I stared at Neal in disbelief. His face was twisted with rage.
"Ivy, shut your mouth! Apologize to Tania right now—or I'll strip you of your VP position on the spot!"
Agony lanced through my chest. I looked at this man I'd loved for five years, and something inside me finally died.
I held his gaze, enunciating each word:
"Neal. Are you sure you want to take her side like this?"
My stare made him flush with humiliation and fury. He whirled toward the HR director and barked:
"Remove Ivy from her VP position immediately! Starting tomorrow, she cleans the company toilets. She's on janitorial duty!"
Laughter erupted around me—gleeful, mocking. Each laugh drove into my heart like a needle.
And yet, I found myself laughing too. Laughing until tears streamed down my face.
For Neal, I'd sacrificed my youth. I'd poured my parents' inheritance into building this company alongside him, brick by brick.
And this was my reward. Scrubbing toilets.
What a joke.
I turned to leave. Neal rushed after me, leaning close to my ear:
"Ivy, just apologize. I'm trying to protect you. It's only a month of cleaning—just for show, just to avoid suspicion. Once this blows over, I'll reinstate you."
Avoid suspicion.