Chapter 2: A Dream Shattered
The air buzzed with nervous excitement as I sat among my fellow interns, waiting for our turn to be called into the office. My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of anticipation and hope swelling within me.
Finally, my name was called, along with the names of the two others who had started this journey with me.
"Long Wei, Chen Rong, and Liu Fan, please come in."
I exchanged a quick glance with them, my two closest friends in the company. We had started this internship together, and we had all dreamed of securing a permanent position at this prestigious corporation. Now, the moment we had worked so hard for had finally arrived.
We walked into the office, standing tall as we faced the panel of executives. The assessment was brief—questions about our experience, feedback on our performance, and a few words of encouragement. When it ended, we were told that we would receive the results by the end of the day.
I could barely contain my excitement. I turned to Chen Rong and Liu Fan, who looked just as eager as I felt.
"That went well, right?" Chen Rong asked, his voice filled with hope.
"Yeah," I nodded, unable to suppress a grin. "I think we've got this!"
Liu Fan let out a breath of relief. "Let's hope all three of us make it."
We stepped out of the office, smiles plastered on our faces. We knew we had done our best, and now all we had to do was wait. With renewed confidence, we walked back to our desks, eager to finish our work before the big announcement.
As soon as lunch break arrived, I grabbed the meal I had bought from the cafeteria earlier—a simple but delicious meal of braised pork, stir-fried vegetables, and a bowl of white rice. I carried my tray outside to eat, enjoying the fresh air while thinking about how perfect this day had been so far.
Just as I was about to take another bite, I heard someone calling my name.
"Long Wei! Long Wei!"
I turned around and saw her—Zhao Lihua, my girlfriend of four years.
A warm smile spread across my face as I called out to her, "Lihua! I'm right here!"
She walked over to me, her steps slow and deliberate. I could see something in her expression—something that felt off, but I pushed the thought aside.
Before I could ask what was wrong, she spoke.
"I've been calling your phone," she said, her tone unreadable. "I even went to your office looking for you. They told me you were here."
I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck. "Sorry, my phone was on silent. But I'm glad you found me. Actually, I had a surprise planned for you this evening."
I wanted to tell her everything—about how I was going to become a permanent employee, how I had been saving up for months, and how I had been planning to propose to her.
But before I could say another word, she cut me off.
"Long Wei..." she said, looking at me with an expression I had never seen before. "You're a good guy, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life being ordinary."
Her words were like a knife to my chest.
"What... what are you talking about?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't want to be at the bottom of the food chain, Long Wei," she continued, her voice firm and unwavering. "I need a strong man—someone with power, fame, and money. You don't have those things, so... I don't think we match."
The world around me seemed to blur as her words sank in.
The woman who had once looked at me with love now stared at me with cold indifference. It was as if she had become a different person overnight.
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My heart was screaming, begging for an explanation.
"Why?" I finally managed to choke out. "Why now? After everything we've been through?"
Before she could answer, the sudden roar of an engine made me turn my head.
A sleek, luxury sports car pulled up right in front of us, its polished surface gleaming under the afternoon sun. The driver's door swung open, and a tall man stepped out.
He was dressed in an expensive designer suit, his hair perfectly styled, and his watch alone probably cost more than my entire savings. He exuded an air of arrogance, the kind of confidence that only came from having too much money and power.
The moment he saw Lihua, a smug smirk appeared on his face.
"Lihua, what's taking so long?" he asked, his tone dripping with superiority.
She turned to me and, with one final glance, said, "I'm sorry, Long Wei. But I've made my decision."
Then, without another word, she walked toward the man, her once-loving gaze now reserved for someone else.
I felt my fists clench involuntarily.
The man chuckled, looking me up and down like I was some kind of insect beneath his feet.
"So, you're the ex?" he said mockingly. "I can see why Lihua wanted an upgrade. A guy like you? No future, no money, no power. What could you possibly offer her?"
I bit down on my lip, trying to hold back my anger.
"Lihua and I have been together for four years," I said through gritted teeth. "Do you think money is everything?"
The man let out a laugh, shaking his head. "In this world? Yeah, money is everything. And you? You're just a stepping stone in her past."
With that, he draped an arm around Lihua's shoulders and pulled her toward the car. She didn't resist. She didn't even look back.
The sound of the engine roared to life, and within moments, they were gone—leaving me standing in the middle of the company courtyard, my heart shattered into a million pieces.
I barely had time to process what had just happened when my phone buzzed in my pocket.
Still in a daze, I pulled it out and saw a message from the company's HR department.
"All interns, please report to the conference room immediately for the final results."
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my posture and forced myself to walk inside. I needed to focus. Even if I had lost Lihua, I still had my future.
At least, that's what I thought.
But fate wasn't done with me yet.
As I stepped into the conference room, the stern faces of the executives made my stomach drop.
The room was silent for a moment before one of them finally spoke.
"Long Wei... we regret to inform you that you have not been selected to continue with our company."
I felt the world tilt beneath my feet.
No. This wasn't happening.
I had given everything to this company. I had worked hard, proven myself over and over again. How could they just throw me away like this?
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely steady.
The executive exchanged glances with his colleagues before answering.
"There was... an internal recommendation against you," he said carefully. "It was decided that you are not the right fit for our company."
An internal recommendation.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.
Lihua's new boyfriend.
He had made sure I lost everything in a single day—my girlfriend, my future, and my job.
As I walked out of the building, the rain began to pour again, drenching me to the bone.
And for the first time in my life, I had no idea what to do next.