I had been drinking, so Sonya drove us home. Sonya was a person with a strong need for control and no one else was allowed to drive her car.

The moment I got in, I noticed that the passenger seat, which was mine, had been adjusted. The sun visor even had a few bold childish stickers on its corners.

Other than me, no one dared treat Sonya like a chauffeur, let alone have the audacity to sit in the passenger seat.

There was no need to guess who did it. An inexplicable fury surged in my chest.

Though I didn't want to admit it, I was utterly provoked, to the point that my scalp tingled and I lost my rationality.

Even knowing that Sonya gave my suit to Keenan, I had only regretted losing a piece of clothing. But now, he had left traces of himself in my personal space, this was outright provocation.

In five years of marriage, this was the angriest I had ever been. I wanted to slap Sonya, kick her out of the car and race over to Keenan to punch him twice.

Just as I was about to question her, her phone rang. Sonya seemed completely unaware of my flushed face as she calmly answered Keenan's call.

Annoyed, I began adjusting the seat, but I overheard her say, "Alright, don't worry, I'll be right there."

I paused, slowly raising my head to look at her.

She frowned slightly, "Keenan is at the Dior boutique trying to return that suit. He doesn't have the receipt, so I need to go. Cole, I'll call the driver to pick you up. You should head home first."

I spoke in disbelief, "You're ditching me for something so trivial? And I'm drunk, no less."

She replied, "Cole, don't make this difficult for me, okay? The boy has a strong sense of pride. After what you pulled, he cried so much his voice is hoarse. He just wants to return the suit now."

"Does he have a strong sense of pride, or is he deliberately provoking me in front of you? Can't he come and get the receipt himself?" I asked again.

Sonya closed her eyes in exasperation, sighed, then reopened them. Her gaze was icy while said, "Cole, is making things hard for a newcomer really meaningful? When did you learn to bully others with your power? You weren't like this before."

My earlier rage instantly extinguished, replaced by a profound sense of disappointment.

Suddenly, I found the situation laughable and said, "I bully others with my power? Sonya, you've never defended another man in front of me, not even your father. This is the first time." Her cold face showed a trace of confusion.

I said again, "When we got married, we agreed to uphold the reputations of the Cage and Phoenix families. I wouldn't frequent nightclubs and you wouldn't flirt around. Are you breaking the rules for this boy?"

Sonya's gaze remained calm and resolute. After a long silence, she finally dialed the family driver.

Then, she leaned over to unbuckle my seatbelt, speaking in an even tone, "Cole, you're always so sharp and overbearing. We're a married couple, not just strategic partners. Stop trying to control me like you do your work, it suffocates me."

"Once I'm done handling Keenan's matter, I'll stay at the Cage Family house for the night. We both need some time to cool down," she said.

So that's how it was. She couldn't wait to find ease and pleasure in another man.

Yet, she used to say she admired my decisiveness and boldness in the face of challenges. Now she was tired of it, disgusted by it.

Why bother finding such high-sounding excuses and pinning the blame on me? I sensibly got out of the car and watched as the red Porsche disappeared from view.

I had given her a chance, but she didn't cherish it.

Taking out my phone, I called my closest friend, "Hector, draft me a divorce agreement."

Unless absolutely necessary, I didn't want to bring up divorce with Sonya. The Cage and Phoenix families had been close for generations and Sonya and I had grown up as childhood friends.

However, she later went abroad to study and for about ten years, we had no contact. We reunited at a banquet where our families were planning a marriage alliance.

She was just as poised and beautiful as in her youth, handling questions from the elders effortlessly. Over the years, while I managed the family business, I also frequented nightclubs to relieve stress.

I had assumed that after so long apart, things between us would feel awkward and distant. Yet, when we were alone, beneath her graceful and composed exterior, I discovered a witty and charming side of her.

That youthful sense of familiarity resurfaced instantly. We were both in the prime of our careers and admired each other.

Before long, we were engaged and soon entered the institution of marriage. After our marriage, we became mutual shareholders, resulting in an unprecedented merger between the Cage and Phoenix Groups. Dividing assets after a divorce would be an incredibly complicated matter.

When I got home, my head was spinning. After washing up, I drank a cup of warm milk and prepared to sleep.

A goodnight message from Sonya popped up on my phone, complete with a cute kissing emoji. Even during a cold war, she never neglected her responsibilities.

The next morning, on my way to work, I was nearly knocked over by a girl with dyed blue hair in front of the office building.

My Stefano Ricci briefcase hit the ground, scraping off a piece of its leather. The girl's breakfast coffee arced through the air, splashing onto the hem of my coat.

The two security guards at the door immediately ran over, shouting at the girl for being careless. The girl, startled, panicked as she picked up my briefcase and handed it back to me.

