Corporate Villainy: Trampling Protagonists as a Business Dad

Helena sat in her office, her fingers drumming against the mahogany desk as Vincent's unexpected question echoed in her mind. The sudden proposal had caught her completely off guard, and she needed time to process what he was truly asking of her.

Start my own company?

The idea both thrilled and terrified her. When Vincent had first mentioned it during their drive to the office, her heart had skipped a beat. Not from excitement, but from panic. For one terrifying moment, she'd thought he was gently pushing her away, finding a sophisticated way to distance himself from their relationship. The thought had nearly brought tears to her eyes.

She giggled and her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she recalled the dumbfounded look on his face when she clutched him and blurted, "You can't leave me."

But as he'd explained his vision for an online education platform, she realized this wasn't about separation at all. It was about opportunity. An opportunity for her.

Memories of Elijah Darrow crept into her thoughts, causing her fingers to still against the mahogany surface. Her deceased husband had once charmed her completely with his grand promises and refined demeanor. He owned a modest logistics business and possessed an effortless way with words—eloquent, captivating, and as polished as the expensive suits he favored. She had fallen for him because of that apparent warmth.

But that facade crumbled the instant Liam entered the world.

Endless lonely nights. Skipped dinners. Extended periods where he would barely acknowledge her existence unless they were entertaining business associates. When he introduced his second wife to their household—a woman who was taller, younger, and carried herself with the kind of self-assurance Helena had been forced to develop through hardship—he justified it as nothing more than "a business arrangement." She only learned after his passing, nearly two years later, that he had been involved with this woman throughout her entire pregnancy.

His final testament carved up his assets with ruthless precision: the third wife inherited the majority of his fortune. The second received various properties and investments. Helena? She was left with a meager monthly allowance and a small percentage of shares in a company already circling the drain.

Despite everything... she had never once lowered herself to plead.

Helena shook her head, banishing those bitter memories. Vincent was nothing like Elijah. Where her late husband had used charm as a weapon to manipulate and control, Vincent's confidence came from genuine strength and capability. When Vincent spoke of having other women in his life, he did so with honesty and respect—never making her feel like a strategic afterthought or a burden to be managed.

She understood the nature of their world, where successful men often took multiple wives. What mattered wasn't exclusivity, but love and respect. Vincent gave her both in abundance, making her feel valued in ways Elijah never had. Even with Olivia now sharing their intimate moments, Helena never felt diminished or replaced. If anything, Vincent's capacity for love seemed to expand rather than divide.

Vincent remembered her telling him about her past, about how she use to run from one job to another to support herself and Liam. She had also told him about the teaching job that had brought her more joy than any other work she'd ever done.

Despite her lack of formal qualifications, she'd spent great amounts of time gaining knowledge and loved every moment spent helping children learn, grow and excel through it. Those bright faces lighting up with understanding, the satisfaction of watching a struggling student finally grasp a difficult concept—those memories still warmed her heart. Unfortunately, her position had always been temporary, and eventually, she'd been forced to move on.

Helena leaned back in her chair, a soft smile playing on her lips as she remembered Vincent's conditions. He would support her from behind the scenes, but she couldn't use his name or influence when recruiting and managing the company. She'd have to build it on her own merit.

The challenge excited her. Being around such an ambitious man had awakened something similar within her own heart. She had the support, the opportunity, and the capabilities—refusing would make her unworthy of his faith in her.

My man believes in me, she thought, her heart warming with love and determination. How could I possibly say no?

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Helena's favorability has increased to 94(+1)

VP: +50

In his office, Vincent saw the system notification and felt a complex mix of satisfaction and guilt. His plan was working, but uncertainty gnawed at him. He hadn't originally intended for Helena to start her own company—at least not this soon. But circumstances demanded swift action.

He needed to move against Aelric while this protagonist was still vulnerable, before his luck points could increase. Vincent's strategy was to squeeze money from Aelric using Helena's heroine status, but several variables made him uneasy.

What if Helena isn't recognized as a 'Goddess' by Aelric's system? Vincent wondered, his brows furrowing. And she'll need to make many face-to-face interactions with him according to my plans.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Helena. It was fate itself that remained unpredictable. The thought of getting reverse-cucked by some cosmic bullshit made his jaw clench and stomach churn.

He took a deep breath. His luck value was currently higher than Aelric's, and if things went to hell, he could always abandon the plan and tell Helena the truth.

Vincent opened the thick file on his desk labeled 'Aelric's Personal Data.' He'd already memorized most of the contents. The delivery boy's parents had sacrificed to send him to study in the big city. His father was a factory manager, his mother worked at the same facility. Despite their financial struggles, they'd invested everything in their pathetic son's education.

And all this bastard has done is simp around.

Beyond his obsession with Liora, Aelric had connections to two other women.

The first was what Liora had described as a "weird nerdy girl with specs" from college. A female who actually did not find his creepy and interacted with him enough to be called friends.

The second was more interesting: a girl living in the apartment next to his. According to David's investigation, she was struggling financially while caring for her young niece after her sister's death. More importantly, she spent hours recording singing and crafting videos for a short video platform called 'BikBok,' where she'd already built a small following.

Vincent's eyes gleamed with calculated interest. Was world really developing faster than I can handle or is it just a coincidence to find another influencer like this... BikBok.

Even the name reeked of untapped potential and future profits.

I won't give this bastard a chance to breathe, Vincent decided. I'll use all three women to squeeze money and crush him before he can gain any damn momentum.

He pressed the intercom button. "Olivia, come in."

Within moments, Olivia entered with her usual confident posture, though Vincent noticed the slight blush on her cheeks and how she avoided direct eye contact. He didn't mind—she needed time to adjust to their new relationship dynamic.

"Sir?" she asked, her voice carefully professional despite the underlying warmth.

Vincent tapped the thick document in front of him. "Acquire this company for me."

Olivia's eyes widened as she read the heading: 'BikBok.' "Sir?!?" Her bewilderment was obvious. "Why is our logistics corporation suddenly buying a short video platform?"

Then understanding dawned on her face as she remembered his offer to Helena.

"Sir, wouldn't it be better to develop in this field after the corporate war between Meridian and Annapurna ends? We're already stretched thin with funds for acquiring shares of both corporations."

Vincent chuckled, his confidence radiating through the room. "Don't worry. If things go according to plan, we'll soon be swimming in cash."

Olivia was surprised by his unwavering certainty, though it sounded somewhat unrealistic. But this was just like him—always three steps ahead of everyone else. She gave him a charming smile and nodded. "I'll get to it immediately, sir."

She didn't fully understand what her chairman—her lover—was planning, but she trusted him completely. The word 'lover' sent her heart racing, and she suddenly found the floor tiles incredibly fascinating to examine.

The silence stretched between them, the temperature in the room seeming to rise with unspoken tension. Just as the moment threatened to become overwhelming, a knock interrupted them.

Olivia seized the opportunity like a lifeline, quickly opening the door to greet David. She left as fast as her heels would carry her, not daring to look back.

David realized he might have intervened at an inopportune moment and quickly got to the point. "Sir, there's been a development with Jin."

Vincent's expression returned to normal and his eyes sharpened with interest. His other cash cow was finally making some damn noise.

"Tell me."

"It seems he's discovered what we did with the rideshare app. He's switched to a different platform," David reported with his characteristic efficiency.

"Took the idiot long enough," Vincent said with a satisfied smile already planning the next course of actions to finally put an end to this broken protagonist.

P.S.— Thank you @Mercedes_David for the golden ticket.