Finn’s beloved Adeline has returned from studying abroad. Her return immediately put her on the same level as me, who has been working tirelessly to climb the company ladder for the past five years. But I’ve reached my limit; I comply with Finn’s wishes and act as the compliant puppet he desires. Everyone in the company knows I’m just a stand-in for Finn’s beloved Adeline. The foundation I’ve built with years of hard work has become their playground. With a simple nod from Adeline, I pack up my things and hand over the office I’ve occupied for two years. If she so much as frowns, Finn will do anything for her, even if it means stepping over me. Finn doesn’t understand why I’ve stopped crying and fighting, or why I no longer call him heartless. With Adeline perched on his lap, she giggles “Finn, you really know how to keep things in order; even the sister knows her place.” I smile faintly; they’ve forgotten that Finn has already signed the divorce agreement. I will leave this company and never see them again. 0
“Tonight, you meet with Mr. Johnson. Adeline and I have other plans,” Finn said, tossing the prepared meeting notes back to me as he left the meeting room with Adeline. This left me with a half-finished presentation on the screen and unfinished words. The room was so quiet I could hear the click of the lock. “Oh, poor Lydia has to work overtime again tonight.” “We really aren’t familiar with the project; it’s best if Lydia handles it.” “Finn trusts you, that’s why he gave you this task.” Adeline’s team members packed their things and offered me empty words of comfort as they passed. I knew they were just flaunting their favor with Finn in front of me. Finn’s favoritism towards Adeline is obvious to everyone, even though I am his legal wife. For a whole month, I’ve been putting in extra hours on the project with Mr. Johnson. When I handed it to Finn, he barely glanced at the proposal before telling me to pass it to Adeline’s team. I argued for my team’s hard work and had a huge fight with Finn in the office. Everyone outside could hear my hysteria, but no one spoke up for me, even though we’ve shared hardships for five years. That was the last time I argued with him. It wasn’t for me or because of Adeline, but for my team’s dedication. In the end, I paid out of my own pocket to take the team out for dinner to soothe their frustration, then stayed late to reorganize the project details for Adeline. She tugged Finn’s sleeve and pouted, “Taking over the sister’s project, she won’t get mad, will she? Besides, I don’t even know this project yet.” So, Finn waved his hand and told me to organize a meeting to hand over the project details. Standing in front of the two of them, the air was tense. They seemed to be waiting for me to get angry or break down. But I calmly gathered my documents and agreed coolly. Today’s scene repeated itself; Finn seemed determined to use humiliating me as his way to win over Adeline. It seemed the crueler he was to me, the more sincere his feelings for his first love, Adeline, appeared. I should have realized sooner that I could never replace Adeline, even though I am his wife. Finn and Adeline’s story is clichéd, like a Prince and his Cinderella. Adeline is an only child from a regular family, not poor but not a match for Finn’s high-status parents. Finn was set on Adeline, declaring he’d marry no one else, and fought with his family over it. His parents resorted to the oldest drama trick—a half a million dollars to leave their son. Actually, they arranged for her to study at her dream school abroad, covering all expenses. Adeline agreed, somehow convincing Finn to accept it too. While Adeline was abroad, Finn’s parents approached me. They promised that if I agreed to marry Finn, they would revive my family’s fortunes. It was a windfall for me. Finn and I knew each other from childhood, attending the same schools since elementary. My feelings for him grew wildly during my teenage years; I secretly loved him for seven years. I asked why me, and they said I looked like Adeline, and they knew me better since they’d watched me grow up. “Besides, we can revive your family, or crush it like an ant if we wish,” Finn’s mother said with a smile that had the sharpness of a sugar-coated blade. Despite knowing the dangers, I accepted it naively, dreaming that love would grow over time, like kids playing house. Until one day, I accidentally saw his chat history with Adeline on his smartphone during a meeting and confronted him. Finn turned it on me, telling me to know my place, and brought Adeline into the company, raising her to my level. He wanted revenge, so he publicly favored Adeline, leaving me embarrassed. He took Adeline to social events, and even at company dinners, held her hand and doted on her publicly. I got angry, but he didn’t care, turning it into my one-sided cold war. If I apologized, he would lecture me in front of everyone, calling me a stand-in who couldn’t compare to a hair on Adeline’s head. Luckily, I woke up from this five-year dream long ago. This unhappy marriage should have ended sooner. 0
