It was the third year of my marriage to Alexander. He was 35. I was barely 21, just a senior in college. I hadn’t even decided if I wanted to be a full-time housewife. That’s when I overheard him chatting with a bunch of industry big shots: “Chloe brings nothing to the table besides her youth. “Compared to her, Serena is so much more sophisticated and sharp. I’m actually starting to regret getting married. Keeping a young mistress costs next to nothing, but divorcing now? The financial hit would be massive.” Without a word, I turned and handed him the divorce papers. When he saw the white paper with black ink stating I’d walk away with absolutely nothing, he let out a long sigh of relief. Then, feigning generosity, he said, “I’ll transfer twenty million to your account. Consider it compensation.” I smiled and politely refused. “I’m still young. I can afford to play the game.” What he didn’t know was that my brother, Julian, was a titan in the business world, a force to be reckoned with. Alex had only ever climbed his way into that elite circle thanks to Julian’s unwavering support. Divorcing me? His losses had only just begun. 0
During my senior year internship, I made a decisive move. To catch an extra glimpse of my handsome husband every day, I went straight to Alexander’s company. As a low-level intern, I kept such a low profile that Alex himself didn’t even know I was there. I was afraid of being a bother, of distracting him. Occasionally, I’d overhear other interns discussing Alex. I’d listen closely, never speaking up. “Mr. Alexander is so dreamy! Thirty-five is the prime age for a man.” “Too bad he’s married. His wife is apparently just some obscure young girl.” “Ugh, why couldn’t I be that lucky…” When I was 18, Alexander, wanting to make his intentions clear, declared on the very first day of chasing me that he was in it for the long haul, aiming for marriage. He even gave me a wedding ring right then and there. I responded with an overwhelming passion. We dated for a year before getting married. It was impulsive, intoxicating. Sweet and blissful. He gave me a dream romance beyond my wildest imagination. His love, the kind you read about in romance novels, was intense, direct, and consumed me whole. It left me breathless, my head spinning, unable to find my bearings. If I hadn’t come to intern at his company, I might never have discovered his secrets. Serena. Alexander’s secretary. Sexy, beautiful, the quintessential mature woman. She was always with Alex on business trips and at client events. She handled all the company’s big and small affairs, understanding the business even better than Alex himself. So, before anyone knew Alex was married, everyone in the company assumed Serena was the real boss lady. In the cafeteria, I’d even hear old employees who’d worked alongside Serena grumble. “Mr. Alexander must be blind not to appreciate a beauty like Serena right under his nose.” “And Serena even gave up a high-level executive position at a public company to be his secretary.” “Mark my words, once the initial spark dies down, Alex will ditch his wife and finally be with Serena.” There were so many rumors. I never paid them any mind. After all, the passion between Alex and me was a nightly routine. Until one evening, at a corporate event, Serena got drunk and declared her feelings for Alex in front of everyone. It was less a confession and more of an ultimatum, forcing Alex to choose. Serena asked if he had feelings for her. Alex remained silent for a long moment. Serena pressed, “If you don’t have feelings for me, then why won’t you approve my resignation letter?!” Alex’s face was grim. He finally uttered one word: “I do.” Then, he gazed at Serena with what looked like deep affection. “I do have feelings for you. I can’t do without you, so I can’t approve your resignation. Can you understand that?” Serena smiled, downed a shot glass of strong liquor, grabbed her bag, and walked out. The air solidified for two seconds. Then Alex chased after her. Everyone at that gathering was a long-time colleague who had built the company with Alex and Serena. I hadn’t attended. But Maya, a bubbly friend who loved gossip, filmed the whole scene and sent it to me privately. Maya asked me: [Do you think something will happen between Mr. Alexander and Serena tonight?] I replied: [Probably not… right?] [They’re adults, Chloe. They’ve known each other for ages, clearly have deep feelings, and they’ve been drinking and confessing? You really think nothing’s going to happen?] I typed back firmly: [Alex is married, he knows better, and Serena is too classy to be a ‘side chick’!] [You make a good point. But we’ll know for sure tomorrow what went down.] I didn’t understand what Maya meant by “we’ll know for sure tomorrow.” But the moment I exited our chat, I knew the answer. Alex’s message popped up. He said he wouldn’t be home tonight; he had an unexpected client event. My heart skipped a beat. I immediately called him. At first, there was no answer. I called several times. Finally, Alex picked up. “Baby, my phone was on silent, didn’t hear it. What’s wrong?” I bit back my emotions, my fingernails digging into my skin. “Honey, you’re really not coming home