My wife's ex-boyfriend Trevor Turner, who studied abroad, made a flashy return to the country.

She offered him a high-paying job and went beyond by bringing him along to meet my top business partners.

I gently pointed out that Trevor lacked experience and could jeopardize our company's project.

At that, my wife frowned and said, "We have two kids together and Trevor is just my past. Why can't you move on?"

Trevor sneered, "You're basically just mooching off your wife's family. Instead of working hard, you spend your days being paranoid. It's pathetic."

Staring at my wife in disbelief, I asked, "Since when was I mooching off my wife's family?"

——

"Maddie only kept quiet about the fact that you were practically living off her to save you some dignity. Or have a few years of luxury made you forget the days when you were scrounging for food?"

Trevor sneered right in front of our business partners. He completely ignored their increasingly uncomfortable expressions.

I gave him a cold, steady glare. "And who do you think you are? You're a junior sales rep. What makes you think you have the right to butt in when I'm talking to our president?"

Before I could say more, my wife, Madeline Aslett, slammed her hand on the table.

"That's enough! I brought Trevor here to discuss the project, not for you to throw a jealous tantrum and humiliate him!"

I turned to Madeline, stunned, wondering if I’d misheard her.

I had set up this dinner with our senior partners weeks ago, carefully preparing every detail for the contract signing. Yet, instead of showing up herself, she arrived ten minutes late—with her ex-boyfriend Trevor in tow.

Then, the first that man did? He offended our business partners.

Instead of protecting the company's interests and telling Trevor to leave, Madeline turned on me.

Unbelievable.

Our business partner frowned at us.

"If all of you still have personal matters to sort out, let's call off the collaboration for now. I prefer working with people who are prepared."

Madeline's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected our partner to withdraw suddenly from the deal.

I gave her a cold, steady look, making no move to step in. This mess was entirely her doing.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, Trevor spoke up.

"Mr. Cox, wait! Please don’t go. We’re genuinely committed to this partnership.

"How about we sweeten the deal and offer an extra 10% discount?"

Trevor's words made our partner stunned and so did I.

And for a good reason too! The 5% discount I had originally negotiated was already the absolute limit to keep the project profitable.

Now Trevor just thrown out a reckless 10% discount without a second thought. This was bad. We would lose all of our profit for this project, worse, we'd be deep in the red. We locked in on a massive losses on both materials and labor.

No matter how furious I was, this company was something Madeline and I had built from the ground up. There was no way I’d stand by and watch Trevor drive it into the ground.

"Mr. Alan Cox, Trevor is a new employee at our company and isn’t familiar with the details of this project. If you're still interested in working together, we can stick to the 5% discount we initially agreed on. That way, we can ensure a fair, mutually beneficial partnership."

If Trevor had any sense, he would’ve shut up and stepped aside.

Unfortunately he didn't. He doubled down, pretending to be innocent as he spoke.

"I thought Horace and Mr. Cox were practically best friends. Guess I was wrong if 5% is all the goodwill you're offering. My bad for speaking out of turn."

He even gave himself a sheepish little slap on the forehead, grinning like it was all just a harmless joke.

"But hey, if Mr. Cox is willing to take a hit just to help out a buddy, who am I to argue? I’ll leave you guys to it."

His words put me in an impossible position. He made it sound like I was trying to shortchange Mr. Cox instead of negotiating in good faith.

Fuming, I grabbed Trevor’s wrist. "What the hell were you saying?!"

In business, trust and transparency are everything. And now, thanks to Trevor’s twisted words, I looked like the one trying to pull a fast one.

I glanced at Mr. Cox and sure enough, there was a noticeable shift in his expression — a glint of doubt in his eyes.

Suppressing my anger, I turned to Madeline.

"We worked out that 5% margin together. And now you’re just letting a new employee run his mouth? Aren’t you worried this will ruin my relationship with Mr. Cox?"

Trevor was just a sales rep. As long as Madeline stood by me, Mr. Cox wouldn’t take this nonsense too seriously.

