At our wedding, my wife Jessica Greene suggested that her stand-in marry me, Chris Morgan, while she traveled the world with her lover, Logan Parker. Everyone thought I would be furious and cancel the wedding. Instead, I just smiled and handed her the financial report, telling her to enjoy life with her lover while I took care of the company’s small matters. My wife thought I had finally been tamed. After casually signing the contract I gave her, she promised me that when she came back, I would get a promotion and a raise. What she didn’t know was that what she signed wasn’t a financial report at all. It was the transfer of her shares and our divorce agreement. A month later, when my wife returned, eager to take back control of the company, she found that I had become the new CEO and that she had been fired. The self-proclaimed clever woman was left stunned. “Chris, the stand-in’s already changed into her wedding dress. Go on and take the vows with her. I’ve got a flight to catch, so I’ll leave you to it.” At the wedding, my CEO wife, Jessica, was wearing workout clothes. With a smile, she shoved another woman into my arms and urged me to go up and get married. It should have been a joyful day, but as I looked at the stand-in, who looked about seventy percent like Jessica, I couldn’t bring myself to smile. I had been with Jessica for seven years. When it came to our wedding, she always said she was too busy with work and didn’t have time. She kept saying, “Once the company is stable and we’re listed, we can talk about marriage.” I worked tirelessly for her, building teams, pulling in business, and sacrificing my youth and health. In the end, I helped the company go public. Finally, after all this effort, I thought our wedding day had arrived. I thought we would finally walk down the aisle together. But now, she had suddenly changed her mind and sent a stand-in to take her place. Seeing me stay silent, Jessica checked her watch, and her expression grew impatient. “Chris, it’s our big day. What are you giving me that sour face for? “If it weren’t for our seven years together, I would’ve let you go out there and make a fool of yourself with a stand-in. As it is, I’m being nice by letting you go through with this. “I don’t have time to waste with you. “Just tell me, are we getting married or not?” As soon as she finished speaking, our colleagues and friends, as if rehearsed, started pressuring me. “Chris, it’s just a different person walking down the aisle. Why make this difficult?” “Yeah, Mr. Morgan, with a wife like Ms. Greene, successful and beautiful, you won’t find better. You’re still married, whether it’s her or the stand-in.” “Besides, the stand-in looks almost identical to Ms. Greene. No one will know the difference. Why are you worried?” The guests all spoke in unison, almost scolding me as if I were the one in the wrong. It was obvious to me that from the start, I was the only one kept in the dark. And no matter how fine their words sounded, the looks in their eyes were filled with disdain and condescension. To them, I was probably just a dog on a leash owned by Jessica. After all, if Jessica truly loved me, why would she send a stand-in to marry me while she traveled the world with her lover? Instead of getting angry, I turned to look at the real culprit behind it all, Logan. Although Logan was Jessica’s lover, he had abandoned her ten years ago. Back then, Logan dumped her to flatter other rich girls. Now, seeing her become successful, he quickly came back, crying about how much he loved her over the years and claiming his departure had a hidden reason. To my surprise, Jessica not only believed him right away but also brought him into the company as an executive. To even accompany him on a trip, she casually found a substitute to cover for my carefully prepared wedding. The next moment, Logan noticed my gaze and grinned even wider. “What are you staring at? Jessica didn’t completely ditch you. She even found a stand-in to help you with the wedding. You should be grateful. “If you don’t want Jessica to go on a trip with me, just say it. Don’t act all innocent like a martyr. You think no one can see through your schemes?” I listened to Logan’s accusations, but I couldn’t help but laugh coldly inside. Logan’s tactics were as low as they were before when we worked together in the company. Since he came back to the country and Jessica brought him into the company, he had been using these twisted words to deliberately provoke me. Little by little, not