Jason, my wife Vivian’s assistant, shared the exact same birthday as I did. Vivian gave Jason a designer watch worth a fortune. “Your performance has been outstanding. I’ll promote you to VP next month.” Then, without even looking at me, she tossed a cheap gift box in my direction. I opened it. Inside lay a pregnancy test stick. Vivian’s voice was cold, utterly devoid of warmth. “I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a father. This birthday gift should make you happy, right? Resign by the end of the month and give your VP position to Jason. From now on, you’ll stay home and take care of the baby.” I let out a hollow laugh. I’d been diagnosed as sterile six months ago. How could she possibly be pregnant with my child? As for the VP position, I didn’t even care about it. But even if I handed the role to Jason, he didn’t have what it took to keep it. In Vivian’s office, I stared at the pregnancy test stick, a bitter irony twisting inside me. Jason was diligently massaging Vivian’s shoulders, shooting me a smug, challenging smirk. I took a slow breath and looked at Vivian. “Could the test be wrong? Are you really pregnant?” Vivian sounded impatient. “Why would I fake something like this?” “I’m going to the hospital for another check later. Jason will accompany me. You just finish up here and draft your resignation!” Jason offered me a thin, counterfeit smile. “Ryan, I know a stay-at-home dad. He’s quite experienced. Should I introduce you? You could pick up some baby care tips in advance.” As he spoke, he made a point of adjusting the expensive watch on his wrist-the one Vivian had given him. I forced down my rising anger. “I’m overseeing two key projects right now. All the groundwork is laid. If I leave abruptly, the clients might object-” Vivian cut me off, slamming her palm on the desk. “Ryan, what are you implying? That this company can’t run without you?” Looking at her furious face, I sighed inwardly. For years, I had given everything to Vivian Corp., all to protect Vivian’s legacy. Years ago, after her parents died in that crash, she had clung to me, shaking and sobbing, saying I was the only one she could lean on. From that day on, I gave everything to help her. Now, Vivian Corp. was thriving, stronger than ever. And most of that was because of me. The two projects I led were critical to the company’s future. It had taken me six months to secure the clients and clear every initial obstacle. Now, just as we were on the verge of reaping the rewards, Vivian ordered Jason to take over. Wasn’t this just a blatant grab for my success? Jason had joined the company six months ago. He was Vivian’s junior from college, which instantly earned him the role of her assistant. Vivian was excessively generous with him. She brought him to galas and high profile events, saying it was to broaden his perspective and build his network. All so he could help the company prosper later on. In reality, their flirtatious behavior had long crossed the line between a professional superior and subordinate. To any outsider, Jason looked every bit like Vivian’s husband! I had argued with Vivian about Jason before, and each time, I was the one who ended up apologizing. The Vivian standing before me was nothing like the woman I had married. took a slow breath and spoke to Vivian with deliberate calm. “Those two projects are critical to the company. The clients trust my judgment-” Before I could finish, Jason cut in, his voice slick with sarcasm. “Ryan, you’re always talking about your ‘abilities.’ But let’s be real. If the company hadn’t given you a chance, what would any of that even be worth?” I opened my mouth to respond, but Vivian spoke over me, her voice sharp with impatience. “Enough. Stop acting like the company can’t survive without you. Jason is just as capable. He simply needs the opportunity to prove it. Hand everything over to him. That’s all.” Looking at Vivian’s dismissive expression and Jason’s smug, mocking face, I simply nodded. “No need to wait until month’s end. I resign now. I’ll also have the divorce papers drawn up. Please be ready to sign!”
