I Was Done Being Their Backup Plan

Today was the day I was supposed to secure the biggest investment in Moretti Company's history. Instead, I was left standing alone on the signing stage for a full hour. My childhood friend and CEO, Damian, never showed. Neither did my two brothers on the board. All because an hour earlier, my adopted sister Chloe had called to say she'd been in a car accident. Damian was the first to grab his keys and run out the door. My oldest brother Ethan immediately called to mobilize the entire hospital's resources. My second brother Sebastian even forgot he was still holding the pen meant for me to sign with. I called Damian to ask how long he'd be. But I heard Chloe laughing in the background. She'd only scraped her knee. The three of them were already at a nearby restaurant, comforting her with dessert. I fought back my frustration and told them to hurry back. Damian's tone was matter-of-fact. "A little delay won't affect the signing." "Chloe almost got hurt in a car accident. As her older sister, don't be petty at a time like this." I looked at the three empty signing seats below the stage. This project—from the proposal to the financing plan—I had carried it all on my own. Damian said he only handled bringing the Grant family's money in. He was too busy for the details. My two brothers said it was Chloe's first time in the project team, she didn't understand anything, and asked me to take care of her along the way. So everyone had decided I wouldn't get tired. I wouldn't feel wronged. After I hung up, the company executive in charge of the signing asked me: "Ms. Moretti, should we reschedule the signing?" I took off the "Project Lead" badge from my chest and placed it on the empty main signing chair. "Sorry. No need to reschedule." "Cancel the signing." This family—including the childhood friend I'd known for ten years— I didn't want any of them anymore. Chapter 1 After the cancellation was confirmed, Damian called again. "Where's Chloe's backup dress?" "Her dress got frosting on it. She's devastated." I said coldly, "There's only one dress for the stage. No backup." Ethan sneered on the other end. "Vivian, you've schemed your way to this point just to steal the spotlight?" "You knew Chloe was wearing a light-colored dress today and you deliberately didn't prepare a backup." Sebastian chimed in. "It's just asking you to wait a little longer." "Who are you throwing a tantrum for?" Chloe pleaded with them through tears. "Don't scold her." "She's the one who matters today. Me being scared doesn't matter." "If she doesn't want to send the dress, I'll just wear the dirty one." "At least I'll be the only one embarrassed. It won't affect her signing." Damian's voice went cold immediately. "You hear that?" "Chloe is being bullied by you and she's still defending you." "Bring the dress. And apologize to her face." "Remember, the company isn't yours alone. If you keep acting out, forget the signing." I looked at the promotional video looping on the big screen. At the end, in the "Core Planning" column, it said Chloe's name. "The signing has already been canceled." Silence for two seconds. Damian found it funny. "A three-hundred-million-dollar project, and you'd cancel it?" "Vivian, you really need to fix that temper." "Cancel over something so small? You're an adult. Why are you still acting like a child?" Ethan's tone was blunt. "Honestly, canceling might be for the best." "Grant only agreed because of the Moretti family name." "She always thinks the world revolves around her. Time she learned how the real world works." Chloe rushed to speak. "Don't talk about her like that." "She just cares too much about the signing. That's why she can't accept everyone being late." She sniffled softly. "It's all my fault." "If I hadn't come into this family, she would have been so happy." The three men took turns comforting her. No one noticed I had already hung up. Back in my office, I took off my work badge, closed my laptop. After packing everything, I called my lawyer. "Send the termination confirmation to Grant Company tonight." "Also, stop Ethan's custody of my shares." "And prepare to terminate the authorization of my personal patents that Moretti Company has been using for free." Not a single thing of mine would I leave them. Then I would accept the transfer to the European headquarters. And never come back. Chapter 2 That night, I went back to my apartment. I packed everything Damian had left at my place over the past ten years into cardboard boxes. Spare shirts. Old albums. The pen he always used. And an entire box of manuscripts he'd never taken back. Ten years of accumulated things filled seven boxes. I contacted a realtor. I was going to sell the apartment. At three in the morning, he posted a group photo from the restaurant. Chloe was wearing his jacket, leaning on his shoulder. Ethan was cutting cake for her. Sebastian was crouched beside her, tending to her scraped knee. The caption was one line. [What a day. At least our little princess isn't scared anymore.] I closed the post and personally delivered the last box to Moretti Company's front desk. The next morning, Chloe sent a voice message to the family group. "Sis, are you still mad at me?" "Last night Damian and our brothers stayed with me because they were afraid I'd have nightmares." "I already told them to go back to you, but they said you're an adult. You won't fall apart just because he's not there." She paused, her tone growing more pitiful. "Sis, please don't be mad at me." Damian replied instantly. [You don't need to make yourself miserable for her sake.] Ethan followed. [She just can't stand seeing someone else being doted on.] Sebastian was more direct. [She's a