It was a rainy night. I left work early and headed home. The moment the key slid into the lock, I heard it – sounds from our bedroom. Muffled moans, ragged breaths. My hand froze mid-air. Brooke had said she was working late tonight, wouldn’t be home for dinner. But now, there were clearly two people in our bedroom. I pushed the door open quietly. The living room was a mess. A pair of women’s heels tossed carelessly by the entrance, a man’s dress shoes slumped beside the sofa. On the coffee table, two red wine glasses with dark, crimson residue. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and the sounds grew clearer. “Brooke, you’re so wet… He can’t satisfy you at all.” That voice. I knew it all too well. Ryan, my best friend since childhood, my colleague, the man I trusted most. “Don’t talk about him. Let’s just enjoy ourselves…” Brooke’s voice was so alluring, so *foreign* to me. I’d never once heard her speak to me in that tone. In our three years of marriage, she’d always been distant, cold, as if simply going through the motions. But now, in another man’s arms, her voice was sweet as honey. I pushed the bedroom door wide open. The two people on the bed instantly froze. Brooke shrieked, scrambling to pull the duvet over herself. Ryan rolled over, his face a roadmap of guilt and embarrassment. “Alex, let me explain…” “Explain what?” My voice was eerily calm, even to my own ears. By all rights, I should’ve been roaring, raging, maybe even grabbing a knife. But I just stood there, staring coldly at them. “Alex, we…” “We didn’t do anything!” Brooke cut Ryan off, her voice sharp enough to scrape paint. I laughed. I laughed until my eyes stung with unshed tears. “Didn’t do anything? So you two were naked in my bed, discussing work?” Brooke’s face instantly flushed crimson. Ryan scrambled out of bed, fumbling into his clothes. “Alex, man, this whole thing…” “Man?” I repeated the word, each syllable chilling the air. “Ryan, we’ve known each other for twenty years. Do you really think I’ll ever call you ‘man’ again?” He froze, the shirt in his hand dropping to the floor. I turned to Brooke. The woman I’d loved for five years, married for three. She huddled in the duvet, her eyes darting away, unable to meet mine. “Brooke, I’m asking you, how many times has this happened?” “How many times? I told you, we didn’t do anything!” She was still trying to deny it. I walked to the dresser and pulled open the top drawer. Inside was a box of condoms, clearly well-used. I picked up the box and shook it at her. “Are these ‘work supplies’ too?” Brooke’s face went completely white. Ryan was dressed and trying to sneak away. “Stop!” I called out to him. “Ryan, you think you can just *walk away*?” “Alex, we…” “We’re nothing to each other anymore.” I looked at the man who’d been my brother since childhood. We went to school together, got into fights, got punished by teachers. We were roommates in college. After graduation, I recommended him for a job at our company. I treated him like my own brother, and he was sleeping with my wife in my bed. “You two carry on. I’m leaving.” I turned and walked out. “Alex!” Brooke jumped out of bed, naked, and ran after me, grabbing my arm. I shook her hand off. “Don’t touch me. You’re tainted.” The words slapped her across the face. She froze there, her eyes instantly welling up. “Alex Greene, what right do you have to say that to me?” “What else do you even *do* besides work? All you care about is making money!” “When did you ever care about me? When did you ever spend time with me?” “Ryan at least knows how to make me happy, he buys me presents, he takes me to the movies!” “And you? What else can you offer me besides money?” I stopped and turned back to her. This woman standing before me, accusing me. The woman I poured my entire salary into every month, bought designer bags for, funded her entire lifestyle. The woman I thought was my wife. “Brooke, you’re right.” “I really can’t give you anything but money.” “But starting today, I won’t even be giving you that anymore.” I walked out of the house without looking back. The rain was still falling, icy cold on my face. I stood by the apartment complex entrance, unsure where to go. This place I’d called home for three years suddenly felt alien. That place I thought was my home, turned out to be only *my* home. My phone rang. It was Ryan. I ignored it. It rang again. Still him. I turned it off. Rainwater dripped down my hair into my eyes, salty, like tears. But I didn’t cry. I just felt tired. So incredibly tired. Tired enough to lie down on the ground and never get up. But I couldn’t. I still had things to do. I was going to make them understand the cost of betraying me.