tonight?” “Nope, a get-together. Everyone’s here, can’t leave. Baby, please understand.” I clenched my jaw and continued, “Are there any women at your get-together?” He paused, then chuckled. “No, why? Since when do you check up on me? Want to video call? I can prove I’m innocent.” As he spoke, I heard it – a soft rustle, the unmistakable sound of fine fabric against hotel sheets. In the past, when our love was wild and passionate, I’d often heard that sound. “Mmph…” A low, guttural groan escaped Alex’s lips. And in that instant, the knot of doubt in my chest unraveled. Three years with Alex, countless nights of intimacy – I knew exactly what that sound meant. It was the raw, uninhibited release of someone giving themselves over to pure, unadulterated pleasure. It was a detail he probably didn’t even notice himself. Well, good. I didn’t even need to stop him from cheating. He already had. I forced a bitter laugh. “No need for a video call… I might go blind.” “You have fun. I’m going to sleep.” My heart was dead. I was about to hang up. Then Alex spoke again from the other end. His voice was hoarse and low. “Baby, we closed a huge deal tonight. Everyone needs to work extra hard starting tomorrow. I’ll probably be working late, so don’t wait up for dinner anymore.” Was it working extra hours? Or spending extra hours with Serena? To me, it no longer mattered. 0
The call disconnected. I didn’t sleep a wink all night. Sporting dark circles under my eyes, I dragged myself to the office. My mind was still blank when Maya sidled up to me, eager to continue last night’s gossip. “Something definitely happened between Mr. Alexander and Serena last night.” I frowned slightly. Then she continued, “Mr. Alexander’s clothes were all wrinkled this morning, and… he was wearing the same outfit as yesterday. Doesn’t that mean he didn’t go home at all last night?” I nodded, too drained to praise her for her keen observation. She went on, “Serena was late this morning too, and she looked like a woman utterly blissful, almost glowing. She’s usually so sharp and decisive, but today she seemed completely transformed.” I asked her, “Transformed how?” She thought for a moment. “Brighter, sexier, and… almost delicate. See for yourself.” I looked up. I saw Serena walk in, wearing a figure-hugging dress. I’d seen that dress before. I’d spotted it when I was out shopping with Alex. But they didn’t have my size, so I paid for it and pre-ordered it, asking them to ship it to Alex when it arrived. Now, it seemed the dress had arrived. But it seemed the intended recipient of the gift had changed. Serena was in a great mood. She walked in and immediately asked everyone what they wanted to drink; her treat. Everyone cheered excitedly. I sat in my corner, a mix of emotions churning inside me. I tried to numb myself with work. But it didn’t help. I drifted through the morning until noon. I sat at my desk, eating my takeout lunch. Serena, meanwhile, carried several large, exquisitely packed lunch bags into Alex’s office. She stayed in there all afternoon. She didn’t emerge until late afternoon, almost closing time. Maya, sitting beside me, ‘tsk-tsked’ twice, sighing, “Seriously, what has this world come to? Of all the people Serena could fall for, it had to be a married man. Little Jane, who sits closer to the CEO’s office, said Serena practically threw herself into Mr. Alexander’s arms the moment she walked in. They nearly turned the office into a hotel!” After that, Maya even sent me a photo Jane had secretly taken. Serena was sitting on Alex’s lap, feeding him. The intimacy in their expressions and body language was undeniable. “I wonder how Mr. Alexander’s wife would feel if she saw this scene,” Maya whispered with a soft sigh. Mr. Davies, sitting across from us, frowned. “They’re clearly smitten with each other. Why are you two getting involved?” Maya didn’t catch Mr. Davies’s meaning and playfully added, “Oh, absolutely! A mistress, without a doubt!” Mr. Davies looked annoyed. He tossed a stack of audit reports at Maya. “Since you’re so idle, finish these. No going home until they’re done.” Maya’s face fell. I quietly sent her a SnapChat message: [Mr. Davies and Serena go way back. He’s definitely on her side, so don’t say things like that anymore.] Maya sent back a crying emoji. I comforted her: [I’ll help you with that report. Let’s finish it quickly and get out of here. I’ll treat you to some lobster.] She brightened up immediately. Later that evening, just as we finally finished our overtime tasks and were about to head out for lobster, Mr. Davies called out to us again. “Hard work, you two. How about we all grab some supper together?” Mr. Davies didn’t even give us a chance to refuse. He turned and led us to a restaurant near the company. After dinner, we were then dragged to a KTV. We were reluctant. But there was nothing we could do. Interns had little say. Huddled in a dark corner, we started playing some mobile game instead. We were so engrossed. We didn’t even notice several people slowly entering the private room. Until I heard a familiar voice. Then I saw Alexander, surrounded by a group of industry big shots, seated at the head of the table. At first, everyone