You Left Me in the Rain, I Built an Empire

1.

The day I broke up with Liam Carter, he was fixing Chloe Vances computer.

I placed my apartment key on the console table in the entryway.

He didn't even look up.

Just eat the Chinese takeout on the table. Chloe needs this presentation ASAP.

I glanced at the greasy paper box leaking sauce, the General Tso's chicken he'd grabbed from the 24-hour place on the corner.

Meanwhile, he was cradling Chloes brand-new MacBook Pro, the one shed brought back from Europe, like a newborn baby.

"Liam, let's break up."

I said it calmly.

His fingers paused on the keyboard, and then he scoffed.

"Eva, don't be dramatic. It's just a computer. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

I didn't say another word.

I just grabbed my suitcase, which was already packed, and walked out the door.

The rain in New York was heavy that night.

He didn't follow me.

He didn't even send me a text.

I found out later that he stayed at Chloe's apartment until three in the morning.

And me? I waited two hours for an Uber in a torrential downpour, my fever spiking to 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

...

The wheels of my suitcase hummed a dull tune against the wet asphalt.

Icy rain trickled down the back of my neck from the edge of my umbrella.

I didn't call a car right away.

I just wanted to see if the man who once swore hed drive across all of Brooklyn to pick me up, no matter how late, would push open that door for me now.

The old apartment building behind me was lit up.

A warm, yellow light glowed from the fifth-floor window on the left. Our home for two years.

I saw a figure move past the window. It was Liam.

He seemed to be hunched over a desk, working quickly.

Chloe was probably sitting right beside him, her chin in her hand, praising him for being so smart and capable in that sweet Southern accent of hers.

It was a scene that had played out countless times over the past six months.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

I thought it was him.

It was a notification from DoorDash, asking me to rate my last order.

The traffic light at the corner changed colors with a mechanical click.

I stood in a puddle, watching the neon lights of Times Square blur in the distance.

Liam was a persistent man, I'll give him that.

When we were starting out together at an ad agency on Madison Avenue, wed pull all-nighters for a pitch, and hed give me the last Red Bull in the office.

"Eva, once I make enough money, I'll give you a life where you can walk down Fifth Avenue and buy anything you want."

Back then, his shirt collar was smudged with dirt, but his eyes were impossibly bright.

Hed saved up some money now.

He was the creative group head.

But the life he promised now had Chloe Vance squeezed into it.

Chloe was his college classmate, "the one that got away," as he called her. She had just moved back from London.

All she had to do was frown a little, and Liam would drop me, burning up with a fever, to go help her change a lightbulb.

"She's all alone in New York, it's not easy for her."

That was his favorite line.

And what about me?

I was alone, too.

The rain fell harder, blurring my vision completely.

I finally hailed a yellow cab.

"Where to?" the driver asked in a thick Bronx accent.

I opened my mouth, but I realized I didn't have anywhere to go.

My family was all the way in California.

In this East Coast city, the only thing tying me down was the key I had just left on that console table.

"Just drive. Find a clean motel,"

I said softly.

The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror, said nothing, and hit the gas.

I leaned against the window, watching the city streak past.

It was a strange feeling.

There was no hysteria, no soul-crushing heartbreak.

Just a vast, hollow exhaustion.

It felt like I had been running a three-year marathon, and right before the finish line, I just decided to stop.

My phone buzzed again.

This time, it was Liam.

"Eva, are you done with your tantrum? Where did you put the key? Chloe's backup hard drive is in the drawer, and I can't find it."

I looked at the text and laughed bitterly.

He hadn't even noticed that I had taken all of my clothes and makeup.

All he cared about was that damn hard drive.

My fingers moved, and I blocked his number.

The moment I did, I could breathe again.

Turns out, cutting someone out of your life only takes a second.

2.

The motel sheets smelled of cheap disinfectant.

I lay there, staring at the smoke detector on the ceiling.

Waves of dizziness from the fever washed over me, my limbs heavy as lead.

I threw up twice during the night. My stomach was empty and clenched in pain.

I forced myself up and swallowed two Tylenol and a painkiller.

