All Chapters of In His Shadow, I Became Her Toy: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"What about Jerry Griffin? He doesn't seem to be interested in you," Simone Murphy's friend asked her."He's different." Simone's voice turned serious. "He's genuine and pure of heart, unlike other guys. He's worth waiting for."A bitter ache spread from my heart to every inch of my body.It turned out I was just a plaything to Simone. So be it, then.I turned around and quietly left.My younger brother, Jerry, and I had joined Simone's company, Murphy Group, at the same time. He was headhunted with a high salary, basking in glory as he took up his position.On the other hand, my job was just part of a transaction.Jerry prided himself on never taking shortcuts. More than once, he said in front of everyone, "I'm not like men who climb up the ladder by relying on a woman."Every time he said that, all eyes would fall on me.It was well known that Simone had a thing for Jerry. She pursued him relentlessly, buying him expensive watches, sports cars, and other rare collectibles. B

In the emergency stairwell, I leaned against the cold wall, my body shaking. I stubbornly kept my head up to force the tears back down.Just then, Simone showed up.The sound of our breathing filled the tiny space.She walked up to me in silence, looking at my hands, where my fingers were clenched so tightly that the knuckles had gone white. Using a gentle force, she slowly pried my fingers open.Her hands were warm—so warm that I couldn't understand what was happening.She raised one hand and gently wiped away the tear that had escaped from the corner of my eye."Don't cry," she said softly. "I know you're upset."My heart jolted."Jerry has always been blunt to a fault. He might not say the nicest things sometimes, but he means no harm. Stop trying to compete with him, okay?"My breathing grew strained. I closed my eyes, but the tears fell anyway.…The next day, I submitted my resignation letter to the HR department. The manager was a little taken aback, but he processed

Simone couldn't believe it.I had resigned from the company? How could I have done that without her permission?She flew into a frenzy, calling everyone I could've been in touch with. She also sent people to my house and even to my parents' place.Alas, everyone had the same response. I was nowhere to be found. It was as if I'd vanished into thin air.Simone slumped back onto the chair, her heart feeling hollow as it stung painfully. Only now, when I'd disappeared from her world, did she come to the belated realization that she couldn't live without me.…After arriving in Swansoria, I underwent reconstructive surgery for my scars. The process was far more painful and far longer than I had imagined.I gritted my teeth, silently enduring every skin graft and laser treatment. Dr. Harris said I was the most resilient patient she'd ever met.During my recovery, I didn't waste my time, either. I dove back into my profession, obtaining multiple prestigious certifications. I even publ

After work, I went down to the basement parking lot to get into my car when Jerry rushed over and stood in my way.With his bloodshot eyes and disheveled clothing, he looked nothing like the proud and sophisticated man he used to be. Instead, he was more like a screaming lunatic."Isaac!" he bellowed. "Why did you come back? You decided to leave, so why did you bother coming back?"I calmly looked at him and said, "I'm just doing my job.""Your job, huh? I know you're doing this on purpose! You're just playing hard to get to seduce Simone again, aren't you?"His face was twisted with jealousy as he continued, "You're such a devious bastard! Ever since we were kids, you've always tried to steal my things! First, you wanted to steal Mom and Dad's love, and now, you've come back to steal my woman! Why won't you just die?"Jerry raised his fist and swung it at my face, but I easily caught it, my gaze frosty."It was always you who tried to compete with me, Jerry. You're the one who

Simone went overboard in her attempts to make it up to me. She tried to give me 30% of the shares in Murphy Group, but I returned the agreement without signing it.She bought the entire office building where my company's office was, saying she was giving it to me to use as my office, but I had Connor refuse it on my behalf as well.Simone even visited my parents, begging for their forgiveness in the hopes that they would put in a good word for her.My parents called me, their voices filled with heartache as they told me, "We heard about what you've been through all these years, Isaac. Simone hurt you, and we… failed to protect you. No matter what you decide to do, you have our support."I held the phone, my eyes tearing up a little. That was all I needed. My family's understanding and support mattered more than anything else.Under my leadership, the project with Murphy Group proceeded smoothly. At the celebratory party, Simone attended on behalf of Murphy Group. She had lost a co