There was a time when the very sound of Ethan Cole's name could send Liana spiraling.
A time when memories of him could break her, silence her, make her fold into herself like fragile paper.
That time was gone.
And she intended to prove it.
The week after the gala came with a strange sense of clarity for Liana Rivera.
Seeing Ethan crumbling, desperate, humiliated—didn't fill her with pity.
It filled her with resolve.
Because she finally saw the truth:
She didn't need Ethan Cole's world anymore.
She could build one of her own.
And she did.
Every day, Liana worked closely with Adrian Hale, her new boss, whose calm confidence and strategic mind pushed her to grow. She learned fast—absorbing everything about design trends, client handling, budget planning, and contract negotiations.
But her real strength?
She already knew more about corporate structures than anyone around her realized.
After all, she lived in Ethan Cole's mansion for over a year.
She heard his meetings.
She saw his documents.
She watched how he operated, his weaknesses, his habits, his blind spots.
She just never had the freedom to use that knowledge.
Until now.
One afternoon, Adrian walked into her office holding a stack of proposals.
"Liana, you're good with strategy," he said, placing the documents on her desk. "I want your input. This next client is big, Prestige Towers. They're considering partnering with either us or Cole Industries."
The name hit her chest like a cold blade.
Ethan's company.
Adrian continued, unaware of the storm that name stirred inside her.
"They're leaning toward Ethan's team for now. But we have a chance to change their mind."
Liana's fingers slowly touched the papers.
A chance… to beat Ethan?
Not out of revenge.
Not out of spite.
But to finally free herself from the shadow of the man who once broke her.
She straightened her back.
"What do you need from me?" she asked.
Adrian smiled, impressed.
"Frankly? Everything you've got."
And she gave it.
For days, Liana worked late into the night.
She reviewed the client's interests, Ethan's proposal style, the weaknesses he always overlooked. She remembered the way he rushed details when he was stressed, how he relied too much on his senior manager, how he often underestimated competitors who weren't "big enough" to scare him.
She crafted a pitch that played to her company's strengths and targeted every blind spot she knew Ethan would leave open.
When she presented it to Adrian, he stared at the board in stunned silence.
"Liana," he said slowly, "this… is brilliant."
She allowed herself a small smile.
"Will it work?"
"Oh, it won't just work." He leaned back, eyes shining with excitement.
"It will win."
Two weeks later, Ethan Cole stepped into the same conference room as Liana for the first time in months.
He froze the moment he saw her.
Her posture was elegant.
Her expression calm.
Her confidence undeniable.
She didn't look at him once.
Not even when Prestige Towers awarded her company the multi-million-dollar deal.
Not his.
Not Cole Industries.
The CEO of Prestige Towers shook her hand warmly.
"Miss Rivera, your insight was invaluable. We look forward to working with your team."
Ethan stood a few steps away, silent, jaw tight, eyes locked on her like he didn't recognize her anymore.
Because she wasn't the woman he used to command, ignore, or overlook.
She was the woman who just beat him, publicly, professionally, completely.
And the satisfaction?
It felt like reclaiming every piece of herself he had ever broken.
Late that evening, Liana sat at her desk, staring at the skyline glowing beyond the windows. She felt lighter than she had in years.
Stronger. Free.
There was no taste of revenge in the victory, only closure.
Adrian knocked on her door gently.
"Heading out?"
"In a minute," she replied with a soft smile.
"You did incredibly today," he said, voice warm. "You should be proud."
"I am," she admitted quietly. "More than ever."
He gave a small nod, then left her to the view.
For the first time, she truly believed it:
She didn't need Ethan in her story anymore.
Across the city, Ethan Cole sat alone in his dark office.
Papers scattered.
Coffee cold.
Eyes haunted.
For weeks, he'd been losing sleep, losing deals, losing direction.
The scandal had damaged his company more than he anticipated.
The board was restless.
Investors impatient.
And the one person who could silence the chaos, the one whose voice used to calm his storms, was gone.
Liana.
He rubbed his temples, exhausted.
The board meeting earlier had gone terribly.
Prestige Towers had chosen another company.
His senior manager resigned.
Half his staff avoided eye contact.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, guilt crushing his chest.
Every downfall traced back to the same moment.
The night he destroyed everything.
He covered his face with both hands.
"Liana…" he whispered into the quiet room.
"I'm sorry."
But the apology echoed uselessly into the empty air.
His head throbbed harder.
His vision blurred faintly at the edges.
He hadn't eaten since morning.
Hadn't slept properly in days.
He tried to stand-
…but the room tilted sharply.
A cold wave washed through him, and he stumbled, gripping the table for balance.
His breath shortened.
His knees buckled.
Then-
Ethan Cole collapsed onto the office floor, unconscious.
Alone.
Broken.
And finally facing the consequences of the man he used to be.