Moretti daughter too. What right does she have to control you?] I was about to leave the group chat. Damian privately sent a photo of a chestnut cake. [Saved this for you. Stop sulking.] The year my mother died, I was devastated. I couldn't eat anything. To get me to eat, he cycled through chefs and tried every trick he could think of. In the end, the only thing I could stomach was this chestnut cake. He'd sighed in relief and smiled. "My noble princess finally decided to eat." "From now on, whenever you see chestnut cake, don't be sad anymore. Okay?" After that, every time we fought, if he brought one home, I'd forgive him. But this time, I only replied a few words. [Don't need it.] His message came immediately. [What are you still fighting about?] [When we redo the signing ceremony, we'll still be there with you.] [Stop throwing tantrums over every little thing.] The next message revealed his real purpose. [Chloe has a headache. There's medicine in the emergency kit in your car.] [Bring it to the hotel right now.] So the cake wasn't an apology. It was payment for running an errand for Chloe. I didn't reply. Ten minutes later, Ethan called. "Where's Chloe's medicine?" "There's a pharmacy downstairs. She can buy it herself. Why do I have to deliver it?" He laughed like he'd heard a joke. "When did you become so selfish? You're going to make an issue out of this too?" "Chloe almost got into a car accident. Of course we're taking care of her!" "If Mom were still alive, she'd be ashamed of how you're treating Chloe." I gripped the phone. My chest ached. Before my mother died, she held my brothers' hands and made them promise to take care of me. But after Chloe was brought into the Moretti family, that dying wish was rewritten. I had to give in to her. I had to comfort her. I had to share everything I had with her. Otherwise, I was the villain. "I'm not delivering it." Ethan's voice went cold. "Vivian, stop being unreasonable." "Keep this up, and without the Moretti family backing you, who's going to support your company?" "At least Chloe is sweet, sensible, and lovable." "She's more of a Moretti daughter than you are." The call ended. Then Sebastian messaged. [Chloe's signing dress has been delivered to your apartment.] [Take in the waist by one size. Bring it to her tomorrow.] [And iron it. If there's a single wrinkle, Chloe will be uncomfortable.] Chloe followed with a photo of her hand with an IV needle in it. [Don't listen to our brother.] [If you don't want to bring the medicine, I'll just endure the pain.] [A wrinkle in the dress doesn't matter. I'm not afraid of being embarrassed.] I didn't reply. I closed the group chat. That afternoon, I had my lawyer complete the cancellation process and signed the apartment transfer agreement. That evening, the boxes were delivered to Damian's office. He photographed the boxes at the front desk and posted them to the family group. [Vivian, what are you throwing a fit about now?] [Sulking with us is one thing, but are you going to play breakup like a child?] [What's next? Running away from home?] Chloe sent a crying emoji. [Is Sis still mad at me?] [If it's because Damian bought me a bracelet, I'll give it back right now.] Damian replied. [That was a gift you deserved. What does it have to do with her?] Ethan added. [She wouldn't dare run away.] [Without the Moretti family, she's nothing.] I read the last message, left the family group, and signed the long-term transfer agreement to the European headquarters. Forty-eight hours until departure. Chapter 3 The next morning, Damian was waiting outside Moretti Company. He shoved the untouched chestnut cake into my arms. "As a project lead, don't you think you're being childish?" "The signing is tomorrow. Your little tantrum ends now." "If you keep this up, even your dead mother will be embarrassed." My step faltered. Damian knew perfectly well that for ten years, I couldn't bear to hear about my mother's death. But to force me to submit, he stepped on it without hesitation. "I already sent you the cancellation email." Damian glanced at his phone and deleted the notification in front of me. "Scaring people with an email?" "For the cancellation to take effect, it has to go through the CEO. That's me." "Vivian, you're not a child anymore." "Everyone in the industry knows your name will always carry Moretti in front of it." "I let the project carry your name out of goodwill. It's not that I can't do without you." Ethan and Sebastian arrived quickly. Ethan threw the new schedule at me. "I'll handle Grant personally." "Tomorrow, the signing happens as planned." "You apologize to Chloe, and promise not to sulk tomorrow." Sebastian leaned against the car, looking me over with a sneer. "You'd better be grateful." "Leave Moretti, and the best you'll ever do is work for some small company." Just then, Chloe stepped out of the car. Her eyes were red. She was clutching my "Project Lead" badge. "Sis, you left your badge on the signing stage." "I was afraid of losing it, so I kept it for you." She walked toward me. Suddenly, her foot twisted. The badge fell to the ground. Her heel crushed it. Damian pulled Chloe into his arms. Ethan supported her arm. Sebastian crouched to check her ankle. The three of them moved like they'd rehearsed it a thousand times. Chloe leaned against Damian's chest, sobbing. "Sis, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break your badge." "You must hate me even more now." "Maybe I should quit the project team. I won't go on stage tomorrow. I won't call you my brothers." "If it makes you happy, I'll even leave the Moretti family." Sebastian shot to his feet. "Vivian, are you satisfied now?" "Do you have to drive Chloe out before you'll