On the eve of the selection for the head of the overseas division. Lucas Thorne, acting arbitrarily, removed me from my position. "The company isn't a charity organization. It has no obligation to pay for a failure." My eyes reddened as I recalled my school days. He did the same thing back then, giving away my spot as an exchange student. I was 18. Lucas forcibly carried me, crying until I was short of breath, to his bedroom. Now, I'm 26. He caressed my face, smiling cruelly. "Iris, have your wings grown strong enough that you want to leave your brother?" "I absolutely forbid it." 1 When the fire broke out at the promotion event, I was in the hospital getting an IV drip. Upon hearing the news, I rushed to the scene immediately. Thanks to timely intervention, the losses were minimal. However— In the corporate conference room, Lucas Thorne's face was as dark as water. "Iris Vance, Marketing Director, is removed from her position and disqualified from competing for the position of Overseas Division President." My fever hadn't subsided, and my eardrums were buzzing. Hearing this felt like being hit by a heavy hammer. "Mr. Thorne, the promotion event was actually very successful. The accidental fire was a force majeure. Thanks to sufficient preparation, there were no casualties or property losses." The punishment was too heavy, and someone pleaded for me. "Yes, Mr. Thorne, this is all thanks to Director Vance. She has been busy for half a month, and she wasn't at the scene because she fainted from a high fever—" "No excuses." Lucas interrupted coldly. His gaze darkened slightly, sweeping across my face. "Absence is dereliction of duty. Thorne Enterprises doesn't do charity and has no obligation to pay for failures." This sentence was too harsh. Everyone fell silent out of fear. I looked up with red eyes, meeting Lucas's cold gaze. "Iris." He stared at me for a long time, a hint of irritability appearing between his brows. "Do you have any objections?" 2 What objections could I have? I couldn't help but smile bitterly. No one knew the real reason for Lucas's anger. And no one knew that I had lived under the same roof with him for 15 years. On this ordinary weekday morning. Before leaving, Lucas clasped my waist and made me tie his tie. The Windsor knot involves complex steps. I held my breath and focused completely. Lucas looked down at me for a long time, then suddenly leaned forward and bit my lip with punishing force. "Iris, hasn't big brother told you—" His tone was calm yet cold. "You have to be obedient, so you won't suffer." I gripped the untied tie tightly, trembling like a leaf. Lucas was warning me. —No matter the identity, he held the power of life and death over me. In the Thorne family, we were worlds apart. He was the noble heir apparent of the Thorne family, and I was just an insignificant foster daughter. At Thorne Enterprises, we had no intersection. He was the high-ranking CEO who could cover the sky with one hand, and I was just a small director with no foundation. Sure enough—on this supposedly ordinary workday. My CEO, Lucas Thorne, was ruthless in public. With one sentence, he knocked me back to square one after I had fought hard for five years to reach a promotion opportunity. Removed from position, disqualified from competition. I had struggled all the way here, and five years of effort were destroyed in an instant. Lucas wouldn't care. Just as 8 years ago, using his status as my guardian, he "gave away" my spot as an exchange student to a prestigious school in France. Even though back then, countless times late at night, he carried me back to my bedroom after I fell asleep from studying hard. In the conference room. Under several sympathetic gazes, my hands hanging by my sides curled and curled again. Finally, I closed my eyes and lowered my head. "No." 3 The CEO's office occupying the top floor. The interior glass wall was switched to privacy mode, sealing all shameful secrets inside. Lucas pressed me onto the wide desk. Contrary to his calm composure in public, he leaned over and pinched my chin tightly, fire surging in his eyes. "Why did you submit an application for the overseas division? Have your wings grown strong enough that you want to leave your brother?" The desk was cold and hard, hurting my bare back. "No... no." I whimpered and shook my head. "Liar." Lucas's gaze darkened, his movements turning violent instantly. The high fever made my whole body burn with