Wendy strode into the conference room in a custom-tailored suit and heels. The room fell silent the instant she entered.

Lisa hurriedly pulled out a chair for her, but Wendy didn't sit down right away. Instead, she walked straight up to me.

"Julian, stop scaring everyone with your doomsday talk. Your pretentious act only makes me feel disgusted!" she snapped.

I was momentarily stunned. I'd assumed her earlier call-out was directed at Lisa, but it turned out she was talking to me.

Before I could respond, Wendy continued, "I really regret letting you join this company. I still don't understand why Grandpa insisted on bringing in someone who's just a figurehead.

"Who do you think you are, acting so high and mighty? Do you really believe this company can't run without you?"

We'd been married for five years. Even if it was only in name, married couples were expected to keep up a veneer of harmony in public. Her relentless, humiliating criticism left me stunned, and my expression hardened.

Five years ago, her grandfather, Michael Shaw, had called in an old family favor to bring me into Shaw Group as head of the Cybersecurity Department.

I still recalled what Wendy said back then.

"The company is in a critical situation, Julian. Thank you for lending us a hand."

She had been extremely polite at the time. I could tell she'd just returned from studying abroad, and her youthful, fresh appearance made that clear.

Later, Michael personally encouraged a match between us, and I fell for her at first sight. Given my personality, no amount of money or persuasion could have convinced me to agree to an arranged marriage. My only intention was to help Michael, and that was it.

I had thought that even if Wendy didn't truly like me, she at least liked me enough to give the relationship a try. She had said it was just a trial period to see how things worked out, but that trial had lasted five years. Over time, she forgot all the unseen effort I had put in for her.

I looked at her cold, indifferent face and spoke firmly, "If you want to shut down the Cybersecurity Department, fine. But you need to get Mr. Shaw Senior's approval first. If he agrees, so will I.

"I joined this company because of the relationship between Michael and my grandfather, not because of anyone else here."

Wendy's expression faltered. After a long pause, she tried to put on a fierce front, though it didn't hide her unease.

"What? Are you using Grandpa to pressure me? Is throwing your weight around the only thing you know how to do? I don't even understand why he insisted you join the company. Now, all you do is sit around and contribute nothing."

I looked at her, and the person I had known back then was gone.

Several colleagues grew restless and began urging me to leave.

"Why aren't you leaving? Ms. Shaw has already spoken. You're a grown man, so stop digging in your heels."

"Why make such a scene? You could have ended this without drama."

"Julian, be a man about this and stop dragging it out."

Their sudden hostility puzzled me at first, but once I saw they were all on the same page, everything clicked. I vaguely remembered rumors that they were colluding to embezzle company funds.

The one who'd led the mockery earlier had approached me before. He had subtly probed me about whether I'd be willing to falsify data, but I'd refused him outright. I hadn't connected the dots then, but now it all made sense.

Apparently, that was when the company started alienating me and targeting me at every turn. It turned out it was all these troublemakers stirring things up all along.

And Wendy was still naively believing them. I had no idea what she'd actually learned during her time studying abroad.

I turned toward the person who'd just accused me of "digging in my heels". If I remembered correctly, his name was Zachary Cole. I was ready to call them out.

"Mr. Cole, just because I wouldn't help you with falsifying accounts or setting up shady websites, that's no reason to go all out against me.

"And Mr. Leon Howard, Mr. Victor Grant, you've all been so eager to get rid of me since the meeting started. Whose cake did my department happen to touch?"

When Zachary, Leon, and Victor heard that I was about to expose them, their expressions instantly tightened. But Wendy acted as if she hadn't heard a thing.

Zachary was the first to respond, his tone sharp but his eyes betraying his unease.

"What are you accusing me of without a single piece of proof? When did I ever even talk to you? Do you have any evidence?"

Wendy didn't acknowledge my warning at all, and her patience wore thin as she frowned.

"A loser like you dares to accuse our key contributors on your way out?"

I shot back, sneering, "Key contributors? Which of these people standing up right now is a key contributor?"

The remark made several faces in the room turn even darker.

I pressed on, "I don't think Mr. Craig Wilson can possibly afford that half-million-dollar watch. Didn't Mr. Grant just buy a waterfront condo in the city? And Mr. Howard only recently sent his kid off to study abroad, right?"

Victor slammed his hand on the table, his face contorted with anger. "You… You're making groundless accusations! I've been in this position since the company was founded. If I weren't loyal to this company, you wouldn't even be running that lousy cybersecurity department."

