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.

Divorcing Sonya was no small matter. I needed to use this time to secure every possible fallback for myself.

During this period, Keenan hadn't been idle either. His social media feed got updated several times a day.

Breakfast with the female CEO, late-night overtime together, standing atop the city's grandest skyscraper overlooking the earth.

First experiences of skydiving, exploring the depths of the ocean and witnessing the breathtaking beauty of the aurora.

This business trip gave him experiences and joys he could never have dreamed of achieving in his lifetime. His excitement is overflowing, barely contained in his posts.

Once, it was me who accompanied Sonya on all these adventures. Now, my colleagues look at me with a mix of caution and sympathy in their eyes.

Sonya has clearly allowed Keenan to flaunt their time together in this way just to disgust me. It's a ruthless and calculated move, one that cuts straight to the heart.

Lately, Hector has practically moved in with me, helping me and the legal team to manage the division of assets with Sonya.

One day, he barged into my office in a rage, clutching an envelope, "Cole, Sonya has gone too far this time!"

I was signing a business document and looked up at his outburst, noticing his face flushed with anger, "What's wrong? She's back?"

Hector slapped the envelope onto my desk. A memory card and a few photos slid out, it was pictures of Sonya and Keenan lying together in a hotel's couple suite. Keenan was shirtless, his chest adorned with conspicuous red marks. The ambiguous traces were glaringly obscene.

Hector said angrily, "She hasn't come back yet, but her scandalous photos have arrived first!"

My shoulders, initially upright, gradually slumped. A suffocating weight tightened around my chest, sending waves of pain through my heart. With trembling fingers, I picked up the memory card and inserted it into my backup computer.

At dusk, on the rooftop balcony of a hotel, Sonya stood on tiptoe, cupping Keenan's face with both hands, gazing at him with near-obsessive affection.

Behind them, the sunset painted the sky in a deep orange hue. The evening glow spread like a woven tapestry, framing the lovers in an image so picturesque it seemed like an exquisite painting unfurling across the heavens.

As their lips drew closer, I snapped the laptop shut. Even my voice betrayed a tremor as I asked, "Who sent this?"

"It came by courier. The receptionist signed for it," Hector said.

I took a deep, measured breath and slowly exhaled. Carefully, I gathered the photos, placed them back into the envelope and locked them in a drawer before regaining my composure and said, "Keep this matter quiet. Find out who sent the package."

Hector said, "Who else could it be? It must be that shameless Keenan, driven mad with ambition to climb the ranks!"

The video's angle resembled that of a candid shot rather than something staged. But it didn't matter.

What mattered was that Sonya had truly soiled herself this time. Tomorrow is mid-month and these filthy people and their affairs should finally come to an end.

The next day, Sonya returned to the company. During the morning meeting, she made a public display of authority, using a severe example to establish control.

She fired three employees who had earlier ridiculed Keenan the most, two of whom were my people. I wasn't surprised by her blatant defense of Keenan. After all, they now shared the same bed.

What did surprise me was that she brought Keenan to the family dinner that evening.

Taking advantage of the business trip, Keenan had prepared numerous gifts for my mother-in-law, health supplements tailored to her preferences. His efforts were well-received and she was delighted.

When I arrived, my mother-in-law held my hand, chatting about trivial matters while instructing someone to call my father-in-law and Sonya, who were talking in the study, so the dinner could begin.

When Sonya entered the dining room, she glanced at me once before quickly averting her eyes.

Keenan followed behind her and boldly sat down in the seat next to her, my usual seat. Sonya froze for a moment but didn't object.

How ironic. We're still legally married, still husband and wife.