When the Company Went Public, the Assistant Stole My Spotlight—and My Girlfriend Backed Him. So I Quit.

After years of helping the company prepare for its IPO, my girlfriend—finally ready to go public about our relationship—was about to make the announcement.

But before she could, her ever-smug assistant, who’s never liked me, beat her to it. Stepping onto the stage, he wrapped his arm around her waist, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Didn’t you say we’d wait a few more years? Couldn’t hold out even for that long, huh?" he said, his tone thick with mockery.

My girlfriend didn’t bother explaining. Instead, she handed him a document—the transfer of shares agreement—and announced to the room that he was the company’s newest shareholder.

The crowd erupted in shock, with murmurs and whispers spreading like wildfire.

The assistant, clearly basking in the attention, turned his smugness toward me, throwing out thinly veiled jabs.

And my girlfriend? She didn’t stop him. In fact, her tone was cold as ice when she added:

"You’ve done a lot for the company, but his talent is what we need to ensure a brighter future."

I didn’t flinch. I didn’t argue. Instead, I smiled, nodded, and graciously handed over my remaining shares to the assistant as well.

"Let’s see," I thought to myself, "how far they can take this company without its biggest investor."

And with that, I walked away.

1.

When Emily announced on stage that Ryan had become the company’s newest shareholder, the room erupted in thunderous applause.

I stood there frozen, my mind foggy from too many late nights of overtime. For a moment, I thought I had misheard her.

"Look at Jake’s face—it’s priceless!""He's been with the CEO for years and only got 2% of the shares. Ryan’s barely been here and snagged 20% just like that.""Jake’s always nitpicking Ryan’s work, but now? He looks like a total clown."

The crowd wasn’t even trying to be subtle with their laughter, making sure I could hear every word. They weren’t mocking me for fun—they were trying to curry favor with Ryan. And Emily? She didn’t even bother stopping them.

Ryan shot me a smug grin, his voice dripping with fake innocence as he said, "Jake, no applause from you? Don’t tell me you’re upset about me getting shares."

He paused, a theatrical pout forming on his lips. "I mean, if we’re talking seniority, I guess you should’ve gotten them instead."

With that, he lazily extended the contract toward me, like he was handing me a consolation prize. But before I could react, Emily snatched the papers away and pushed them back into his hands with a playful yet firm gesture.

"Ryan, you’re too kind," she said with a soft laugh. "But the company values talent, not tenure."

Then, her gaze turned cold as it landed on me.

"And you, Jake, don’t you dare make a scene. Let’s not forget the massive mistake you made last quarter, costing the company millions. The fact that I didn’t fire you outright was already generous. What right do you have to expect shares?"

The two of them were perfectly in sync, like actors in a well-rehearsed play. I couldn’t help but find it a...