The Campbell Group’s celebration gala was handing out dividends. My husband, Julian, and his mother, Eleanor, publicly shamed me, calling me worthless, a failure who only dragged everyone down. They even forcibly gave my nearly completed project to his first love, Seraphina. “She’s claiming to be an heir to the Davies family! Do you know how much profit she can bring the company?” I didn’t get mad. Instead, I just smiled, then handed over my CEO position to him as well. Everyone in the company thought I’d lost my mind. But they had no idea, I am the true heir to the Davies family. And no, I don’t have any siblings! “Elara, the Campbell Group owes its success today largely to you. You’ve been instrumental.” “This year’s annual bonus rightfully belongs to you.” On stage, my husband, Julian Campbell, intimately held Seraphina Hayes’s hand, directly handing her a check for five million dollars. The audience erupted in applause. My mother-in-law, Eleanor Campbell, nodded in satisfaction, and colleagues swarmed them, showering them with praise and cheers. “With Ms. Hayes leading the way, our group’s prospects in the global high-end market are incredibly bright!” “Mr. Campbell and Ms. Campbell truly have an eye for talent. Mr. Campbell and Ms. Hayes’s collaboration is flawless, a synergy many professional strategic partners can’t even match!” I stood outside the crowd, watching the festive scene, the project proposal clutched in my hand, now crumpled and wrinkled. Today was supposed to be the group’s celebration gala and dividend distribution. But just as I arrived at the company’s banquet hall, Julian received an urgent call. He claimed there was a serious security issue with our project, insisting I personally go to the port warehouse to handle it. After years of marriage, I didn’t suspect a thing at first. The banquet hadn’t even begun when I sped off to the warehouse on the outskirts of town. Enduring scorching heat pushing past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, my team and I spent an entire day on inspection. But when I rushed back to the banquet and saw Julian hand the entire bonus to Seraphina — this “special consultant” who had only joined the group less than a month ago — I understood everything. The so-called “emergency” was nothing but a flimsy excuse to get rid of me. He just wanted to hand over the monumental achievement I’d poured three years of my heart and soul into, a deal I’d almost closed, to his long-lost first love. Seraphina seemed to notice me, feigning surprise as she raised her voice: “Oh, Ms. Davies, you’re just getting here? We thought you had an important engagement and couldn’t make it, so everyone started without you. You don’t mind, do you?” She spoke courteously, but her eyes held raw provocation, and she deliberately waved the check with its prominent numbers in front of me. Julian shot me an impatient glance: “Elara, what’s with that expression? Are you expecting the Chairwoman and all these important guests to wait for you? No wonder negotiations always dragged on. You’re simply incompetent, just a burden on the whole team. Since you’re here, perfect. Just hand this exhibition project over to Seraphina to handle entirely. It’ll save us from any further mishaps.” Hearing his condescending command, I clenched my fists, a chill seeping into my heart. The project he spoke of was an exclusive commission from Middle Eastern royalty, which my team and I had prepared for three years, enduring countless rounds of competition to secure. It represented the culmination of all my professional efforts. The Middle Eastern royal family was incredibly generous, paying five million dollars just for the initial setup. But to ensure the priceless antique jewelry was absolutely secure at every stage, I pulled countless all-nighters, traveling between the Middle East and Europe dozens of times, even ending up in the hospital multiple times from sheer exhaustion. Now, with the project at its final signing stage, Julian, with just a few dismissive words, intended to steal my hard work and hand it to his first love. I couldn’t help but feel a bitter laugh rise in my throat at my years of sacrifice. Ten years ago, the Campbell Group was on the verge of bankruptcy, unable to even pay its employees. Julian