Isabella Harper's fingers flew across the keyboard, the soft glow of her laptop illuminating the otherwise dark office. The presentation was almost finished, and she smiled at the thought of what it represented—Bright Horizon Innovations was on the brink of a breakthrough. Their AI-driven healthcare solution was unlike anything the industry had ever seen, a game-changer that would redefine patient care forever.
She glanced at the clock—nearly midnight. The office was eerily quiet, the hum of servers and the occasional ping of a notification the only sounds. This late-night routine wasn't new to her; she thrived in these moments of quiet, where ideas flowed freely. But tonight felt different—exciting. Everything they had worked for was about to culminate into something extraordinary.
The next morning...
"Alex, are you almost ready?" Isabella called out, her voice carrying down the empty hallway to her boyfriend and business partner of six years, Alex Winters.
"Yeah, just wrapping up the financial projections," he answered from his office, the familiar warmth in his voice bringing a sense of calm to her.
Isabella smiled to herself, feeling a swell of pride and affection. They'd built this company together, starting from their cramped college dorm room with nothing but shared ambition and endless late-night brainstorming sessions. They had fought hard for every investor, every milestone. Now, Bright Horizon was poised to disrupt the healthcare industry, their shared dream on the cusp of becoming a global reality.
She thought back to the day they first met at that hackathon—two ambitious, bright-eyed dreamers who clicked immediately over their shared love of technology and desire to make a difference. From that moment, they had been inseparable—partners in business, and in life.
"Alright, I'm ready," Alex said as he stepped into the conference room where a group of investors were waiting. Isabella followed him in, brimming with confidence, her heart racing with anticipation. This was it—the meeting that would change everything.
The presentation was flawless. Isabella spoke with passion, explaining their latest innovations, the potential to revolutionize patient care, and the immense profitability of their technology. The investors were captivated, nodding along, asking all the right questions. Everything was going according to plan.
As the meeting wound down, Alex excused himself to take a quick call. Isabella stayed behind to wrap up, answering final questions and basking in the positive energy. She felt like they were on top of the world.
But then... Alex didn't return.
At first, she wasn't worried. He was probably on an important call. But when an hour passed, and there was still no sign of him, a creeping unease settled into her chest. She pulled out her phone and sent him a text.
Hey, where are you? The investors are asking for you.
Her phone buzzed a few moments later.
We need to talk.
That was it. Just four words.
Isabella's heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong. Something big. She tried to keep herself composed as she wrapped up the meeting, but her thoughts were racing.
When Alex finally returned to the office later that afternoon, she was waiting. His face was tense, his usually confident demeanor strained. He wouldn't meet her eyes as he walked past her and into his office, the door closing with a soft click behind him.
Isabella hesitated only for a moment before following him. She knocked once, then entered, her voice steady but laced with apprehension. "Alex, what's going on?"
He didn't look at her right away. Instead, he stared at his desk, his hands casually clasped together, almost too calm. "Isabella, I... I sold the company."
Her blood ran cold. "What did you just say?"
He finally met her eyes, and the look on his face wasn't guilt. It was indifference. "I sold Bright Horizon."
Her heart plummeted, the weight of his words hitting her like a freight train. "Sold... You—*sold* our company? Without telling me? Without even consulting me?"
"They made me an offer I couldn't refuse," Alex replied, his voice unnervingly nonchalant. He didn't even flinch as he delivered the news that shattered everything she had worked for.
Her voice rose, panic mixing with the sharp sting of betrayal. "You had no right! We built this company together! You had no right to make that decision alone!"
He shrugged, as if they were talking about something trivial. "I had every right. Legally, I owned 51%. That gave me the final say."
Her chest tightened. "You can't be serious..." She took a step forward, disbelief flooding her. "What about me? What about all the work we put in, all the sacrifices?"
"You'll get a decent payout," he said, brushing her off as if she were just another employee. "It's nothing personal, Isabella. It's business."
Her breath caught in her throat. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. "You... You *betrayed* me, Alex. You threw me out. You sold everything we built for some quick cash and your own gain."
He stood, no longer even trying to pretend to care. "I didn't just sell the company for cash. I accepted a top position with the new company, overseeing what's left of Bright Horizon." His eyes darkened with something that resembled greed rather than remorse. "It was a smart move for me."
Her world crumbled. "For *you*? What about us? What about the years we spent building this together?"
He smirked, his tone turning cold. "There is no 'us,' Isabella. There hasn't been for a long time. You were so busy being the visionary CEO, you didn't even see what was happening right in front of you."
Her heart raced, the room spinning. "How could you do this?" she whispered, the sting of his betrayal cutting deeper than she thought possible.
"I did what was best for me." His words landed with a finality that broke something inside her. "You'll figure something out. You're resourceful."
She felt like she'd been struck, the walls closing in around her as the realization sunk in. He wasn't sorry. He didn't even regret what he'd done.
"Get out," she whispered, her voice trembling with fury and hurt.
"Isabella—"
"I said get out!" she shouted, the anger in her voice barely masking the overwhelming sense of loss. She could barely stand to look at him. The man she thought she loved, the partner she had trusted with her life's work, had betrayed her in the worst possible way.
He didn't hesitate this time. He turned on his heel and left without another word, leaving her standing in the hollow silence of the empty office.
The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, suddenly too bright, too harsh. She stumbled back into a chair, her hands trembling as she stared at the scattered papers on her desk—the remnants of a company she no longer owned. Everything they had built was gone. The dream, her future, it had all been stolen in an instant.
And for the first time in years, she didn't know what came next.
YOU ARE READING
Rising Phoenix
Romance"You had no right! We built this company together! You had no right to make that decision alone!" He shrugged, as if they were talking about something trivial. "I had every right. Legally, I owned 51%. That gave me the final say." Her chest tightene...
