Chapter 1

On the second day of Harley Sinclair and his assistant Megan Cavanaugh's honeymoon, I completed all my work handover and went to HR to process my resignation.

In less than ten minutes, I received a notification from Harley: "Approval granted."

"Looks like Mr. Sinclair's been wanting to fire her for a while now. At least she knows when to quit."

"Yeah. Staying in the company would only annoy Mr. Sinclair anyway. Might as well leave early. I just wonder what she plans to do next."

"Why should we—people earning barely three grand a month—worry about her? She's Mr. Sinclair's wife, after all. Even if she quits and does nothing at home, she'll still have more money than she could ever spend."

My coworkers watched me with thinly veiled smugness while I packed my things. I was already used to it.

Everyone knew Megan and I didn't get along. Even as my husband, Harley always sided with her—going so far as to humiliate me in front of others just to protect his precious assistant.

That was why they all scrambled to target me and were eager to curry favor with her. I simply let out a cold laugh at the thought.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not just quitting. I'm switching jobs. Another company offered me double the salary, and the benefits are far better than what I've got here."

With that, I ignored their jealous, sour expressions. I picked up my neatly packed personal items and walked out of the company. But the moment I stepped out the front door, Harley called.

I was still debating how to explain the resignation, but he spoke as soon as I answered the call. "I sent you a file. Finish it within an hour and send it to me."

So, he didn't even know I'd resigned. I couldn't help but laugh and open the file.

It was the project I'd recently handed over to Megan. As always, he allowed her to take the credit and the recognition while I did the work. And if anything went wrong, the blame fell on me.

I'd tried to refuse at first, but Harley had pulled every trick in the book to persuade me. When I stood firm and wouldn't give in, he gave me the silent treatment for days. He refused to speak to me on purpose.

Before I got married, my parents often told me that in a marriage, one person would have to be the first to back down. I didn't want things between us to become strained, so in the end, I gave in and took over.

I truly believed that one day, Harley would understand all the hard work I had done. But this time, when he picked a fight with me and gave me a three-month-long silent treatment just to get Megan promoted, I finally started to lose hope.

Even when I came down with a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and was rushed to the hospital, he didn't so much as glance at me. All he cared about was forcing me to hand over the multimillion-dollar project I'd spent a month grinding through—just so Megan could take it.

That was when I completely gave up.

"I'm not at the office," I replied calmly.

"Not at the office?"

Harley's voice turned cold. "If I'm not mistaken, it's working hours, isn't it, Tiana? Do you know that according to company policy, leaving your post without permission during work hours means losing a day's pay?"

"I know, but I already—"

I was just about to tell him I'd quit when Megan's gentle voice came from the other end of the line.

"Harley, if Tiana doesn't want to do it, don't force her. Let me handle it instead."

"No. You worked late last night. You need to rest today."

Harley's tone softened. It was completely different from how he'd just spoken to me. Megan tried to insist she wasn't tired, but Harley was firm.

"I'm your boss. When I tell you to rest, that's an order. Are you going to disobey me?"

Megan stuck out her tongue playfully. "I just feel bad for Tiana. The work might be too much for her."

"She's got it easier than you. You're on business trips still sorting contracts, while she's sitting around the office doing nothing all day.

"And besides, she's my wife. She owns part of the company. Isn't it only right for her to put in some effort?" Harley sneered.

With that one line, he erased all the hard work I'd ever done. I no longer felt anger, jealousy, or devastation like I used to—just numbness. After all, this wasn't the first time.

Seeing that I had stayed silent, Harley assumed I'd agreed. His tone softened a little. "Tiana, do you really think I'm just giving you work?

"I'm trying to train you. After all, you're my wife. You should have more drive and a stronger sense of responsibility toward the company.

"You should really learn from Megs. She worked until 4:00 am yesterday. I've never met a woman so outstanding and hardworking."

Megan, who was sitting nearby, chimed in with a smile in her voice, "I think Tiana's very capable too."

Yet, despite her words, her tone carried a faint trace of disdain.

Harley didn't notice this. He chuckled lightly before saying, "If she were even half as capable as you, I'd laugh myself awake in my dreams.

"Don't forget, every single project this year was completed by you."

The two of them played off each other in perfect sync. I said nothing as I didn't feel like arguing.

Every project this year had been snatched from me by Megan. Harley knew it well, yet he pretended to be clueless.

