After so many years of hardship, Mio’s struggles seemed to finally be coming to an end. He had worked hard, skipping grades repeatedly, and his sharp business acumen made him stand out among his peers.
The family began to take notice of him, and Mio hoped the next three years would pass quickly. But just as the family head’s health deteriorated further, Mr. Elderstone unexpectedly brought Tina back. Mio had believed his suffering was over, only to find himself plunged into darkness once more.
If he had never glimpsed the light, perhaps he could have accepted living in the darkness forever. But having seen it, how could he willingly return?
The position of family head was within his reach. His heart brimmed with anticipation, but fate cruelly shattered his hopes.
That same year, his grandmother passed away. Before her death, she left all her life savings to Mio, telling him to find a good wife in the future.
Mio had never shed a tear, yet on the day his grandmother died, he cried uncontrollably. He had lost everything.
The position of family head was gone. His grandmother was gone. He was left with nothing.
His grandmother’s words about finding a good wife struck a nerve. Since childhood, people had insulted his mother, calling her names. This had left Mio with a deep psychological aversion to women.
He had promised to buy his grandmother a big house, but he had not yet done so. He had vowed she would see him become the family head, but he had failed.
From that day forward, Mio changed. Even though Tina’s return complicated things, it didn’t mean he had no chance. He resolved to work even harder.
When he entered the company, the environment was far more cutthroat than school. The aura of being a candidate for family head had been stripped from him.
This became another reason for people to ridicule him. They sneered, saying he was like a toad lusting after a swan.
As soon as he joined the company, many deliberately made things difficult for him. It was just like his childhood-his talents only invited harsher suppression.
Mr. Grant, disheartened by Tina’s return, stopped supporting Mio. In his frustration, he vented his anger on Mio, leaving him without a backer.
Without Mr. Grant’s protection, Mio struggled at every turn. He endured the scorn and cold remarks of his colleagues because he had to climb upward, no matter the cost.
During his first deal negotiation, Mio accompanied the general manager to a banquet. The client said they could discuss business-but only if Mio drank with him.
The general manager claimed this was an opportunity for Mio to “gain experience.” In reality, Mio was there to take the fall and drink on his behalf. Mio knew it was a trap but had no choice but to step into it.
He had no power and no support. If he offended the general manager, his career would be over. The man could find any excuse to have him fired.
If he left the Walsh family, wouldn’t all his years of hard work be for nothing? That night, Mio couldn’t even remember how much he drank or how many times he threw up.
The client, impressed by his fortitude, signed the deal and specifically requested to work with Mio again.
Mio smiled and agreed, but the general manager glared at him fiercely. By the end of the night, Mio was rushed to the emergency room, nearly dying in the hospital.
When he returned to work, the general manager continued to make things difficult for him, mocking him both openly and subtly. Fortunately, the client’s CEO personally praised Mio in front of Tina.
Tina promoted Mio to project manager, giving him a chance to prove himself.
But managing a project was far from simple. On top of that, Mio’s strikingly attractive face made things even harder. His first major client was a forty-year-old woman.
She took one look at him and made her intentions clear: if he spent the night with her, the deal would be his.
Mio spent an entire night wrestling with the decision. He already had little regard for women, having grown up in such a family with a mother like his.
The woman was old enough to be his mother, but Mio had no choice.
It was just his body, after all. If she wanted it, she could have it. Mio was determined to rise above his circumstances, no longer allowing anyone to trample on him.
Lacking experience, he even went out of his way to learn how to please women.
Though the woman had taken good care of her figure, Mio was repulsed. He smiled outwardly but felt nothing but disgust inside.
Once turned into twice. The woman was satisfied with Mio and promised to bring him more deals.
Women of her age were rarely satisfied, and she was no exception. Neither were her friends.
She introduced Mio to her social circle, bringing him a flood of deals in exchange for his body. Mio’s performance skyrocketed, and his career advanced at an astonishing pace.
People mocked him, saying he climbed the ladder by sleeping with women. Mio never argued. He didn’t care. His only focus was climbing higher.
His growing success caught Mr. Grant’s attention, and he began grooming Mio again, propelling him to the position of vice president.
Those who had mocked him in the past, those who had bullied him as a child, were now forced to bow to him. Mio, in turn, became ruthless in pursuit of his goals, using any means necessary.
What began as women forcing themselves on him evolved into Mio mastering the art of manipulation. He despised women, feeling sickened every time.
Many women praised his skill in bed, oblivious to the fact that Mio felt nothing. If one looked closely, even in moments of supposed passion, his eyes remained cold.
Only his body betrayed warmth. He lived like a hollow shell, moving through life without agency.
When he approached Rebecca once again, everything changed. This time, he made a mistake-he fell in love with her.
Even now, he couldn’t say for certain who was to blame. He had been hurt by others, and in turn, he had hurt others. Who could untangle the right and wrong of it all?
Closing his eyes, Mio decided to end the years of entanglement once and for all.
Aurora stood before him, asking if he had any regrets.
“Perhaps I would have, in the past,” he said. “I used to dream of having it all. But now that I’ve let it go, I feel much lighter. The company is yours now. My resignation and the handover will be arranged through my secretary.”
“If not staying with R Company, where will you go? Or are you planning to strike out on your own?” Aurora looked at him, her heart inexplicably aching at the world-weariness in his eyes.
“I’m too tired,” Mio replied. “Over the years, I’ve earned enough through investments. I just want to find a quiet place to live out the rest of my life and atone for what I’ve done. There will be no more Mio Walsh. Your forgiveness means everything to me.”
“Take care of yourself,” Aurora said, her voice heavy with emotion.
“Take care. Goodbye, Aurora.” Mio walked away without hesitation.
Aurora watched his retreating figure. A man who once valued power above all else had given it all up. The courage it must have taken left her in awe.
“I hope you find happiness,” she murmured.
Mio had already made up his mind to resign before attending the family meeting. The decision to transfer his shares was a spur-of-the-moment choice.
Perhaps it was for the best. This way, he could sever all ties with the Walsh family.
As soon as he stepped out the door, someone stopped him.
“Mr. Walsh, Mr. Grant is waiting for you in the car.”
“All right, I understand.”
What was meant to come would come.