Chapter 2

Claire seemed to understand what had happened. A mocking smile curled across her lips.

“So that’s what this is about. You’re jealous.”

“It was an artistic video made for the company. Every partner received one.”

“Ryan is a senior executive at Sterling Industries, so of course he got a copy too. Don’t be upset, okay?”

She sounded completely sincere. If this had happened before, I might really have believed her without question.

She took the dirty clothes she had changed out of in the bathroom and placed them in my arms. Then she kissed the corner of my mouth.

“Okay, stop overthinking it. Wash these clothes for me. I’m going to take a nap.”

As I accepted the clothes, a receipt slipped from one of the pockets.

I bent down and picked it up.

It was for the company’s newest “True Love” ring, a custom piece that could only be made once in a person’s lifetime.

The receipt said it had been purchased by Claire for the love of her life—Ryan.

Claire’s pupils shook violently. The panic in her eyes became impossible to hide.

“Ethan, listen to me. This is one of our prototypes… Yes, a prototype. It was only an experimental sample for Ryan.”

I listened coldly to her terrible excuse.

The product had already gone into production. What prototype was she talking about?

Things like this had happened far too many times before. Whenever I questioned her, she responded with nothing but accusations.

This time, I said nothing. I dropped the clothes and casually tossed the receipt into the trash.

Claire’s anger surged again when she saw what I had done.

“We dated for five years and have been married for one. After six years together, you still don’t trust me?”

“Nothing happened between Ryan and me. We were just doing normal business entertaining.”

“This is my job. Do you understand?”

I hadn’t even accused her of anything, yet she was already falling apart.

“I know it’s your job. I never said there was a problem.”

Claire became even angrier.

“I explained everything to you, and you’re still not satisfied?”

“I’m the director of this entire company. If I hadn’t been taking care of you, do you think I’d still be stuck in this position?”

I shook my head calmly.

Claire was always like this. Whenever she was in the wrong, she would drag some unrelated issue into the argument to overpower me.

She wanted me to remember that she was always the one in control of our marriage—and that I was expected to obey her.

When Claire saw me shaking my head, she became even more furious.

“Ethan, do you really have to make such a big deal out of this?”

“Are you seriously still hung up on that video? I told you, it was an artistic video!”

I sighed. “I understand. It was an artistic video and a prototype. There’s no problem.”

Claire shoved me several times.

“Ethan, do you have to keep provoking me?”

“What are you trying to imply? If you’re unhappy, blame yourself for being useless. If you could help me at work, would I have to work this hard and handle everything myself?”

She kept pushing until she forced me out of the apartment.

“Don’t forget—everything you eat and use comes from me. Go reflect on yourself. Come back after you realize your mistake!”

With that, she slammed the door in my face, completely ignoring the cold rain outside and the fact that I was wearing nothing but a thin T-shirt.

The freezing wind cut through me. I wrapped my arms around myself, trembling from head to toe.

Claire didn’t care at all. She simply yawned and went to sleep.

She probably thought I would be afraid like before. She probably thought I would come crawling back and beg for her forgiveness the moment she threw me out.

The rain kept falling, and the damp cold sank into my bones.

But this time, I simply took out my phone and dialed a number.

Soon, a limited-edition Maybach pulled up outside the apartment complex.

The driver got out and opened the door for me.

“Sir, please get in.”

I stepped into the Maybach.

My mother was sitting inside. The moment she saw me, she pulled me into a hug.

“Son, come on. Let’s go home.”