It probably wasn't worth worrying about to him. After all, we'd been married five years. Surely, I wouldn't leave him over something this petty.

"All right then. Megan and I have a dinner engagement later tonight. Finish it quickly and send it over."

Harley then hung up without waiting for a response. Not even two minutes later, my phone buzzed twice—it was a new post from Megan's socials.

In the photo, the two of them were seated at a lavish candlelit dinner. She playfully leaned her head on Harley's shoulder, and in front of her sat a delicate gift box. It seemed like just the right size to hold a ring.

I scrolled down a bit more and saw the post Megan had shared the night before. At 4:00 am, she and Harley were still drinking and having a great time at a bar.

So, the "hard work" Harley praised her for was… drinking? And the so-called business dinner later that night was nothing more than a date.

I let out a cold laugh, not even bothering to confront Harley about it. What was the point? He always had some excuse ready.

Not to mention, even if I managed to shut him up with the truth, what came next was never an apology or any sign of remorse. It would be just another round of silent treatment.

Every time, it was up to me to find ways to smooth things over. Thinking back now, all that time spent trying to fix things would've been better spent focusing on myself and finding ways to make money.

After all, feelings could always change, but money would never betray you. With that thought, I left the company and began considering what to do next.

However, just as my car pulled out of the parking lot, my phone buzzed twice. I opened it to see a payment notification.

Harley had just charged 200 thousand dollars to my card. Again.

Chapter 2

Everyone thought I was with Harley for his money. But in truth, all my cards were in his hands. He claimed his money had to be used for the company, so for all these years, every expense and payment came from my salary and side income.

I believed that a family should be built and maintained by both people together. It wasn't about who gave more or who gave less, so I never argued with him over it.

Then, recently, I realized something strange. Despite having a high income, I never managed to save any money. In fact, I was constantly running short.

I couldn't hold back anymore and went through my transaction history. That was when I discovered that Harley had been using my card to buy gifts for Megan.

He'd bought her limited-edition lipsticks worth over a grand and luxury brand bags costing tens of thousands of dollars. He even booked out an entire five-star hotel to celebrate her birthday—spending well over a hundred thousand that night.

Meanwhile, he couldn't even bear to buy me new clothes to replace the ones I'd worn for two years after all these years. He'd call anything over 100 dollars expensive. Instead, he'd scribble a card for me and say we needed to save money for "our future".

I couldn't stop myself from confronting him about it. At the time, Harley's face turned dark. He yelled at me for not trusting him, gave me the silent treatment, and swore he'd never spend another cent of my money again.

Thinking about all that, I still wanted to give Harley a call. I dialed over ten times, yet he didn't answer once.

Since this was the case, I didn't hesitate anymore. I went straight to the bank and froze the card. Just like that, Harley called me less than a minute later.

"I was busy just now and didn't see your calls. What's going on?" he asked, feigning innocence.

My tone was calm as I said, "It's fine now."

"Oh. By the way, your card's having issues. It's been frozen," he said.

"I know." I didn't hide it and told him directly, "I froze it."

"Why'd you freeze it for no reason? Do you have nothing better to do?"

"Take it that way if you want. But didn't you say before that you wouldn't use my card again?"

Harley paused for a moment. After all, I never used to argue with him about money.

Back when the company had just started, I fell seriously ill and needed surgery that cost about 100 grand. At the same time, he secretly invested all our money into a project that failed completely.

He thought I'd be furious and apologized with red-rimmed eyes. But I only comforted him and told him money was just a small thing, and that my money would always be his to use first.

I thought if I gave him my sincerity, it would strengthen our relationship. But I hadn't expected it would only make him more reckless and more entitled.

Still, Harley didn't seem to reflect much. After two seconds of silence, he let out a sigh. He seemed to feel guilty. Yet, he was still trying to stay defiant.

"Fine, I get it. You're still mad I didn't go on the honeymoon with you, so now you're throwing a tantrum.

"Tiana Lancaster, I really thought you'd grown more mature, but you're still this petty. I promise you—after this, I'll drop everything and go on the honeymoon with you, okay?

"I didn't bring a card with me today. Go unfreeze it now, and don't be so unreasonable. That dinner tonight is really important.

"I'm giving you ten minutes. Otherwise, I'll be angry."

Afraid I wouldn't cooperate, Harley added that last threat right before hanging up. Every time he said he'd be angry, I always gave in and did what he wanted.