I stayed at a nearby hotel for the night. I didn’t sleep a wink, my mind replaying the scene from earlier. At dawn, instead of going straight to the office, I went to a private investigation agency. “Mr. Greene, I understand your situation.” The detective was a middle-aged man, Mr. Davis, who looked very professional. “We have extensive experience with infidelity cases.” “However, I must warn you, some truths can be far more brutal than you anticipate.” “I want the whole truth.” I pushed my bank card across the desk. “No matter how brutal, I need to know everything.” Mr. Davis nodded, taking the card. “Give me a week.” After leaving the detective agency, I went to the office. Ryan was already there. Seeing me enter, he immediately stood up. “Alex, about last night…” “During work hours, address me as Mr. Greene.” I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop. “Mr. Greene, can we talk?” He walked over, his voice barely a whisper. “Talk about what? Project progress?” I stared at the screen without looking up. “Alex, don’t be like this. We’re friends…” “I said, during work hours, address me as Mr. Greene.” “And please, stay away from me. I’m worried about catching something contagious.” Coworkers started noticing the tension between us. Ryan’s face flushed crimson, and he retreated awkwardly to his desk. At lunch, he followed me again. “Alex, I know you’re angry, but…” “But what? But you couldn’t help yourself?” I stopped and looked at him. “Ryan, tell me, how long has this been going on?” “How long has what been going on?” “Don’t play dumb. You and Brooke, how long?” He lowered his head, unable to meet my gaze. “Over a year…” Over a year. That meant they started their affair just two years into my marriage. And I, like a complete fool, still considered him my best friend. I often invited him over for dinner, had Brooke cook his favorite meals. Turns out, those dinner invitations were just creating opportunities for them. “Alex, listen to me…” “What else do you want to say? That you two are true love?” I sneered. “That you’re in love, so I should just bless your union?” “No, that’s not it. Brooke and I…” “Your relationship means nothing to me.” I looked him in the eye. “But you betrayed me. I won’t forget that.” “Alex…” “And don’t call me Alex. We’re not close.” After work, I didn’t go home. Brooke called me over a dozen times, but I didn’t answer. Finally, she sent a text: “Alex, let’s talk. This isn’t as serious as you think.” Not as serious as I think? My wife cheating on me with my best friend isn’t serious? What *is* serious then? I texted back eight words: “Nothing to discuss. Prepare for divorce.” She immediately called. I hung up. She called again. I hung up again. Finally, I blocked her on SnapChat. The next morning, Brooke was waiting for me outside the office building. She had on a pristine full face of makeup and the Chanel coat I’d bought her. She looked truly miserable. “Alex, why aren’t you answering my calls?” “We’re married. Can’t we just talk things out?” Passersby and our coworkers were all staring. I didn’t want to make a spectacle right outside the office. “Follow me.” I led her to a nearby coffee shop. “Alright, what do you want to talk about?” “Alex, what happened yesterday was an accident.” Brooke reached for my hand. “Ryan had too much to drink, and so did I. We weren’t thinking clearly.” “It was a mistake, a moment of weakness. Don’t take it seriously.” I pulled my hand away. “A moment of weakness? A year-long moment of weakness?” She froze. “How… how did you know?” “Do you think I’m stupid, Brooke?” I looked at her. “Brooke, we’ve been married for three years, and you’ve been cheating for over a year.” “That means our *actual* marriage lasted less than two years.” “And in those less than two years, you never loved me anyway.” She tried to argue, but her mouth opened and closed, and nothing came out. Because I was speaking the truth. Our marriage was a mistake from the start. She pursued me in college, and I thought she liked me. After graduation, she wanted to get married, and I thought she loved me. But now I understood. All she wanted was a man who could provide a stable life. A man who was reliable, decent, and easy to control. And Ryan, he offered her passion and romance. Things I apparently couldn’t provide. “Alex, I admit I made a mistake.” “But we can still start over.” “I’ll change. I’ll cut off all contact with Ryan.” “We can live happily. We can just pretend nothing happened.” I laughed. Just pretend nothing happened? What does she think I am? A doormat? Her personal garbage disposal? To be thrown out and picked up whenever she pleased? “Brooke, do you really think that’s possible?” “Every night, I’ll lie in bed, wondering what you and he did on that bed.” “Every time I see you, I’ll remember that night’s scene.” “Do you really think I can live a normal life with you anymore?” Her face grew paler and paler. “So, what do you want?” “A divorce.” I said it so casually, as if discussing what to have for dinner. “We’ll sell the house, split the money evenly.” “Everything else will be divided too.” “From now on, we’ll