At the company’s annual meeting, my wife and her male assistant drank from the same glass of wine.

I didn’t say a word. Quietly, I sent out a message. By the end of the evening, I had withdrawn completely from her company.

That same day, two-thirds of my wife’s business partners announced the permanent termination of their dealings with her, and all pending orders were declared void.

It wasn’t long before a divorce agreement landed on Natalie Cross’s desk. Enraged, she came to find me.

“I just took a sip of Brandon Knox’s wine—do you really have to go this far?” she asked, eyes blazing.

I looked at her, my voice calm. “Yes,” I said. “Absolutely.”

——

That night at the annual meeting, Natalie wore a striking red dress, bold and dazzling. She stood at the center of the stage, radiating confidence.

Brandon approached her and handed her a wine glass, one he had just sipped from. She accepted it without hesitation and drank from it in full view of the audience.

Around them, guests murmured. Under the warm lights and curious gazes, her cheeks flushed slightly. She looked at Brandon, her eyes gentle, even tender.

“This year,” she announced, “our company has reached a historic milestone. Our trade volume hit a record high, and our market value has doubled.”

She smiled at Brandon and continued, “The credit goes to him—Brandon. He led the team, followed through on every project, revised strategies night after night, and worked tirelessly to open new markets.”

“As a reward for his dedication,” she declared, “I am promoting him to Director of the Project Department and transferring 10% of my shares to him.”

The room erupted in shock. Ten percent of her shares—worth 300 million even at the current valuation—was an enormous gift.

What’s more, her shares came with management rights. With that single announcement, she had effectively named Brandon the director of the company.

Applause thundered through the venue. The crowd, shocked and envious, clapped so loudly it threatened to shake the walls.

I sat in the shadows, at the far end of the room, watching the scene unfold. My chest grew heavier with every second.

Years ago, when Natalie and I first spoke of marriage, my parents were skeptical. She came from a modest background, and her pride was hard to ignore. But I believed in her.

I stood by her, even broke ties with my family when they tried to oppose the marriage.

For the next five years, I poured myself into her dreams. I was with her every step of the way, helping her build her company from nothing.

I started at the bottom, taking on basic sales work. I helped her track every lead, follow up on clients, and secure orders.

There were times when I was traveling nonstop, living out of suitcases, surviving on a single cup of instant noodles a day. When I couldn’t go on, I would rest in a fast food shop, then get up and keep going.

I drank with clients, negotiated deals, and pushed past exhaustion. More than once, I landed in the hospital with gastric bleeding.

I gave everything I had to help her build this foreign trade company, brick by brick.

And yet, in front of all those people, she credited it all to Brandon—a junior assistant who had been with the company for just two years.

She handed him the role that should’ve been mine. She gifted him a seat at the table I helped carve.

Natalie has always been reserved, someone who keeps most of her emotions hidden. Even when her heart was stirred, she would barely show it on her face.

So when she asked, five years ago, to keep our marriage a secret from the company so she could focus on work, I agreed without a second thought.

I didn’t need the world to see us—I only needed her to stand with me.

But now, she was openly flirting with Brandon. Drinking from the same glass. Smiling at him the way she once smiled at me.

In one night, everything I had given her—my loyalty, my youth, my sacrifice—was crushed under her feet like dust.

I left the venue quietly, my heart already packed and gone.

Outside, I pulled out my phone and found a number I had long buried in my blacklist.

“Dad,” I said when he answered, “I’ve thought it over. I’m ready. I’ll come back and take over Whitmore’s from you.”

On the other end, my father burst into tears. He said “yes” over and over, voice trembling.

“Lucas,” he said, “I’m so glad you’ve finally come to your senses.”

“You’re my only son. I poured everything into raising you. I just want what’s best for you.”

“As for Natalie… we loved her because you did. Don’t worry. Now that you’re married, your mother and I will treat her with kindness, and do our best to meet whatever she asks.”

When we first met, the proud and sharp-tongued Natalie feared my CEO's parents would look down on her. So, in front of them, she deliberately acted brash and unruly, trying to show that she wasn’t some gold-digger chasing wealth.

When we started discussing marriage, Natalie demanded that my family give her 88.8 million in cash and transfer 30% of our company’s shares to her maternal half-brother—while her own dowry consisted of just two quilts.

Naturally, my parents refused. Natalie then cried, accusing them of looking down on her, and forced me to choose between her and my family.

Blinded by love, I chose her without hesitation. I turned my back on everything—my name, my family—for her.

Looking back now, I realize how foolish and unfilial that decision was.

Hearing my father’s weak coughs over the phone, my heart ached with guilt.

“Dad, I’ve decided to divorce Natalie.”

“I’ll cut all ties with her company. From now on, we’ll be strangers—completely separate lives.”

He was stunned at first but quickly understood the gravity of my words. After a pause, he said with conviction, “It’s best to stop the bleeding early. If this is your decision, I’ll support you without hesitation.”

“I’ll inform the finance team to pull all investments from Natalie’s company immediately.”

As I stood there, still absorbing his words, he added something that struck me to the core.

