Chapter 2

In the freezing night, I didn't go home. I dragged my numb body for two hours to the nearest hotel—which, ironically, was under my name. The deed was right inside my bag.

That night, Ethan didn't send another text or make another call.

The next morning, I arrived at the office early to prepare my resignation letter.

Ethan was the founder of the company.

I was just a low-profile business specialist on paper, a ghost in his corporate empire.

I had been by his side since he had nothing.

But now, my presence was completely insignificant.

Even if I vanished, Ethan wouldn't notice a thing.

Just as I was about to sign the last line of my resignation letter, Ethan suddenly appeared behind me.

I remained completely calm under his gaze, switching my screen as if nothing had happened.

He looked at me, his voice crisp. "What are you writing?"

"Nothing. Just some property management files."

He frowned slightly, failing to notice anything unusual, and turned to walk into his private office.

"Avery, come in for a second."

The moment Ethan called me in, the surrounding colleagues started whispering among themselves.

"Oh no, Avery is going to get chewed out by Mr. Sterling again."

In the entire company, everyone assumed Chloe was his public partner.

None of them knew I was his legal wife, holding nearly a hundred luxury deeds under my name.

Inside the office, Ethan looked at me with a tight frown.

"Just because I missed the anniversary, is it really necessary to throw such a tantrum and not even come home?"

I shook my head.

"The snow was too heavy. It wasn't safe to drive."

It was the truth, but also an excuse.

The important thing was that I didn't want to go back. I wanted to leave forever.

Ethan didn't seem to notice my detachment.

After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"The transfer of the Fontainebleau Manor is complete. The deed will be delivered to you in a few days."

Then, he slid an invitation card over to me.

"We are going tonight."

They were front-row tickets to my favorite symphony orchestra.

I knew this was yet another one of his "compensations."

I thought about it and took the card. After all, he owed me this.

Seeing that I remained quiet, Ethan opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.

But a sharp ringtone cut him off.

I watched him quickly step away to answer it.

I knew it was Chloe.

After all, only she had the power to make Ethan drop everything instantly.

When I left his office, I printed out my resignation and went straight to Marcus Brody, the Vice President.

Marcus was shocked when I handed him the papers.

"Avery, you're resigning? Is this because of Mr. Sterling?"

I pursed my lips, finding it slightly amusing.

They all thought I was leaving because I couldn't handle Ethan's harsh attitude at work.

None of them knew it was because my heart was completely shattered.

Seeing me nod, Marcus sighed and finally signed the approval.

As I was leaving the corporate building, I ran straight into Ethan and Chloe.

The entire company knew Chloe was his favorite.

Seeing me, Ethan’s face darkened slightly.

"Avery, if you have a report, do it later."

With that, he brushed past me with Chloe on his arm.

As she passed, Chloe threw me a warning glare.

I said nothing and showed up at the concert hall on time that night.

The hall was packed, except for the seat next to me. Ethan’s spot was completely empty.

In the past, whenever he asked me out, I would wait for him at the entrance until he arrived.

This time, I didn't wait. I went in alone and enjoyed the music.

By the time the concert ended, Ethan still hadn't shown up.

I wasn't even angry.

I had already wasted five years of my life. Why care about this last bit of disappointment?

Whether he knew about my resignation or not wouldn't change my decision to leave.

***