They say when you're eighteen you'll meet the person who changes everything and for me that prediction came wrapped in this bittersweet prophecy where a man would appear just as my family was losing everything and he would promise to stay and promise forever and I had to believe him because he was supposed to be the bridge to my real destiny.
I believed every single word of it and I believed it through the cold nights and through the crushing shame of my father's bankruptcy and every sacrifice I made just to see Morgan Lieu succeed.
Today was supposed to be the victory lap and after seven years of being the "girl behind the man" I was finally going to announce it to the world because the country's fastest-rising CEO was officially mine and there would be no more whispers about the "bankrupt heiress" because I was finally back.
I pulled my hair into a tight practical bun and adjusted my bag while I stood in front of the gleaming glass skyscraper that Morgan owned and I took a deep breath even though my heart was doing backflips in my chest.
"Greetings ma'am!" Claris the receptionist beamed as I walked in and I felt like I was walking on air.
"Morning Claris!" I chirped back and I even swiped a strawberry candy from the bowl on her desk because I needed a little sugar for the big moment.
In the elevator I caught my reflection and my hands were shaking so much I had to rub them together to stay calm until the doors slid open to the penthouse floor and I didn't even wait I practically floated toward his office.
Knock knock.
"Come in" his voice called out and it sounded so cool and professional and familiar.
I pushed the door open with my arms wide and a huge smile on my face. "Hey baby! Did you miss me?"
Morgan didn't even look up from his computer screen and his fingers just kept clicking away while sitting right beside him was Cynthia his personal secretary looking as polished and sharp as a diamond. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I saw a text from Sara my best friend of sixteen years asking for an update the second I saw him.
I smiled at the screen and put it away while turning back to my fiancé. "I'm standing right here and you're still staring at a screen?" I teased him and pouted a little bit. "Seriously did you not miss me at all?"
Morgan finally stopped clicking and he adjusted his silk tie while leaning back in his expensive leather chair. I sat down across from him and waited for him to dismiss Cynthia so I could finally get a kiss but instead he just stared at me.
"Lisa" he said and his voice dropped an octave. "Why are you dressed like that when you knew you were coming to my headquarters."
I blinked and looked down at my outfit which was just blue slacks and a pink crop top with my favorite white sneakers because I was twenty-five and in the middle of my final lab exams at college and it was just a normal Tuesday to me.
"What's wrong with it?" I asked because I was so confused. "I came straight from the lab and I couldn't even wait to go home first because I missed you that much but clearly the feeling isn't mutual."
Morgan took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose and he didn't just look annoyed he looked completely disgusted. "This is exactly what I mean because you aren't fit for this life Lisa and not the life I'm living now so who comes to see a CEO looking like a total nerd?"
The air just left my lungs and I felt like I'd been punched. "Wait what? I don't fit your life? Morgan what are you even saying?"
"Look at me Lisa" he snapped while gesturing to his designer suit and the high-end office. "The people in my circle scream class and you? You're just... you."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"You still look like that girl from ten years ago whose family went bust and you don't even care about your image because you look rough and frumpy and gosh Lisa you're just not in my league anymore."
I felt a cold shiver go down my spine but I didn't let my head drop. "Get to the point Morgan and stop trying to gaslight me into feeling small so what are you actually trying to say?"
He didn't even answer me and he just nodded to Cynthia who silently tore a slip of paper from a checkbook and handed it to him. Morgan slid the paper across the mahogany desk toward me like it was nothing.
"There's a million dollars" he said and his voice was as cold as ice. "Consider it payment for the time I wasted so let's call off the wedding Lisa because we live in different worlds now and I need someone powerful who can help me climb higher while you're just a weight around my neck."
I looked at the check and then at the man I had loved for seven years and stayed with when he had nothing and this was the man who promised me forever while I was helping him build his empire from a garage.
"Is this a joke?" I whispered while tears started stinging my eyes. "You think our memories and my sacrifices are worth a million dollars and how could you even do this?"
"If you want more just name the price" he sighed looking like he was bored of the conversation. "I cherish the help you gave me back then but that was just a phase and I've upgraded Lisa because I'm not that guy anymore and marrying you would be professional suicide so I'm sorry but you have to go."
I stood up and my legs felt like lead and I had to put on my glasses to hide the tears that were starting to fall.
"I'm not in your class?" I let out a dry bitter laugh. "You forgot how I begged my father to lend me five million dollars for your first big idea even though you knew that was my family's last bit of savings and we gave you everything we had left and now you're throwing a million back at me like I'm a charity case?"
I turned to leave with my heart shattered into a million pieces but before I could reach the door it swung open and Morgan's mother walked in draped in pearls and arrogance.
"What is she doing here?" she spat and looked at me like I was dirt on her shoe.
"Greetings mother" I said out of habit. "I was just leaving."
"Mother?" she shrieked. "Don't you dare call me that you slum-dwelling brat and don't ever let those words cross your lips again!" She turned to her son and ignored me entirely. "Morgan darling have you told her the engagement is off?"
"Yes" I answered for him and my voice was trembling but clear. "He just did."