, showing off their matching wedding rings. Chloe beamed at the compliments. "Everyone has been working so hard lately," she announced. "HR, double everyone's end-of-year bonuses this year!" The office erupted into wild cheers. The atmosphere instantly became electric. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" someone chanted. Chloe’s cheeks flushed a deep red. She didn’t look like the cold, ruthless CEO she usually was. She leaned in and kissed Julian on the cheek, but Julian turned his head at the last second, catching her straight on the lips. The office went wild, clapping and cheering. Watching them, I felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head. My heart was cold as iron. Chloe’s eyes were filled with adoration, but as she glanced around, her eyes landed on me. Her smile instantly froze.

"Ethan? You... when did you get here?" The room went dead silent. Everyone turned their gaze toward me. I paused for a second, my face completely expressionless. "Just got here. Why?" Chloe’s face soured, clearly annoyed that I had ruined her moment. She waved her hand to dismiss the crowd. "Since you're here, pack up the files for the Zenith Group partnership. Hand them over to Julian." Hand them over to Julian? I had been working on this project day and night for over six months. We were right on the verge of signing the contract, and she wanted me to hand it over to Julian with a single sentence? I let out a cold laugh, my eyes narrowing. "And why should I do that?" Chloe’s eyebrows shot up. She scoffed, "I am the CEO. You do what I tell you to do. Since when do you get to ask why?" "I’ve thought this through. Giving this project to Julian is the best move for the company. If you don't like it, you can leave!" I didn’t argue. I just nodded. "Fine. I'll leave. But don't regret this later." I walked to the exit, pulled out my phone, and replied to the email from Zenith Group’s CEO, accepting their job offer. Zenith Group was a Fortune 500 company. Their short-form video platform was sweeping the globe. They were a titan in the tech and entertainment industry. What Chloe didn't know was that the core AI recommendation algorithm I created was something Zenith Group had been begging to buy for years. The only reason they were even considering partnering with a small company like AuraTech was because of me. Without me, AuraTech’s system would collapse. Suddenly, Chloe ran out of the office like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, blocking my path. "Ethan! Have I been too nice to you lately? How dare you speak to me in that tone!" In her mind, she probably thought I was still the same obedient dog who would crawl back to her the moment she snapped her fingers. Julian stood beside her, a smug smirk on his face. He stepped forward, acting concerned. "Ethan, you shouldn't talk to Chloe like that. What if she actually fires you? What are you going to do then?" I frowned and pushed him aside. He took a dramatic stumble backward, pretending to lose his balance, and collapsed onto the floor. Chloe’s face turned bright red with rage. She slapped me hard across the face, then rushed to help Julian up. "Ethan! I've clearly spoiled you too much, making you forget your place! How dare you lay a hand on Julian right in front of me!" "Apologize to him right now! Or I swear to God, I will fire you!" I touched my stinging cheek and laughed. "No need to fire me. I already resigned. Sign the papers." Chloe, who had been expecting me to beg for forgiveness, froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You resigned? How dare you!" I shook my head slowly. "It's not just a resignation, Chloe. I'm dumping you, too." "I'm done playing this toxic game with you."

Chloe’s chest heaved violently. Her face was flushed with anger. Without another word, she pulled up her phone and approved my resignation on the spot. "Ethan! Don't forget that your mother is in the hospital! Once you leave this company, once you leave me, don't come crying to me when she's dying on the street!" Julian added with a sneer, pretending to be helpful: "Exactly, Ethan. You're just an aging developer. Who else is going to hire you besides a generous boss like Chloe?" "Don't let your petty pride ruin your mother’s life, and your own future." I stared dead into Chloe’s eyes, my voice cold as ice. "My mother? She’s already dead." Chloe froze. A flash of panic crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a cold shrug. "Oh, she’s dead? When? Why didn’t you tell me?" "None of your business. Keep your fake sympathy to yourself." Chloe’s face darkened completely. Julian smirked, wrapping his arm around her waist. He looked at me condescendingly. "Chloe, babe, let's go. I already set up a dinner with Mr. Sterling from Zenith Group tonight. Once we sign that deal, our company is going straight to the moon!" "As for Ethan, let him go bury his dead mom." Chloe’s eyes lit up with excitement. She glared at me one last time. "Fine. If he wants to leave, let him. He’ll regret this soon enough!" With that, she took Julian’s hand and they walked away, looking like the perfect couple. Me? Regret? I’d love to see who regrets what. I pulled out my phone and shot a quick message to Mr. Sterling. That evening, I arrived at the VIP dining hall of the luxury hotel. Just as I stepped in, I heard Chloe’s voice from behind. "Ethan? What the hell are you doing here?" "Did you follow us here to ruin our deal with Mr. Sterling?!" Julian immediately chimed in, dripping with sarcasm. "Ethan, are you still mad because Chloe gave me your project?" "Even if you’re jealous, you can't just crash a business dinner. Did you forget how you got kicked out of the wedding?" I crossed my arms and smirked. "Crash? What if I told you Mr. Sterling invited me?" Julian let out a loud laugh. "Chloe, you need to get your ex some mental help. He’s completely lost it. Do you have any idea who Mr. Sterling is?" "Inviting a low-level tech grunt like him? In his dreams!" Chloe’s face twisted in embarrassment. She stepped forward and slapped me again. "Ethan, go play crazy somewhere else! Mr. Sterling inviting you? What a joke!" "If it weren't for Julian's connections, even I wouldn't be able to get a meeting with him! You think you can just summon him with a text?" I looked at her calmly. "Actually, yes. One text is all it takes. Unlike this useless fraud next to you." "A fraud?" Chloe laughed mockingly. "If Julian is a fraud, what does that make you? You’re just a parasite who lived off my company. You actually think you're hot shit? You’re insane!" Julian stepped up, pointing a finger at me. "Ethan, I can let your insults slide, but you do not disrespect Mr. Sterling! He could ruin our entire lives with a single word!" Chloe raised her hand again. "Did you hear him? Apologize to Julian right now, and get the hell out of here!" I caught her wrist, looking at her smug, vicious smile. "And if I don't?" "Then I will blacklist you from the entire tech industry! I will make sure you never get a job in this country again!" I laughed out loud. "Blacklist me?" Chloe thought she had me cornered. Her smile grew wider. "That's right! You're nothing but a nobody, Ethan! Julian has elite connections. He got us a meeting with Mr. Sterling. He can ruin you with one phone call!" "Oh really?" I smiled. "Are you absolutely sure he's the one who got you this meeting?" "Of course! If you get on your knees and beg Julian right now, I might ask him to be merciful. But you have to kneel!" Chloe stood tall, her chest puffed out. Julian stepped in front of me, looking down his nose. "Ethan, I really didn't want to do this to you. But this is what Chloe wants." He waited, expecting me to drop to my knees. Right at that moment, a booming voice echoed from behind him. "Who wants him to kneel? Who dares make him kneel?!" The room gasped. "It's Mr. Sterling! The CEO of Zenith Group is here!"