When She Became a Tycoon

1
My girlfriend built an empire from scratch, becoming a top-tier tycoon. But she was ruthlessly impartial, refusing to hire me even though I'd poured my own blood, sweat, and tears into building the company with her.
When my mom got sick and we were desperate for money, Ava wouldn't budge.
A job, a handout... Have you considered my position, Ethan? How would I maintain respect?
So I stopped begging. I sold everything I hadthe small condo, the carto scrape together enough for my mother's surgery. But when I arrived to pay, the nurse stopped me at the door.
"I'm sorry, the donor kidney has already been purchased. You'll have to wait for the next one."
The words hit me like a lightning strike. A second later, I saw Ava escorting her young protg, Leo, into the operating room.
The kidney I had been desperately waiting for, the one that was supposed to save my mother, had been casually bought by Ava and given to him.
I tried to force my way in, desperate, but she just called the police.
The twenty-four hours in a holding cell meant I missed my mother's last moments.
After the surgery, Ava lit up the entire city with fireworks to celebrate Leos recovery.
I sat in the sterile silence of the morgue, crying until my tears ran dry.
Her so-called impartiality wasn't set in stone. It just never applied to me.
...
I moved through the motions of arranging my mothers funeral, a hollowed-out shell. Outside, the sky continued to explode in a kaleidoscope of color. Just two days ago, she wouldn't even lend me a thousand dollars. She had even berated me in front of the entire company.
"Can you stop being so selfish? This is a massive corporation. Why should I bend the rules for you?"
I had fled the office, burning with shame, tears streaming down my face.
And just one day later, she pulled strings and threw money around to save her precious protg. A million-dollar firework display just to celebrate his new lease on life.
My whole body trembled. Every breath was a shard of glass in my lungs.
My phone buzzed relentlessly, call after call, but I ignored them all. A moment later, I heard hurried footsteps behind me. Ava grabbed my arm.
"Ethan, why aren't you answering your phone? Do you have any idea how worried I"
Her words died in her throat when she saw my swollen, red-rimmed eyes. She froze, a flicker of guilt crossing her face. She couldn't even meet my gaze.
"I... I didn't know your mother was that sick."
She was lying.
After I was released, I had gone looking for her, fueled by a desperate need for answers. I found her outside Leos hospital room and heard their conversation through the door.
"Ava," Leo's voice was soft, "Ethan's mom passed away. You gave me the kidney... you think he'll hate you for it?"
There was a long silence before Avas voice, raspy with emotion, finally answered.
"His mother was too far gone. Even with a new kidney, she wouldn't have lasted long. Besides, he still has me. I'll love him enough for the both of us."
But I didn't want it. Her love felt like poison.
My fingernails dug into my palms. "Stop lying," I said, each word precise and cold. "We're done."
Ava's face went rigid. Her voice was laced with disbelief. "What are you talking about? We're engaged. The venue is already booked."
"Then cancel it."
The words left my lips without a hint of hesitation. How could she possibly think I would still marry her? Even the wedding venue wasnt my choice. Leo had picked out every last detail.
I had had enough.
"Ethan!"
A weak, tearful voice shattered the tense air. Leo, clutching the area over his new kidney, slowly sank to his knees before me.
"It's all my fault. I was the one who begged Ava for the kidney. Don't blame her. Blame me."
Avas heart went out to him instantly. She rushed to his side. "Get up, Leo."
"No, I won't. I caused all this trouble. I'll take the blame."
They went back and forth, a picture of selfless devotion, their eyes filled with a deep, protective affection for each other. It was as if I was the villain in their tragic love story.
Just like that, Ava's fleeting guilt vanished. She helped Leo to his feet, turning her back on me without a second glance.
As she led him away, Leo wrapped his arm around her neck. Hidden from her view, he looked back at me and arched an eyebrow.
He mouthed two words silently: Get lost.
2
I tore my eyes away, not even bothering to give him a reaction.
For six days, I handled my mother's funeral arrangements alone. Ava tried to contact me several times, but I just blocked her number.
On the seventh day, the day of the service, she showed up with Leo.
"Ethan, I'm so sorry for your loss."
Leo bowed his head, his face a mask of sorrow. Then, he made to kneel before my mothers memorial table.
I moved instantly to block him. "Don't," I said, my voice ice.
His hypocrisy was nauseating. If it weren't for him, my mother would still be alive. What's more, when she was sick, Leo had gone out of his way to torment her, calling Ava away in the middle of our family dinners, interrupting us when we were trying to take one last family portrait. His petty games had worsened her condition.
Letting him kneel here now would be a final, grotesque insult to her memory.
The room was filled with friends, relatives, and some of my old colleagues from the company. Their whispers filled the air as Leo stood there, looking utterly humiliated. Tears welled in his eyes, and he put on a pitiful display of grief.
Ava grabbed my wrist, her grip tightening. "That's enough," she hissed, her voice low and menacing. "How much more do you want to humiliate him? The office is already buzzing with rumors that he's a manipulative monster. Are you trying to drive him to suicide?"
