I had just gotten off the plane and thought I’d surprise my wife. I stopped by the café downstairs from her office and ordered a coffee while I waited for her to get off work.

What I didn’t expect was for some guy behind me to snatch the cup straight out of my hand.

I blocked his path. “Hey—that’s mine. Hand it back.”

He turned to me with an arrogant expression. “Do you even know who I am? Talking to me like that? Taking your coffee was me giving you a face, you country bumpkin!”

I clenched my fists, doing my best to stay calm. In all my years, I’d never been humiliated like this.

“I don’t care who you are. I got here first. Hand over my coffee.”

He scoffed at my response, even more dismissive now.

“You got here first? This entire building belongs to the McCulloch Corporation. If I say so, you won’t even make it through the front door today. You hear me?”

“Don’t push your luck, moron,” he threatened, “or I’ll have security drag you out right now.”

The people sitting nearby started chiming in too, pointing fingers at me.

“Wow, you’re messing with Secretary Oliver? You must have a death wish. Everyone here knows how much President McCulloch dotes on him.”

“Sure, he’s just a secretary on paper. But anyone with eyes can tell he’s the CEO’s favorite. I even saw them kissing in the office once. He’s practically the future son-in-law of the McCullochs!”

“If you know what’s good for you, get on your knees and apologize to Secretary Oliver. Maybe he’ll let it slide. Otherwise, good luck getting a job anywhere in Ohio.”

I couldn’t help but laugh to myself.

So this is what my wife had been doing for the past three years while I was in Switzerland—having an affair with another man…

But what none of them knew was that the one getting thrown out today wouldn’t be me. It’d be that smug bastard!

Because their precious President Irenee McCulloch only got that title because I put her there. And with a single word, I could bring her down!

——

Seeing me fall silent, the entitled secretary mistook it for fear. Smirking, he reached out and gave my cheek a stinging pat.

“Scared now, aren’t you?” he sneered. “Get on your knees and apologize, and maybe I’ll forgive you. Maybe I’ll let you off easy.”

He stood there like some untouchable king, clearly expecting me to cave.

I met his gaze without flinching. “I’ve never known fear—not since the day I was born.”

I let the words settle in, and then with a smirk, I taunted, “Now get Irenee down here. Let’s see who’s really getting thrown out.”

The moment I mentioned her name, his expression turned even more contemptuous.

“Oh, so you do know President McCulloch,” he drawled, his voice thick with mockery. “That explains the attitude. Shame, though—you went and pissed off the wrong guy. If you’d played nice, maybe I’d have let you ride her coattails for a while.”

He let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head. “But now? You’ve ruined my mood. And I don’t let things like that slide.”

Before I could process what he meant, he suddenly flung the scalding cup of coffee into my face.

The burn hit instantly—hot liquid seared one side of my cheek. I jerked back and cursed out with a cry of pain.

“You fucking out of your mind? That coffee was boiling! Attacking someone like this is illegal!” I shouted.

He just laughed, his eyes scanning my face like I’d told the best joke he’d heard all day.

“Illegal? Please. Forget one cup of coffee—what if I beat you bloody right now? What the hell are you gonna do about it?”

Before I could move, his fist slammed into my face. I stumbled back and crashed to the floor.

I barely had time to react before he stepped in and drove his shoe into my hand.

“In Ohio,” he said, “especially in this building, I could beat you half to death and no one would lift a finger.”

His face twisted with malice as he ground his shoe down harder. Blinding pain shot through my hand, sweat breaking across my skin in a rush.

“Let go of my hand!” I growled. Gritting my teeth, I warned, “I swear you’re gonna regret this!”

But instead, he pressed down even harder on my injured hand. “Ahhh!” This time, I couldn’t stop the scream that tore out of me.

Seeing me writhing in pain only seemed to thrill him. The bastard even spit in my face!

“Now you get it,” he sneered. “This is what happens when you mess with me. Consider it a warning—next time you forget your place, I won’t be this generous.”

He pulled his foot away like he stepped on shit. The back of my hand was already swollen, bruised purple. I pushed myself up, shaking with fury.

But then, a wave of nausea hit me. I doubled over, dry-heaving.

I grabbed a napkin and wiped my face again and again, but it didn’t help. The fire inside me only burned hotter.

“You’re gonna pay for this!” I growled through clenched teeth.

I looked him in the eye and enunciated, “I’m Irenee’s husband! I’m the real owner of the McCulloch Corporation!”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I thought maybe the little secretary would finally back off. But instead, he looked at me with a mocking smirk, full of contempt.

“You’re lying without even bothering to make it convincing. You came in here to fool us without even doing your homework? Our CEO has never been married—how the hell could she have a husband?”

Just then, a couple of employees in line for coffee chimed in.

“Right? I’ve never heard of her being married either. This guy’s got guts, coming in here spouting nonsense like that.”

“We were just talking about how Secretary Oliver is the CEO’s favorite person in the company, and now this guy’s claiming to be her husband? Secretary Oliver, he’s basically calling you the third party!”

That last comment made Oliver’s expression darken. He snapped. “How dare you slander our CEO like this?” he barked. “Someone get in here and beat the hell out of him!”

Back when Irenee and I got married, she was just an average woman.

She didn’t want people saying she married into money, so we just had a private wedding ceremony. For years, we hid our marriage from the world.

I supported her while she built McCulloch from the ground up. I wanted her to feel confident—never like she owed her success to me or it was beneath mine.

When she finally made it, I told her we should go public.