But what he didn't know was—I was never afraid of his anger. I only stayed quiet because I knew he was busy with the company and didn't want to add to his stress.

Only now did I realize that while I tried so hard to ease his burden, he brought all that stress upon himself. And if that was the case, why should I keep cleaning up after him?

"If you didn't bring your card, you can ask your secretary or Megan. This business trip was for her project anyway. It's not unreasonable to let her cover the cost," I replied.

After sending the message, I turned off my phone and drove straight home to pack.

The apartment was fully paid for by me, and I had chosen the layout and floor he liked. Back then, I'd originally planned to include his name on the property deed. But on a whim—almost like a whisper of instinct—I decided to register it under mine alone.

Looking back now, I was grateful I'd left myself that way out. Once I finished packing, I listed the apartment with an agent.

The next day, I went to the state court and handed the already-signed divorce agreement to the clerk.

When I first signed it, I'd still been wondering how to explain it to Harley. But as it turned out, he had rushed out of the house that day with his luggage in hand and barely glanced at the papers. He just flipped to the last page and signed his name.

"Why don't you take a look at it first?" I had said, still clinging to a sliver of hope.

"There's no need. You're my wife—don't tell me I can't trust you," he replied.

I gave a bitter smile. The trust he claimed to have in me had never even come close to what he gave Megan.

That so-called trust was just an excuse to brush me off. He was simply too busy catching a flight or too eager to rush off on a honeymoon with Megan.

I handed in the documents, and the clerk, Eloise Turner, told me she still needed Harley himself to confirm that the relationship had broken down before proceeding with the divorce process.

I pulled out photos of Harley and Megan being affectionate together. Then I showed them the wedding portrait he had smashed because of Megan. But Eloise still shook her head.

"He must confirm it in person. That's the rule."

Feeling helpless, I turned my phone back on. The moment it powered up, a flood of missed calls and unread messages from Harley popped up on the screen.

Since I didn't unfreeze the bank card, he said everything he could—pleading, threatening, sweet-talking, then scolding. The final message was a furious rant, filled with curses, ending with a threat to divorce me.

I then showed the messages to Eloise, but she still shook her head. I had no choice but to make the call. It rang for a long time before he finally picked up.

"Harley, our relationship—"

"There is no relationship! Nothing you say now will matter. Unless you apologize to Megs, I'm definitely divorcing you this time!" he snapped coldly, thinking I was just trying to comfort him like before.

Then he hung up. Only then did Eloise believe me. Her expression shifted to one of sympathy as she accepted my paperwork and told me the divorce certificate would be ready in a month.

I knew Harley didn't actually mean what he said about divorce. He was just using it as a threat.

Any time he was unhappy with me, this was his go-to move. And every time, it was me who gave in by apologizing over and over. I would agree to all his demands just to make him back down.

He was sure I didn't want a divorce. That's why it became his ultimate weapon. He thought he could always get what he wanted by dangling it over my head.

Yet what he seemed to forget was that feelings were like money in a piggy bank. If you only ever withdrew from it and never deposited, one day, there would be nothing left.

As I had listed the apartment at a low price, it sold in less than a week. I then visited the real estate agency to sign the paperwork. We agreed on the handover date with the buyer, and I returned home.

Yet the moment I opened the door, I was met with a burst of laughter and cheerful voices echoing from inside.

Chapter 3

The matching couple slippers at the entryway were gone. In their place were a pair of high heels and Harley's favorite leather shoes—the ones Megan had given him for his birthday.

That was when I realized that Harley and Megan were inside. Weren't they supposed to come back in two more days?

Just as I was thinking that, Megan walked over, having heard the sound of movement. She was wearing my slippers and my pajamas. Her slightly messy hair was draped over her shoulders. Her posture seemed relaxed, like she was the true lady of the house.

"Tiana, why are you back at this hour? Isn't it still working hours right now?" she asked casually.

As she spoke, she popped a grape into her mouth and effortlessly spat the seed into the water glass beside her. I recognized it—it was from the matching couple's glass set Harley had given me.

I used to love it so much that I would carry it around in my hands all day. Just then, Harley walked in from the living room. He saw Megan treating my cup like a trash bin and pretended not to notice.

When he saw me, his expression flickered for a moment. It looked complicated at first. Then, it quickly turned dark.

"You skipped work again? Tiana, even if you're my wife, you can't keep doing this!

"That's a company, not our home. If you don't follow the rules, how am I supposed to manage everyone else?"