But instead of backing me up, Madeline snapped, as if she’d been holding it in all along.

"Trevor wasn’t making things up. We both know a 10% discount would still be fair for both sides, but you pushed for a bigger cut to pad the profits."

"I’m not going to cover for you anymore. Mr. Cox has done business with us time and time again—he deserves honesty."

"Just because I’m your wife doesn’t mean I’m going to lie for you."

Her words hit hard. Mr. Cox’s face darkened, his disappointment clear.

"Horatio, I thought we were friends. But you’ve been treating me like an idiot this whole time?"

Trevor, clearly savoring the moment, plastered on a smug grin and stepped closer to Mr. Cox, his tone dripping with fake concern.

"Mr. Cox, don't waste your energy on someone who only sees dollar signs," Trevor said, clasping Mr. Cox’s shoulder as if they were old pals.

"The president and I rushed over today to protect your interests. Please, calm down. We're just trying to make things right."

Madeline didn’t miss a beat, seizing the moment.

"If you’re disappointed in Horatio, Mr. Cox, you’re more than welcome to work with Trevor in the future. He’s an accomplished professional with international experience and a solid understanding of business models and project management."

Just like that, it all became crystal clear.

Madeline wasn’t just throwing me under the bus—she used this opportunity to prop Trevor up, laying out a clear path for her ex-boyfriend’s success.

I wasn’t about to stand there and take it. I fixed her with a cold stare. "I just hope you don’t end up regretting what you’ve done today."

Her expression hardened. "Horatio, have you forgotten your place? I’m the sole decision-maker in this company. It’s not your role to question me."

Madeline and I had built this company from the ground up, together! Because I loved her, I never cared about titles or recognition.

She wanted to be a successful businesswoman and I supported her every step of the way. When she claimed she needed me to step back for the sake of the kids, I accepted it without protest.

Even when she told others I was nothing more than a “mooching husband” to protect her own image, I bit my tongue.

But what did my patience and sacrifices turn into? They didn’t earn her respect—only gave her the audacity to undermine me.

I glanced at Trevor who were standing beside Madeline and sighed. I tried to held back the frustration boiling inside me.

I was willing to give Madeline one last chance.

After all, our five-year-old son, Nellson, was at home. I didn’t want him to grow up with the pain of his parents splitting up.

"If you want to help Trevor get ahead out of nostalgia or guilt, that’s your call. But this project won’t go beyond a 5% discount. That’s my final offer."

Sure, the 10% discount was something Madeline and I had calculated together. But that number didn’t account for the actual costs of labor and materials.

Once those expenses were factored in, 5% was the most we could offer without sinking into the red.

Anything more than that? It wouldn’t just mean losing profits — it would mean taking a massive financial hit.

The company had done well over the years, but no business could withstand reckless decisions like this.

If I let this slide once, what would stop it from happening again?

But she didn't even reconsider, Madeline’s expression hardened. There wasn’t a trace of doubt—or remorse.

"Do you think you can push me around just because you’re a man?" she snapped, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Let me make one thing clear—women are just as capable in business as men. I said 10% and I’m not going back on my word."

Before I could respond, Mr. Cox suddenly burst into applause, his grin widening.

"Well said! Ms. President, you’re bold and decisive — a woman of your word! With that kind of confidence, how could I not choose your company for this collaboration?"

Trevor’s smug grin widened as he turned to me, clearly reveling in the moment.

"Some people think marrying into the family gives them control over the company," he sneered. "But they forget—a kept man is just that. When it comes to real business, he doesn’t get a say."

He wasn’t even trying to be subtle. The insult was clear and the only thing missing was him pointing a finger directly at me.

Madeline didn’t flinch.

No outrage, no defense from her—not even a glance in my direction. Instead, she smiled sweetly, raising her glass to toast Mr. Cox, as if Trevor’s words had been perfectly acceptable.

Sensing his advantage, Trevor pressed on, his voice dripping with mock concern.

