---- Chapter 240 shiver down my spine. Before | could react, his kick slammed into my stomach. Pain exploded, doubling me over, my face paling. | gritted my teeth, refusing to cry out. He looked down, his voice as cold as his gaze. "Don't flatter yourself. You're nothing. "You and your brother are just pets." The sneer was familiar. | used to cower, apologize, and beg for his mercy. This was the man I'd loved for five years.

I'd joined his company after college, my insecurity from a difficult past leaving me vulnerable to my colleagues' manipulations. They'd made me a scapegoat. Antonio had been my lifeline then, the one who'd stood by me. ---- Chapter 240 My heart had soared, believing I'd found someone whod face the world with me. I'd become obsessed, learning to cook his favorite foods, absorbing everything about him. But our worlds were irreconcilable.

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My brother and |, orphans raised by the Kaufman family's charity; Antonio, their sole heir. Our relationship was a fantasy | never dared to dream. His proposal in the stairwell had felt like a miracle. We kept our office romance secret, but his introduction to his friends had falsely convinced me he was serious. Gina's return revealed their history. He'd defied his family for her, but they'd split.

He'd used me to provoke Gina, parading me before his friends, their public displays of affection with Gina a cruel performance. ---- Chapter 240 To them, | was just a clingy nobody. The chasm between us was vast, fueling their contempt. They all knew about Gina. She and Antonio were the real couple. | was a fool, oblivious to their mockery. A prince-and-pauper fairytale gone horribly wrong. Sprawled on the cold floor, despair consumed me. Finally, | found my voice.

"I'm done with you, and so is my brother. We're through." A flicker of unease crossed Antonio's face, quickly replaced by coldness. "Fine, but you hurt Gina, insulted my friends, and ruined our party. | want you on your knees, apologizing to everyone." My silence was my answer.