Chapter 3

"Ethan, I know your family picked someone else for your alliance, and I don't like the person my family picked for mine. Rather than marry that person, I'd rather marry you."

Ava then listed ten benefits of marrying her. I thought about it, and she made some good points, so I turned around and married Ava.

For three years after the wedding, we got along well. Our recent frequent friction was mainly because both families wanted children.

This was something Ava and I had agreed upon. I just hadn't expected my kindness to make her get a little too comfortable, taking advantage of my kindness.

I absolutely detest deceit and betrayal. Since Ava was showing signs of it, she couldn't stay.

I contacted my assistant to organize all current joint projects between our families. Divorce was fine, but it couldn't affect the company.

By the time I finished all that, it was past midnight.

I crashed into bed and slept. Ava didn't come home all night.

I was woken up by noise in the morning.

Ava glared at me, full of indignation. "I told you Caleb is just my assistant. Why do you have to target him? You're the head of the company, don't you think your behavior is beneath you?"

My morning grumpiness wouldn't allow Ava to say more. "Shut up."

I roared, and Ava instantly froze. After a long moment, she finally spoke, "You, Ethan, don't you think you've done anything wrong?

"Do you know that because of you, Caleb is now being criticized for using connections?"

"Isn't he?"

I'd seen Caleb's resume. With his qualifications, getting into our company wouldn't have been easy.

"I already told you, I only let Caleb in because of my mentor! But do you know how many projects he's brought to the company since then?"

Ava, at this moment, was like Caleb's fiercest protector, completely biased towards that man.

I listened as Ava painstakingly detailed the projects Caleb had supposedly closed. If I wasn't mistaken, those projects were already secured; Caleb had only gone to deliver the contracts.

Thinking of this, I grew interested. "Oh really? Then let Caleb prove himself. The North City project is currently being negotiated. As long as he closes it, I guarantee I won't bother him."

"You said it!"

I nodded, and Ava rushed out in a hurry.

From that day on, Ava started staying out every night. Each time I asked, she'd say, "Busy."

She seemed to forget that I was the CEO, and she was only a VP.

How could a VP be busier than me?

I didn't expose Ava, but I didn't expect her to completely disregard my reputation.

That night, I had a meeting with Mr. Davis, and Ava actually showed up.

I was confused when she raised her hand and gestured for Caleb to join our table.

"Mr. Davis, this is Caleb from our project department. He's my assistant, and he's been in charge of our company's projects recently. He's very young and promising. From now on, all your company's projects will be handled by him."

Ava said all this without any regard for my presence.

Mr. Davis was a shrewd one. He looked at me, then at Ava, and finally his gaze settled on Caleb. "The youth truly are promising."

But Mr. Davis didn't agree to Ava's proposal. She became anxious and whispered to me, "Ethan, Caleb is about to close the North City project. If Mr. Davis's projects are now managed by Caleb, he won't have to feel inferior anymore."

"Get out." I couldn't take it anymore.

Everyone in the company knew Mr. Davis's project was crucial for our company's revenue in the second half of the year. I had warned everyone, "The most important thing right now is Mr. Davis."

No one had messed up during the project negotiations, yet I never expected Ava to pull this stunt at the very end.