took over, determined to pivot into the high-end art market. I didn’t hesitate. I quit my job at a top international auction house, invested all my savings, and started from scratch with him. But he had a business management background and knew nothing about antique jewelry. All the company’s core client resources and connections over the years were built and maintained solely by me. Every critical partnership agreement was personally negotiated by me. Every thorny problem had to be solved by me. During the initial startup phase, when cash flow was extremely tight, Eleanor refused to provide more funding, believing my family background was too ordinary. It was I who leveraged all my connections and reputation to secure crucial working capital for the group. This is what allowed the Campbell Group to be resurrected and establish itself in this field. Only then did my marriage to Julian become a topic of discussion. But in this marriage, they always saw me as the one who married above my station. My mother-in-law, Eleanor, always looked down on my family origins. She felt it was a great favor for their Campbell family to accept me. Every time we met, she would subtly imply that I relied on my husband, and as a wife, I should be content and prioritize family. At the time, I didn’t care because I truly loved Julian. I loved him enough to dedicate everything to him and this family. But I never imagined that Seraphina, simply by accompanying Julian to a few overseas social galas, could effortlessly snatch all my achievements. Julian and I had been married for ten years. Yet, in the end, in his heart, I was worth less than his first love, who had abandoned him because of his family’s financial struggles. Today, he finally extinguished the last spark of affection between us. I stayed silent for a long time before speaking softly: “Alright, I’ll do as you say.” Seraphina practically couldn’t suppress her triumphant smile, yet she feigned modesty: “Ms. Davies, I’m just a beginner in this field. A project involving royal commissions and billion-dollar assets, how dare I just take it all over? I heard you’ve been working on it for almost three years without a final signing. I only wanted to help you relieve some pressure.” Julian gently patted her shoulder: “Seraphina, you’re claiming to be a future heir to the Davies family. If you can’t handle it, no one in the group can!” Eleanor imperiously echoed: “Exactly. Your capabilities are far superior to some people who occupy a position but fail to bring any tangible progress.” I almost laughed out loud. So, the Campbell family was so eager to promote her, paying her an exorbitant annual salary, all because she claimed to be an heir to the Davies family. But I had no idea when my family suddenly acquired another heir besides myself. After comforting Seraphina, Julian turned to me, sneering: “Elara, with your background and competence, would you have the status and resources you have today if you hadn’t married me? You’ve been living a good life for so long, you’ve forgotten who you are, haven’t you? You’re making excuses about handing over a project. If Seraphina hadn’t been constantly speaking up for you, Mom and I would have already considered removing you from management!” A cold laugh echoed in my heart. Julian seemed to have completely forgotten that in the beginning, the company couldn’t even draft a decent English letter, and every high-end client was personally contacted and maintained by me. I not only contributed all the core resources but also built the entire business team and processes from scratch. Now that the Campbell family was prosperous, they not only turned their backs on me completely but also saw me as a hindrance to their “further ascension.” They continued to chatter, as if I had become the Campbell family’s greatest disgrace. I took a deep breath, and under Julian’s scornful gaze, strode towards Seraphina. Everyone’s eyes darted between us, expecting this usually docile wife to finally lose her temper. But I just smiled calmly. I pulled out a pre-prepared resignation letter from my work bag and gently placed it on the table in front of Seraphina. “Spending all day staring at those projects must be exhausting. How about I just suggest you take over as CEO of the group?”