only had the entire company started to gossip about me being a master of disguise, but Jessica also began to believe that I was a ruthless schemer. Logan’s taunts only seemed like straightforward honesty to her. But this time, I wasn’t going to play along with their childish game anymore. With that thought, I didn’t get angry. Instead, I smiled lightly. “How could I stop you two from going on a trip? “Ms. Greene has worked so hard for the company. Now it’s my time to give back. “As for the wedding and the company’s matters, I’ll follow Ms. Greene’s decisions. You two just go and enjoy your trip.” With that, I handed Jessica a stack of papers and smiled. “Ms. Greene, here’s this month’s financial report. If you sign it, I’ll notify the finance department to release the salaries this afternoon.” Seeing that I agreed so easily, Jessica was momentarily stunned. She stared at me for a long time before finally nodding in satisfaction, not even glancing at the papers, and just flipped to the last page, signing her name in bold strokes. “It would’ve been better if you did this earlier. You did well today. “Handle the wedding and the company matters, and when I come back from the trip, we can consider giving you a promotion and raise.” If I had heard this before, maybe I would’ve been happy, thinking Jessica finally recognized my hard work. But now, I saw clearly that she didn’t love me. She just didn’t want to handle everything herself. The company had just gone public, and everyone was swamped with work, left with countless problems. But she didn’t understand any of it. She was only looking for an excuse to go off with Logan, to relax and take a break. If she divorced me now, without me handling everything for her, how could she go out and date without worry? But when she mentioned promoting me and giving me a raise, Logan immediately furrowed his brow. “Managing the company for Jessica is already your responsibility. You don’t seriously think she’ll promote and raise your salary, do you? “If it weren’t for your incompetence and the company’s continuous decline in performance, Jessica wouldn’t be so tired that she needs to go on a trip to relax. “You agree, right, Jessica?” At that, I couldn’t help but twitch my lips. If it weren’t for Jessica insisting on bringing someone like Logan into the company and even giving him a major role as project leader, the company’s performance wouldn’t have been so bad. But Jessica didn’t hesitate for a second, immediately agreeing with Logan. “Logan’s right. I almost fell for your acting again. “A five thousand dollars salary a month? I’m not just giving it to you for free.” Hearing Jessica’s words, I couldn’t help but feel a bitter laugh rise in my chest. She actually had the nerve to bring up my salary. This company was my creation! It was because I saw how hard she worked alongside me that I transferred most of my shares to her as compensation. But after she became the CEO, she started taking advantage of everything. She became more and more demanding. All the sacrifices I made, in her eyes, became things I should have done. She even pushed me to the limit with my salary, claiming that long-time employees should set an example. Meanwhile, the new interns at the company were getting six thousand dollars a month, but I, the founder of this company, the one who built it from the ground up, was stuck with a measly five thousand. And even with that five thousand, I had to use it to cover my family’s daily expenses. By the end of the month, I couldn’t even save enough for a few packs of cigarettes. Before I could say anything, Jessica impatiently waved her hand and dragged Logan towards the door. “Alright, you handle the wedding and company matters. Logan and I have a flight to catch. “Behave yourself. When I return to the company, I might consider giving you a raise.” I watched as Jessica and Logan walked away with a cold smile. She still had no idea she wouldn’t be coming back to the company. If she had been even a little cautious just now, she would have realized that what she signed wasn’t just a financial report. It was the stock transfer agreement and the divorce papers. After the divorce, the shares she transferred, combined with the ones I originally held, now made up over 50%. In other words, I could call a shareholders’ meeting at any time, take over as CEO, and kick her out of the company. I wondered what her expression would be when she found out the company had already changed hands by the time she returned.
