Chapter 5

I let out a soft laugh, slowly raising my glass to take a small sip. I made no move to rescue him.

More meaningful glances turned our way.

Rosen sighed, putting on a show of sympathy for Charlie.

"Don't blame me for being blunt, Mr. Charlie."

"I feel for you, really. You've worked so hard to get where you are today. Some people praise you as a young talent, but behind your back, they say all kinds of things."

He paused, lowering his voice.

"They say you got where you are by riding your wife's success. That without President Laura, you'd be nothing."

"Those words sting, don't they? I hate hearing them too. But you've got to admit, there's... some truth to what they're saying."

Charlie was silent for a few seconds before his voice came out tight.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Rosen. But I don't need a spoiled rich kid who does nothing all day to worry about me."

The party wasn't even halfway through when Charlie left abruptly.

Rosen stood beside me as we watched Charlie's car drive away.

"So how are you going to thank me?"

I withdrew my gaze and smiled at him.

"Some of Charlie's projects can be redirected to you going forward."

Rosen raised an eyebrow. "Decided on divorce?"

I texted my assistant to prepare divorce papers.

"He's used up his chances. Time to send him back where he belongs."

He climbed the wall and started tearing down the ladder, thinking he'd grown wings. He forgot who built that ladder in the first place.

But I could give him the ladder to heaven, and I could just as easily let him come crashing down.

That night at the party, I accompanied my father alone as we saw off the last batch of guests.

My father suddenly spoke. "Made up your mind?"

I adjusted my shawl and answered softly, "He forgot who he is."

As I walked out of the estate, I glanced back.

This was where Charlie had stood at the entrance with a ring, proposing to me.

Fine beads of sweat had dotted his forehead, but every word came out steady and firm.

"Laura, give me a chance. I'll prove to you that choosing me was the right decision."

At the time, I'd thought he was interesting.

He didn't want money. Didn't want shares. He'd even volunteered to sign a prenup.

I'd believed in him. Given him a chance.

Too bad people's hearts can change.

When I got home, it was already eleven o'clock.

The lights by the entrance were on. Charlie sat on the sofa with a bottle of wine, drinking straight from the bottle.

This man who was usually steady as a rock and unshakeable looked unusually disheveled.

Hearing footsteps, he didn't get up or turn around.

"Miss Laura. You're back."

I set my purse on the entrance table and walked barefoot across the carpet, sitting down on the armchair across from him.

He didn't look at me. His gaze was unfocused, staring at some point in empty space.

"Those things Rosen said—that was your doing, wasn't it?"

I didn't deny it.

He finally raised his eyes, anger that had been building all evening blazing in them.

"Laura, are you satisfied?"

"Humiliating me in front of all those people, having someone point at my face and call me a freeloader, letting them watch me like I'm some kind of circus act—are you satisfied now?"

I propped my chin on my hand and leaned back against the sofa, watching him quietly.

Charlie hurled the wine bottle onto the white carpet.

"I know that in your eyes, I'll always be someone who exists only because of you."

"I live in your house, drive the car you assigned me, and everyone knows Mr. Charlie is just a high-level employee. The real boss is you, Miss Laura."

He twisted his lips into a sarcastic smile.

"But I'm still a person. I still have dignity."

"You had Rosen humiliate me in public. You just stood there holding your glass, watching me like I was some servant who'd messed up."

He stood up, looking down at me from above.

"Laura, people like you will never learn what respect means because you're always looking down from above!"

"You humiliate Audrey, you humiliate me. Will people like us who clawed our way up from the bottom never earn the right to be seen as equals by people like you?!"

I couldn't help but laugh.

He frowned. "What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at you."

I stood up. I was half a head shorter than him, but my presence was no less commanding.

"Charlie, these past five years you've been the successful and accomplished Mr. Charlie out in the world, and the thoughtful, caring husband at home. When I worked late you'd bring me food. Everyone said Laura had excellent taste in husbands."

"I thought you truly accepted this marriage. I never held back on giving you resources. When you couldn't crack tough deals, I visited every uncle one by one, asking them to take care of you."

"But it turns out you've resented it all along."

"You should have said something sooner. I don't need you specifically."

His face showed confusion. He didn't speak.

I took a step forward. He took half a step back.

"You say I don't respect you. So tell me, what does respect look like?"

"Should I have pretended not to see when Audrey took your arm? Should I have praised her dedication when she straightened your cuff?"

"Or when your mother welcomed her into your house to wear my slippers, sit in my seat, acting like the lady of the house—should I have smiled and accepted it, shaken her hand and welcomed her, for that to count as respecting you?"

He opened his mouth.

"My mom was just being soft-hearted..."

"But you weren't."

I cut him off.

"You were just waiting. Waiting for me to arrive, to see, to get angry."

"What were you testing?"

He fell silent.

After a long pause, he said hoarsely, "Audrey and I really haven't done anything."

"She walked this journey with me to get where I am today. She helped me a lot. So sometimes I... I couldn't bring myself to be harsh with her."

I looked at him quietly.

"You can be soft-hearted. But you can't play dumb."

"Charlie, you're too smart."

"So smart that from the first time Audrey got close to you, you knew exactly what she was thinking. You didn't push her away because you needed her. You needed a loyal subordinate, a woman who would give everything for you."

"You allowed her to get close, enjoyed her admiration, and then conveniently used her to train and test me."

His face went pale, bit by bit.

"Too bad you miscalculated. I'm Laura. I'm not your accessory wife."

"You want to mold me into the shape you want? Dream on."

I held out the manila envelope I'd been holding.

"We're done."

"The agreement has a detailed property division plan. After you sign it, give it to the lawyer. You can stay in the house until the end of the month."