Chapter 1

At our wedding, my wife Jessica Greene suggested that her stand-in marry me, Chris Morgan, while she traveled the world with her lover, Logan Parker. Everyone thought I would be furious and cancel the wedding.

Instead, I just smiled and handed her the financial report, telling her to enjoy life with her lover while I took care of the company's small matters.

My wife thought I had finally been tamed. After casually signing the contract I gave her, she promised me that when she came back, I would get a promotion and a raise.

What she didn't know was that what she signed wasn't a financial report at all. It was the transfer of her shares and our divorce agreement.

A month later, when my wife returned, eager to take back control of the company, she found that I had become the new CEO and that she had been fired. The self-proclaimed clever woman was left stunned.

"Chris, the stand-in's already changed into her wedding dress. Go on and take the vows with her. I've got a flight to catch, so I'll leave you to it."

At the wedding, my CEO wife, Jessica, was wearing workout clothes. With a smile, she shoved another woman into my arms and urged me to go up and get married.

It should have been a joyful day, but as I looked at the stand-in, who looked about seventy percent like Jessica, I couldn't bring myself to smile.

I had been with Jessica for seven years.

When it came to our wedding, she always said she was too busy with work and didn't have time. She kept saying, "Once the company is stable and we're listed, we can talk about marriage."

I worked tirelessly for her, building teams, pulling in business, and sacrificing my youth and health. In the end, I helped the company go public.

Finally, after all this effort, I thought our wedding day had arrived. I thought we would finally walk down the aisle together.

But now, she had suddenly changed her mind and sent a stand-in to take her place.

Seeing me stay silent, Jessica checked her watch, and her expression grew impatient.

"Chris, it's our big day. What are you giving me that sour face for?

"If it weren't for our seven years together, I would've let you go out there and make a fool of yourself with a stand-in. As it is, I'm being nice by letting you go through with this.

"I don't have time to waste with you.

"Just tell me, are we getting married or not?"

As soon as she finished speaking, our colleagues and friends, as if rehearsed, started pressuring me.

"Chris, it's just a different person walking down the aisle. Why make this difficult?"

"Yeah, Mr. Morgan, with a wife like Ms. Greene, successful and beautiful, you won't find better. You're still married, whether it's her or the stand-in."

"Besides, the stand-in looks almost identical to Ms. Greene. No one will know the difference. Why are you worried?"

The guests all spoke in unison, almost scolding me as if I were the one in the wrong.

It was obvious to me that from the start, I was the only one kept in the dark.

And no matter how fine their words sounded, the looks in their eyes were filled with disdain and condescension.

To them, I was probably just a dog on a leash owned by Jessica.

After all, if Jessica truly loved me, why would she send a stand-in to marry me while she traveled the world with her lover?

Instead of getting angry, I turned to look at the real culprit behind it all, Logan.

Although Logan was Jessica's lover, he had abandoned her ten years ago.

Back then, Logan dumped her to flatter other rich girls. Now, seeing her become successful, he quickly came back, crying about how much he loved her over the years and claiming his departure had a hidden reason.

To my surprise, Jessica not only believed him right away but also brought him into the company as an executive.

To even accompany him on a trip, she casually found a substitute to cover for my carefully prepared wedding.

The next moment, Logan noticed my gaze and grinned even wider.

"What are you staring at? Jessica didn't completely ditch you. She even found a stand-in to help you with the wedding. You should be grateful.

"If you don't want Jessica to go on a trip with me, just say it. Don't act all innocent like a martyr. You think no one can see through your schemes?"

I listened to Logan's accusations, but I couldn't help but laugh coldly inside.

Logan's tactics were as low as they were before when we worked together in the company.

Since he came back to the country and Jessica brought him into the company, he had been using these twisted words to deliberately provoke me.

Little by little, not only had the entire company started to gossip about me being a master of disguise, but Jessica also began to believe that I was a ruthless schemer.

Logan's taunts only seemed like straightforward honesty to her.

But this time, I wasn't going to play along with their childish game anymore.

With that thought, I didn't get angry. Instead, I smiled lightly.

"How could I stop you two from going on a trip?

"Ms. Greene has worked so hard for the company. Now it's my time to give back.

"As for the wedding and the company's matters, I'll follow Ms. Greene's decisions. You two just go and enjoy your trip."

With that, I handed Jessica a stack of papers and smiled.

"Ms. Greene, here's this month's financial report. If you sign it, I'll notify the finance department to release the salaries this afternoon."

Seeing that I agreed so easily, Jessica was momentarily stunned.

She stared at me for a long time before finally nodding in satisfaction, not even glancing at the papers, and just flipped to the last page, signing her name in bold strokes.

"It would've been better if you did this earlier. You did well today.

"Handle the wedding and the company matters, and when I come back from the trip, we can consider giving you a promotion and raise."

If I had heard this before, maybe I would've been happy, thinking Jessica finally recognized my hard work.

But now, I saw clearly that she didn't love me.

She just didn't want to handle everything herself. The company had just gone public, and everyone was swamped with work, left with countless problems.

But she didn't understand any of it. She was only looking for an excuse to go off with Logan, to relax and take a break.

If she divorced me now, without me handling everything for her, how could she go out and date without worry?

But when she mentioned promoting me and giving me a raise, Logan immediately furrowed his brow.

"Managing the company for Jessica is already your responsibility. You don't seriously think she'll promote and raise your salary, do you?

"If it weren't for your incompetence and the company's continuous decline in performance, Jessica wouldn't be so tired that she needs to go on a trip to relax.

"You agree, right, Jessica?"

At that, I couldn't help but twitch my lips.

If it weren't for Jessica insisting on bringing someone like Logan into the company and even giving him a major role as project leader, the company's performance wouldn't have been so bad.

But Jessica didn't hesitate for a second, immediately agreeing with Logan.

"Logan's right. I almost fell for your acting again.

"A five thousand dollars salary a month? I'm not just giving it to you for free."

Hearing Jessica's words, I couldn't help but feel a bitter laugh rise in my chest.

She actually had the nerve to bring up my salary.

This company was my creation!

It was because I saw how hard she worked alongside me that I transferred most of my shares to her as compensation.

But after she became the CEO, she started taking advantage of everything. She became more and more demanding.

All the sacrifices I made, in her eyes, became things I should have done.

She even pushed me to the limit with my salary, claiming that long-time employees should set an example.

Meanwhile, the new interns at the company were getting six thousand dollars a month, but I, the founder of this company, the one who built it from the ground up, was stuck with a measly five thousand.

And even with that five thousand, I had to use it to cover my family's daily expenses.

By the end of the month, I couldn't even save enough for a few packs of cigarettes.

Before I could say anything, Jessica impatiently waved her hand and dragged Logan towards the door.

"Alright, you handle the wedding and company matters. Logan and I have a flight to catch.

"Behave yourself. When I return to the company, I might consider giving you a raise."

I watched as Jessica and Logan walked away with a cold smile.

She still had no idea she wouldn't be coming back to the company.

If she had been even a little cautious just now, she would have realized that what she signed wasn't just a financial report. It was the stock transfer agreement and the divorce papers.

After the divorce, the shares she transferred, combined with the ones I originally held, now made up over 50%.

In other words, I could call a shareholders' meeting at any time, take over as CEO, and kick her out of the company.

I wondered what her expression would be when she found out the company had already changed hands by the time she returned.