Chapter 2

Sylvia's POV

I rushed to the hospital to demand answers from Julian.

But Julian wasn't there. Giselle was the only one in the hospital room.

She was leisurely scrolling through her phone, not looking like a patient at all.

Seeing me burst in, Giselle didn't even look up.

"Julian went to get me breakfast. If you're looking for him, you'll have to wait."

Panting heavily, I stood by her bedside and glared at her.

Only then did Giselle put down her phone. She swept her eyes over me from head to toe and smirked.

"Look at you, acting like a psycho. No wonder Julian is sick of you."

"Cut the crap. I'm here for Julian. This has nothing to do with you!"

"How do you know it has nothing to do with me?"

Giselle leaned back against her pillows, her smile thick with hidden meaning.

"Actually, you should be looking for me. What happened at the hotel that night? It had nothing to do with Julian. I set it up."

I froze.

"I slipped something into your drink."

Giselle looked at me with pure disdain, running a hand through her hair.

"I even arranged for a man to be in the room next door. The moment you went back, he would have satisfied you. When the reporters burst in to take photos, your face plastered next to some stranger would have been all over the internet the next day. Once Julian saw that, he obviously wouldn't keep you around anymore."

My mind went completely blank. I had thought that night was just an accident because Julian drank too much. I never imagined it was all Giselle's cold calculation.

"Sigh, it's a shame you got lucky. Julian drank that glass instead of you. He was the one who got drugged, and you ended up dragging him back to your room."

Giselle sounded rather frustrated.

"I ended up giving you an opportunity instead!"

She grumbled, deeply annoyed.

"What a steal for you! But since plans have a way of changing, the reporters had to pivot on the spot and report that you drugged Julian to seduce him."

Fury instantly ignited inside me, nearly boiling over.

Back then, I couldn't understand how the reporters knew the room number, why they arrived at such a perfect time, and why all fingers pointed at me.

It turned out Giselle had orchestrated such an insidious plot just to drag me into hell!

"But fortunately, the goal was still achieved. Julian believed it. He kicked you out of the company and is completely disappointed in you."

Giselle concluded with a smug chuckle.

"Even though you got to enjoy yourself a bit, the outcome isn't bad."

I couldn't hold back anymore. I lunged forward, raising my hand to slap her hard across the face.

Just as my palm was about to land, someone grabbed my wrist firmly from behind.

Julian had returned at some point. Holding an insulated bag, his face was pale with anger.

"Sylvia, what kind of crazy stunt are you pulling now?"

He flung my hand away and bent down to check Giselle's ankle.

"Did she hurt you?"

His voice was so gentle he seemed like an entirely different person.

Giselle leaned into his chest with the opportunity, shooting me a triumphant smirk.

Tossed back by his force, I stumbled two steps and slammed my lower back hard against the corner of the table. The sudden spike of pain made cold sweat break out on my forehead.

Julian didn't even notice. His attention was entirely on Giselle.

"Julian!"

I forced myself to stand straight despite the pain.

"I didn't drug you that night! Giselle set it up. That drink was meant for me, but you drank it by mistake!"

Julian didn't even turn his head.

"Enough!"

Tears of frustration stung my eyes.

"I'm not lying to you! Giselle just admitted it herself!"

"I said, enough!"

Julian finally turned around to face me, his gaze freezing cold.

"You barge into the hospital to make a scene, try to assault a patient, and now you make up some story to throw dirt on someone else. Do you really think I'd believe you?"

He picked up a document and stepped toward me.

"Since you're here, let's settle this now. Sign this Equity Transfer Agreement for Boundless, take the thirty-million-dollar check, and leave. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

I stared at the document, my brain buzzing.

Kicking me out of the company wasn't enough; he wanted to erase every last trace of me?

Boundless Tech was something Julian and I built with our own bare hands.

In our poorest days, we shared a single rented office, where I handled sales while he wrote code. Sixteen years of blood, sweat, and tears were poured into this.

But deep down, I knew that what kept me from letting go wasn't the shares at all.

Boundless Tech was my last remaining link to Julian. If I signed this agreement, I wouldn't even have an excuse to appear in front of him.

"I won't sign!"

"Thirty million dollars is plenty, Sylvia. Don't push your luck."

"I said I won't sign!"

I swatted the agreement away, and the pages scattered all over the floor.

"You can take anything else, but not this!"

Julian stared at me coldly, bending down to pick up the papers.

"Don't think that refusing to sign will keep you by my side."

I bit my lip, staying silent.

I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, I would burst into tears. I didn't want to cry in front of Giselle.

Giselle leaned back against her pillows, enjoying the show.

Seeing my stubborn refusal to comply, Julian pinned me against the table, trapping me in his arms. He splayed the agreement right before my eyes and shoved the pen into my hand.

"Sign it!"

I twisted my body to struggle wildly, but I couldn't break free from his grip.