stop?" Damian lifted Chloe in his arms and looked at me coldly. "Tomorrow at ten, the signing proceeds as planned." "You come and kneel in front of Chloe and apologize publicly. I might consider letting you stay on the project." "Otherwise, don't ever set foot in Moretti Company again." I bent down, picked up the crushed badge, and threw it in the trash. "I did nothing wrong. I won't apologize." Damian frowned, displeased. "You're still being stubborn?" "Without me and the Moretti family, you won't last a month." "When that happens, don't come crawling back to my office looking for an apology." I didn't look at him again. I turned and left. That afternoon, I completed my work handover. The trip originally scheduled for three days later was moved up to the next morning. When I got back to my apartment, Damian's assistant delivered a new schedule. Three pages of notes. All about Chloe. Chloe would feel pressured if I stood next to her, so I couldn't wear heels. Chloe had to stand in the center, because her contributions to the project were obvious to everyone. Chloe wanted a keepsake, so after the signing, I would be responsible for taking photos. And at the end was Damian's handwritten note. [Don't throw a tantrum. Show up on time for the signing tomorrow.] I fed the schedule into the shredder. That night, Damian notified Ethan and Sebastian in the family group. [Ten o'clock tomorrow. She'll definitely be there.] Ethan replied. [Don't leave her a way out. She'll fall in line.] Sebastian added. [We've spoiled her too much over the years. Without a lesson, she won't learn.] Chapter 4 The night before I left, I went back to the Moretti estate. I needed to retrieve the jewelry and photo albums my mother had left me. The keypad code hadn't been changed. But when I pushed open the bedroom door, I stood in the doorway for a long time without going in. My room had become Chloe's walk-in closet. The graduation photo on the wall was gone. My trophies had been thrown into a cardboard box. The bedspread my mother had sewn for me by hand was now under the shoe rack. Chloe walked out of the bathroom in my silk pajamas. When she saw me, she covered her mouth. "Sis, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" "This is my room." She bit her lip. "Ethan said your room was empty anyway." "I had too many clothes, so he let me move in." She added softly. "You wouldn't begrudge me an empty room, would you?" I walked to the vanity. The bracelet my mother had left me was on Chloe's wrist. "Take it off." Ethan and Sebastian pushed the door open just then. Ethan frowned. "I told her to wear it." "If Mom were alive, she'd treat Chloe as her own daughter." "You already had all of Mom's love. Can't you share some of her things with Chloe?" Sebastian was displeased too. "It's just a bracelet. Do you have to make an issue out of it? Vivian, you're getting more and more selfish." "Chloe will get married eventually. Until then, we should compensate her however we can." I found it almost funny. "So to compensate her, I have to give up my things too?" I reached for the bracelet that belonged to me. "Don't touch Chloe!" Ethan grabbed my arm and shoved me. My lower back hit the corner of the desk. The pain knocked the strength out of me. Chloe cried and took the bracelet off. "It's all my fault. Don't fight because of me." "I'll give it back to her right now..." As she finished speaking, her fingers loosened. The bracelet fell to the floor and broke in two. Chloe's face went pale. "Sis, I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to." "If it makes you sad, hit me." The more she pleaded, the more my brothers defended her. "It's just a bracelet. What right does she have to be sad?" "Worst case, we buy another one." I didn't explain further. But this wasn't just a bracelet. It was the last thing in this house that belonged to me. And now they'd destroyed that too. I didn't look at them again. I picked up the broken bracelet. I took the documents and albums my mother had left. Then I turned and left. Chloe chased after me and shoved an umbrella into my hand. "Sis, it's raining outside." She whispered, only loud enough for me to hear: "See? They still love me more." The next second, Ethan's voice came from behind her. "You gave her the umbrella? What if you get rained on?" "Don't worry about her. Let her cool off on her own." As the door closed, I heard Sebastian sneer. "Give her three days. She'll come crawling back to apologize." The three men surrounded Chloe, fussing over her. No one noticed I had left the Moretti house keys on the entryway table. I never intended to come back. At nine-thirty the next morning, Damian arrived at the signing hall. Ethan and Sebastian were with him. Chloe was wearing a custom white suit for the signing ceremony. A diamond brooch Damian had bought her was pinned to her chest. She looked around the empty signing hall and said timidly: "Is Sis still mad at me?" "Maybe I should hide first, and come out after she signs." Damian put an arm around her shoulder. "Why should you hide? We've spoiled her for too long. That's why she's this way." "It's time she learned what respect means." Ethan checked the time. His face darkened. "Vivian's still not here?" Sebastian sneered. "Deliberately late, so we'll beg her." The event coordinator rushed over. "Mr. Damian, why are you here?" Damian frowned. "The signing is at ten. Did you forget?" The coordinator looked stunned. "But the signing was canceled two days ago." Damian's face went dark. "Who told you to cancel it?" The coordinator pulled up the record. "Ms. Vivian herself." "And also—" "Her flight took off at eight-forty this morning. To the European headquarters." "By now, she's already left the country."