At the press conference, my wife, Valerie, was about to unveil her new partner. But then, Liam, her newly hired male assistant, walked onto the stage holding a little girl. “Lily, Mommy’s calling for you on stage!” Immediately, the crowd erupted, reporters clamoring for details about Valerie’s love life. Valerie didn’t refute it. Instead, she dotingly embraced the little girl, placing a million-dollar piece of the company’s new jewelry on her. “Yes, we have a child.” Seeing me frozen in place, the reporters in the audience, eager for drama, pressed on. “Director Asher, you’ve worked alongside Valerie for so long, shouldn’t you have something to say on such a monumental day?” I managed a calm smile, then tossed the jewelry blueprints I’d painstakingly designed for a year to Liam. “Double the good news! These new product blueprints are a gift from me. Consider it a welcome present for your daughter!” When everyone saw me hand over the blueprints to the newcomer, Liam, they paused for a moment, then burst into a chorus of cheers. “That’s Director Asher for you, always so generous! Giving away such priceless designs just like that – those are a year’s worth of your hard work!” “Director Asher, you dote on Valerie’s daughter so much, why not just be her official guardian?” Liam’s chin lifted proudly as he shot me a triumphant smirk. Valerie, however, pressed her lips into a thin line, her deep-set eyes boring into me. Watching her squirm with embarrassment, I found it utterly laughable. We had been married for ten years, yet she always used the excuse of “impacting company development” to avoid going public with our marriage. To keep us discreet, she never picked me up or dropped me off, leaving me to brave crowded public transport every morning. At the office, she maintained a strict professional distance, forbidding me from calling her “wife,” insisting I use her full name, “Valerie.” I never complained, silently enduring our secret marriage for a decade, helping her build the company from the ground up and grow it into a powerhouse. It wasn’t until yesterday, when my new jewelry line won first place in a major design competition, worth millions and bringing in numerous partnerships, that she finally agreed to announce my identity at tomorrow’s press conference as a reward. I was so overjoyed by her concession that I didn’t sleep a wink. The next day, I woke up early, primped myself, and even spent half a year’s salary on a sharp, expensive suit, just to look the part beside Valerie. In the end, the person standing by her side wasn’t me. I was nothing but the biggest punchline. In the past, I would have thrown a massive fit. But now, I simply watched the “family of three” on stage with a serene expression. “May your family of three live happily ever after.” Valerie’s eyes hardened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but her words were cut short by the little girl’s cries. Liam tugged on Valerie’s sleeve. “Valerie, Lily seems to be scared and crying…” Hearing this, Valerie shot me a scathing look, her voice low and cutting. “Look what you’ve done!” With that, she waved her hand, pushing me aside. Then, she scooped up Lily, took Liam’s hand, and left the venue without looking back. That shove, combined with my ill-fitting dress shoes, caused my ankle to twist. I stumbled and fell to the ground, my head slamming into the champagne tower. Glass flutes rained down on me, a dull ache shot through my back, and champagne drenched my suit. Valerie didn’t even glance back. Watching her cold retreat, I felt a sharp pang of irony. She treated strangers better than her own husband and daughter. Lily was merely startled into tears, and Valerie was a mess. But when our own daughter was delirious with fever, she couldn’t have cared less. Once, Valerie and I also had a daughter, Daisy, who was five years old. One time, Daisy had a fever, and I happened to be away on a business trip, unable to care for her myself. I could only plead with Valerie to take good care of her. She promised she would, but then she just left Daisy home alone for a work dinner, letting her fever rage for three whole hours. By the time I rushed back, Daisy was gone. Valerie and I had a terrible fight that day. Later, she knelt before me, crying and repenting. But I remembered how she’d saved my life years ago, and my heart softened. I forgave her. I was so foolish back then. Not anymore. Thinking this, I pushed myself up. I didn’t stay behind to clean up Valerie’s mess, as I usually would. Instead, I turned and walked out of the venue. After leaving the venue, I hailed a cab home, planning to disinfect and bandage my wounds with iodine and gauze. The moment I walked through the door, I saw Liam and Lily laughing on the couch. Lily was holding my daughter’s favorite teddy bear. Seeing me enter, Liam’s lips curved into a smirk. “Asher, you’re back! Lily said she wanted to see your place, so Valerie just brought us over and told us to make ourselves at home!” He even took out the blueprint, twirling it in his hand, flaunting it in front of me. “I hear these are your precious designs, and the necklace Lily’s wearing? You designed it specifically for your daughter, right?” “I just had to say the word, and Valerie practically handed it all over to us, didn’t she?” “Asher, if I want something of yours, it’ll eventually be mine. So if you’re smart, just get out now! Save yourself the embarrassment of being thrown out later!” In the