pain, but it seemed to unexpectedly give Lucas an indescribable thrill. His throat and neck were tense, fierce and urgent. My brain was chaotic, almost suffering through it. "What does Iris want?" Finally over, Lucas looked satisfied and withdrew calmly. "A house? A car? Or jewelry? Brother will give you whatever you want." This sentence was very familiar. Over the past 8 years, Lucas had said it countless times. I turned a deaf ear, silently pulling my clothes tight. A glass of plain water was handed to me. In the palm of his large hand with distinct knuckles lay a small white pill. My gaze moved up all the way to Lucas's face. "Be good, take the medicine." His eyes were gentle, and his tone was soft. This appearance only appeared afterwards. Lucas didn't have the habit of using protection, but he never forgot to watch me take the morning-after pill every time. If nothing unexpected happened, what he was going to say next would also be familiar. Sure enough— "I transferred some money to you, go buy whatever you want." No surprises. I lowered my eyes and twitched the corners of my mouth, obediently putting the pill into my mouth. The pill dissolved upon contact with water, so bitter that I frowned. Lucas, however, looked amused, rubbing the wound on the corner of my mouth repeatedly with his thumb. "Chloe Sterling is back." He spoke calmly, as if casually mentioning it. But falling into my ears, it was like thunder. I was shrinking from pain, but hearing this, I froze instantly. Chloe Sterling, that prominent young lady. The granddaughter-in-law candidate recognized by Grandpa, the person who reserved the identity of Lucas's "fiancée" 8 years ago. She was back. 4 Didn't they say next month? How could it be so soon? "Already... back?" I panicked, even my voice trembling. Lucas ignored my question and lightly lifted the corner of his lips. "So, tomorrow morning you will receive a new personnel transfer order, the position is Special Assistant to the CEO." Special Assistant to the CEO. Five years ago when I graduated from college, I wanted this position immensely. Lucas sneered and threw the resume I handed over with both hands into the trash can. "Your degree isn't even good enough to enter Thorne Enterprises, and you want to be my assistant?" Seeing my red eyes, he laughed and pulled me into his arms. "Want it that much?" The dense kisses gradually deepened. Lucas pressed me kneeling at his feet, blowing seductive breaths into my ear. "Then... let brother see your performance." That day, inexperienced me bit him out of pain and was punished by being sent to the marketing department. "Grassroots level helps accumulate work experience. If you do well, I'll transfer you to the CEO's office." At that time, Lucas said so. But I worked for five years. —From waiting bitterly for the transfer order, to seeing another possibility in life. Then to that "possibility" being destroyed by Lucas himself. Now, he says he wants to transfer me, following "Chloe Sterling is back"? My brain was so groggy it was slow. I was dazed, not realizing the connection between these two things. "After all, in the future—" Lucas's large hand pinched the back of my neck, lips close to my ear. Whispering like a demon, full of regret. "Brother can't live with Iris anymore, it's really... too inconvenient." I was forced to meet his eyes. Close enough to exchange breaths, enough for me to see clearly into his eyes. Like a trapped beast on the verge of death, yet still biting the prey and refusing to let go. He wanted to maintain a secret underground relationship with me after marriage. I was horrified to the point of trembling all over, my brain suddenly clearing. "No... no way!" Almost blurting out a refusal, I suddenly grabbed Lucas's wrist, stammering a request. "Uncle Thorne said in the meeting that business promotion in the Northwest Region is difficult, I, I can go—" "Impossible." Lucas pulled back his hand and caressed my face. A shadow suddenly appeared in his eyes, but his smile was cruel. "Iris, don't even think about leaving your brother." "Being my special assistant is your only choice. The pioneering atmosphere in the Northwest is not suitable for you either." Still the unquestionable tough tone. Lucas was always like this, never forgetting to put on a false shell of "for my own good" even when acting arbitrarily. I expected it. Dazed, I slowly lowered my hand.
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