At the company’s celebration banquet where bonuses were being distributed. My wife and her father publicly humiliated me, calling me worthless and a burden to everyone. They even forcibly handed over my nearly-completed Oldom Royal Family project to her ex-boyfriend. Instead of getting angry, I laughed and decided to hand over my CEO position to him as well. “Why stress over these stupid drones? Here, you can be the CEO instead!” I declared. Everyone in the company thought I’d lost my mind. What they didn’t know was that I held the core algorithm for the drone swarm control system. Without me, their precious money-making drone fleet would turn into nothing but a swarm of useless metal locusts. The company would face a hundred-billion liability claim from the Oldom Royal Family, leading to overnight bankruptcy! Camila Winthrop, my wife, stood on stage, affectionately holding Oliver Taylor’s hand. “Oliver, the Winthrop Group owes its success largely to you,” she declared. “This year’s entire bonus is yours.” She handed him a check for five million dollars. Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Camila’s father, Vincent Winthrop, nodded approvingly while our colleagues swarmed forward, playfully cheering the pair on. “With Mr. Taylor at the helm, our group’s international success is just around the corner!” “Ms. Winthrop and Mr. Winthrop really have an eye for talent. And Ms. Winthrop and Mr. Taylor? They’re more in sync than most married couples!” I stood at the edge of the crowd, watching the joyous scene unfold, my technical proposal crumpled in my clenched fist. Today was supposed to be the group’s celebration and bonus distribution. But just as I arrived at the company’s conference hall, Camila received a phone call. Apparently, there was a malfunction in the drone system that required my attention at the test flight facility. After years of marriage, I trusted her without question. Before I could even grab a bite to eat, I rushed to the facility. Under the scorching heat of nearly 104 degrees Fahrenheit, my team and I spent the entire day troubleshooting. But seeing Camila give a bonus as a whole to Oliver, an intern who’d been here less than a month, everything became crystal clear. The system malfunction was nothing but an excuse to get me out of the way. She was ready to hand over my three years of hard work, my life’s achievement, straight to her first love. Oliver pretended to notice me just then, feigning surprise. “Oh, Mr. Langley, you’ve finally arrived? We thought you might not make it, so everyone started without you. You don’t mind, do you?” His words were polite, but his eyes held a clear challenge as he deliberately waved the numbered check in my direction. Camila shot me an impatient glance. “Rylan, what’s with that look? Did you expect the chairman and everyone else to wait just for you? No wonder you dragged your feet with every project bid. You’re nothing but deadweight, holding everyone back. Since you’re here, you can hand over the Oldom project to Oliver right now. At least then, we won’t have to worry about you messing things up.” I clenched my fists at her imperious command, my heart turning to ice. The Oldom project she spoke of so casually was a massive undertaking that I, along with my team, had spent three years preparing and winning the bid for. It practically embodied my life’s work. The Crown Prince of Oldom was incredibly generous, providing a down payment of five million dollars. But to ensure the stability of thousands of drones operating simultaneously in the desert environment, I had countless sleepless nights. The endless trips to Oldom, the jet lag, the multiple stomach bleeds… I’d endured it all. Now, just as the project was entering its final phase, Camila wanted to snatch it away with a few casual words and hand it to her first love. I couldn’t help but laugh at how pathetic my dedication had been. Ten years ago, the Winthrop Group was on the brink of bankruptcy, unable to even pay their workers. Camila took over with plans for transformation, announcing her vision to develop drones. Without hesitation, I quit my cushy tech job and invested all my savings to build this dream with her from scratch. But with her background in fashion design, she couldn’t even understand basic control code, let alone handle drone development. For years, I had been the sole backbone of the company’s core technology. Every algorithm patent bore my name. Every technical challenge required my attention to solve. When we were struggling with initial funding, Vincent refused to help, looking down on me. My parents sold their house and their life savings to keep us afloat. That was what brought the Winthrop Group back from the dead. Only then did marriage with Camila become a topic of discussion. But I wasn’t to be a husband, and I was to be a “married-in husband,” taking her family name. Vincent always sneered at my humble origins. He acted like the mighty Winthrop family was doing me a huge favor by letting me marry into their family. Every time we met, he’d make snide remarks about how I was riding on his daughter’s coattails, saying a married-in husband should know his place. I didn’t care back then because I was head over heels for Camila. I was willing to sacrifice everything for her. But I never expected that after just a few business trips abroad with Oliver… He’d effortlessly steal all the credit for my work. Camila and I have been married for ten years. Yet somehow, I still rank below her ex, who treated her like dirt. And today, she finally managed to wear away the last shred of affection between us. After a long silence, I finally spoke, my voice neutral. “Fine. Do as you wish.” Oliver couldn’t hide his smug grin, though he put on a show of false modesty. “Ms. Langley, I’m just an amateur. How could I dare take over your international billion-dollar project? I heard you’ve been struggling with it for nearly three years. I just want to help out.” Camila placed her hand gently on his shoulder. “Oliver, you’re our overseas graduate! If you can’t handle this project, no one in the company can!” Vincent added with authority, “Exactly. Don’t sell yourself short. You’re better than that loser anyway.” I nearly burst out laughing. Oliver’s degree was nothing but a piece of paper. During his interview, he couldn’t even grasp basic control theory. But the Winthrop family was dead set on backing him, paying him an astronomical salary. After consoling Oliver, Camila turned to mock me. “Rylan, with your abilities, do you think you’d be where you are today without me? You’ve had it too good for too long. You’ve forgotten your place. You’re even making a fuss about handing over a project. If Oliver hadn’t put in a good word for you, Dad and I would’ve kicked you out long ago!” I laughed coldly inside. Camila seemed to have forgotten entirely how the company couldn’t even operate their drones when I solved every technical problem. Not only did I contribute patents, but I also built and trained the technical team from scratch. Now that the Winthrop family had made it big, they weren’t just ungrateful. They saw me as a burden. They kept rambling on, making me sound like the Winthrop family’s biggest disgrace. Taking a deep breath, I strode toward Oliver under Camila’s contemptuous gaze. Everyone’s eyes darted between us, probably thinking this pushover son-in-law was finally going to snap. But I just smiled calmly. I took out a CEO transfer document from my bag and tossed it at Oliver’s feet. “Managing a few thousand drones must be exhausting. Why don’t I just make you CEO instead!”