For a moment, everyone in the room widened their eyes, staring at me in disbelief. The Campbell Group executives whispered amongst themselves, all thinking I had been overly stimulated and was starting to ramble nonsense. After all, everyone in the company knew. My selfless dedication for ten years had laid the foundation for the group in this field. “Ms. Davies, you’re the co-founder and CEO of the company. It’s just one project; please don’t act rashly and destroy years of your hard work!” Hearing this, Julian seemed to think I was trying to blackmail him, and instantly bristled with anger: “Elara Campbell, what is wrong with you? Just because I said a few words, you dare to throw a tantrum in public? You’ve truly gone rogue! Let me remind you, you’re only CEO in name; I am the Chairman of the Group!” I laughed inwardly. I was handing over the CEO position on a silver platter; he should be thrilled. Wasn’t elevating his beloved first love precisely the outcome Julian and Eleanor dreamed of? Seraphina clutched the document tightly, a flicker of irrepressible greed in her eyes. Yet, she put on a show of selflessness: “Ms. Davies, are you saying you want me to be CEO just out of anger? Please don’t misunderstand, Julian is only trying to push the project forward and have me help you out. It’s all for the good of the Campbell Group. Besides, how dare I replace you? You’re the founder of the group; the CEO position isn’t something a newcomer like me can covet. Everyone knows how much effort you’ve poured into the company over the years; this position is yours alone.” With that, Seraphina made a show of pushing the document back to me. But her fingers remained firmly pressed against the paper, afraid I might actually take it back. Watching her hypocritical face, I smiled faintly: “Why would I be angry? The group needs fresh blood to bring more international perspective, and I’m happy to see it happen. I think you taking over as CEO is perfectly suitable. After all, you are ‘an heir to the Davies family,’ aren’t you?” Julian eyed me suspiciously, then scoffed: “Seraphina, since she’s ‘voluntarily stepping aside,’ don’t refuse any longer. With your talent and family background, taking this position is only a matter of time. There’s no question of whether you deserve it or not. Everyone here today is a witness.” As soon as he finished speaking, Seraphina immediately stopped “refusing,” clutching the document tightly to her chest, her triumph and desire practically overflowing from her eyes. My heart held only cold mockery. Julian, constantly by Seraphina’s side, had no idea that a Middle Eastern royal family wouldn’t even consider the Campbell Group’s scale. This project only ultimately gained royal favor because my father secretly used the Davies family’s credit as backing. I spent an entire year, in my capacity as a Davies heir, to build this framework of absolute trust for the Campbell Group. But Seraphina, with incredible audacity, had dared to impersonate my identity and steal that trust. Even if they secured the basic contract, without the continuous backing from the Davies family, they couldn’t even take the first real step. And I had just sent a discreet message to my family, requesting an immediate withdrawal of all implicit support for this project and formally notifying the Royal Office that the Campbell Group’s partner was involved in serious identity fraud. Without me, how would they fulfill their promise of absolute security to the royal family? The jewels they believed would bring boundless glory and wealth would only become a gigantic black hole that would swallow the entire group! Moreover, Seraphina probably didn’t realize that sitting in the CEO chair meant shouldering full responsibility. For this project alone, five million dollars in upfront funds had been received. Should anything go wrong, they would not only face astronomical compensation, but also directly provoke the royal family and be blacklisted from the entire elite circle. Since they viewed me as a useless burden, I naturally had no need to remind them. The day the news of the Davies family’s withdrawal became public and this project collapsed, that’s the day the Campbell Group truly faced ruin. Julian seemed somewhat surprised that I was so agreeable, and even showed a hint of negligible “guilt.” He cleared his throat dramatically and said in a patronizing tone: “Alright, Elara, don’t just stand there. Project documents still need to be handed over, and tonight we happen to be celebrating Seraphina’s birthday. Since you’ve been somewhat reasonable today, you might as well join us.” His condescending attitude almost made me burst out laughing on the spot. If this project succeeded, the commission split would be tens of millions of dollars. Yet, he excluded me from the bonus, and now he wanted to dismiss me with a single meal. What a shrewd game he was playing! The thought of forcing fake smiles across the table with someone as hypocritical as Seraphina filled me with disgust. Just as I was about to refuse, Seraphina spoke up again, feigning sincerity: “Oh dear, when I booked the private dining room earlier, I didn’t realize Ms. Davies would be coming. I completely forgot to reserve a prominent seat for you. It’s all my fault for not thinking it through. Even though I twisted my ankle earlier today, I still need to take responsibility. Please, you take a seat, and I’ll go outside in a moment to have a server bring another chair and order some better drinks.” I knew she was deliberately trying to appear vulnerable, aiming to solidify her image as a thoughtful but suffering woman in front of the Campbell family. Sure enough, as soon as Julian heard she was injured, he immediately pulled her close, his eyes full of concern, and helped her sit down. “Seraphina, you’ve already sacrificed enough for the group. How can I ask you to handle such a minor task when such an important project depends on you?” With that, he glared at me with disgust: “What are you still standing there for? Absolutely no situational awareness, wasted your time in the business world for years. Either go arrange the drinks now, or don’t bother attending tonight!” Watching his completely different demeanor, a cold laugh rose in my heart. Julian was always like this, taking my efforts for granted, yet doting on Seraphina. In the past, when I stayed up all night for projects, they never thought to invite me to their high-end social gatherings. Now, it was as if I was begging for this dinner. Seraphina, even more emboldened, smiled sweetly and said: “Ms. Davies, I’m truly sorry to trouble you. I’ll be sure to toast you properly later, to thank you for your… ‘generosity’…” Before she could finish, I sneered, lifted my foot, and violently kicked the leather chair beneath her, sending it crashing to the floor.