By the time Logan and Jessica were out of sight, I turned away and walked toward the wedding venue. Grabbing the microphone, I cleared my throat and announced. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry to announce that today’s wedding is canceled. “But don’t worry, I’ll cover the bill. Enjoy yourselves, consider it an early Christmas’ Eve dinner.” The room erupted into shocked murmurs, but it quickly returned to its lively buzz. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy a free meal and drinks? As for me, I left the event immediately and rushed back to the company to hold an urgent shareholders’ meeting. Between uncertain love and the firm grasp of stock equity, the latter felt a lot more secure. Before the meeting started, my assistant reminded me that according to protocol, I still had to give Jessica a call to inform her. I shrugged, not bothered at all. After all, the agreement was already signed. Even if she objected, it wouldn’t change a thing. But when I picked up the phone, it was Logan who picked up first, and he immediately started yelling. “Enough, Chris. You really are pathetic! “I heard from the substitute that you canceled the wedding. Do you really think that will make Jessica feel sorry for you or care about you? “I’ve already blocked your number and WhatsApp on her phone. She has no idea what’s going on. Even if you change your number, it’s pointless. “Everyone can see that I’m Jessica’s true love. You’re just a figurehead husband. Did you really think you meant something? “Get back to your work. Jessica’s happy with me now and has no time for your petty problems.” With that, he hung up. The moment the call ended, everyone in the meeting room awkwardly glanced at me. But I didn’t care one bit. Jessica’s little stunt had been the talk of the company ever since Logan joined. It was obvious he was doing it to flaunt his relationship with her. But Jessica was letting it happen, even enjoying the attention. Before all this, I had been in a secret relationship with her for seven years, and no one had ever found out. She had repeatedly insisted we keep our relationship private and that we couldn’t have any rumors spreading around, especially not because of the company. It wasn’t until our marriage was announced that everyone found out we had been together for seven years. Seven years. I had hidden it like a mouse in the shadows, afraid it might affect her career. But now? As soon as Logan arrived, she wanted to shout to the world to prove to everyone that Logan was truly her soulmate. This was the difference between love and indifference. At this point, though, I wasn’t even angry. Instead, I almost felt sorry for Jessica. If she knew that Logan had kept an important matter like the shareholder meeting from her and dismissed it as nothing more than a trivial matter, she’d probably be so furious she might strangle him on the spot. The thought made me smile bitterly as I slammed Jessica’s stock transfer document down on the table. “I’ll be straight with you. From now on, I’m the largest shareholder and the chairman of the company. “Any objections?” Hearing this, no one in the room shook their heads. In fact, some of them even had a look of excitement in their eyes. After all, none of these people were particularly close to Jessica. They were just there to make money. They also knew that the company had reached this point because I’d been the one holding it together all along. Jessica knew nothing about management, and ever since Logan joined, he’d been making reckless decisions that had caused the company’s performance to plummet month by month. They were angry but had been too scared to speak up. Now that the company was back in my hands, they all wholeheartedly supported me. After taking care of everything, I returned to my office and received a message from Logan. In the video, Jessica, who had supposedly gone on a trip, suddenly changed into a wedding dress I’d never seen before, walking down the aisle with Logan hand-in-hand. “Chris, you canceled your wedding with the stand-in. What good did it do you? You only saved your sorry reputation. “You’ve never seen Jessica in a wedding dress, have you? “You don’t really think we’re on a trip, do you? “Jessica herself said she wanted to save her first time wearing a wedding dress for me, and that we would have our wedding to make up for all the years we lost.” I watched the video, which showed Jessica and Logan wearing matching wedding bands on their ring fingers, and I couldn’t help but scoff. Jessica had told me the reason she didn’t get me a matching ring was because the diamond ring didn’t come in a couple’s version. So she didn’t forget about the ring at all, she had already given it to Logan. After that, Logan didn’t stop taunting me almost every day. “Chris, it’s pretty late. You’re still stuck at the office, aren’t you? “You must be exhausted. Want me to send you some money for a coffee? After all, Jessica just transferred a million dollars to me. Oh, poor me, I have too much money and nowhere to spend it. “Chris, did Jessica not reply to your messages again today? Well, what can I say? We’re on our honeymoon, and her eyes are only on me. She’s too busy sightseeing with me to have time for you. Don’t get jealous now.” I looked at the messages Logan sent and could only coldly smile as I saved the evidence and forwarded it to my lawyer. With these pieces of evidence, even if Jessica tried to act like a sore loser and sue me, it would only backfire on her. A month flew by in no time. After working non-stop to adjust the company’s business, I was exhausted. Finally, I could get a good night’s sleep. But just as I was drifting in and out of sleep, a slap landed across my face. “Chris, it’s already past 4 a.m., and you’re still sleeping like a dead pig? “Get up and throw your stinky clothes out. Don’t dirty my luggage.” I looked up to see Logan suddenly standing in my home, a frown forming on my face. “Are you crazy? This is my house. How did you get in?” At that moment, Jessica walked in from the living room, looking completely indifferent. “Of course, I brought him here. “From now on, this room is Logan’s. It’s closer to the company, so it’ll be more convenient for him to come to work. Do you have any objections?” I was stunned for a moment and instinctively asked, “This is my house. If I don’t live here, then where am I supposed to live?” Logan scoffed dismissively, “Who cares where you live? “Ms. Greene paid your salary. You can rent a place on your own if you want. “And your house isn’t even yours, it’s Ms. Greene’s house. And Ms. Greene’s house is my house. I can let anyone stay in my house. What, you got a problem with that?” I stared at Logan, his illogical reasoning making me laugh in anger. These two were done pretending. At that moment, I couldn’t help but show a cold smile as I grabbed Logan and Jessica’s luggage. Seeing that I was obediently following their orders, Jessica finally nodded in satisfaction. “At least you know your place. When we head back to the office…” But before she could finish, I tossed their luggage straight into the river and turned around to smile at them. “Just tossing out some trash on my way to work. Don’t mention it. “Also, we’re divorced now. This is my house. If you don’t leave, expect the police to come knocking.”