But she said it still wasn’t time, and that even then, she wasn’t on my level. She asked me to wait a little longer—she wanted to prove herself first, to match me in status before we made anything public.

I agreed. I gave her my full support. I helped her grow the company even more.

I thought she was working to stand tall on her own.

Now I see—it just made hiding her affair that much easier.

I opened my mouth to speak again, but I didn’t get the chance. A group of security guards came rushing in, surrounding me in seconds.

Their posture told me everything: they weren’t here to talk.

I knew if I didn’t make things clear, I’d really get beaten up.

In a cold, steady voice, I said, “I am Wesley Broderick. I’m the richest man in Washington! And I am Irenee’s husband! If you don’t believe me, go get her right now. Let’s settle this right now, right here!”

Something about the way I said it made them pause. The guards looked at each other, hesitant.

But the arrogant secretary lost it. He turned and kicked one of the guards hard. “You actually believe this crap? I’ve never once heard the CEO mention a husband!”

Then, he threatened them. “If you don’t beat the crap out of him now, I’ll make sure you’re all fired!”

The guards’ expressions changed immediately. They looked at me like I was already dead meat.

“You picked the wrong guy to mess with,” one of them muttered as they moved in. “That’s on you.”

“Hey—” I tried to speak, but a fist slammed into my jaw before the words were out.

Then another. And another.

I tried to fight back with everything I had, but two hands couldn’t beat eight.

Soon, I was on the floor, getting stomped and punched from every direction.

All I could do was curl up and shield my head as best I could.

A strong hand grabbed my chin, forcing my face up. “Let this be a lesson,” said the guy they called the secretary. “Maybe next time you’ll think twice before running your mouth.”

I didn’t know how long the beating lasted.

All I knew was that my body felt broken—like every bone inside me had been shattered.

Eventually, they stopped.

I glared at him, my eyes filled with loathe. “You’ll regret this,” I said, voice hoarse. “You’ll regret what you did today.”

He let out a cruel, dismissive snort. “Regret? For laying a hand on trash like you?” He sneered. “Let me tell you something—there’s nobody in Washington who could make me regret anything.”

He turned away and snapped at the guards. “Get him out of the building. And don’t ever let him set foot in here again.”

No matter how I struggled, they dragged me out like dead weight.

They threw my battered body onto the ground like trash.

And all around me, strangers stared at me with their eyes full of judgement.

I lay there, fractured and fucking humiliated!

“I heard he just pretended to be the CEO’s husband and got chewed out by Secretary Oliver.”

“Hilarious. Trying to fake being the CEO’s husband in front of her personal secretary? Who doesn’t know about the relationship between the CEO and her secretary? Like he’d ever tolerate that.”

So it was out in the open now—Irenee was keeping another man. And I, her actual husband, had been the last to know.

I didn’t give a damn about what they thought. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

“I’m outside the building. Come down and get me. I’m here to make some things clear.”

Not long after, a middle-aged man came rushing downstairs. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

“President Broderick! What happened to you?! You look… like hell! I’ll take you to the hospital right now!”

I waved him off and forced myself to speak through the pain. “The injuries can wait. I’ve got a mess to clean up first.”

Then I fixed my eyes coldly on him.

“Director Barnes, got something you haven’t told me? When exactly did that bastard called Secretary Oliver get into the company?”

The mention of that name made Drew’s expression freeze. Then his face turned awkward.

“President Broderick, President McCulloch personally recruited Haynes to be the secretary two years ago. She really favored him,” he explained.

“I’ve also heard some rumors about their relationship, but I’m in R&D—I only caught wind of it and didn’t pay it much attention. Thought it was just gossip,” he added.

At that, he looked at me in surprise. “Don’t tell me they really…”

I nodded.

Drew’s face fell. He immediately lowered his head in guilt. “President Broderick, I—”

I didn’t let him finish. I knew what kind of guy he was—only cared about research and development, stayed out of all the other crap. I couldn’t blame him. After all, Irenee was my wife. If anyone should’ve seen it coming, it was me.

“Take me upstairs. I’ll handle the rest.”

With Drew leading the way, I made it back into the building and up to the top floor without a hitch.

But just as we reached the CEO’s office, we ran into Haynes. The moment he saw me, his face twisted with anger.

“You shameless bastard! How the hell did you get up here? Didn’t I give strict orders that you’re banned here?”

Then he caught sight of the director beside me and snapped, “You brought him up here? He offended me, and you still dared let him in? You trying to get yourself fired, Director Barnes?”

I gave him a mocking look. “You think you can fire Drew? This company runs on his research. Eighty percent of our R&D depends on him. If he leaves, the whole operation collapses. You really didn’t know that?”

For a second, Haynes’s face showed a flicker of guilt, but then he snapped back with fury.

“And who gave you the right to speak? Besides, it’s no big deal. Fire one, hire another. As long as there’s money, there’s always talent ready to step in. You think leaning on that director gives you any leverage over me?”

He warned me, “I’m telling you now—even with him backing you up, the CEO won’t touch me.”

“One word from me and she’ll have him thrown out on the spot,” he boasted.

His arrogant gaze swept over Drew. “I’m getting you fired. Pack your shit and get lost.”

Drew might be the quiet type, always buried in his work, but even he looked ready to explode. His face flushed red with anger.

“I was brought into this company by President Broderick himself. If he tells me to leave, I’ll go. No need for you to act like you’re in charge.”

Haynes sneered at him. “President Broderick? You mean that guy standing next to you?”

He scoffed. “You dumb R&D guy! You believe whatever people tell you? He’s a liar! He was just downstairs claiming he was the CEO’s husband!”