be strangers.” Brooke jumped to her feet. “Alex Greene, don’t go too far!” “You bought the house, yes, but I’ve contributed for three years too!” “I did the laundry, cooked, cleaned the house – doesn’t that count for anything?” “And who do you think you’ll find better than me? Without me?” “Look at yourself, what else can you do besides make money?” “Boring, bland, emotionless. What woman would ever truly want you?” Her words were like daggers, piercing my heart. But I didn’t argue. Because she was right. I was boring, bland, and emotionless. That’s why she cheated. That’s why my best friend betrayed me. That’s why I felt like a joke. “You’re right.” I stood up. “Precisely because I’m like this, you should be relieved.” “Leaving me is your escape.” “You can go find those ‘interesting’ men, like Ryan.” “He’ll be leaving the company soon. You two can finally be together, happily ever after.” With that, I turned and walked out. “Alex!” She screamed my name from behind me. I didn’t look back. I knew what she wanted to say. Threats, pleas, or more insults. But it was all useless. My heart felt dead. Dead to her, dead to this marriage, dead to this so-called love. — PAYWALL —
Three days later, Mr. Davis called me. “Mr. Greene, the investigation results are in.” “However, this situation is quite complex. I recommend you come in.” I put down my work and went straight to the detective agency. Mr. Davis handed me a thick file. “Mr. Greene, are you prepared for what’s inside?” I nodded, opening the file. Inside was a thick stack of photos and documents. The first photo made me freeze. It was Brooke and Ryan at a hotel entrance, dated a year and a half ago. Which meant their relationship started even earlier than Ryan had admitted. I continued to flip through. Photos from every angle, every location, every time of day. Hotels, restaurants, cinemas, parks. They were dating, dining, watching movies like a normal couple. And me? I was at home, waiting for her, making her late-night snacks. “Mr. Greene, according to our investigation, your wife and Mr. Ryan’s relationship has indeed been ongoing for about a year and a half.” Mr. Davis pointed to the photos. “And judging by the frequency, they met more than three times a week.” “Sometimes during lunchtime on weekdays, sometimes in the evenings.” “Your wife often used working late as an excuse to meet him.” More than three times a week. That meant she spent more time with him than she did with me. I kept flipping through the photos. Suddenly, I saw a picture that filled me with absolute fury. It was taken the day after our wedding anniversary. I remembered I’d worked late that night, and Brooke said she was meeting up with girlfriends. But in the photo, she and Ryan were embracing and kissing at our favorite restaurant. She was wearing the necklace I’d given her, the dress I’d bought her. Using *my* money to go on dates with another man. “This isn’t even the worst of it.” Mr. Davis flipped to another page. “Look at this.” It was a stack of hotel receipts. Starting from a year and a half ago, there was one almost every month. The room fees were all paid with Brooke’s credit card. My secondary card, to be exact. Which meant she was using *my* money to book hotel rooms with another man. My hands started to tremble. Not from rage, but from a terrifying calmness after reaching the peak of fury. “Is there anything worse?” My voice sounded unnervingly steady. Mr. Davis hesitated. “There’s one more thing that might be a significant blow.” “Tell me.” “Based on our surveillance, your wife and Mr. Ryan have been looking at houses.” “More specifically, they were looking at houses… for their wedding.” I froze. “What do you mean?” “They plan to get married and are preparing a new home.” Mr. Davis handed me another document. “These are their house viewing records, and the real estate agent’s SnapChat messages.” “Your wife told the agent she would be divorcing soon and needed a new house for her wedding.” I read through the SnapChat messages. Brooke wrote that her husband was a boring man, incapable of anything but making money. She’d been waiting for the right moment to divorce. Now she’d finally found true love and was ready to start a new life. The agent even wished her happiness. “And this.” Mr. Davis handed me another printout. It was a screenshot of Brooke’s SnapChat conversation with her best friend. “‘I’m sick of Alex. All he cares about is work and money, no romance whatsoever. Ryan’s different; he knows how to enjoy life, how to treat a woman right. Now, every day I just look forward to seeing him. Being with Alex feels like visiting a graveyard.’ And then: ‘Once I get half the house and the savings, I’m telling Alex everything. He’s such an honest fool, he’ll definitely split everything with me.’” Reading that, I finally understood. This wasn’t just an affair; it was a conspiracy. She wanted to take our shared assets and start a new life with Ryan. And I? I was just a tool in her plan. A cash cow, a temporary placeholder. Once she’d squeezed all the value out of me, she’d kick me to the curb. “Mr. Greene, are you alright?” Mr. Davis asked, concerned. I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’m *great*.” I gathered all the documents and put them back in the file. “Mr. Davis, can these documents be used as evidence in court?” “Yes, they can. We have a professional notarization process.” “Then please arrange that.” I stood up. “Also, I have another request.” “Go ahead.” “Please investigate Ryan’s background, including his financial status, personal debts, and any professional misconduct.” “I want all the dirt on him.” Mr. Davis nodded. “Understood. That should take about a week.” After leaving the detective agency, I didn’t go straight back to the office. Instead, I went to a law firm. “Mr. Greene, based on the evidence you’ve provided, you have a significant advantage in this divorce case.” The lawyer said after reviewing the documents. “However, I advise you not to confront her immediately.” “First, secure your assets to prevent her from transferring them.” “Then, officially file for divorce.” I nodded. “Please help me with that.” “I want her to leave with absolutely nothing.” The lawyer paused. “Mr. Greene, according to family law, even in cases of infidelity, asset division won’t be drastically different…” “She used my money to book hotel rooms with another man. Does that count as misappropriation of marital assets?” I cut him off. “Furthermore, she was planning to transfer assets, and I have evidence of that.” The lawyer reviewed the documents again. “In that case, you can definitely secure more of your rights.” “I will devise a detailed strategy for you.” It was already afternoon when I returned to the office. Ryan saw me and immediately walked over. “Alex, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you all morning.” “Personal business.” I sat down and resumed my work. “Alex, about Brooke…” “I said, personal business.” I didn’t look up. “Also, you’ll be responsible for the project report next week.” “Huh? I thought we agreed you’d do it?” “Plans change.” I looked at him. “Your performance hasn’t been great lately. This will be good experience for you.” Ryan’s face clouded over. The project report was a thankless task, requiring extensive preparation and carrying significant responsibility. If anything went wrong, it would be his fault. “Alex, are you doing this on purpose?” He asked in a low voice. I stopped typing and looked at him. “Ryan, are you questioning my professional judgment?” “No, I just feel…” “Feel what? That because we’re friends, I should go easy on you?” I stood up, raising my voice slightly. Coworkers around us looked over. “Ryan, I’m going to say this again: in this company, I am your direct superior.” “You are simply to execute orders. You don’t have the right to negotiate.” “If you have an issue, you can complain to upper management.” Ryan’s face flushed crimson. He wanted to say something, but ultimately just nodded. “I understand, Mr. Greene.” Watching him fume, I felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. This was just the beginning. I was going to make them understand the cost of betraying me. And there would be more.
That weekend, I didn’t go home. Brooke had sent me countless messages, from apologies to pleas to threats. I didn’t reply to a single one. I stayed in my hotel room, organizing the information I’d gathered. The detective’s report, the lawyer’s litigation plan, and some insights I’d discovered myself. Brooke didn’t know it, but I knew far more about her and Ryan than they could ever imagine. For example, Ryan actually had another girlfriend, working in another city. They’d been dating for three years, and her family was pressing them to get married. But Ryan kept stalling, saying he was too busy with work. It was all because of Brooke. He was stringing two women along, enjoying Brooke’s company while maintaining his relationship with his girlfriend. A classic scumbag move. Another example: Ryan had recently lost a lot of money on the stock market. He’d secretly been taking cash advances on his credit cards to play the market and was now heavily in debt. His monthly salary wasn’t even enough to cover his credit card payments. He’d been frequently asking Brooke for money, claiming it was for investment projects. But Brooke didn’t know that the money she gave him was just going to fill the holes in his stock market losses. Also, Ryan actually had a terrible reputation at work. He often shirked responsibility, blaming others when problems arose. There were several times when projects went wrong, and I was the one who bailed him out. Coworkers were polite to him on the surface, but secretly, they all looked down on him. All this information, I’d observed and accumulated over the