Chapter 2

Chloe’s gaze instantly locked onto the small box in my hand, her pupils shrinking in shock.

In the silence that followed, I knew she was frantically scrambling for an excuse.

I hadn't been on that trip. If she needed these, the answer was painfully obvious.

My hand trembled as I held the box out toward her. "Take it. Don't drop it next time."

Chloe stared at me in disbelief, making no move to take it.

My hand hung there in mid-air, frozen in the heavy silence.

"Ethan, let me explain. This is..."

I gave a bitter smile and cut her off flatly. "There's nothing to explain."

"What is that supposed to mean? You think I cheated on you? Ethan, we've been together for five years! Do you not trust me at all?"

Her face flushed bright red with fury.

I honestly didn't understand what she had to be angry about. She was the one who stepped out on our marriage. I hadn't even raised my voice, yet she was already breaking down in righteous outrage.

"Nothing happened between Julian and me! Stop overthinking things! We're just colleagues!"

Her excuse was laughably pathetic. I hadn't even mentioned Julian's name, yet she brought him up without missing a beat.

I nodded slowly. "I know. You're just colleagues. You've told me that a thousand times. You don't need to repeat it."

Hearing that only fueled her rage. She slapped the box out of my hand, her voice shrill and piercing.

"Ethan! You know how much I despise that sarcastic tone!"

"I already explained myself, what more do you want?"

"A loser like you has no right to question me. If I really wanted to cheat, I would just divorce you!"

It was always like this. She never missed an opportunity to elevate herself while tearing me down.

She needed me to remember that I was beneath her in this marriage, that I had no right to demand anything. In her eyes, offering an explanation was an act of charity on her part.

I let out a tired sigh. "How did you expect me to react when I saw that?"

"Ethan! Do you just live to pick fights with me?"

"If you showed even an ounce of understanding, you wouldn't be cornering me like this!"

Before I could say another word, Chloe shoved me out the front door. The icy wind howled through the corridor. Dressed in only a thin long-sleeve shirt, I shivered in the cold.

She saw how cold I was, but she had no intention of letting me back inside.

"You stay out here and think about what you've done! When you're ready to admit you were wrong, then you can come back in!"

With a loud slam, the heavy door shut in my face. Chloe was gone.

Two years of dating, three years of marriage, and all it brought me was betrayal after betrayal.

Maybe it was finally time to walk away.

I didn't linger outside the door for a single second. I walked straight down into the pouring rain and exited the residential complex. The moment I stepped onto the street, a diamond-encrusted, limited-edition Rolls-Royce pulled up smoothly beside me.

The chauffeur stepped out into the rain, bowed respectfully, and opened the passenger door.

As soon as I sat inside, the woman beside me handed over an executive folder.

"Welcome home, Mr. Vance."