With Liam blocked, the world was finally quiet.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by a call from my boss, Kate.

"Eva, the client for the medical device project wants an in-person meeting this afternoon. Get ready."

I clutched my cramping stomach, my voice a raw whisper.

"Kate, I have a high fever. I need to take a sick day."

Kate was silent for a moment, then her tone turned sour.

"A sick day? Liam just told me you were ignoring my calls because you're having a fight with him. He said you're perfectly fine."

"He also said you're just being a 'drama queen' again and that I shouldn't indulge you."

My hand holding the phone started to shake.

So thats what he thought. My misery, my sicknessDit was all just an act to get his attention.

"I understand. I'll be there on time."

I hung up and dragged myself to the bathroom.

The woman in the mirror was pale and lifeless.

I put on heavy makeup, choosing a bright red lipstick to hide how sick I was.

Before leaving, I took two more painkillers to fight off the crushing weakness.

At two p.m., I walked into the client's conference room.

Liam was already there, handing Chloe a bottle of Evian water.

Chloe was dressed in a classy Burberry suit, attending as the client's legal counsel.

When he saw me, Liam frowned, his voice dripping with arrogant victory.

"So you finally decided to show up? Eva, there's a limit to these tantrums. Was blocking me really necessary?"

I ignored him, walked straight to the head of the table, and opened my folder.

The fever was making my vision swim with double images.

I bit my tongue, hard, using the sharp pain to stay focused.

Chloe spoke up, her voice sweet and gentle.

"Eva, Liam told me you were upset last night. Was it because of my computer? Did I get in your way?"

I looked up, my eyes cold as I scanned her face.

"Ms. Vance, this is a business negotiation. If your professional skills only extend to gossip, you can wait outside."

The smile on Chloe's face froze.

Liams expression soured. "Eva, don't be an bitch. Chloe was just trying to be nice."

I let out a cold laugh, pushed myself to my feet, and started my presentation.

Every word I spoke felt like fire in my lungs. Cold sweat soaked through my blouse.

I was running on fumes, relying on muscle memory to deliver the hard data I knew by heart.

My logic had to be flawless, my voice steady, even though the hand holding the laser pointer wouldn't stop trembling.

When the meeting ended, the client's director looked impressed. Liam, however, looked at me with suspicion.

He must have noticed something was wrong.

I closed my laptop, my body so weak I thought I would collapse.

"Eva, your hand is burning up."

Liam reached for me, but I dodged his touch.

"Mr. Carter, don't waste your concern on a 'drama queen.' I wouldnt want you to catch it."

Chloe chimed in. "Liam was just worried. He even made a reservation at your favorite sushi place to make it up to you"

A bitter smile touched my lips as I looked at Liam's guilt-ridden face.

"Liam, I became allergic to seafood a year ago. I can't eat at that restaurant anymore."

"I guess you save all your attention to detail for other people."

Liam's mouth opened, but no words came out. His face turned from pale to red.

I didn't wait for his reply. I straightened my back and walked out of the conference room.

3.

Liam blocked the elevator door, refusing to let me leave.

"Eva, can you stop being so aggressive all the time? I admit I neglected you last night, but didn't I apologize?"

His apologies always had that condescending tone.

Like he was doing me a huge favor by even speaking to me.

I looked at him, and for a moment, his face seemed like a stranger's.

"Apologize? Liam, what was in that apology besides 'I didn't mean it'?"

I pointed to the mirror next to the elevator.

"Look at yourself. When you were defending her in that meeting, did you even remember I was your girlfriend?"

Chloe spoke up from the side, her voice soft.

"Liam was just being professional, Eva. Don't you think you're being a little too sensitive?"

"Professional?"

I sneered.

"Since you want to talk about being professional, Ms. Vance, let me ask you something. In the draft contract, your legal interpretation of the liability waiver in clause three clearly favors your client. As a legal counsel, where the fuck is your professional integrity?"

Chloe's face went white.

She never expected me to call her out on a technicality.

Liam frowned, instinctively moving to shield her.

"Eva, you don't have to target her."

"I'm targeting a professional error."

I pressed the down button for the elevator.