My words left Vivian utterly speechless. Jason’s eyes, however, gleamed with surprise and delight. He feigned distress. “Ryan, what are you doing?” “I know you’ve never liked me. If you don’t want me taking your VP role, just say so. Do you really have to use divorce to threaten Vivian?” Vivian clearly took the bait. Her expression darkened as she glared at me, her voice turning sharp. “You’ve grown bold, Ryan.” “Trying to play mind games with me? Threatening me with divorce? Do you really think a cheap trick like that could ever control me?” “Ryan, you underestimate me!” “Go ahead. Draw up the papers now. Let’s see if I’m afraid to sign!” Vivian had completely lost control! She was absolutely convinced that I couldn’t leave her, that I’d never give up my status as the ‘trophy husband’ of the Vivian family, so she acted with such impunity. Without a moment’s hesitation, I walked out of the office and quickly prepared my resignation letter and the divorce papers. When Jason saw the clause in the divorce papers stating I would leave empty-handed, his eyes betrayed an even greater, barely concealed excitement. He continued his phony act, saying to me, “Ryan, don’t be ridiculous.” “Vivian is already pregnant. How can you threaten her with such tactics at a time like this? What if she gets upset and it affects the baby? That would be terrible.” “Besides, you love Vivian so much, how could you bear to divorce her!” “If you don’t want me to take your position, I’ll just continue being Vivian’s assistant.” “In fact, if you’re sick of seeing me, I’ll resign right now! Wouldn’t that be enough?” “You and Vivian absolutely can’t let your marriage fall apart because of me, or I’ll be to blame.” As Jason spoke, he put on a show of being wronged, his eyes slightly red as if he might burst into tears at any moment. Jason’s theatrical performance disgusted me. But Vivian, ironically, fell for his act completely. Vivian shot me a fierce glare, then signed the divorce papers without hesitation. She said coldly, “Your resignation is approved. I’ve signed the divorce papers. You can go!” “Ryan, without me, all your glory will vanish instantly.” “You’ll regret this. I’ll wait for the day you come back begging me!” I looked at her deeply, said nothing, and turned to leave. I already regretted it! Regretted the day we met, fell in love, and walked down the aisle! The moment I stepped out of the company’s main entrance, I let out a long breath. Though a part of me still felt sad, my whole being felt like a heavy burden had been lifted. Back then, Vivian saw me as her only anchor, and I wholeheartedly devoted myself to safeguarding her. For years, I had poured every ounce of my energy into ensuring Vivian Corp flourished. At the same time, Vivian and Jason’s flirtatious behavior had filled me with anger and helplessness, and I’d been indecisive, dragging my feet. Now, after cutting ties cleanly, it was time for a good rest. In the company parking lot downstairs, as I pulled out my car keys to drive away, Linda, the company accountant, jogged over. She gave me a strange look, then cautiously spoke. “Ryan, Ms. Vivian just instructed me that since you’ve resigned, the car you’re driving is company property, so-” She didn’t finish, but I understood perfectly. I gave a bitter laugh, tossed her the car keys, and walked away without a word. When I took a taxi back to the gated community, the security guard at the gate stopped me. The property manager, Mr. Peterson, was standing there too, wearing an awkward smile. “Mr. Ryan, Ms. Vivian just called. She’s revoked your access card and facial recognition. You’re no longer permitted entry!” “Did you two have a…disagreement?” “Perhaps you could give Ms. Vivian a call now and sort it out? This puts us in a rather difficult position.” What else could I say? How much money I’d earned for Vivian Corp over the years, others might not know, but Vivian certainly did. And I hadn’t received any commensurate compensation. In Vivian’s words, what was hers was mine; we were a married couple, no need to distinguish things too clearly. So, to this day, I owned no property. The luxury car and villa were all in Vivian’s name. Even my bank account had less than a hundred dollars! As I stood blocked at the entrance of the villa community, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. Laughing at how foolish I had been.
That evening, Vivian brought Jason home. On the way, Vivian told Jason, “I know Ryan well. He absolutely can’t leave me.” “He’s definitely waiting at the villa entrance right now!” “When we get there, you mock him a bit first. I won’t even acknowledge him. We’ll leave him out there all night.” “Tomorrow, I’ll make him beg for my forgiveness.” A flicker of something close to dissatisfaction passed through Jason’s eyes, but he kept his voice carefully concerned. “Ryan is stubborn. What if he refuses to apologize?” “Vivian, you’ve already signed the divorce papers and accepted his resignation. What if he-” Before Jason could stoke the doubt further, Vivian cut him off with absolute certainty. “There is no ‘what if.’ He will apologize.” “This time, I’ll teach him a proper lesson. I’ll make sure he puts me first in everything from now on, and never dares to question my word again.” “You just follow my lead when the time comes.” A chilling glint flashed in Jason’s eyes, but outwardly, he nodded respectfully. Upon arriving at the gated community entrance, the property manager, Mr. Peterson, was still waiting. Vivian didn’t get out of the car. She rolled down the window and said blandly to Mr. Peterson, “Mr. Peterson, good job!” “Keep it up. Without my permission, Ryan is not allowed back into this community.” Mr. Peterson’s expression grew even stranger; he seemed hesitant to speak. Vivian didn’t notice Mr. Peterson’s odd look, but Jason did. Jason’s face darkened, and he snapped at Mr. Peterson. “You didn’t let Ryan in, did you?” “Don’t forget, Ms. Vivian is the owner here. If you dare violate her orders, do you not want to be property manager anymore?” Vivian’s face stiffened, her gaze icy as she looked at Mr. Peterson, her voice low. “What exactly happened?” Mr. Peterson’s forehead broke out in a light sweat. He gave Vivian a forced smile. “Ms. Vivian, Mr. Ryan did indeed enter the community.” “However, it wasn’t due to lax security on our part. He was invited in!” Both Vivian and Jason froze. Vivian instinctively asked, “Who invited him in?” Mr. Peterson cast a strange glance at Vivian, then cautiously explained, “It was Ms. Vivian’s former best friend, the heiress of the Chloe family. She’s also an owner here, and she invited Mr. Ryan to her house. We had no reason to stop them!” The property manager’s words immediately made Vivian’s face turn dark. She yelled at Jason, “Drive in! To Chloe’s house!” “I want to see what she’s up to!”
