Oliver's company was finalizing a partnership with our university's research lab. They were planning to hire directly from our graduating class.
With job placements approaching and every dean scrambling to impress corporate sponsors, the school wasn't about to jeopardize that deal over me.
And so, I quietly accepted it.
Honestly, losing that 'Outstanding Graduate' title didn't bother me much. It was just a line on paper. At least they didn't go totally off the rails and try to revoke my degree.
But Oliver? Oh, he wasn't done with me.
He leveraged all his contacts to ensure I was blacklisted from every major company in Bayport.
All my résumés disappeared into nothingness—no callbacks, no interviews, not even a courteous rejection.
Meanwhile, he made sure everyone saw how smoothly he'd moved on.
He displayed Kiara at every business event, treating her as if she were his latest trophy girl.
Then one night, she posted a picture online. It was a limited-edition Hermès bag sitting pretty on her arm.
The caption?
[Thank you, Boss, for your love!]
The location tag? An invite-only private club.
Oliver didn't waste any time jumping in with a comment of his own:
[You deserve the best.]