"And by the way, Liam, we're broken up. From now on, call me Eva. Or Ms. Miller."

The elevator doors slowly closed, and I saw the flash of anger and shock on Liam's face.

He probably thought I'd come crawling back, just like all the other times, if he just said a few sweet words.

Back to that apartment filled with his takeout dinners but empty of any real affection.

After leaving the office building, I went straight to a real estate agency nearby.

I had already found a studio apartment in Manhattan online the night before.

It was expensive, but it was close to the office, and more importantly, it didn't have the stench of Liam all over it.

I signed the long-term lease, paid the deposit and first month's rent, and got the keys. By the time I was done, it was eight p.m.

I sat on the floor of the empty apartment, looking out at the city lights.

My phone lit up with messages from my best friend, Maya.

"Eva, you really did it? I just saw Chloes Instagram. Is that Liam cooking her pasta?"

I opened the screenshot Maya sent.

In the photo, under warm lighting, Liam was in the kitchen wearing an apron, busy at the stove.

The caption read: "It feels so good to take care of you. #homecooking #cozy"

I stared at the familiar figure in the picture.

That apron. I had bought it last month at Williams Sonoma. It was part of a matching set.

And that pasta he had promised to make it for me countless times but never had.

"Good for them,"

I texted Maya back.

My heart didn't even ache.

Maybe I was past the point of pain. My nerves were just numb.

"Good for them? My ass! You're burning up with a fever while he's playing house with his old flame. That man is a walking piece of trash."

Maya sent a string of angry emojis.

"Just wait, I'll set you up with some hotties from Wall Street. We'll make him sick with jealousy."

I put my phone down without replying.

I didn't want a hot guy right now.

I wanted money. Lots and lots of money.

Only money could give me security, a real foundation in this city, instead of just drifting like a weed.

For the next week, I buried myself in work.

The medical device project was in a critical phase, and I worked past midnight every day.

Liam, who was on the technical side, had to work with me.

He sent me a few personal messages.

"Eva, I packed up all your stuff. When are you coming to get it?"

"Eva, stop sulking and come home. I've already cleared things up with Chloe."

"It's not safe for you in a motel. Listen to me."

My reply was always the same: "Ship it to the office."

On the ninth day, a huge box arrived.

Inside were my clothes, skincare products, and other small things.

He even sent back the matching watches I had bought for us.

I tossed my watch into the trash without a second thought.

My coworker, Sam, walked by and gasped.

"Eva, that watch is worth hundreds of dollars! Why did you throw it away?"

"It's broken. Can't be fixed," I said flatly.

Just then, Liam walked in.

He was probably there to go over some data with me.

He heard what I said and saw the watch in the trash can.

His face turned ugly.

"Eva, do you have to be like this?"

He stood in front of my desk, his voice tight with anger.

I looked up and smiled politely.

"Liam, if it's work, let's talk. If not, please move. I have a report to finish."

"You saved up for two months to buy me that!" he hissed.

"You said it yourself. I bought it."

I stared him straight in the eye.

"And now I don't want it anymore. Is it illegal to throw away my own things?"

Liam's fists were clenched, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

Our coworkers were stealing glances at us.

Chloe appeared out of nowhere, holding two Starbucks cups.

"Oh my, Liam, what's all the shouting about? Eva, don't be mad. Liam just thinks it's a shame to throw away the watch."

She placed a coffee on my desk.

"This one's for you. A skinny vanilla latte with one pump of syrup. I asked Liam what you like."

I looked at the coffee, a smirk playing on my lips.

"Ms. Vance, your intelligence sources are a little outdated."

I poured the coffee into the planter next to my desk.

"I'm not just allergic to seafood. I gave up sweets a long time ago."

I stood up, looking directly at Liam.

"And Liam, stop parading your little 'sister' around me. It's fucking disgusting."

4.

The air in the office froze.

Chloe's face went from white to red, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Eva, I was just trying to smooth things over"

Liam finally lost it.

"Eva! That's enough! Chloe is humbling herself to be nice to you, and you treat her like this? Who the hell do you think you are?"

He was so indignant, you'd think I was the one bullying the poor, innocent girl.

