When the CEO Lost Everything

I Never Did

The third crystal glass shatters messily against the marble wall of the main office at Blackwood Residence. Glass shards scatter across the expensive Persian carpet, reflecting Damian’s silhouette as he sits with his wrinkled white shirt and loosened tie. The whiskey bottle on the desk only has a quarter of its golden contents left.

“Young Master, Lady Blackwood wants to see you,” Julian’s hesitant voice sounds from behind the slightly open teak door.

“Kick her out!” Damian snaps without turning. His voice is hoarse, filled with a suppressed despair.

“But, sir—”

“I said get her out, Julian!”

The door is pushed wider. Victoria Blackwood walks in with a furious look on her face, ignoring the shards of glass that almost scratch her heels. Behind her, Isabella follows with a strained worried expression.

“Damian! What is wrong with you?!” Victoria’s scream shatters the silence. “Just because that slut shows up with fake documents, you destroy yourself like this?”

Damian slowly stands. His eyes turn red as he stares at his mother with a gaze that makes Victoria pause. There's no longer obedience or respect there—only deep disappointment.

“Fake documents?” Damian laughs bitterly, a dry, terrifying laugh. He throws the medical papers from St. Thomas Hospital onto the desk. “And you still dare to call this fake after the three biggest hospitals in London confirm its authenticity this morning?”

Victoria frowns, trembling as she picks up the paper with trembling fingers. “This—this must be a scheme by the Ashford family! They paid those doctors to slander you!”

“Enough, Mother!” Damian yells, slamming his hand on the desk so hard that the pen tumbles to the floor. “Evelyn is healthy! She’s never been infertile! For five years, you’ve cursed and insulted her every single day for the faults that are actually mine!”

Isabella tries to step forward, her face pleading. “Damian, calm down. You shouldn’t believe in these sudden medical reports. Evelyn only wants to ruin our relationship.”

“Shut up, Isabella!” Damian points at her trembling face with a shaking finger. “You’re the one who arranged the medical exam five years ago at your family clinic, aren’t you? You’re the one who submitted that fake report to Mother!”

“I—I never did that, Damian!” Isabella breaks into tears, tears falling down her cheeks. “I did everything because I love you! I just want to save the Blackwood reputation!”

“You bribed Dr. Harrison twenty thousand pounds to falsify Evelyn’s medical records,” Damian cuts coldly. His eyes lock onto Isabella’s suddenly pale face. “Julian checked your personal account this morning. Never dare lie in front of me again.”

Victoria falls silent. She slowly turns to look at Isabella with wide eyes. “Isabella, is Damian telling the truth? Did you lie to me?”

Isabella’s mouth is sealed shut, unable to form a defense. All her carefully crafted lies over the past half-decade shatter instantly.

“Get out of my house,” Damian orders softly, but his voice carries a real threat. “Take all your belongings, Isabella. From now on, you’re fired from Blackwood Group. If I see your face around this family property again, I will make sure you rot in prison for fraud and document forgery.”

Isabella looks at Victoria, hoping for help from the middle-aged woman who used to always support her. But Victoria turns away, unwilling to look at the woman who has tarnished her family’s name. Without a word, Isabella turns and runs out of the room, shadows of destruction looming behind her.

The room falls silent again. Damian pours the remaining whiskey into a new glass and takes a long, fiery sip.

“Damian.” Victoria’s voice softens, a rare hint of guilt shadowing her beautiful face. “I didn’t know Isabella was that bold. But we have to think practically. Blackwood Group needs Ardent Biopharma. Our shares drop eight percent this morning after the rumors of the canceled deal spread on the stock exchange.”

“You’re the one who expelled her,” Damian says coldly. “You threw away our marriage certificate and told her to leave without a penny.”

“She refused the compensation,” Victoria defends herself.

“Because she doesn’t need our dirty money, Mother!” Damian snaps. “She’s the sole heir of Ardent Biopharma! Her own wealth is enough to buy out the entire Blackwood Group twice over! She stayed in this house for five years, swallowing all your insults, only because she loves me!”

Those words choke Damian himself. The phrase ‘loves me’ echoes painfully in his mind, leaving a hollow, burning feeling. He remembers every gesture Evelyn made—the way she always woke up when he came home late, how her warm hands massaged his tense shoulders, and how her eyes always radiated kindness even as Victoria berated her harshly.

All of that is gone now. He’s the one who traded it for the cheap lies of a con artist.

“Leave, Mother,” Damian says wearily, leaning back in his leather chair. “Let me be alone.”

Victoria wants to speak, but seeing the darkness in her son’s eyes, she realizes that the pillar of her family’s greatness is cracking. With heavy steps, the middle-aged woman leaves the office, leaving Damian in a whirl of regret.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of Ardent Biopharma Tower in downtown London, the atmosphere is entirely different. The room, designed with a sleek modern minimalism and overlooking the cityscape through thick glass walls, feels calm.

Evelyn stands near the window, sipping hot chamomile tea from a white porcelain cup. Her beige tweed business dress exudes both authority and elegance.