years. Before, I considered him a friend, so I tolerated it. Now, all of it became my weapon. My phone rang. It was Brooke. I hesitated for a moment, then answered. “Alex, you finally answered!” Her voice was choked with sobs. “Where have you been these past few days? I’ve been so worried about you.” “Worried about me?” I sneered. “Worried I’d die and you wouldn’t get your share of the assets?” “Alex, how can you say that to me?” “I genuinely care about you.” “I’ve been reflecting these past few days. I know I made a mistake.” “I’m willing to change. Can we please start over?” Her acting was still so good. If I hadn’t seen those SnapChat messages, I might have actually fallen for it. But now, I just felt sick to my stomach. “Brooke, do you really think we still have a chance?” “Of course, we do! We’re married. What challenge can’t we overcome?” “I’ve already made things clear with Ryan. We won’t see each other again.” “I’ll delete his contacts, change jobs, move – whatever you ask.” “Just please forgive me.” She spoke tearfully, and if I hadn’t seen the evidence with my own eyes, I really would have been moved. But now, I just felt nauseated. “Alright, I’ll give you a chance.” I intentionally softened my tone. “Really? Alex, I knew you loved me most!” “But I have a condition.” “What condition? Tell me, I’ll do anything.” “I want to see all your SnapChat messages with Ryan from the past year and a half.” The other end of the line went silent. “And all your hotel receipts, date photos, everything.” “If you truly want to start over, there should be no secrets.” “Alex, this…” “What? Can’t do it?” “It’s not that I can’t, it’s just that I don’t think it’s necessary…” “Then there’s nothing more to discuss.” I was about to hang up. “Wait!” She quickly called out to me. “I can show you, but you can’t get angry when you see them.” “I won’t get angry.” My voice was as calm as still water. “I just want the truth.” “Okay, I’ll come home tonight. We can talk things through properly.” I hung up the phone and sneered. Brooke thought she could still manipulate my emotions. She didn’t know that I was completely over her. Tonight, she would show me some “carefully selected” SnapChat messages. Deleting the most vicious ones, keeping some that looked “harmless.” Then she’d cry and say she was just misled by Ryan, and now she realizes her mistake. A classic cheater’s playbook. Too bad I’d already seen the full version. At 8 PM, I returned home. Brooke had cooked a table full of food, waiting for me. All my favorite dishes, the aroma filling the air. She was wearing loungewear, with light makeup, looking gentle and virtuous. In the past, I would have been touched by such warmth. Now, I just wanted to end this charade quickly. “Alex, you’re back.” She came forward, trying to hug me. I sidestepped her. “The documents?” Her smile faltered slightly. “Let’s eat first. The food’s getting cold.” “I’m not hungry. The documents?” I sat directly on the sofa. Brooke bit her lip, then pulled out her phone from her bag. “Alex, let me just say, these messages might make you uncomfortable…” “Hand it over.” I held out my hand. She handed me the phone, her voice trembling: “Don’t get too upset when you read them. A lot of those were just said in anger…” I took the phone and started scrolling through the messages. As expected, they had been filtered. All the vicious remarks were gone, leaving only phrases like “I’m so conflicted,” or “I feel terrible about Alex.” It made it seem like she was truly suffering from guilt and remorse over the affair. “That’s all?” I handed the phone back to her. “Yes, that’s all.” She watched my expression nervously. “Alex, you see? Even though I made a mistake, you’ve always been in my heart…” “Brooke.” I cut her off. “Do you really think I’m that easy to fool?” She froze. “What do you mean?” I pulled out my phone and displayed the SnapChat screenshots Mr. Davis had sent me. “Look at this.” The moment she saw the screenshot, her face went instantly white. It was the full, unedited SnapChat conversation between her and her best friend. Including the line where she said being with me felt “like visiting a graveyard.” “Alex, this… where did this come from?” “It doesn’t matter.” I put my phone away. “What matters is that you’re still lying to me, even now.” “I gave you a chance to be honest, and you chose to continue deceiving me.” “Alex, I can explain…” “No need to explain.” I stood up. “Brooke, we’re getting a divorce.” “Tomorrow, I’ll have my lawyer draw up the agreement.” “I want the house, I want the car, and I want the savings.” “You’ll leave with absolutely nothing.” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Alex, have you gone crazy?” “Why should I leave with nothing?” “Because you cheated, and because you used our marital assets to book hotel rooms with another man.” I pulled out the hotel receipts. “These are all evidence, more than enough to make you lose in court.” Brooke stared at the records, her body beginning to tremble. “Alex, we were married. You can’t do this to me…” “Married?” I sneered. “Do spouses betray each other? Do spouses deceive each other?” “Brooke, you stopped treating me like a husband a long time ago.” “And now you’re remembering we were married?” She suddenly threw herself at my feet, clutching my legs. “Alex, I was wrong, I was truly wrong!” “Please give me another chance. I promise I’ll change!” “I’ll cut off all contact with Ryan, I’ll never see him again!” Watching her tear-streaked face, my heart remained utterly unmoved. How many times had she cried those same tears for Ryan? “Brooke, do you know what ‘too late’ means?” I crouched down, looking into her eyes. “It means it’s over.” “You missed your chance to be honest, and you missed your chance to apologize.” “Now, you don’t even have a chance to beg for mercy.” I stood up, dusting off my pants. “Think about it carefully. Either an amicable divorce agreement, or we’ll see each other in court.” “I’ll give you three days.” With that, I turned and walked out. “Alex Greene!” She screamed my name, utterly broken. “You heartless man!” “I gave you three years of my youth, and this is how you treat me?” “You’ll regret this! You definitely will!” I walked out of the house without looking back. Regret? My only regret was not seeing her true colors sooner.
Monday morning, my mood was surprisingly good. My colleagues sensed the change and asked if I had good news. I just smiled and didn’t explain. Ryan, on the other hand, looked preoccupied, stealing glances at me from time to time. Brooke must have told him about the divorce. At 10 AM, Ryan walked to my desk. “Alex, can we step out and talk?” “During work hours, if you have something to say, say it here.” I didn’t look up. “It’s… not very convenient.” He glanced at the surrounding colleagues. “Then there’s nothing to discuss.” I continued typing. “Alex!” He grew agitated, his voice rising. Everyone in the office looked over. “What is it, Ryan?” I looked up, feigning innocence. “Is there a problem?” He wanted to say something, but seeing so many eyes on him, he swallowed his words. “No… nothing.” “Then go back to work.” I lowered my head again. “Oh, and the project report I assigned you last week is due tomorrow.” “How’s it coming along?” Ryan’s face instantly went white. He’d been so wrapped up in Brooke’s affairs these past few days that he hadn’t focused on work at all. Not a single word of the project report was prepared. “I… I’m still organizing it…” “Oh, well, better get on it.” I checked my watch. “You have twenty-four hours. That should be enough time.” Ryan gritted his teeth and returned to his desk. I knew he hated me, but he didn’t dare act on it. At the company, I was his direct superior. Plus, he was guilty and didn’t want to escalate the situation. At lunch, Ryan followed me again. “Alex, please, let’s find somewhere to talk.” His voice was pleading. I looked at him, then nodded. “Fine. Conference room.” There were only two of us in the conference room. Ryan closed the door and turned to face me. “Alex, Brooke told me everything.” “Told you what?” “About the divorce.” He took a deep breath. “I know you hate me, but please don’t make things difficult for Brooke.” “She’s innocent. It’s all my fault.” I almost burst out laughing. Now he wanted to protect Brooke? “Ryan, do you really think you’re a knight in shining armor?” “No, I’m not. I just don’t want to see Brooke get hurt.” “Then why didn’t you think about hurting her family when you cheated?” I looked at him. “Or did you just assume I didn’t deserve consideration?” He froze, opening his mouth to speak but failing. “Let me tell you, what happens between me and Brooke has nothing to do with you.” I stood up. “You should be more concerned about yourself right now.” “Myself?” “Yes, yourself.” I looked at him, my eyes devoid of emotion. “Ryan, do you think betraying me comes without a price?” His expression changed. “Alex, what are you going to do?” “You’ll find out soon enough.” I patted his shoulder. “Oh, and don’t forget tomorrow’s report.” “Mess it up, and your quarterly performance bonus is gone.” With that, I pushed the door open, leaving Ryan alone in the conference room. At 3 PM, I received a call from my lawyer. “Mr. Greene, the asset protection measures are in place.” “All accounts under your wife’s name have been frozen.” “Additionally, a mortgage has been registered on the property deed, preventing her from disposing of it privately.” These were measures to prevent Brooke from transferring assets. Though aggressive, they were highly effective. “She should have received the notification by now,” the lawyer continued. “I expect she’ll contact you very soon.” Indeed, less than half an hour later, Brooke called. “Alex Greene, what the hell are you trying to do?” Her voice was furious. “Why did you