"There was a full 10% margin on the table, but you told Mr. Cox it was only 5%, just to pocket a little extra for yourself. Now, out of the kindness of his heart, he’s still willing to move forward with the deal. Don’t you think you owe him something for that?"

I held his gaze, my expression cold.

I might not hold the same sway in the company as I once did, but I was still the vice president — a title I’d earned. Trevor, on the other hand, was just a newly hired sales rep. Yet, because of Madeline’s blatant favoritism, he clearly thought he had free rein to humiliate me.

And he wasn’t done. Flashing a self-satisfied grin, he lifted his glass.

"At the very least, you should down three drinks to apologize. That’s the bare minimum. And don’t try the ‘alcohol allergy’ excuse. Everyone knows a real businessman can handle a couple of drinks."

The mention of my allergy wasn’t accidental. It was calculated.

Trevor wasn’t just trying to embarrass me — he wanted to see me crumble. And judging by the amused glint in his eyes, he was loving every second of it.

I glanced at Madeline.

She looked uneasy, but she held her ground. "Trevor told you to drink, so drink. It’s not like it’ll kill you."

She knew exactly how dangerous that was. I wasn’t just allergic to alcohol—I had a serious stomach condition.

Years ago, when Madeline said she wanted the company to grow quickly, I did whatever it took to make that happen.

I attended endless meetings, pouring drink after drink to win over investors. I pushed myself until the alcohol tore through my stomach lining, landing me in the hospital.

I can still see her, sitting beside my bed, tears streaming down her face. She clutched my hand, swearing nothing was more important than my health. She made me promise I’d never drink again, vowing she’d never forgive me if I did.

But she was totally different now.

I gave her a long, steady look and nodded. "If that’s what you want, then I’ll oblige."

But after three glasses, we were done, I thought.

The liquor burned like fire, scorching my throat and igniting the pain in my gut. I swallowed it down without flinching, my face betraying nothing.

Without a single word, I turned and walked out of the private room.

Laughter echoed behind me, careless and smug. Trevor’s voice rang out, loud enough for me to hear.

"Madeline, I always thought you were living the high life while I was overseas. I never imagined you’d end up marrying a spineless freeloader like him."

"Did you see how he had the audacity to glare at you in front of Mr. Cox? The nerve of that guy. Completely out of line."

My steps slowed down. I paused just beyond the door, waiting. I needed to hear what Madeline would say.

Madeline barely hesitated before her response.

"Compared to you—a master’s graduate fresh from overseas—he’s just a lowly community college dropout. A few years in management and he’s already forgotten his place."

"Tomorrow, I’ll be making an official announcement at the company. He’s getting demoted."

Trevor was quick to chime in, eager to please.

"That’s why you’re such a great leader. People like him, who think a little experience and some old connections give them power, should’ve been dealt with a long time ago."

I didn’t wait to hear more. Their words were enough.

Trevor had insulted me over and over in front of our business partners and Madeline—my wife—hadn’t just let it happen. She encouraged it. Whatever loyalty I’d held onto had been chipped away until there was nothing left.

I was done.

By the time I stepped out of the hotel, the nausea hit hard. My stomach burned, twisting with pain. I barely made it to the side before I threw up, cold sweat dripping down my face.

The nearest hospital was an hour away, but home was only thirty minutes. My meds were there. That would have to do.

Before getting in the car, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to my attorney.

"Draft the divorce papers. As soon as possible."

I drove in silence, the dull ache in my stomach refusing to subside.

When I finally arrived, the house was dark. Nelson was already asleep, his soft breathing barely audible through the cracked door. I climbed the stairs quietly, not wanting to wake him and took my medication.

The bitter taste lingered as I swallowed, but at least the pain began to dull.

Then I heard the front door unlock. Normally, I would’ve gone to greet Madeline the moment she walked in. But not tonight.

Madeline barely made it a few steps before her voice rang out with sharp accusations.

"You stormed out without saying a word and now you’re just standing here like a corpse? Can you stop being so damn childish for once?"