Chapter 3

I walked back to my desk, planning to message Rachel and ask what the hell she was thinking, when a notification popped up on the internal network.

To save money on a transition, Rachel had locked my account but set a mandatory one-month handover period where I was expected to train my replacement.

I laughed out loud. It was so absurd it was almost funny. Furious, I marched straight toward the executive suite and threw the door open without knocking.

The door swung open, and the sight inside made my blood instantly run cold.

Rachel, my wife, was wrapped tightly around her "nephew," Jackson.

Jackson’s hands were gripped firmly around her waist, and she was giggling, pressing herself against his chest.

Hearing the door slam, Rachel’s face flashed with panic for a split second before hardening into pure, irritated disgust.

"Ethan! Do you have any concept of boundaries? Have you forgotten how to knock?!"

Jackson’s hands didn't move. In fact, he pulled her slightly closer, throwing me a smug, mocking look of pure triumph.

Watching the woman I had shared a bed with for a decade laughing in another man's arms felt like a physical blow to the chest.

I clenched my fists so hard my nails bit into my palms.

"Rachel... is this the 'surprise' you promised me?"

Rachel didn't even bother to untangle herself from him. Instead, she casually fixed her collar.

"Since you saw us, I don't need to hide it anymore."

"Ethan, this company has carried you for ten years. We’ve been more than generous."

"Just sign the papers and get out. Let’s not make this uglier than it needs to be."

A dry, bitter laugh escaped my throat.

This company carried me? What a joke.

"Sign what? Sign an agreement where I owe you two million dollars?"

"Rachel, we’ve been married for ten years. Is this really how you treat your husband?"

"Have you forgotten how you cried and begged me in our kitchen last month? You said Jackson was young, that he couldn't have his career ruined by a mistake. You begged me to take the heat."

"You promised you'd clear my name once his probation was over. And now you’re using it to ruin me?"

Jackson sneered, pointing a finger at my face.

"Shut up, Ethan! Who do you think you are, yelling at her?"

"The damage you caused is written in black and white! You signed the papers, you took the blame. Paying the company back is just fair game!"

"And yeah, I let you take the fall. So what? You’re just a washed-up, middle-aged coder. What are you going to do about it?"

Looking at Rachel, she seemed like an absolute stranger. Any lingering affection I had for her vanished into thin air.

"Fine. Keep your two million. I’m done with this garbage company."

Rachel didn't look guilty at all. Instead, she flashed a victorious smirk, reached into her desk drawer, and threw another document onto the table.

"Not so fast, Ethan. When you joined as our Lead Architect, you signed a key-man clause, remember?"

"If a core technical employee voluntarily resigns before their ten-year term is up, they owe the company ten million dollars in liquidated damages."

"You want to leave? Sure. Write me a check for ten million, and I’ll process your resignation right now."

Jackson chimed in, laughing. "That's right, Ethan. It's on paper. Don't tell us you're broke!"

Looking at the contract I had almost forgotten about, I felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head.

Back then, Rachel had handed me the contract, telling me it was just a formality for investors. She had promised me that once the company took off, we would share everything. I trusted her completely and signed it without reading the fine print.

She had been plotting my downfall from the very beginning.

When anger reaches a certain threshold, it turns into a terrifyingly cold calm. I took a deep breath, my mind clearing.

"You really thought this through, Rachel. Fine. I'll stay for the one-month transition period."

"But," I stared directly into her cold eyes, "starting today, we are done. I want a divorce."

Rachel blinked, stunned for a second, before bursting into a mocking laugh.

"Are you serious, Ethan?"

"Without me, without this company, what are you? You think you can survive on your own?"

"The moment we sign those divorce papers, I’m marrying Jackson. You're going to be a broke, single loser in his late thirties."

Jackson smirked. "Yeah, Ethan. You're pushing forty, buried in debt, and blacklisted in the industry. What are you going to do, beg? If you apologize to Rachel right now, maybe she'll let you stay on as a janitor."

I looked at them, completely repulsed.

I spun around and walked out of the office.

Laugh all you want, I thought. Enjoy it while it lasts.