Leon stared at me coldly, still refusing to back down. "How dare you say that? I've devoted myself to this company for years. Everything I've earned is what I deserve, and I have a clear conscience."

As I watched them stubbornly deny everything, I scoffed.

Wendy had no idea that without me, Shaw Group would already have been plundered from within. The small portion they'd embezzled came from a loophole left by the previous programmer. I'd discovered and patched it ages ago.

Otherwise, a spoiled heiress like her wouldn't have to do a thing beyond signing off on deals. And yet there she was, daring to tell me to leave.

The company was plagued by external threats and internal corruption, yet she sat in the CEO's chair, completely oblivious to it all.

Setting aside the past five years, I faced multiple cyberattacks from rival companies in the last six months alone. I blocked every single one and submitted reports to her, but she never paid attention.

Wendy once told me I only needed to serve as the company mascot. But because I'd made a promise to Michael, I'd poured my expertise into writing code for the company.

On one hand, I was repaying his kindness. Now that Michael's health was failing and he no longer involved himself in business matters, Wendy had dropped the act. Did she think she could control Shaw Group however she pleased?

My fists clenched until my knuckles cracked. After a long moment, I locked eyes with Wendy and said, "I'm going to ask you one question. Are you absolutely certain you want me to leave?"

Wendy seemed caught off guard by the way I was looking at her, and it took her a moment to collect herself.

"Yes."

Hearing that, I lost any desire to warn her further. I knew she would face the consequences eventually.

The other executives continued clamoring for me to leave, while Wendy made no effort to hide her disgust.

"Julian, I suggest you leave on your own. The company doesn't need people like you who collect a paycheck without doing any work. And don't you dare complain to my grandpa. If you do, I'll despise you forever."

I suppressed my rising anger and replied through gritted teeth, "Don't worry. I'm not that pathetic. Wendy, I just hope you won't regret this decision someday."

But even after I said I would leave on my own, Wendy remained skeptical the entire time.

I removed my ID badge, slapped it onto the conference table in front of everyone, and then turned to leave. Just as I did, she suddenly called out to me.

For a brief moment, I thought she had come to her senses. Instead, she just said, "Since you've laid it all out, I won't pretend either. Let's get a divorce. Julian, I've never loved you. Not once, all these years."

Hearing that, I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"Relax. I'm not delusional enough to think otherwise," I responded.

Her decision was exactly what I expected. How could Wendy possibly think that after everything she'd done, I'd still have feelings for her? Even if she hadn't brought it up, I would've filed for divorce tomorrow anyway.

We'd been married five years, but it had always been in name only. She and I lived under the same roof but never shared a bed. We only put on a show when Michael was around. In our everyday lives, we had always gone our separate ways.

Before Wendy could respond, the colleagues around us started flattering her again.

"Ms. Shaw really made the smart call. I don't see what future Julian could possibly offer her."

"Exactly. He's a loser and nowhere near good enough for Ms. Shaw."

"Fortunately, they hadn't been married long, so it's not a big loss. It's smart to end it before it gets worse."

Wendy's cold indifference made me turn back to face her.

"Have you figured out what you're going to tell Mr. Shaw Senior?" I asked.

She froze momentarily, then frowned and snapped at me, "That's none of your concern! Just leave, and I'll explain things to him myself."

While saying that, she seemed to think of something, as the corner of her mouth lifted just slightly.

After five years together, I knew exactly what she meant. I figured she was probably feeling untouchable because Michael spoiled her. She had probably already found someone else and planned to present it as a done deal. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but scoff.

"So, what's got you grinning like that? You already got someone in mind?"

As soon as I said that, Wendy seemed to snap out of her daze. She quickly wiped the faint smile from her face and glared at me for a long moment before retorting, "It's none of your business. And even if I do, they're way better than you.

"What right does a soon-to-be ex-employee have to question the company's future hiring decisions?"

The colleagues around her quickly chimed in, saying her judgment was obviously sound. Anyone she picked would be far better than a useless figurehead like me.

"Just leave already. Why are you still hanging around shamelessly? For a grown man to be this indecisive, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Lisa spoke up as if even looking at me for another second annoyed her.

Seeing this, I didn't bother saying more.

I stated plainly, "If I'm leaving, I'll remove the firewall that I developed. It's my work, and I already filed a patent for it. I'm not leaving it for someone else to reap the rewards of my work."