She pulled out tissues to wipe the stain off my coat. Seeing the stain wouldn't come off, she grew desperate and knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

It was the dead of winter, yet she was wearing only a thin jacket. She wore sunglasses, but they didn't fully cover the dark bruises under her eyes.

Ignoring the stain on my coat, I frowned and focused on the damaged leather of my briefcase. Just then, I noticed Sonya standing across the street.

Her office building was just a block away from mine. She stood there quietly, her expression cold and severe.

For the first time, I saw disgust in her eyes. Perhaps, in her view, my aloof demeanor was another example of abusing power.

I didn't bother to correct her misunderstanding. Stepping back, I stopped the approaching guards and pulled the girl up by her arm and said, "I don't know what hardships you're facing, but as a girl, you must take care of yourself. No matter what you lose, don't lose your dignity, it's the one thing that belongs only to you."

The girl hastily gathered the garbage on the ground, apologizing and thanking me repeatedly. Then, flustered, she ran off. At the corner of the office building, she suddenly turned back, a subtle and enigmatic smile tugging at her lips.

Back at my office, I sat at my desk, staring at the damaged briefcase. The scuff wasn't significant, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. But once a flaw appears, perfection is gone forever.

Because the bag was valuable, even such a tiny imperfection would make repair nearly impossible. What was even harder to repair, though, was my relationship with Sonya. Her gaze that morning felt like a thorn lodged in my chest.

Lunch at my office had always been delivered from the Cage Family's private kitchen. To assert her status as Mrs. Phoenix and keep the women at my company at bay, Sonya had suggested joining me for lunch at the office.

By 1 PM today, I thought Sonya wouldn't come. I had just opened my lunchbox when she arrived, with Keenan trailing behind.

His eyes were red and swollen, his head hung low and he looked both respectful and pitiful.

I set down my cutleries and silently observed them.

Sonya sat beside me, letting out a sighed, "Because of what happened last night, Keenan is being targeted and excluded everywhere in the company."

Without lifting my eyes, I picked up a spoon and ladled soup for her. I asked, "What's the problem? A man who's the personal assistant to the CEO can't even handle something so minor?"

"I'm asking you to manage your people and stop making things difficult for him, he's new!" said Sonya.

By an unspoken rule of corporate alliances, each of us had planted our own people within the other's company. Sonya was implying that my people were deliberately retaliating against Keenan to stand up for me.

Last night's annual gala had been a joint event between the two companies, with almost all employees present. Where there are crowds, there are politics. It was inevitable that Keenan's actions would spark gossip.

I placed the soup bowl in front of her and said, "First, I didn't instruct anyone to target or exclude your assistant. You know that's not my style or method. Second, the trouble he's facing today is a result of his own lack of boundaries and awareness."

I continued to explained, "Sonya, you still don't understand human nature well enough. Your special tolerance and indulgence toward him will only make him more enemies over time. The ones who'll hurt him are never going to be me."

Keenan, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward and spoke urgently, "This has nothing to do with Sonya. Mr. Phoenix, what happened yesterday was indeed my poor judgment. It was my first time receiving such an expensive gift and I got carried away with excitement. I offended you and I sincerely apologize."

I paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Sonya, your assistant is quite amusing. He doesn't seem to understand human language, but he's quick to defend you."

I didn't accept Keenan's insincere apology, nor did I intervene to stop my people from targeting him. Keenan's grievances and tears struck a nerve with Sonya.

For the first time, she lost her temper at me. She smashed the soup bowl at my feet and demanded that I apologize to Keenan.

I had done nothing wrong, why should I apologize? That day, Sonya and I parted on bad terms.

By the afternoon, she had left for a business trip with Keenan, getting both of them out of the toxic environment. That evening, I went drinking with my buddy, Hector Bass.

He scolded me for being too calculating and said it only triggered Sonya's protective instincts toward Keenan. Ridiculous, haven't there been enough beautiful women around me?

For thirty years, I've remained steadfast in my principles. Why can't Sonya do the same?

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this, she no longer loves me. I don't care for things that aren't truly mine.

Hector smirked and said, "Today, I specifically went to the Cage Group to catch a glimpse of this assistant. Wow, at first glance, doesn't he look like a life-sized Cole Phoenix figurine?"

"Especially his eyes and the tear mole, don't they look too much like yours? I really don't get what's going on in Sonya's head. Why not worship the original and instead pamper a counterfeit? Does she love you, or does she not?" he continued.

Hector's words jolted me out of my drunken stupor. No wonder I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity when I first met Keenan.

I let out a mocking laugh, "Who knows? Maybe the counterfeit is gentler, more understanding and more considerate," I sneered.

By the time I returned home, I had a splitting headache. Hector was the one who helped me back.

"The divorce agreement is ready. When are you planning to tell Sonya?" he asked.

I answered, "Mid-month. She'll definitely come back to have dinner with her grandfather then."

Every month, we make it a point to visit the Cage Family estate for a simple meal with the elder generations.