freeze my accounts? Why can’t I withdraw any money?” “Because half of that money is mine.” I said calmly. “You have no right to dispose of marital assets before the divorce agreement is signed.” “You’re insane! How am I supposed to live?” “That’s not my problem.” “Alex Greene! You’re going too far!” “I’m going too far?” I sneered. “Brooke, when you were using my money to book hotel rooms with another man, did you think that was ‘too far’?” “When you were planning to take half my assets and marry someone else, did you think that was ‘too far’?” The other end of the line went silent. “I… I wasn’t planning to marry anyone else…” “No? Then what about that condo in [upscale neighborhood] you and Ryan were looking at?” She was utterly speechless. “Brooke, you still have two days left of the three-day deadline I gave you.” “Let me know your decision.” I hung up. My phone immediately rang again. It was Ryan. “Alex, listen to me…” I hung up directly. He called again, and I hung up again. Finally, I turned off my phone. The next morning, Ryan, as expected, hadn’t prepared the project report. “Ryan, where are the documents?” I asked him in the conference room. “I’m sorry, Mr. Greene, I… I was last night…” “Last night what?” “I… I wasn’t feeling well…” “So, being ‘unwell’ means you’re exempt from your responsibilities?” I looked at the other colleagues present. “Colleagues, do you think feeling unwell is an excuse for not completing your work?” Everyone shook their heads. In this situation, no one would stand up for Ryan. “Ryan, as a core member of this project team, you failed to complete the report on time.” “This will affect the entire project’s progress.” “I am officially issuing you a warning.” “Any similar occurrences will result in further disciplinary action.” Ryan’s face flushed crimson, but he didn’t dare argue. Because I was speaking the truth. He simply hadn’t done his job. After the meeting, Ryan followed me. “Alex, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” “Doing what on purpose?” “You’re deliberately messing with me! Because of Brooke!” I stopped and looked at him. “Ryan, are you suffering from delusions of persecution?” “What do you mean, I’m deliberately messing with you?” “The report was assigned a week ago. This is normal work procedure.” “You failed to complete it, and I’m giving you a warning. This is normal management procedure.” “Where exactly is the problem?” He tried to argue, but couldn’t find a reason. Because procedurally, I had done nothing wrong. “Also, from now on, do not discuss personal matters in the office.” I continued. “This is a workplace, not your private chat room.” “If it happens again, I’ll consider reassigning your duties.” With that, I turned and walked away. Ryan stood rooted to the spot, his fists clenched at his sides. But he didn’t dare act on his anger. Because he was guilty, and he knew it. More importantly, he was now a fish on a chopping block, completely at my mercy. In the afternoon, Brooke called me again. “Alex, let’s meet.” Her voice sounded utterly drained. “I’ve thought it through. I agree to the divorce settlement.” “Good. Tomorrow at 3 PM, at the lawyer’s office.” “No, Alex, I mean…” “Mean what?” “I agree to the divorce, but the asset division…” “Fifty-fifty.” I cut her off. “Brooke, you have no room for negotiation.” “Either accept, or we’ll see each other in court.” “But…” “No buts.” I hung up. Ten minutes later, Ryan stormed to my office desk. “Alex Greene, you can’t do this to Brooke!” The office instantly fell silent. Everyone stared at us. I slowly looked up at him. “Ryan, I warned you not to discuss personal matters in the office.” “I don’t care what’s private or not private! You’re just getting revenge!” His voice was loud enough for the entire floor to hear. “You’re abusing your power to get back at me, and you’re making Brooke leave with nothing!” “What’s the point of this?” People in the office started whispering. Though they didn’t know the exact details, they all guessed the general situation. I stood up, my voice calm: “Ryan, you are shouting loudly in the workplace, disrupting your colleagues’ work.” “You are suspended, effective immediately.” “What?” “Pack your things immediately and leave the company.” “Await further notice from HR.” Ryan froze. He hadn’t expected me to suspend him outright. “Alex Greene, you can’t do this!” “I can. Because I am your direct superior.” I looked at him. “And your behavior just now constitutes serious misconduct.” “Security!” I called out to the door. Two security guards walked in. “Please escort this gentleman out.” Ryan looked at me, his eyes filled with rage and resentment. But in the end, he could only slunk out of the company, humiliated, under the gaze of everyone. Watching him walk away, I felt no guilt whatsoever. This was the price of betraying me. And this was just the beginning.
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