past, his provocations would have infuriated me. Now, I merely glanced at him indifferently, then turned to go upstairs. I was in a hurry to clean my wounds; I didn’t have time for his mind games. But Liam blocked my path. The next second, he deliberately ripped the necklace from Lily’s neck and slapped her across the face. Lily’s cheek turned crimson from the slap, and she screamed, terrified. Liam pulled Lily into his arms and deliberately shouted, “Asher, I know you’re mad at me about the press conference. Take it out on me, but Lily is just a child!” I almost laughed. This was his usual trick. Sure enough, the next second, Valerie stormed in. Seeing Lily’s swollen, red face, her expression turned dark with anger, and she slapped me across the face. “Asher, you’ve gone too far! How could you harm an innocent child?” “Lily is Liam’s niece. He was just trying to lighten the mood, playing around. Why are you always so petty?” It was a pathetic act, but Valerie fell for it hook, line, and sinker. If this had happened before, seeing her so blatantly favoring Liam, I would have been consumed by anger and jealousy. But now, my heart was still, devoid of any sadness. I calmly picked up the necklace from the floor, handed it to Liam, and smiled serenely. “You were kind enough to try and liven things up. I appreciate it, how could I blame you?” “In fact, to thank you, I’ve reserved a table at a five-star restaurant.” I opened my phone and showed them the reservation. I’d originally booked it to celebrate with Valerie after our announcement. Now, it was clearly unnecessary. Seeing I wasn’t bluffing, Valerie went silent, then mumbled awkwardly, “I’ll transfer you the money for dinner.” I waved my hand, declining her offer. Valerie’s tone softened a fraction. “Asher, you’ve become much more understanding. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely make it up to you once I announce our relationship.” But she didn’t know that a man who suddenly becomes “understanding” isn’t weak. It just means he’s stopped loving you. This time, I decided I would be the one to leave first!
After that, Valerie took Liam and Lily to dinner. I went upstairs to clean my wounds. When I took off my dress shoes, my ankle was red and swollen. My heels were covered in blisters, some of which had popped and were bleeding. As the iodine poured over them, I gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. It really stung. I’d always hated dress shoes, but Valerie loved them, especially seeing me wear them. For years, to accommodate her preferences, I’d forced myself to wear them. Even though my feet would always be rubbed raw and bleed, I endured it. Now, looking back, I realized how incredibly foolish I had been. After cleaning my wounds, I changed into comfortable slippers and tossed the dress shoes into the trash. Compared to shoes that rubbed my feet raw, I preferred comfortable slippers. This time, I didn’t want to accommodate anyone else. I wanted to live for myself. With that thought, I decisively pulled out my phone and messaged a major corporation that had long been interested in me. “I accept your offer.” They replied instantly: “Asher, you finally came around! Just name your start date; we’re ready whenever you are.” This big corporation was the leading enterprise in the state. Their CEO had always been impressed by my skills and design abilities, constantly offering me lucrative deals with amazing salary and benefits. But I’d always turned them down. Valerie needed me; most of the company’s operations were propped up by me, and all new product lines relied on my designs. I sacrificed my future, willingly slaving away for Valerie. But once the company was thriving, she discarded me like trash, kicking me aside without a second thought. It was then that I realized genuine affection couldn’t buy genuine affection. I’d forgiven her for what happened with our daughter because she once saved my life. This time, I owed her nothing. We were completely even. Thinking this, I replied to the major corporation: [I’ll report for duty tomorrow.] With that settled, I bought the earliest flight ticket for the next day and started packing my bags. As I packed, I realized my belongings couldn’t even fill one suitcase. The closet was full of Valerie’s suits and evening gowns, while my clothes consisted of only a few faded, worn-out shirts. The only valuable item was a tie clip she’d bought me. Though it was an old-fashioned design from over a decade ago, I treasured it like a precious relic. It was the first gift Valerie had bought me with her first big earnings. Her twenty-something face radiant with a gentle smile, she pinned the tie clip onto me, promising to love me forever, swearing that once she was rich, she’d buy me a whole room full of accessories. But once she was rich, she never bought me another piece of decent jewelry. On our seventh anniversary, I tentatively asked for a set of cufflinks. She got furious, accusing me of being a spendthrift, of not appreciating how hard she worked for her money. After that, to curb my “big spending” habit, she restricted my expenses. Anything over $200 had to be reported to accounting and approved. The person I loved had suddenly become a stranger. When did it change? Perhaps when Liam appeared. Ever since Liam came into the picture, Valerie’s heart had quietly flown away. She meticulously controlled every single one of my expenses, down to the last dime. But for Liam, she was incredibly generous. One casual “I want it,” and she’d splurge on a million-dollar watch for him without a second thought. She always maintained a strict hierarchy, forbidding me from too much personal interaction in the office, but she allowed Liam to jokingly call her “Valerie, sweetie.” Not only that, but she’d take Liam to lunch and the movies during work hours… Lost in thought, I accidentally dropped the tie clip. I picked it up and saw the surface was scratched, revealing the cheap black metal underneath. The tie clip was fake. I found it pathetic. This relationship had been a mistake from the very beginning, and yet I had foolishly clung to it for so many years! Thankfully, it wasn’t too late to wake up. I threw the tie clip into the trash and shredded all our photos together. