The CEO Replaced Me With His Secretary, Then Lost Everything Chapter 1

At the company gala, I pulled the grand prize at the exact same moment as my boyfriend's secretary, Tania Fox.

Neal Gilbert strode onto the stage, all smiles, claiming the system had glitched. He handed us two identical gift boxes, announcing that whoever got the real prize would be down to pure luck.

I opened mine. Two ceramic tiles.

Tania opened hers. The brand-new iPhone 17 Pro Max.

But everyone in that room saw it clearly—the split second he handed over the boxes, he'd slipped the one with the phone right into Tania's waiting hands.

The looks that swept my way were instant. Mockery. Schadenfreude. Barely concealed glee.

My phone buzzed with a flood of messages from Neal:

"Babe, you're my girlfriend. If you won the grand prize, people would talk."

"Giving it to Tania is just to avoid suspicion. You understand, right?"

I laughed. Actually laughed.

I stared at the friend request from the rival company's HR sitting in my inbox. My thumb hovered for only a second before I hit accept.

If he wanted to avoid suspicion so badly, fine. I was done with this company.

And my boyfriend? He was about to go bankrupt.

1.

"Serves her right! Always strutting around like she owns the place just because she's dating the CEO. Look at her now!"

"Thank God Mr. Gilbert sided with Tania. She's always so sweet to us—she deserves that prize."

"Exactly. Acting like she's the boss's wife when clearly, she's not the one he actually cares about."

The whispers sliced through the air, relentless.

Tania clutched her new phone, standing at Neal's side, triumph barely concealed beneath her lashes. Then she tugged at his sleeve, her voice dripping with rehearsed reluctance:

"Mr. Gilbert, is this really okay? Ivy Pruitt is your girlfriend, after all. Maybe... maybe I should give the phone back to her?"

Neal reached over and patted her shoulder—Loss, gentle—before turning to me. His tone shifted instantly, edged with impatience:

"Ivy, look how considerate Tania is. Would it kill you to be a little more gracious?"

"The boxes were identical. It was pure chance. Are you really going to fight a new employee over this?"

I stared at him. And then I smiled.

"Chance?" My voice cut through the murmurs. "Neal, do you think everyone here is blind?"