The next moment, Seraphina scrambled backward, tripping over the overturned chair. I watched her struggle to get back up, unable to suppress a cold laugh: “What’s this, the elite consultant’s ankle injury healed so quickly? Impressive reflexes, are you a former gymnast?” Julian looked as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him, frozen in place. Then, he lovingly helped Seraphina, turning to roar at me: “Elara Campbell, have you lost your mind? Seraphina is claiming to be an heir to the Davies family! If anything happens to her, can you even afford to pay for it? I finally understand what’s wrong with you today. You just can’t stand Seraphina being more capable, more popular than you, and you’re deliberately trying to ruin everything, aren’t you?” I scoffed, my face full of disdain: “Me, jealous of someone who’s all show and no substance? And besides…” “I’ve already resigned. Don’t give me that patronizing attitude; I’m not playing along!” Julian’s face went pale with anger, but before he could say anything more, I strode out of the banquet hall without looking back. I let the commotion and Eleanor’s furious shouts fade into the distance. I tidied up my personal belongings in the office and glanced at the velvet gift box in my drawer, momentarily lost in thought. These were a pair of diamond cufflinks I had pre-ordered from an auction house. I had intended to give them to Julian as a gift for our tenth wedding anniversary. Now, it felt utterly ironic. Looking at the cufflinks, I couldn’t help but recall memories. I had noticed Julian in college. He was distinctly different from the spoiled rich kids I knew who relied on their family wealth. While others squandered their time, he was always in the library, the lab, or working several part-time jobs. I admired that pride earned through his own efforts. One day, I found his old fountain pen in the library. When I returned it to him, he paused, then tossed it into the nearby trash can. But then he asked if I would be his girlfriend. My classmates all said it was because his first love had just broken up with him, and he was simply acting out in spite of her. But I refused to believe it. I was doubly good to him, confident that one day he would be touched by my sincerity. For ten years of marriage, I remained this way. I knew he was always lukewarm towards me. But I always believed he loved me. Perhaps that was just his way of showing affection. It wasn’t until I personally witnessed his undisguised affection for Seraphina that I realized my ten years of devotion had been a lie to myself. Perhaps, from the very beginning, I was nothing more than a dispensable placeholder. Just as I was about to toss the gift into the trash, the office door was pushed open, and I bumped right into Julian and his entourage returning. “Well, Elara Campbell, weren’t you quite principled just now? Already packing up your things? Don’t be so childish, playing these sulky exit games.” In the doorway, Julian still had his arm linked with Seraphina, followed by several embarrassed executives. Ha, he wasn’t even bothering to hide it anymore. Seraphina gently tugged on Julian’s sleeve, feigning concern: “Julian, Ms. Davies might just be emotional right now. Look at the gift in her hand; maybe she specifically prepared it to reconcile with you.” Julian paused, then gave a mocking sneer: “Ha, she thinks buying something will make me change my mind? If Seraphina hadn’t talked me down today, I would’ve already had security escort you out…” As he spoke, he reached out to take the gift box from my hand. I frowned, snatched it away first, and directly tossed the velvet box into the wastebasket in the corner. “Pointless. Are you interested in trash? I suggest you break that habit of self-importance soon.”