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Liam’s latest SnapChat update. The picture showed Valerie holding Lily, letting the child’s greasy little hands smear all over her designer clothes, her eyes filled with doting affection. Liam leaned close, laughing as he fed her a bite of steak, already touched by his saliva. She ate it without a hint of disgust. I found it utterly disgusting. A germaphobe like her! Once, Daisy innocently tried to make her coffee and accidentally spilled some on her expensive leather shoes. Valerie raged at Daisy for an hour, then locked her in the basement for the entire day, without food or water, as ‘punishment.’ Daisy’s health plummeted after that. She became frail and constantly sick. And I just accidentally drank from her water glass once. She smashed the cup right in front of me, her face contorted with disgust. “How disgusting!” So, it was just us, my daughter and me, that she found so “disgusting” and “unclean”! I let out a cold laugh and tapped the ‘like’ button. This only solidified my resolve to leave. I quickened my packing. Once I was done, feeling a bit tired, I took a hot shower and happily went to bed. I had barely fallen asleep when I was awakened by persistent knocking. I didn’t need to guess; it was Valerie. She found entering the password tedious and always expected me to open the door for her. In the past, she wouldn’t even have to knock; she’d just call out, and I’d immediately run to let her in. But now, I simply rolled over and continued sleeping. I was drifting off into dreamland when suddenly, Valerie burst through the door, kicking it open with a bang. She flipped on the light with a sharp click, screaming, “Asher, are you deaf? You’re clearly not asleep, why didn’t you open the door for me!”
The sudden bright light jolted me awake. I’d been sleeping too deeply earlier, so I hadn’t heard any knocking. Seeing Valerie’s sullen face, I was a little surprised. She actually came back this time? Before, every time she went on a date with Liam, she’d use it as an excuse to stay over at his place. Yet, there was a time our five-year-old daughter said she was afraid of the dark and wanted Valerie to come home and stay with her. Valerie called Daisy “dramatic,” insisting she needed to “toughen up.” Once, when I wasn’t looking, she locked Daisy in a storage closet, giving her severe claustrophobia. Every night after that, Daisy would be startled awake by nightmares, crying in terror. In the past, Valerie’s blatant favoritism and double standards would infuriate me, leading to massive arguments. But now, whatever she did, I simply didn’t care anymore. I simply mumbled “hmm” and pulled the covers over my head, determined to go back to sleep. Valerie first froze, then frowned in annoyance. “Stop messing around, I’m exhausted. Aren’t you going to run my bath for me? And wash these clothes while you’re at it.” She took off her jacket and tossed it to me. Her collar was smeared with lipstick marks, and the pungent scent of Liam’s cologne clung to it. Utterly repulsive. If this were before, I would have eagerly waited on her without her even needing to ask. Now, I just found her demanding. I tossed the clothes back. “You’re not handicapped, you can do it yourself.” Valerie was stunned for a moment, then pulled a gift box from her bag and threw it at me. “I know you’re upset about what happened earlier today. Here, this is for you.” Inside were a pair of cufflinks. But she’d forgotten that I was allergic to cheap metal, and besides, the style wasn’t even to my taste. What was even funnier was that these cufflinks were Liam’s discards. I’d seen him flaunting them on SnapChat before. I let out a cold laugh, tossing the cufflinks into the trash. “I don’t want other people’s trash.” Valerie completely lost her patience, her face turning ashen. “Asher, have I spoiled you too much?” A wave of drowsiness hit me, and I yawned. “I’m tired. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to sleep.” Seeing my cold attitude, my repeated refusal to take her olive branch, Valerie gritted her teeth. “Fine! This is your doing, Asher. Don’t come crawling back when you regret it!” Valerie turned to leave, but I called out to her. “Wait.” Valerie’s lips curved into a smug smile, her expression screaming, “I knew you were just playing hard to get.” The next second, I pulled out a pen and some papers from a drawer and handed them to her. “Sign this.” Valerie’s eyes immediately turned cold. “You called me back just to sign some worthless contract?” I scoffed. “Why don’t you take a closer look before you speak?” After seeing the document, Valerie froze, then snapped the pen in her hand.