For a moment, the entire room went silent, everyone staring at me in disbelief. The Winthrop Group executives began whispering amongst themselves, assuming I must be spouting nonsense out of desperation. After all, everyone in the company knew that I had dedicated myself tirelessly for the past decade, with no expectation of reward, to achieve our current success. “Mr. Langley, you’re the company’s second-in-command! It’s just one project. Don’t throw away your future over a momentary impulse!” Hearing this, Camila seemed to think I was threatening her, and her face flushed with anger. “Rylan, have you lost your mind?” she spat. “How dare you lose your temper after just a few words of criticism? You’ve really crossed the line! Let me remind you, you’re only the nominal CEO. I’m the one who truly controls this group!” I laughed inwardly. She should be overjoyed that I was handing over the CEO position. Wouldn’t it be a dream come true for Camila to see her beloved first love rise to the top? Oliver clutched the CEO position transfer document tightly, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes. Yet, he feigned a selfless and righteous posture, saying, “Mr. Langley, are you offering me the CEO position in a moment of anger? Please don’t misunderstand. Camila was just trying to help me catch up on the schedule by lending a hand. It’s all for the sake of Winthrop Group. “Besides, how dare I replace you? You’re a veteran of the group. The CEO position is not something a newcomer like me can aspire to. Everyone knows how dedicated you’ve been to the company all these years. The CEO position rightfully belongs to you.” As he spoke, Oliver made a gesture to return the transfer document to me. But his hand remained firmly pressed against the document as if afraid I would actually take it back. Seeing his two-faced act, I smiled faintly, “Why would I be angry? You’re a highly educated overseas returnee. I’m overjoyed to have fresh blood in the group. I have complete confidence in you as CEO.” Camila gave me a suspicious look, then snorted coldly, “Oliver, since he’s offering to step down, just accept it. With your capabilities, the CEO position would be yours sooner or later anyway. There’s no question of whether you’re worthy or not. Everyone’s here, so they can all be witnesses.” As soon as she finished speaking, Oliver immediately stopped refusing and hugged the transfer document tightly, his eyes almost overflowing with greed. Watching him, I sneered inwardly. Camila, spending all her time flirting with Oliver, had no idea how technically challenging the Oldom project indeed was. I had spent an entire year tackling it, finally achieving a breakthrough in the formation control algorithm for desert environments. But they didn’t know that the core program was still on my encrypted hard drive, not yet handed over. Even if they stole it, without the basic annotations, it would take them half a year just to crack the code. Without me, how could they possibly pull off an aerial performance with tens of thousands of drones? The drone swarm they saw as a gold mine would turn into a man-eating locust swarm! Besides, Oliver probably didn’t realize that the CEO position wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Mastering the core technology also meant shouldering all the responsibility. For this Oldom project, the down payment alone was five million dollars. If the performance failed, not only would they have to pay back the full amount, but they would also face the wrath of the royal family. Not to mention the fierce competition in this industry, rivals could completely crush the company because of one wrong move. Since they considered me useless, there was no need for me to remind them kindly. The day the project failed would be the day the Winthrop family faced utter ruin. Camila seemed a bit sheepish seeing me so readily step down. With a simulated cough and a haughty tone, she said, “Alright, Rylan, you can stop standing there. You’ll need to hand over your work anyway. We’re celebrating Oliver’s success tonight. Since you’re being so understanding, you can come along.” Her condescending tone almost made me laugh. If the Oldom project succeeded, the bonus would be at least tens of millions of dollars. They cut me out of the profit-sharing, and now they think a meal will make it all okay? What a joke! The thought of dining with a weasel-like Oliver made me sick. I was about to decline when Oliver chimed in, feigning sincerity. “Oh dear, Mr. Langley wasn’t around when I booked the private room, so I forgot to reserve you a seat. It’s my fault for not being thorough. I may have sprained my ankle today, but I should still take responsibility. Please have a seat. I’ll go get a chair from outside and buy some drinks.” I knew he was deliberately playing the victim, trying to score points with the Winthrop family. As expected, Camila immediately fussed over him, her voice full of concern as she guided him to a chair. “Oliver, you’ve done more than enough for the company. Such a huge project relies entirely on you. How can we let you do these errands?” She then shot me a disgusted look. “What are you waiting for? Don’t you have any common sense after all these years at the company? Either go buy the drinks, or don’t bother coming!” Her blatant double standards made me scoff inwardly. It was Camila, always taking me for granted. Back in the company, I worked day and night but was never included in any team dinners. Now they act like they’re doing me a favor. Oliver, pushing his luck, said with a smug grin, “Mr. Langley, I’m so sorry to trouble you. I’ll make sure to toast you properly later…” Before he could finish, I let out a cold laugh and kicked the leather executive chair right out from under him.