With that, I slammed the divorce agreement Jessica had signed on the table and headed straight back to the office. After all, now that the company was listed, my time was extremely valuable, and there was a mountain of work waiting for me. Plus, now that Jessica and her people had returned, I could finally notify HR to handle their termination. After I finished talking with HR and was about to head back to my office, I found Jessica and Logan already sitting inside. As soon as Logan saw me, he couldn’t help but sneer, “Oh, look who it is, Jessica’s ex-husband! “You were so tough back at the house. I thought maybe you’d turned into some big shot after a month, but you’re still just working at Jessica’s company, huh? Jessica tilted her chin up proudly, looking like a rooster strutting around. “Chris, it seems I’ve been too nice to you over the years. That’s why you’ve become so selfish and ungrateful. “Even if you used dirty tricks to get me to sign the divorce papers and took more than your fair share of our assets, so what? “Don’t forget, I’m the chairman of the company, and you’re just one of my employees. “I can fire you anytime, and if I mess with your background check a little, I guarantee you’ll never work in this industry again.” Saying that Jessica threw the pot on the table to the ground, looking at me with a mocking expression. “If you want to stay in this industry, then use your tongue to clean the floor. Maybe I’ll think about giving you a job as a janitor at the company.” Before I could respond, Logan chuckled and teased, “Jessica, you’re just too soft-hearted. “Not only do you give Chris a job, but you’re also letting him drink such expensive coffee. You really are soft on your ex-husband. “Now you’ve got me jealous.” Hearing their sarcastic insults, I just found it amusing. So much for being the company’s CEO. It looked like she and Logan had been having too much fun this past month and hadn’t paid a single bit of attention to the company. She didn’t even know she’d been kicked out of the board. I shrugged, indifferent. “Fine, if you’re so capable, go ahead and fire me.” At that, Jessica froze for a moment, then snorted dismissively. “Chris, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Do you really think the company can’t do without you? “Let me tell you the truth. Do you really think I gave you a month to prove yourself? “You really thought I was going to make you the vice president? No. I was just using your experience to turn around the company’s decline and fix the situation with the poor performance and stock drop. “Now that the business adjustment is done, I could replace you with a dog as the director, and it wouldn’t matter. What do you think your value is now?” Logan, standing nearby, looked extremely impatient and waved his hand dismissively. “Jessica, stop wasting your breath on him. “Talking to someone like him is just like wasting your time. Once he gets blacklisted and can’t find a job, he’ll come crawling to us, begging for help.” Hearing this, Jessica smirked, walking with an air of superiority as she ordered. “HR, prepare a termination letter!” Soon, HR came back with the letter, but instead of handing it to me, they handed it to Jessica. At this, Jessica’s face turned sour. “What’s this for? “Are you new here? Don’t you know I’m the company’s CEO?” At that moment, I looked at her with disdain, slamming the board’s appointment letter onto the table with a cold laugh. “Oh, right, you probably don’t know. “After a unanimous vote at the shareholders’ meeting, I’m the new CEO now. “And you, Jessica… from this moment on, you’re fired!”
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