I looked at him and laughed out loud.

"Being nice to me? Liam, are you even listening to yourself?"

I walked around my desk and stood in front of Chloe.

"Ms. Vance, a few minutes ago in the break room, you were telling Julie from reception that I was 'too aggressive' and that it's 'no wonder I can't keep a man.' You didn't look so sweet and innocent then."

For a split second, Chloe's mask cracked.

She probably never thought someone would overhear her in the break room.

"You you misheard me,"

she stammered, shrinking behind Liam.

Liam frowned.

"Eva, are you sure? Chloe's not like that."

"You'll find out what she's like sooner or later."

I turned away from them and sat back down at my computer.

"Now, please leave my desk. If this personal drama affects the project timeline, I will report it to Kate. In full detail."

The mention of Kate's name seemed to deflate him a little.

Kate was known for being an iron-fisted manager who hated office romances interfering with work.

He shot me a venomous look, then pulled Chloe away.

Later that afternoon, Maya messaged me.

"Eva, latest update! Chloe is telling everyone at her law firm that you're using your position as project lead to bully her. You need to be careful."

My fingers never stopped typing.

"Let her talk. The legal department isn't stupid. They care about results, not tears."

I knew exactly what kind of person Chloe was. Her whole strategy was to play the victim.

But she forgot one thing: this is the corporate world, not a reality TV show.

A few days later, the project reached the final bidding stage.

We were up against several competitors.

We needed to submit a highly detailed report on our technical framework and legal compliance.

Liam was in charge of the technical part, and Chloe handled the legal side.

It was their first time collaborating so closely on this project.

I reviewed their first draft. It was full of holes.

To show off, Chloe had cited a bunch of outdated European court cases that sounded impressive but were completely irrelevant.

And Liam, trying to accommodate her "logic," had turned his solid technical plan into a convoluted mess.

I sat in my office, looking at their report, and I just smiled.

I didn't correct their mistakes.

I had already warned Liam twice to focus on the core technical logic.

His response? "Chloe says this gives us a more global perspective. You need to stop thinking in such an old-fashioned way."

Fine. Let them present their "global perspective."

On the day of the pitch.

Chloe was wearing an expensive Chanel suit, radiating confidence.

Liam was dressed to kill, looking like a big shot.

When it was our team's turn, Chloe stood up and began her presentation.

She was passionate, even cracking a few jokes.

But the panel of experts in the audience just kept frowning.

Finally, the lead expert, an older man, cut her off.

"Ms. Vance, could you please explain why, in chapter three, regarding cross-border data transfer compliance, you cited a European Union treaty that was superseded by a new GDPR addendum three months ago?"

Chloe's confident smile vanished.

She just stood there, fumbling through her notes.

"Well it's the standard international approach"

"An approach doesn't override the law," the expert said sternly.

Liam quickly jumped in to save her.

"Sir, our technical architecture is designed to circumvent"

"Circumvent? How can technology circumvent a hard legal requirement? Mr. Carter, your technical logic is a contradiction in terms."

Another expert chimed in.

Liam was sweating bullets.

He looked at me, a desperate plea in his eyes.

I sat in the corner, sipping my water, and said nothing.

In the end, our proposal was rejected on the spot.

It was the company's biggest project of the year, with a projected profit of nearly ten million dollars.

Walking out of the conference room, Kate's face was beyond furious. She had been in the meeting with us.

"Liam, Chloe, I want a full incident report on my desk when we get back to the office,"

Kate's voice was ice.

"Eva, you're riding with me."

I grabbed my bag and followed her without a word.

Liam called after me from behind.

"Eva! You knew, didn't you? Why didn't you say anything?"

I stopped and turned around.

"Liam, first, you're the tech lead, and she's the legal counsel. It's not my place as the project coordinator to second-guess your expertise. Second, I warned you twice, and you told me my thinking was 'old-fashioned.'"

I smiled.

"You two love to innovate so much. Well, now you can enjoy the consequences of your innovation."

Liam slumped onto a bench in the hallway. Chloe buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

This time, he didn't have the strength to comfort her.