“Divorce papers? You want to divorce me?” Valerie narrowed her dark eyes, glaring at me. “Asher, there’s a limit to how jealous you can be.” “I’m serious,” I said calmly. Valerie slammed the divorce papers onto the table, her face dark. “I won’t sign them.” My voice remained even. “If you don’t sign, I can still get a divorce. It’s just a matter of time.” Unable to argue with me, Valerie gritted her teeth, let out a frustrated huff, and stormed out, deliberately stomping her feet as she left. I knew she wanted me to go and console her. In the past, whenever she got angry, I would immediately run to soothe her. But now, who cared about her? Sleep was more important. The footsteps outside the door gradually faded, and I fell into a deep sleep… The next day, I woke up naturally. As expected, Valerie hadn’t come home all night; she must have been extremely upset yesterday. After breakfast, I hailed a cab to the office and handed in my resignation to HR. After doing so, I pulled out my phone and messaged my collaborators. When we first signed the partnership, their one condition was that I be their direct contact. Now that I was leaving, it was only right to inform them. After completing everything, I turned to leave. Just as I stepped out, I ran into Valerie and Liam. She had indeed gone to Liam’s last night. The two of them were standing close, laughing and chatting. “Valerie, thank you for looking after Lily yesterday. She’s always been a handful, and since her parents passed away when she was little, I just feel so bad for her. I only asked you to pretend to be her mom to make her happy. Asher won’t mind, right?” Valerie snorted coldly. “What’s there for him to mind? He’s a father himself, he should be more understanding.” I found that laughable. She wanted me to be understanding, but why hadn’t she been understanding towards our daughter when she was doting on someone else’s child? Seeing me, Liam and Valerie fell silent, and the air instantly thickened. Soon, our colleagues started to playfully tease them, breaking the awkward silence. “Liam, you and Valerie really kept that under wraps! A daughter, no less!” “When are you guys going to have another one? Complete the family with a boy and a girl!” Liam chuckled softly, shyly glancing at Valerie. Valerie didn’t object, letting everyone continue to tease them. Yet, before, when my daughter and I came to the company to see her, she violently slapped Daisy’s hands ten times just because Daisy called her “Mommy,” demanding Daisy maintain discretion. Later, when rumors about Valerie and me circulated in the company, she fired the gossiping employee on the spot. But now, she remained silent amidst all the teasing, showing no discretion at all. What a hypocrite! Lost in thought, Liam had already walked up to me. “Asher, why are you just getting to the office? It’s already eleven. You’re one of the oldest employees here, you should set an example!” Valerie’s face immediately hardened. “Asher, what kind of work ethic is that?” “If you don’t want to work, just give the position to Liam. In terms of capability, he’s far above you.” I felt like I was listening to a joke. Valerie knew perfectly well that the company’s entire business relied on me. Liam couldn’t even print a document, yet she claimed he was more capable than me? I knew she was just trying to humiliate me, to force me to compromise. But I had a flight to catch. I didn’t have time for their corporate games. Thinking this, I said coldly, “No need for all that trouble. I’ve already resigned. I can vacate the position right now.” Liam feigned concern. “Asher, this isn’t the time to be stubborn. Your age is a factor now. If you quit, where are you going to find another job this good? You might not even get hired as a janitor! Besides, the company’s new product line is about to launch. Quitting now? You’d be losing out big time!” His taunts only angered Valerie further, and she said coldly, “Liam, don’t try to persuade him! Let him go. The company will manage just fine without him!” “But Asher, let me warn you, when the new product line launches, the company is going to soar. You’ll regret it then.” Who would regret it was still up in the air. They had no idea that I held all the core technical knowledge in this company. Without me, they wouldn’t even be able to produce a single sample. Launch? In their dreams! I scoffed. “I’m afraid you won’t live to see that day!” Valerie frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” Just then, her phone rang. It was from our collaborators. Valerie’s lips instantly curved into a triumphant smile, her eyes sparkling with pride. “Our collaborators must be calling to discuss the new product launch. Now you’ll really regret it.” To provoke me, she even put the call on speaker. But the next second, the collaborator’s words poured cold water all over her. “Why haven’t the latest samples been delivered? If you don’t send them by today, your company will be liable for three hundred million in breach of contract fees!”
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