It was late at night when I finished discussing the project with Mr. Johnson. He’s notoriously difficult—hard to crack, hard to get a signature, hard to please. Even though my proposal covered all his needs, he dragged it out until he finally signed. In the freezing winter night, not even taxi drivers wanted to pick me up. Finally, shivering with cold, I got into a taxi and came back to life with the warm air from the heater. I numbly scrolled through my smartphone, and my Facebook Feed was flooded with Adeline’s posts. In the pictures, she and Finn were holding hands, sweetly nestled in a Ferris wheel cabin. She smiled brightly at the camera, while Finn’s eyes were tenderly fixed on her face, a faint smile on his lips. When the amusement park opened, I had asked Finn to go with me. At that time, Adeline hadn’t returned, and Finn and I were getting along. But he said it was childish and crowded, and asked me if I wasn’t embarrassed to go. So, I pouted but said nothing, unable to imagine him in a cartoon headband on a Ferris wheel. It wasn’t his style. I thought so and shelved the plan, passing the park countless times but never entering. Now, I realize childishness and crowds were never the issue. It was about who you went with. Like Finn’s gaze in the photo, I’d never seen that look from him. The comments were full of colleagues fawning: “Oh my, so sweet, I’m dying!” “Why call her Ms. Adeline? She’s Mrs. Finn~” “Adeline returns, and Finn dotes on her deeply.” Adeline chimed in, sharing how she had begged Finn to wear matching headbands: “Isn’t it cute, our Finn~” The comments buzzed with speculation, but Finn and Adeline only said they were just out relaxing. A new employee, clueless, asked when they could drink at their wedding. Finn replied with a question mark, and Adeline sent a “shush” emoji. I didn’t react like before, getting angry at their relationship and calling Finn. Instead, I messaged him about successfully closing the project with Mr. Johnson and that I’d leave the documents in his office for signing tomorrow. The bumpy road made me turn off my smartphone, lean against the car door, and close my eyes in exhaustion. Back home, I saw a message from Adeline using Finn’s account: “Lydia, it’s Adeline. Thanks so much for handling the project with Mr. Johnson. Finn didn’t want me to be too tired right after arriving, so he wouldn’t let me do anything! I owe you a meal to thank you~” Finn’s smartphone was off-limits to everyone, even if I accidentally picked it up. He would accuse me of disrespect and invasion of privacy. Yet, Adeline could freely use it, see our chats, and expose everything to her. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Lydia, it’s Adeline. Thank you so much for your hard work on the project with Mr. Johnson. Finn doesn’t want me to be worn out right after I arrive, so he hasn’t let me do anything! I’ll treat you to a meal someday as a reward~” Finn never lets anyone touch or look at his smartphone. Even when I picked it up from the coffee table by mistake, thinking it was mine, he got upset, saying I was invading his privacy. Yet, he lets Adeline use it freely to reply to messages, exposing all our chats to her without any privacy concerns. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Is this what they call the power of “Adeline”? The importance placed on someone in one’s heart dictates how they are treated. However, I felt unusually calm and even gave her a like on her Facebook Feed. What once seemed like the end of the world now feels trivial. I’ve wasted too much time on them. From now on, I’ll live for myself. I pulled up the data I compiled recently and called my dad: “Yes, I’ll handle those companies abroad. We’re divorced now.” 0
Finn didn’t come home all night, and I didn’t leave the entryway light on for him or wait up in the living room like before. He might still be out enjoying himself while his parents are probably worrying about the company deficit. Finn’s company was initially started to impress his parents. His father and mother saw it as a chance for him to gain experience, so they secretly helped a lot, investing much money. Otherwise, the company wouldn’t have taken off so quickly. Did Finn, who used to skip class to hang out with friends, and I, who only had a bunch of theoretical knowledge from university professors, really think we could run a company? Finn thought he was some business prodigy, always getting new project collaborations whenever there were signs of losses. But it was all his parents and I handling things behind the scenes. While I was learning how to run a company day and night, the Aiden family’s money wasn’t just filling the void for their playboy son. I used the company as a transit hub to support our own industry. The way Finn’s mother looked down on me back then still feels like a splinter lodged in my skin. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but it always bothers me when I think of it. Now, our industry, with my help, has risen from decline to become a leading enterprise. Finn doesn’t know or care about any of this. Since he reconnected with Adeline, every time I share my success excitedly, he can’t take his eyes off his smartphone. In front of him, even when I dress according to his preferences, I feel like I’m acting foolish. But it doesn’t matter anymore. These years have just been me working here. I’ve spent five years in this company, understanding every level and experiencing every process firsthand. This experience will be my capital to build my own world. Suddenly, Finn called: “There’s a company annual party tonight, remember to come and wear the dress I sent over.” I agreed calmly, not saying much. He seemed surprised I didn’t ask about the dress design this time, realizing it was Adeline’s favorite style and causing a scene. In the past, it always ended with us fighting, me tearfully wearing the dress to make peace, and seeing a hint of admiration in his eyes. But nothing would change. I politely said, “I understand. Is there anything else?” “You…” He started but couldn’t finish, ending the call with a busy signal. The divorce agreement has taken effect, and now we’re just boss and employee. The procedures to go abroad are almost complete. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be at my own company, sitting at the main seat, holding the first shareholders meeting. I’ll still attend tonight’s annual party, as a farewell to my youth. But when I walked in wearing the dress Finn sent, I saw Adeline clinging to his arm, wearing the exact same dress. 0
I paused at the entrance of the banquet hall, standing opposite them across the crowd. People were starting to notice, whispering around me. “Wow, how awkward. The replacement and the original.” “A replica can never be as good as the original. One’s by his side; the other’s entering alone.” “Such a rich family’s drama, and I’m seeing it live.” I was considering leaving to save face, but Adeline spotted me through the crowd. “What a coincidence, dear Lydia! You like this design too? Finn said it was custom-made for me. I thought there was only one.” Up close, I noticed differences. Her dress had gemstones on the skirt hem, sparkling like a starry river under the banquet hall lights. Finn looked flustered, avoiding my eyes. Was he embarrassed for making a scene or surprised the dress matched his Adeline’s exactly? Whatever the reason, it wasn’t my concern anymore. I raised my wine glass with a graceful smile: “What a coincidence. Mr. Finn likes it, but I think it’s just okay.” Before I could take a sip, Adeline suddenly stumbled, spilling all her red wine on my skirt. The wine glass shattered, cutting my skin. My white skirt bloomed with dark red stains, whether from wine or blood, I couldn’t tell. The culprit collapsed tearfully into Finn’s arms: “I’m sorry, sister. I must have stepped on something and twisted my ankle. I’m really sorry. Do you have another dress?” I lifted my skirt to avoid the wet fabric sticking to my legs. I have a cleanliness habit, and the dress clinging to me was uncomfortable. I said coldly: “Adeline, is this necessary? “I hadn’t even seen this dress before wearing it. “No one’s competing with you for anything.” Perhaps my rare cold attitude caught her off guard. She paused, a barely noticeable smug smile on her lips: “Today’s the company’s annual party. Calm down, don’t make a scene. It’s about the company reputation. After the party, you can hit or scold me all you want! I’m just clumsy. Sister, why don’t you hit me?” She closed her eyes, grabbing my hand to slap herself with. She held on so tight I couldn’t break free. Before my hand could reach her face, Finn’s hand grabbed my wrist. “Lydia, enough! Don’t be so harsh. Adeline didn’t do it on purpose. Learn to consider the bigger picture like Adeline. Think about the company. She’s apologized; let’s end it here. I’ll send ten more dresses to your house tomorrow for you to choose from!” I laughed in frustration, pulling my hand free with all my strength, slashing my skirt with a wine glass shard. Rip— The dirty fabric tore off cleanly, transforming the cumbersome long skirt into a brand-new short one. “Hopefully, you two can think more about the company.” I tossed the dirty fabric at their faces and turned to leave. “Enough, stop being stubborn. I know what you’re up to. Don’t worry, with my parents backing you, your position is secure for now. They want me to bring you home tomorrow. Ask for whatever compensation you want.” He rambled on, oblivious to Adeline’s increasingly displeased expression. “But we’re already divorced.” Every tear on my skirt was my creation. On me, it’s the original. Under the torn dress, my leg bled from the glass cuts. It hurt, but I stood tall. I’ll never bow to Finn again. “Finn, whether as legal spouses or work colleagues, we have no connection anymore. “You should call me boss now.” 0 Adeline’s eyes sparkled at the words, and she gripped Finn’s arm more tightly, though she quickly masked her excitement: “Please, don’t be upset with Finn…”
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