Three years ago, when Natalie’s company faced a crisis and hovered on the brink of bankruptcy, a mysterious angel investor stepped in.

That investor—was Whitmore’s.

Afraid that I would object out of pride, my father never told me. He quietly funneled a massive investment into Natalie’s company to save it from collapse.

Only today did he finally tell me the truth.

After hanging up, guilt and sadness churned in my chest. I couldn’t settle my emotions for a long time.

By the time I got home, it was already deep into the night.

When I opened the door, I saw Natalie lying lazily on the sofa, one shoulder bare. Brandon, wearing my home clothes, was kneeling beside her, massaging her waist and legs like he owned the place.

“Brother-in-law, you’re finally home,” Brandon said with a mocking smile. “You disappeared during the annual meeting. President Cross looked all over for you. She called, but your phone was off. Next time, leave a message. Don’t make her worry so much.”

Natalie didn’t even open her eyes. She gave a cold snort. “Lucas Whitmore, if you were half as attentive as A Ye, maybe our life wouldn’t be so dull.”

I had been on my way to the study, but her words made me stop. I turned to her.

“In that case, let’s divorce. You can go ahead and live with him openly.”

My tone was steady, almost too calm. But Natalie shot up from the couch, glaring at me.

“Lucas, are you insane? How dare you talk to me like that?”

“You can’t compare with Brandon at work, and you’re dull and uninteresting at home. I criticize you a little and you throw a tantrum? Take a good look at yourself—do you still think you’re the precious heir of the Whitmore family?”

Yes, I had aged more than five years in the span of just a few.

Not long ago, I pulled several all-nighters for a major project. I hadn’t even had time to shave. Compared to Brandon, polished and fresh-faced, of course I looked worn out.

But Natalie knew well that breaking ties with my parents was my deepest pain—and still, she stabbed there without mercy.

It felt like she was cutting straight into my heart.

I inhaled deeply and met her eyes.

“I’m serious. I hope you’ll reflect on this carefully.”

“Reflect on what? What exactly do you want me to think about?”

Natalie snapped, irritated.

“You just want to go against me, don’t you? Can’t you see how hard I work every single day?”

"You’re in charge of the company during the day, and I finally get a break when I’m home. I just let Brandon keep me company for a while. Why are you being so petty and stirring up trouble?"

She slammed the table, as if genuinely enraged.

Brandon rushed to get warm water and gently helped Natalie drink it.

"Lucas, be honest—can you even compare to Brandon? If I relied on you to care for me, I’d have died of frustration by now!"

Even now, Natalie couldn’t resist tearing me down while praising him.

Brandon added with false modesty, "Come on, brother-in-law, try to be more like me. There’s nothing between Sister Natalie and me—why embarrass yourself over this?"

He clicked his tongue and gave me a look full of condescending pity.

But neither of them noticed how tightly my fists were clenched.

I couldn’t even remember when Brandon had become so brazen in front of me.

Maybe it started the day he stopped being a security guard and became Natalie’s assistant.

Or maybe it was when she first brought him into our home?

"Why are you still just standing there? Go make some hangover soup!"

Natalie kept shouting orders.

"And how many times have I told you that Brandon is allergic to alcohol? Can’t you remember something so simple?"

"I’m begging you, big brother. This is all you’re good for—can you just do it properly for once?"

She held her forehead, looking at me like I really was the useless burden she always accused me of being.

But aside from my relentless effort at work all these years, I also had the full support of Whitmore Group behind me.

What right did Natalie have to belittle me?

While I was lost in thought, Brandon suddenly spoke again.

"Sister Natalie, maybe my presence is what upset my brother-in-law. I should go."

He stood up, feigning guilt, and lowered his head like he was preparing to leave.

But Natalie reached out and yanked him back.

"Sit down! This has nothing to do with you."

She shot me a sharp glare.

"Tonight, I’m going to fix that arrogant attitude of yours, Lucas!"

At an angle Natalie couldn’t see, Brandon smirked and flashed me a middle finger.

“Brother-in-law, I know I’ve got my little flaws, but it’s your fault for disobeying and upsetting Sister Natalie. Guess you’ll just have to put up with me for now.”

He sat back down and resumed massaging her shoulders.

After everything I had just witnessed, I suddenly felt an unexpected calm.

People change.

The Natalie I once gave up everything for—the one I risked my entire future to love—is no longer the person standing in front of me.

"I’ll have my lawyer contact you about the divorce."

I gave her one last look, then turned to leave.

Through the reflection in the glass door, I caught a glimpse of Natalie’s stunned expression.

"Lucas! If you dare walk out that door, don’t ever come back!"

Bang!

I responded to her threat by slamming the door shut behind me.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep that night.

But to my surprise, it turned out to be the most peaceful night I’d had in years.

No company deadlines. No need to cater to Natalie’s moods. No more pretending not to see through Brandon’s fake humility.

For the first time in a long while, I felt what it meant to live for myself.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by a string of phone calls.

“Mr. Whitmore, get to the company ASAP! Director Knox is coming for a surprise inspection today—he said he wants to personally review your group’s projects!”

It was a call from the manager of another project group.