A gentle knock on the door breaks the silence. Ethan Brooks enters, carrying a thick document and a bouquet of fresh white lilies.

“Good morning, Director Ashford,” Ethan greets with a broad smile, placing the flowers on her desk. “The stock market report this morning is incredible. Ardent Biopharma’s shares have risen twelve percent after announcing your new leadership.”

Evelyn turns, returning Ethan’s smile with a subtle nod. “Thank you, Ethan. The flowers are lovely.”

“I knew lilies are your favorite since Oxford,” Ethan says as he sits in front of her desk. “By the way, I just heard that Blackwood Group’s shares plummet this morning. Damian Blackwood reportedly fired Isabella Hart and canceled all their PR projects.”

Evelyn’s eyes show no surprise. She walks behind her desk and sits calmly. “That’s no longer my concern. Their personal mess has nothing to do with Ardent’s business direction.”

Ethan gazes at her with admiration. “Are you really over it?”

Evelyn looks at her cup, her fingers wrapping around it. “You can’t just forget five years of suffering, Ethan. But I don’t have time to dwell on pain. I’m back not to seek revenge, but to make sure no one can trample on my dignity again.”

“You’ve succeeded,” Ethan praises. “But you must be careful. Damian isn’t the type to give up easily. He’s been trying to reach your secretary fifteen times this morning to schedule a private meeting.”

Evelyn chuckles softly, her tone cold and emotionless. “Let him beg. My secretary knows exactly what to do when called by trash like him.”

Suddenly, the door flies open without warning. Evelyn’s young, panicked secretary rushes in.

“I’m sorry, Director Ashford! I tried to stop him, but—”

Before she can finish, Damian Blackwood steps into the CEO’s office. He looks very different from usual—no more puffy eyes, a pale face, and a wrinkled suit.

Ethan immediately stands, crossing his arms threateningly. “Mr. Blackwood, this is private property. Leave before I call security.”

Damian ignores Ethan. His eyes are locked on the woman sitting calmly behind the grand desk. Evelyn doesn’t flinch, holding her tea steadily.

“Evelyn, give me five minutes,” Damian’s voice trembles, begging despite his remaining pride. “Just five minutes. Please.”

Evelyn looks at her frightened secretary. “Lia, go out and close the door. Let security get ready outside.”

“Okay, ma’am,” the secretary quickly nods and leaves, locking the door from outside.

Ethan watches Evelyn hesitantly. “Are you sure?”

“I can handle him, Ethan. Sit down here,” Evelyn responds calmly.

Damian approaches her desk but pauses when he notices Ethan and Evelyn’s closeness. A surge of jealousy hits him like a sharp knife, but he knows he no longer has the right to be angry.

“Evelyn, I already know everything,” Damian says, his voice choked. “I know about Isabella’s lies. I know that medical records are fake. I— I’m so sorry, Evelyn.”

Evelyn places her teacup gently onto the saucer with a soft clink. She looks at Damian as if examining a specimen.

“You’re sorry because you found out the truth, or because your company is about to go bankrupt without Ardent’s help?” Evelyn asks sharply, her words piercing Damian’s heart.

Damian quickly shakes his head. “It’s not about business! For God’s sake, Evelyn, I don’t care about shares or companies! I miss you. I realize how stupid I’ve been because I never saw how much you sacrificed.”

“Sacrifice?” Evelyn leans back, offering a faint smile—a smile colder than the London night wind. “Five years I’ve given up my research career. Five years I endured your mother’s insults. Five years I slept beside a man who never believed in me. Now you realize?”

“I was wrong!” Damian roars, tears finally falling down his thin face. The most influential man in London now stands trembling, grasping for his own ruin in front of the woman he once dismissed. “Give me a second chance, Evelyn. I’ll fix everything. I’ll kick my mother out of the house if that’s what you want. I’ll do anything!”

Evelyn rises from her chair. Her graceful steps bring her closer to Damian. She stops exactly one step in front of her ex-husband, directly locking eyes with the now desperate black eyes.

“Mr. Blackwood,” Evelyn whispers softly, each word filled with deadly poison. “A second chance only applies to those who make mistakes by accident. You didn’t make a mistake; you chose not to trust me. You chose another woman. You chose to humiliate me in front of your family.”

Evelyn extends her hand, touching Damian’s wrinkled shirt collar, straightening it slightly before gently patting it.

“A heart shattered into dust can’t be restored with just ‘regret,’” Evelyn continues, gazing at Damian without a trace of sympathy.

Damian staggers back as if struck by a heavy blow. His trembling hands try to reach for Evelyn’s fingers, but before their skin can touch, Evelyn’s intercom blares loudly.

“Director Ashford,” Lia’s panicked voice comes through the speaker. “Ardent’s legal team just received confirmation. Someone leaked all the secret financial transaction data of Blackwood Group to the stock exchange authorities!”

Damian freezes, his face turning pale. “What?!”

Evelyn simply smiles faintly, her gaze calm but full of mystery. “It seems that tonight, not only are our relationships at the edge, Mr. Blackwood, but so is your freedom.”