With that, without waiting for Julian to react, I grabbed my work bag and left. I decided to head back to the Campbell villa to pack my personal belongings; it was time to definitively end this unequal marriage. But just as I was halfway through organizing, the bedroom door was violently flung open. Julian stormed in, livid, pointing at me as he snarled: “Elara Campbell, what exactly are you trying to do today? Making me lose face in front of all the executives and clients? Have you forgotten that everything you have today is thanks to the Campbell family?” Seraphina followed behind him, her face full of distress, gently persuading: “Ms. Davies, I wanted to explain a few things for you. But your behavior today was indeed a bit excessive. Is it because Julian and I have a lot of work contact that you’ve developed unnecessary misunderstandings? We truly are just professional partners. If you insist on thinking otherwise, then I… I’ll just have to withdraw from the project to avoid affecting your marriage.” Seraphina made a move to leave, but her steps were extremely slow. Julian immediately grabbed her wrist, his tone unusually gentle: “Seraphina, you’ve done nothing wrong. You’re not the one who should leave.” Then he spun to face me, gritting his teeth: “Elara, you’ve disappointed me so much. You’ve become cruel and unreasonable! If you don’t apologize to Seraphina for your disrespectful behavior right now, there’s no need for our marriage to continue!” I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. This wasn’t the first time he had threatened me with divorce. Ever since Seraphina appeared, every time we argued because of her, he would throw out that line. Back then, like a fool, I thought it was a sign he still cared about our marriage, and I would back down again and again. I naively believed that if I just gave more, I would eventually become the irreplaceable wife in his heart. Looking back now, I was ridiculously blind. A man like this, I was better off without him! Julian saw my silence and assumed I would yield as before. He smugly adjusted his cuff, saying in a condescending tone: “Actually, I’m not completely unreasonable. As long as you sincerely apologize to Seraphina…” I cut him off directly: “No need to say more. I’m moving out. We’re getting a divorce.” Julian looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his mouth open, unable to speak. Seraphina quickly tried to smooth things over: “Ms. Davies, even if you’re angry, you shouldn’t joke about your marriage.” I pulled out a pre-drafted divorce agreement from my file, placing it calmly on the dresser: “I’m not joking. Sign it. All asset division terms are already listed. From now on, we’re even.” Julian finally realized I was serious, pointing at me, his voice trembling: “Fine! Go then! Don’t come crying back later!” Seraphina’s eyes flashed with an almost imperceptible smugness, feigning distress: “Ms. Davies, you should reconsider. Once you leave the Campbell family, you won’t be Mrs. Campbell anymore. In this circle, who doesn’t respect Chairwoman Campbell’s influence? Without that status, how many of your former resources and connections will you have left?” I wasn’t deaf to the deeper meaning of her words. She was reminding me that a “lowly born” wife leaving a powerful family would be left with nothing. All my social prestige was dependent on Julian and the Campbell family. Julian, too, seemed to find new support in her words, his tone becoming arrogant again: “Exactly, some people just can’t face reality. You, a woman with no background, if it weren’t for our Campbell family giving you a platform, who would even notice you? The royal commission you couldn’t handle, Seraphina can easily revitalize. Once the Middle Eastern exhibition is a huge success, our group will finally join the top ranks!” I scoffed. Join the top ranks? They’d be facing total ruin! With Seraphina’s superficial connections, she wouldn’t even get the doors to the exhibits open. The Middle Eastern royal family wasn’t someone you could casually placate; the group would probably end up losing everything. As I was thinking, Julian’s phone suddenly rang. He gave me a provocative look, his face beaming with triumph: “Look, a call from the Royal Office. Once the first massive commission payment arrives, I’ll take Seraphina to Switzerland for a vacation. And you, you can go back to your tiny apartment and slowly savor the consequences of your impulsive actions!” He deliberately put it on speaker, waiting to gloat about his victory. The next second, a furious roar, mixed with Arabic and English, erupted from the phone: “You fools! You utterly deceitful swindlers! You dared to defraud the royal family with forged documents! If you don’t provide an explanation, I will use every power at my disposal to make your group disappear globally!”
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