A knife twisted in my gut. He sheds a few crocodile tears and she's ready to defend him to the death. But my mother was gone, and to her, it was as if nothing had happened.
Looking back, her favoritism had always been there, right under my nose. I remembered a time in college when the three of us went out for barbecue. Leo's ex-girlfriend showed up and started a scene. Out of nowhere, Ava exploded. She grabbed a chair and just started swinging.
She was like a feral animal. I was terrified she would kill someone, so I jumped in to stop her and got knocked to the ground for my trouble. But then Leo yelled, "That's enough!" and Ava immediately stopped.
In the end, they were both perfectly fine. I was the one who ended up with seven stitches in my forehead, looking like a clown.
My heart felt like it was being churned by a slow, blunt blade. My eyes burned, but no more tears would come.
Leo was still playing the victim. "Ethan," he whimpered, "Ava is like a sister to me. It's only right that I pay my respects to... her future mother-in-law. Please, don't overthink this."
Ignoring me, he tried to kneel again. I couldn't stand the thought of him tainting this space.
I lunged forward and shoved him back. "Get out! Both of you, get out!"
I hadn't used much force, but he let out a theatrical scream. "Agh!"
A roaring filled Ava's ears. Her hand flew out, and my world tilted as her palm connected with my cheek. I stumbled backward, crashing into the memorial table. Plates of offerings shattered on the floor, the sound echoing the breaking of my own heart.
My vision swam with red. A mournful cry echoed in my mind.
It was all ruined. Everything was ruined.
My mother had suffered so much in life, and now she couldn't even rest in peace.
Leo was still sobbing in Avas arms.
Something inside me snapped. I grabbed a ceremonial knife from the table and lunged at them.
"Die, you two! Just die!"
Ava's face paled, her eyes wide with disbelief. Before she could speak, Leo, genuinely terrified, dragged her out the door.
My relatives swarmed me, holding me back, afraid I would actually commit murder.
I didn't sleep that night. The tears finally came again, an endless, silent stream. Ava sent a novel-length text message, a stream of apologies, but I couldn't bring myself to read a single word.
The next day, a video of me trying to attack them with the knife somehow made its way to Ava's mother. She kicked my door open first thing in the morning.
"Ethan, are you insane? Attacking people with a knife is a crime!" she shrieked. "Thank God Leo told me what happened. I will never let a psycho like you marry into my family!"
Behind her, Leo chimed in, his brow furrowed with fake concern. "Ethan, please don't be mad at me. I see Ava as family. I couldn't just stand by and watch her walk into a fire."
I laughed, a cold, bitter sound. He didn't see her as family. He saw her as his ticket. I remembered when we all went on a trip together. Ava and I had our own room, but Leo kept waking us up all night, complaining of chest pains or stomach cramps. He spent the entire trip glaring at me like I had murdered his father.
When I pointed it out, Ava just laughed it off. "He's just a kid, Ethan. Don't be silly."
3
The joke was, Ava was the only one who couldn't see it. Her mother knew exactly what was going on and used Leo as a weapon against me all the time.
"If you don't behave, there are plenty of other young men who would love to be with our Ava."
"Ava doesn't need you. A husband can be replaced. A mother can't."
I had heard it all until I was sick of it. Now, it was finally time for it to end.
"You don't have to worry," I said, my voice flat. "Ava and I already broke up."
Her mother blinked. "Impossible! Ava was just talking about wedding plans yesterday. You're lying!"
A wave of nausea washed over me. I was so utterly tired of this family. I opened the door wider. "Get out," I said, my voice cold. "You're not welcome here."
Her face turned a mottled shade of red and purple. She couldn't believe that I, the always-placid Ethan, would dare speak to her like that. Leo, on the other hand, looked smugly satisfied. His mission to completely destroy my relationship with Avas family was a success.
Just then, a car screeched to a halt outside. Ava jumped out.
"Mom, what are you doing here?"
Her mother's eyes instantly filled with tears. "Look at the wonderful man you picked! He threw me out of his house! You need to break up with him right now!"
Leo added his own dramatic flair. "She was being perfectly reasonable, but Ethan just started screaming at her."
They painted their own version of reality, a perfect duet of lies. I braced myself for Avas anger, but instead, she turned on them.
"Didn't I tell you I would handle my own affairs? What are you doing here?"
Ignoring their stunned expressions, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward her car.
"Where are you taking me? Let me go!"
Ava just slammed her foot on the gas. "I'm taking you to the office. Today, you start. From now on, you own half the company."
My mind went blank. I felt nothing. What was this? A slap in the face followed by a piece of candy?
"I'm not your dog, Ava."
Her own temper flared. "I'm just trying to make it up to you! Ethan, don't be so stubborn."
Stubborn? My mother's death was just me being stubborn?
My throat tightened, as if a hand were squeezing it shut. My chest felt like it was about to explode.
