Chapter 3

I had genuinely hoped to have an open, honest conversation with him.

Ruining our marriage over a cheap, manipulative ex-girlfriend wasn't worth it.

But the moment Ethan saw the folder, his brow furrowed, and he didn't even bother to open it.

"Why are you investigating her, Amelia? How many times do I have to tell you? Chloe is just a secretary. She means nothing to me."

My calm facade cracked, and anger flared hot in my chest.

"If she means nothing, then firing her shouldn't be an issue."

"Ethan, I am showing you this because I want to save our marriage. I don't want another woman coming between us."

"And don't get cocky just because people call you 'Mr. CEO' now. Have you forgotten who made you? Without my family's money and my uncles' business connections, your company would have gone under years ago."

"I married down because I thought you would cherish me and give me peace of mind. Let's be real—anyone in this city can cheat, but not you. I can tolerate a lot of things, Ethan, but infidelity is my absolute dealbreaker."

My hands shook as I spoke.

Ethan stood up abruptly, his face flushed with anger.

"Right! Of course! It's always about you! My company only exists because of you! You never miss a single day to remind me that you're my savior, and that I have to obey your every command!"

"When you forced me to drink with your uncles to secure deals, I had to do it. Even when I was running a high fever and felt like dying, you wouldn't let me rest or take medicine because keeping your family happy was more important!"

"When your uncle was hospitalized, and his own son couldn't care less, you forced me to play nurse and cater to his every whim at his bedside!"

"You treat me like a dog, forcing me to kiss up to your arrogant cousins. To you, am I even a husband? Or am I just a tool for your family's business?"

I stood up to face him, matching his anger.

"Ethan, I don't care how much resentment you've bottled up. We can talk about that later. But Chloe has to go. If you don't fire her, I will."

"This is my final boundary. You chose to marry me, and you knew exactly who I was. You can't expect me to be a ruthless business partner who secures your deals out there, and then turn around and expect me to be a submissive, sweet little housewife at home."

Ethan trembled with rage. He violently ripped off his tie and glared at me as if I were his worst enemy.

"Fine. You win. I'll fire her tomorrow."

With a harsh kick to the coffee table, he stormed upstairs without looking back.

I sank onto the sofa, my tears finally spilling over.

His complaints were almost comical to me. He felt humiliated drinking with my uncles and kissing up to my cousins. But what he didn't realize was that without my family, he wouldn't even have been invited to sit at their table.

My uncles were retiring soon, and my cousins were taking over the family estate. If Ethan didn't play nice with them, his company would lose its core contracts and go bankrupt overnight.

He thought he was independent now because he secured a few new clients on his own, but who do you think opened those doors for him in the first place?

Years ago, I asked him if he wanted a simple, cozy life or if he wanted to build a business. He chose the empire. So I gave him the funds, and I gave him the connections. Back then, he was endlessly grateful.

Now, Chloe had been at his company for a mere week, and suddenly he felt "oppressed."

He was comparing us. He thought I was too demanding and cold, while she was soft and understanding.

But he forgot one thing: if I were soft and submissive, relying entirely on a man to survive, I'd be just like Chloe—a parasitic weed.

That night, Ethan didn't sleep in our room. Usually, the first thing he did when he came home was shower, sanitize, kiss our daughter's cheek, kiss my forehead, and tell me:

"Thank you for everything, sweetie."

Then he would hold our baby girl all night, whispering how precious she was.

But tonight, because I investigated Chloe, he didn't even look at his daughter.

He didn't even step foot into our bedroom.

Did he think I was stupid? In business, he investigated every competitor and partner. Now that a woman was actively trying to steal my husband, did he expect me to sit back and do nothing?