In the next instant, Oliver frantically dodged, only to trip over a chair. He crashed headfirst into the million-dollar holographic projector. The sound of shattering glass pierced the air. I watched him scramble to his feet, blood trickling down his forehead, and couldn’t help but sneer. “What, did the star student’s foot miraculously heal? That agility is quite something. Were you a tap dancer in a past life?” Camila froze as if doused with a bucket of ice water. Then, she rushed to Oliver’s side, her face filled with concern as she turned to me, roaring, “Rylan, have you lost your damn mind? What about the Oldom project if Oliver gets a head injury? I finally understand what’s going on with you today! You just can’t stand seeing Oliver be better than you, so you’re deliberately trying to sabotage this project, aren’t you?” I scoffed, my face full of disdain, “Jealous of an idiot? Please.” “And…” I continued, “I’ve already resigned. So don’t pull that bossy attitude with me. I’m done playing your games!” Camila trembled with rage, her eyes red-rimmed, about to retort. I strode out of the conference room without looking back. The sounds of the commotion and Vincent’s furious shouts faded behind me. I gathered my belongings from my office, my gaze lingering on the velvet gift box on my desk. I was lost in thought. It was a custom-made bracelet I had ordered from abroad. Originally intended as an anniversary gift for Camila. How ironic it seemed now. Staring at the bracelet, I couldn’t help but fall into a trance. Back in college, Camila was my goddess. I knew I was just an ordinary guy, not worthy of a high-class heiress like her. So I just silently adored her, running errands, buying her lunch, and even doing her homework. And, of course, she took me for granted, treating me like a spare tire. One day, I found a silver bracelet she had lost and tried to return it. But she threw it into a dirty ditch and told me to “step up” and be her boyfriend. Everyone said she was just lashing out because her first love had dumped her, taking revenge on me. But I refused to believe it. I doubled down on being good to her, convinced that one day, my love would win her over. Like a loyal puppy, I revolved around her 24/7. I showered her with gifts, always coming up with new surprises. Even after ten years of marriage, nothing changed. Our anniversary was always marked in my calendar, even though Camila never remembered it, let alone celebrated it. I knew she was never truly passionate about me, but I always believed she loved me in her way. Maybe this was just how she expressed love. So, I willingly accepted being a powerless CEO at the company and a live-in husband to the Winthrop family. I thought our life would continue to be happy and fulfilling. But I underestimated the power of her first love. It wasn’t until I saw her attitude towards Oliver, the unconcealed love in her eyes, that I realized my ten years of devotion were nothing but self-deception. Perhaps Oliver had held a place in Camila’s heart all along. And I was nothing more than a dispensable substitute. Just as I was about to throw away the gift, I bumped into Camila and her entourage returning to the office. “Well, well, Rylan, weren’t you quite the tough guy earlier?” she sneered. “Can’t you be a bit less petty and resort to such low tactics?” Camila stood in the doorway, arm in arm, with Oliver, a group of executives trailing behind them. I sneered inwardly, “Huh, this shameless pair really doesn’t bother hiding it.” Oliver gently tugged Camila’s sleeve and said with feigned concern, “Camila, Mr. Langley must want to apologize to you. Look at the bracelet in his hand. He probably prepared it specifically to beg for your forgiveness!” Camila paused, then scoffed, “Hah! Does he think he can win me over with a cheap bracelet? If Oliver hadn’t stopped me, I would have called security ages ago…” As she spoke, she reached out to grab the bracelet from my hand. I frowned and, acting preemptively, tossed the bracelet straight into the trash can. “You’re sick,” I said. “Even garbage is appealing to you. You should get that delusional disorder of yours treated.”
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