At that moment, I was enjoying tea at Chloe’s house. Her parents had chatted with me for most of the day, looking at me as if I were their prospective son-in-law, and growing increasingly pleased with what they saw. Earlier that morning, when I was blocked at the villa community gate, Chloe happened to be driving home. After she understood the situation, she didn’t say a word and brought me straight to her place. To be precise, she practically dragged me into her house. Chloe and Vivian were classmates and best friends, and their families were in similar financial situations. When Vivian’s parents died in the car accident, Chloe had also lent a helping hand. Otherwise, even with my efforts, Vivian Corp wouldn’t have stabilized so quickly. Chloe and Vivian used to be inseparable, sharing everything. When did their friendship fall apart? It must have been about six months ago. At that time, I was working day and night on those two critical transformation projects for Vivian Corp and didn’t have much time to spend with Vivian. Coincidentally, Jason joined Vivian Corp and became Vivian’s assistant. Their flirtatious behavior became obvious to many. Chloe stood up for me and argued with Vivian, who, in her anger, accused Chloe of having ulterior motives for me. After that, the two best friends who had been inseparable for years cut ties! Thinking back, it was all quite poignant. Chloe’s parents tactfully left us after dinner. I was about to excuse myself, but Chloe insisted I stay for tea. She smiled playfully. “What’s the rush? Afraid I’ll eat you alive?” “You’ve already divorced Vivian, and you have nowhere to go. What’s wrong with staying here and chatting with me?” I shot Chloe an exasperated look. She didn’t want me to stay and chat. She just wanted Vivian to come knocking on her door so she could enjoy the show. Before I could speak, Chloe softly said, “My parents want you to consider becoming the CEO of our Chloe Industries! You should really think about it.” “My parents haven’t been in the best health these past few years, and they’ve been looking for a capable assistant for me.” “If you hadn’t married Vivian back then, my family would have poached you years ago…” Before she could finish, a dull roar came from outside the villa. Both Chloe and I jumped. Looking through the French windows towards the gate, we saw Vivian’s car had crashed right through Chloe’s garden gate. Watching Jason and Vivian storm out of the car, Chloe smiled sweetly at me. “Looks like your ex-wife is pretty mad, huh?” Chloe’s smile left me speechless. How could she still smile at a time like this? Soon, Jason and Vivian walked into the villa. Seeing Chloe and me sitting calmly over tea, Vivian’s fury only burned hotter. She turned on me first. “Ryan, I told you not to contact her. Have you forgotten already?” “You-” Before she could finish, Chloe cut in, her voice cool. “Vivian, you’ve already signed the divorce papers with Ryan, haven’t you?” “Where he goes and who he sees is no longer any of your concern, is it?” Vivian’s expression stiffened, and the words died in her throat. Jason quickly stepped in. “Chloe, it’s not that simple. Vivian and Ryan haven’t filed the divorce papers officially yet…” Chloe tossed her teacup directly at him. Jason, unable to dodge, was hit, and tea splattered all over him. Chloe glared at Jason, her face devoid of emotion. “Do I know you? Do you have the right to speak here? You parasitic leech, your little act only fools an idiot like Vivian!” “Bastard! Who do you think you are? Say one more word, and you won’t live to regret it!” Chloe’s outburst turned Jason’s face green. However, he dared not retort. After all, Chloe’s status and connections were far beyond his. If Chloe truly wanted to target him with malicious intent, even with Vivian’s protection, his life wouldn’t be easy. Vivian, however, snapped at Chloe, “Chloe, you’ve gone too far! Jason is our schoolmate, how can you humiliate him like that?” Chloe let out a cold laugh. “Vivian, I really can’t tell if you’re actually this foolish, or just playing the part. ” “What is Jason, really, to you?” “For him, you cut off our friendship of nearly ten years.” “For him, you divorced Ryan without a second thought and handed his VP position straight over.” “Did he put some kind of spell on you? Or have you finally found your soulmate, planning to spend the rest of your life with this…boy toy?” “I’m just baffled. Since you chose that freeloading pretty boy, why are you so furious when you find out Ryan is at my house?” “I get it. You want to have your cake and eat it too?” “That’s just shameless!” I had to admit, Chloe’s tongue was sharp, leaving Vivian trembling with rage. Vivian, knowing she couldn’t win the argument, glared at me furiously. “Ryan, don’t play dumb!” “You’re coming with me right now, or I’ll never forgive you!” I calmly replied, “You’ve already signed the divorce papers, and I’ve already walked away with nothing. We have no relationship anymore!” The moment I finished speaking, Vivian erupted. “I don’t care! You’re coming with me! You can’t stay here!” “Ryan, I’m carrying your child! If you don’t listen to me, I’ll go to the hospital right now and end this pregnancy!” Hearing her use the child as leverage, I smiled. But there was no warmth in it. I held her gaze and spoke, each word slow and clear. “Are you sure the child you’re carrying is mine?”
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