The New Assistant

Chapter twelve

Ryan arrived back at his penthouse feeling completely devastated. He had just agreed to end his relationship with Mia, the only person who had ever made him happy. He had just agreed to give up his own happiness for the sake of his father and the company. He had just agreed to live a life of misery and regret, and he had just agreed to give up his own love and his own life.

He walked into his bathroom, and he saw his reflection in the mirror. He saw a broken and defeated man.He turned on the shower. He stripped off his clothes, and he stepped into the hot and steaming water. He felt the water wash over his body, and he felt the water cleanse his skin. He felt the water wash away his tears, and he felt the water wash away his pain.

He stepped out of the shower, and he dried himself off. He brushed his teeth, and he gargled with mouthwash. He looked at himself in the mirror again, and he saw a different man. He saw a man who had made a decision, and he saw a man who had accepted his fate. He saw a man who had given up on love.

He walked into his bedroom, and he fell onto his bed. He felt his tears roll down his cheeks, his heart break and his soul shatter.

He was numb.

He fell asleep, and he dreamed of Mia. He dreamed of her smile, her laugh, her touch, her kiss, and her love.
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The next morning, Ryan woke up with a heavy heart, knowing that he had to face Mia at work. He had been avoiding her all morning, pretending that nothing was wrong, but he could feel her confusion and hurt emanating from her.
As they sat down at their desks, Mia finally broke the silence. "Ryan, what's going on? Why are you ignoring me?" she asked, her voice filled with hurt and confusion.
Ryan looked at her, feeling a pang of guilt and regret. He knew that he had to tell her the truth, but he was afraid of her reaction.
"Mia, last night my father made it clear that if I want to continue as CEO of the investment firm, I have to end things with you," Ryan said, his voice low and hesitant.
Mia's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "What? He can't do that! You can't let him control your life like that," she exclaimed, anger flashing in her eyes.
"I know, but I'm afraid of losing everything," Ryan said, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry, Mia, but I have to do what he says."
Mia was furious. She couldn't believe that Ryan was willing to throw away their relationship for the sake of his father's approval. But she also knew that she was in no position to quit her job. Mia, on the other hand, didn't have the same ties to the family business. She was angry and hurt, but she also knew that she needed this job for her to afford to live in New York City.
So she gritted her teeth and continued to work alongside Ryan, trying to ignore the pain and betrayal that she felt. She didn't know how long she could keep up the charade, but she knew that she had to find a way to move on without him.
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As the months went on, Mia found it increasingly difficult to work alongside Ryan while pretending that everything was okay between them. She missed the warmth and affection that had once characterized their relationship, and she felt a deep sense of loss and sadness every time she saw him.
Finally, after several weeks of struggling to keep up the pretense, Mia decided that she needed a break. She took some of her saved up vacation time and went back to her hometown in Georgia to visit her mother.
Mia's mother was a poor, single mother who had sacrificed everything for her daughter. Mia's father had abandoned them when she was just a baby, and her mother had worked tirelessly to provide for them both.
As they sat together in the small, cozy living room of their home, Mia poured out her heart to her mother, telling her about what had happened with Ryan and his father.
"I don't know what to do, Mama," Mia said, her voice choked with emotion. "I love Ryan, but I can't be with someone who is willing to throw me away for his own career. It's not fair to either of us."
Her mother listened quietly, her face filled with empathy and understanding. When Mia finished speaking, she reached out and took her daughter's hand in her own.
"Mia, I know it's hard, but you have to remember that you are worth so much more than this," she said, her voice firm. "Mia, my dear," her mother said, taking her hand. "I know you're hurting right now, but you need to remember that you deserve someone who loves you for who you are. Ryan may be a good man, but if he's not willing to fight for you, then he's not the one for you."
Mia nodded, tears streaming down her face. She knew her mother was right, but it was still hard to let go of the hope that she and Ryan could be together.
"But Mama, I love him," she sobbed. "How can I just let that go?"
Her mother hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. "I know it's hard, Mia, but you have to trust that something better is out there for you. You're a strong, beautiful, and intelligent young woman. You deserve someone who will love and cherish you, no matter what. And if Ryan can't see that, then he doesn't deserve you."
Mia took her mother's words to heart, and as she spent the next few days at home, she began to heal. She realized that she didn't need Ryan to be happy, and that she was capable of finding love and happiness on her own.
When she returned to New York City, she was determined to move on from Ryan and focus on her own career and happiness. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was ready to start a new chapter in her life.