My wife had asked her assistant to accompany me to a restaurant for a business discussion. At the dinner table, the assistant deliberately made things difficult for me, encouraging the client to pressure me into drinking. I politely refused, citing my alcohol allergy and got up to leave. But before I could take a step, the assistant, Theo Emerson forcefully stopped me.

"Rudy, you're just a kept man living off your wife. If you're told to drink, you drink. What's with all the nonsense?"

I gave him a faint smile, tore up the contract on the spot and dialed my wife.

"I just heard from your assistant that the Harper Family doesn’t need me anymore. Is that true?"

——

Before she could respond, the assistant, Theo, snatched my phone away with one hand and sneered. "You think whining to Mrs. Harper will help you? Let me be clear—you’re drinking this wine tonight, whether you want to or not."

I met his gaze coldly. "And what if I don’t?"

"Well, well, seems like we have a rebel here. Looks like you’re about to set a new precedent—I’ve never been defied before."

The call was still connected and soon, my wife’s voice came through the speaker. "Rudy, stop being difficult, okay? Theo is only doing what’s best for the company. Just listen to him."

Her words amused me. Since when did I need an assistant telling me what to do in business negotiations? The client hadn’t even spoken yet, but Theo had already taken the initiative to offer a 20% profit cut. And even that wasn’t enough—Mr. Carson insisted I drink an entire bottle of liquor before he would sign the contract.

It was an absurd demand, especially considering that everyone in the company knew about my alcohol allergy. But beyond that, this contract itself was a disaster waiting to happen. I was about to question her when Theo abruptly hung up the phone. He grinned smugly.

"Did you hear that? Even your wife told you to listen to me. You still want to argue?"

I slowly lifted my head, my tone devoid of emotion. "Who said I have to listen to her?"

The moment those words left my mouth, Mr. Carson, the client, leaned back in his chair with a smirk.

"If I’m not mistaken, you’re just the Harper Family’s errand boy, right?" His gaze was openly mocking. "Honestly, some people just aren’t cut out for business. I asked you to drink and instead, you tore up the contract. If your wife finds out about this, she might just divorce you."

Hearing his words, I chuckled slightly. "Mr. Carson, you and Assistant Theo are working together, aren’t you?"

A skilled businessman must have keen insight and from the moment I walked in, I noticed the silent exchanges between them. Theo, who was supposed to be working for the benefit of the company, was instead colluding with the client to target me. This dinner wasn’t about business—it was an ambush.

Mr. Carson’s eyes flickered with hesitation but quickly regained composure. "Nonsense. I’m just stating the facts. Everyone at this table earned their success through hard work—except you. You’re just a freeloader. And as a client, if I tell you to drink, you drink. Understand?"

Laughter erupted around the table, their mockery filling the air.

I let my gaze sweep across the circle of men before I spoke, my voice chillingly calm. "Mr. Carson, I admit that I am quite good-looking, but I don’t particularly like being called a ‘kept man.’ I suggest you refrain from using that term in the future.". My smile faded. "Because if you don’t, I might just get angry."

By the end, my eyes had darkened and a sharp chill filled the air. "If I get angry, I’m afraid no one sitting here will have a good time."

The moment those words left my mouth, Theo shot up from his seat, his expression twisted with disdain.

"Rudy, stop acting tough. You think anyone here is scared of you?" He sneered. "Others might not know your true status, but I do.". His voice dripped with contempt as he continued, "Mr. Harper told me long ago that you only managed to join the Harper Family because of old family ties. From beginning to end, General Manager Harper never truly acknowledged you."

I narrowed my eyes at him, my gaze turning cold. "Oh? Is that so? Did Anna really say that?"

Theo nodded smugly, his eyes gleaming with malicious excitement. "Of course. Ms. Harper has wanted to divorce you for a long time. You’re the one shamelessly clinging on and refusing to leave."

For a moment, his words left me stunned. I couldn't immediately tell whether he was fabricating things or if there was some truth behind them. But one thing was certain—an assistant wouldn’t dare to challenge me so openly unless someone was pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

I needed to get to the bottom of this. I had to confront Anna in person.

As I moved to stand up, a heavy hand clamped down on my shoulder, forcing me back into my seat.

"The wine hasn’t even been drunk yet. Where do you think you’re going?"

I slowly lifted my head, my expression unreadable. "Where I go is none of your concern. You’re just an assistant. Know your place."

Theo snorted, his eyes unwavering. "As long as I’m here, you’re not going anywhere."

I studied the man before me, baffled by his audacity. Just where did he get the nerve to act this way?

"Assistant Theo," I said calmly, "I am officially informing you that you are fired."

Rather than backing down, Theo’s arrogance only grew. He burst into laughter. "You? Fire me? Do you even have the authority?"

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "You should take a good look at your own position before speaking so recklessly."

I exhaled sharply and stood up, shoving him back. "Theo, you’ve provoked me again and again. Do you really think I’m someone you can just trample over?"

The second my words landed, Theo’s face darkened. His hand shot out, grabbing me by the collar.

"Rudy," he spat, his grip tightening, "you’re just the Harper Family’s lapdog. How dare you raise your voice at me?"

He leaned in, his tone dripping with mockery. "No one in Harper Group can fire me except Mr. Harper himself."

For a second, I almost wondered if I was the one who had been drinking tonight. Even if the Harper Family were powerful, I never considered them untouchable. Yet here was a mere assistant, acting as if he owned the world. It seemed I had been too low-key for far too long.

"Theo," I warned, my voice dangerously calm, "let go of me now, or not even your connections will be able to protect you."

I reined in my anger, giving him one last chance. But some people simply refuse to recognize when they’re out of their depth.

Theo's bloodshot eyes locked onto mine. "And what if I don’t? What can you do to me?"

He scoffed, tightening his grip. "I am the chairman’s assistant. Everyone in the industry respects me. But you? You’re nothing."

Before I could respond, the other guests chimed in.

"That’s right! Everyone in this city even knows that Assistant Theo played a huge role in Harper Group’s success."

"He’s not just some useless son-in-law sitting here thinking he’s important. He’s just a kept man, isn’t he?"

"Exactly! Some people live off their wife and still act like they’re important. It’s honestly pathetic."

I understood then. In the eyes of these people, my position as the company’s sales manager held less value than that of a mere assistant. I had no idea who gave them this level of arrogance.

Theo seemed to bask in the approval of the people around him, his smug expression almost unbearable. "Rudy, if I were you, I’d just obediently drink the wine. Otherwise, you might have a hard time explaining yourself to your wife when you get back."

I met his gaze with ice-cold eyes, my tone indifferent. "Theo, this is the last time I’m warning you. Don’t push me past my limits.". I leaned in slightly, my voice steady but firm. "The General Manager Harper that you keep boasting about—she only got to where she is today because of me."

I let that statement linger in the air, allowing it to sink in. The reason behind it was not something these people needed to know, but I wanted to make one thing clear: they had no idea who they were dealing with. More than Theo’s provocations, I was far more interested in uncovering the mastermind pulling the strings behind all of this.

And if that mastermind turned out to be my own wife, Anna… well, that would be truly amusing.

My mind drifted back to three years ago. Back then, the Harper Family was nothing more than a third-rate household, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.