4
Ava tried to say something else, but I snapped. I lunged across the console, my hand striking her face again and again. The sound of the slaps was sharp and clear in the confined space of the car. She didn't even try to stop me, just held the wheel, her jaw tight, refusing to let me go.
When we got to the office, she disappeared into the restroom to deal with the red marks on her face. Everyone stared and whispered as I walked by.
"What's he doing here? I thought Leo replaced him for good."
"Probably here to beg. He knows he's about to get dumped."
I couldn't stand it. I walked straight to Ava's office. Her laptop was open on the desk. I was going to look up some company files, but my hand brushed the trackpad.
A video file popped open and started to play.
There, on this very desk, were Ava and Leo. Tangled together, naked and writhing. Our framed photo was crushed beneath them.
"Ava, I love you so much, Ava"
Bang.
The door flew open. Ava stood there, her face a mask of panic. When she saw the calm expression on my face, the color drained from hers. She lunged forward and slammed the laptop shut.
"Ethan, that night... I was drunk after a client meeting. I thought he was you"
"No need to explain." My voice was eerily steady. "Just liquidate my share of the company stock. Then we're even."
The last bit of color fled her face. For the first time in our entire relationship, she lowered her head to me. "It was one time, Ethan. Can't you just forgive me this once?"
Once a cheater, always a cheater.
I turned and walked out. She scrambled after me, her voice desperate. Suddenly, her phone rang. She answered it impatiently, but as she listened, her expression transformed. Her eyes, when they met mine again, were like poisoned daggers. I instinctively took a step back.
Before I could speak, her hand shot out and clamped around my neck. She screamed for security, and two guards grabbed my arms, pinning me.
Her eyes were bloodshot. "Why would you do this?" she roared, her voice raw with fury. "I would have given you any compensation you wanted! Why would you do this?"
I couldn't breathe. My face was turning purple. "What... are you... talking about?" I choked out.
She shoved her phone in my face. "See for yourself!"
The video, the one I had just seen, was plastered all over the internet. The headlines screamed. Leo was having a complete mental breakdown, holding a knife to his own wrist.
"Just let me die!" he was screaming in the accompanying news clip. "How can I face anyone now? The whole world knows I'm a homewrecker!"
A few of Leos buddies from the office came running out. Without a word, one of them swung, his fist connecting hard with my jaw.
"You bastard! You'll rot in hell for this!"
I tried to fight back, but it was three against one. They wrestled me to the ground. They exchanged glances, a mix of contempt and cruel excitement in their eyes. Then they started dragging me toward a dark corner of the parking garage like I was a stray dog.
With my last ounce of strength, I reached out and grabbed Avas leg. "It wasn't me!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "Help me!"
She looked down at me, her face a mask of profound disappointment. "You're still lying. Even now. Why, Ethan? I wronged you, yes, but Leo is still just a student. You've ruined his life!"
She coldly pried my fingers from her ankle and walked to her car. "I have to go to Leo. You made this mess. You can deal with the consequences."
With that, she got in her car and sped away.
I curled into a ball on the cold concrete, my heart shattering into a million pieces. I fumbled for my phone to call the police, but the guy with the crew cut slapped it out of my hand.
Another one of them spoke nervously. "Hey, let's not go too far."
"Don't worry about it!" the first one snapped. "Remember what Leo told us? We rough this guy up, make sure he's too broken to ever bother Ava again."
That was all the encouragement they needed. They descended on me like a pack of wolves.
Punches and kicks rained down on my body. I curled up tighter, screaming, but no one came to help. They just grew more frenzied, more excited by my pain.
As consciousness began to slip away, I lunged forward and bit down hard on the crew-cut guys hand. I clamped my jaw shut, tasting blood, and tore away a piece of flesh.
"Aaargh!" he howled, clutching his bleeding hand. "Kill him, Rick! Kill the son of a bitch!"
The other two hesitated, a flicker of fear in their eyes.
"What are you waiting for?" he screamed. "Leo's going to be the new boss! You've got nothing to be afraid of!"
That seemed to settle it. They closed in again, their heavy work boots slamming into my chest, my legs, my stomach.
A final, blinding pain, and then my vision tunneled and went black.
I heard their panicked voices from a great distance.
"Is he... moving?"
"This wasn't us... we didn't do this..."
They scrambled away, their footsteps echoing in the empty garage, each one blaming the other. A few moments later, a passerby found me and called an ambulance.
Ava was at the hospital, watching over a hysterical Leo. Her mother had finally managed to calm him down; his self-inflicted wounds were nothing more than superficial scratches.
"Don't you worry, Leo," Ava's mother cooed, stroking his hair. "After all this, I'll make sure Ava marries you." She was so engrossed in her promise that she didn't notice the storm brewing on her daughter's face.
Ava, feeling suffocated, stepped out into the hallway for some air. The moment she pushed the door open, she saw me, my face as white as a sheet, being rushed on a gurney toward the emergency room.

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