Rules? I almost laughed. If we were talking about breaking rules, who could beat Harley at that?

A year ago, just as the company was finally getting on track, Harley broke protocol and brought Megan—who had no industry experience—straight into upper management.

I was confused, of course. Yet, when Harley said she had great potential, I chose to trust him and personally guided her.

But every day at work, Megan did nothing except put on makeup or nap. After wasting her hours away, she would deliberately stay late into the night, then post a photo in the company group chat, pretending she was working overtime.

I reported it to Harley before. He brushed it off, saying maybe she was just tired and needed a bit of relaxation.

I asked him to keep an eye on her, but he said he didn't have time. I then suggested installing security cameras, but he told me it wasn't legal.

Later, a string of project failures caused losses in the tens of millions of dollars. Even then, Megan continued doing whatever she pleased. I couldn't take it anymore and demanded she be fired, but Harley was firmly against it.

In the end, he even asked me, "Are you jealous? Are you afraid Megan will outshine you because she's too good?"

So Megan stayed—and one by one, she poached my clients and took over the projects I had built. Harley saw it all and said nothing.

Instead, he praised Megan as an outstanding employee and turned me into a cautionary tale. I became nothing but a bitter woman who was jealous of a colleague's success.

I used to feel wronged. But thinking about it now, if I had joined any other company, I probably wouldn't have been excluded and disrespected the way I was here with the amount of patience I showed.

At this point, I said nothing. Megan gently patted Harley's back beside him and said softly, "Maybe Tiana came back early on purpose because she knew you were coming home."

Harley clearly believed her. There was even a proud look on his face.

"Fine, just don't let it happen again. But how did you know I was coming back today?"

Megan smiled. "Harley, did you forget? HR booked your flight, so maybe they told Tiana."

Harley gave a dismissive snort. "Tiana, you never focus on your actual work, but you seem very enthusiastic about meddling in these little things. But don't think doing this means I'll forgive you.

"You froze the bank card just to throw a tantrum and ended up making me lose face in front of our business partners. In the end, it was Megs who ran around borrowing money to cover the expenses.

"I'm not saying I can't forgive you. But before that, we need to give Megs the compensation she deserves.

"The apartment she's living in is being renovated and isn't livable right now. Clear out the guest bedroom and let her stay here for a while. If you do that, I'll let this whole thing go."

I shook my head. "But I already sold this apartment."

"Sold it?" Harley's eyes widened.

Before he could ask anything, Megan jumped in first. "Tiana must be planning to sell this place and buy a bigger one as an apology gift for you, right?"

Harley thought that made sense, and his expression immediately relaxed.

"That's true. We've been living here for quite a while, so it is about time to get a bigger place. I'll pitch in for part of it.

"But don't sell this one just yet. It's perfect for Megs to use in the meantime."

"That's too generous of you. I'll pay rent at market rate," Megan said quickly.

"What rent?" Harley's face darkened. "I'm your boss. How could I let you pay rent?"

"Oh no, I insist. I should pay something."

"Then just a few hundred will be enough."

The two of them played off each other effortlessly, while Harley acted like the rent didn't matter to him at all.

However, this apartment was located in the city center. Its market rent was nearly ten grand a month. And yet he could shrug it off so easily?

Back when we were dating, he used to calculate every single expense for meals and movie tickets with me, down to the cent. The difference between being loved and unloved… was painfully obvious.

"So? If you agree, maybe I'll reconsider the divorce."

"There's no need to reconsider…"

"How can that be? If I forgive you this easily, you won't learn your lesson. What if you go back to your old habits again?"

Harley cut me off, assuming—just like always—that I was trying to make him change his mind about divorcing me.

Megan giggled from the side. "You're right, Harley. But just for my sake, why don't you forgive Tiana?

"And come on. You and Tiana have been married for so many years. Wouldn't it be a shame to throw it all away now?"

Harley pretended to consider it. Megan then leaned in and began gently shaking his arm. She playfully pestered him like a child. He told her to stop fooling around, but his face lit up with a grin.

"Fine."

He finally turned to me, clearly satisfied. "Since Megs is speaking up for you, I'll let it go this time.

"You should really thank her properly. After everything you've done to her, she's still willing to put the past behind and speak on your behalf.

"That settles it then, this whole divorce thing is now…"

"You misunderstood." I cut him off calmly before he could finish and placed the divorce agreement in front of him.

"What I'm trying to say is that… we're already divorced."