talked about projects. Later, the conversation shifted to personal lives. About kids, wives, in-laws… and of course, mistresses. “I saw Serena’s Ins post, something about true love finally finding its way. What’s up? Did you finally come to your senses and officially make Serena yours?” someone asked. I unconsciously perked up my ears. Alex said calmly, “You guys don’t understand the situation that day. I had no choice. Serena was forcing my hand. If I didn’t want her, she’d resign. And you know, Serena has been with the company for so many years; the company can’t function without her. Of course… you could also say I can’t function without her.” “But Serena is okay with being a mistress? Alex, don’t mess this up for yourself later.” “Right, how much effort did you put into marrying that young girl? We all saw it. Never mind if your ‘side chick’ is stable, but if your wife back home finds out, she’ll tear the place apart!” “It’s not like that. If Serena doesn’t mind, why should the other girl?” “You’ve spoiled that girl for years, Alex. How could she go back to an ordinary life? Even if she found out about the ‘side chick,’ she wouldn’t dare make a fuss. She’d at least hold onto the ‘Mrs. Alexander’ title. It guarantees her a comfortable life, a life of privilege.” Everyone chimed in, one after another. Ultimately, they concluded that as long as Alex kept Serena happy and quiet, his wife wouldn’t be able to cause a stir. They even congratulated Alex on having the best of both worlds. Maya listened, her face crumpled in disgust. She couldn’t help but whisper to me, “Disgusting.” Then she added, “Even though Alex is a total jerk, what they’re saying isn’t completely wrong. That girl probably hasn’t even graduated yet, no family connections, no capabilities. Making a fuss wouldn’t do her any good. What do you think…?” I nodded. “There won’t be any fuss. In this day and age, everyone wants to be civil.” All matters could be discussed calmly. Even divorce. Just then, Alex put down his drink and spoke: “Yes, Chloe brings nothing to the table besides her youth. Compared to her, Serena is so much more sophisticated. “But with Serena’s proud nature, I wonder how long she’ll put up with it. “I’m actually starting to regret getting married. It barely costs anything to keep a young girl on the side, but a divorce now? That’s a huge financial hit.” So, he was calculating his losses. Right, Alex and I were legally married. A divorce would mean splitting his marital assets. Fine. If that’s what Alex wanted. I’d walk away with absolutely nothing. But the price he’d pay for my departure… that was a debt he would absolutely have to settle. *** 0
Until everyone dispersed, Serena took a wine-soaked Alex away. I watched from afar as they embraced, lips pressed against lips. Perhaps they had restrained themselves for too long. Once they got into the car, it began to rock and sway. I silently recorded everything that had just happened. Then, I made a FaceTime call to my brother. “What’s up, little sis? What makes you call me so late?” My brother’s voice instantly touched the softest part of my heart. A sob escaped me, and tears streamed down my face. “Hey, kiddo, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” I was so choked up I couldn’t speak. My brother immediately asked where I was. I mumbled an address to him. Half an hour later, he appeared before me. I was huddled on a street curb, trembling. My brother took off his jacket, draped it over me, and sat silently beside me. “Where’s Alex?” “He cheated.” My brother froze, his jaw clenched tight. “Where is he? I’ll kill him.” I grabbed his hand, shaking my head. “No need. You’d just get your hands dirty.” My brother stomped his foot hard on the ground in frustration! But he wasn’t satisfied. He asked me, “Are you going to divorce him?” I nodded without hesitation. “Could it be a misunderstanding?” I showed my brother all the videos and photos stored on my phone. Even though I said nothing, my brother had already made his decision. He immediately pulled out his phone and made a few calls. One was to his lawyer friend, asking him to draft a divorce agreement for me. The other was to several suppliers connected to Alex, telling them not to sign any recently negotiated contracts, not to renew expiring ones, and to revoke discounts on existing ones, charging market rates. After making the calls, my brother took my hand. “Come on, let’s go home.” I shook my head, tears still clinging to my eyelashes. “Before we go home, I want to move out.” My brother didn’t hesitate. He drove us to the marital home Alex and I shared. Alex had bought the house. I had nothing to be nostalgic about. It was just that I had lived there for three years and never expected to leave this way. “If you want this house, I’ll get you the best lawyers to help you get it.” “No, Julian, thank you. Anything that touches Alex just feels dirty to me now.” 0 After moving out of that villa, I waited for Alex to contact me before confronting him. But sadly, a week went by. He hadn’t even realized I’d moved out. He’d just send me routine messages saying: [Working late today, don’t wait up for me.]
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