Chapter 5

The food was finally on the table. I set the plates down one by one.

But Ethan, pretending to be clumsy, bumped the table and knocked a bowl of hot soup right onto the floor, splashing everywhere.

He immediately let out a dramatic cry, acting as if he had been badly burned.

Chloe rushed over, grabbing his hand to inspect it.

"Chloe, don't worry about me. Eat your lunch before it gets cold. We still have a shoot to catch," Ethan said, looking sweet and harmless.

Ethan only had a tiny red mark on his hand—he wasn't hurt at all. But Chloe still turned on me, screaming:

"Logan! How could you be so careless?! Serving food that's boiling hot!"

Her eyes were filled with disappointment and anger, as if I had committed a crime.

If I hadn't dodged quickly, the hot oil from earlier would have covered my entire arm, but Chloe hadn't cared at all.

Yet a fake red mark on Ethan's hand made her heart bleed.

Perhaps realizing she was being too harsh, Chloe tried to justify her anger: "Ethan is my assistant. My career depends on him. It would be a nightmare if he got seriously hurt!"

I actually laughed. Her career depended on Ethan, her fame depended on Austin. She always had an excuse.

It turned out I was the only one who was completely disposable.

I placed the last dish on the table, then slid my phone and a manila envelope toward her. On my phone screen, I had typed:

*“Chloe, let's get a divorce.”*

Chloe froze. Even Ethan looked shocked.

Seeing the signed divorce papers ready in the envelope, they realized I wasn't joking.

"Are you out of your mind?" Chloe sneered, clearly thinking this was just another dramatic attempt to get her attention.

I shook my head, letting her know I was dead serious.

Ethan glanced between the two of us, sensing the tension. Chloe never expected me to actually bring this up.

"Logan, I know you've been feeling neglected, but the romance with Austin is just for PR. If you don't believe me, ask Ethan. Austin and I are just business partners. Why are you being so jealous?"

"Just behave, okay? Once this promo cycle is over, I'll take you on a trip to Europe to make up for our anniversary, alright?"

Chloe offered a half-hearted sweet talk mixed with a warning, expecting me to soften up like I always did.

But I was no longer the foolish man who could be manipulated by her empty promises, the man who would sacrifice his life just for a scrap of her affection.

Every single thing she had ever promised me had fallen through. The "later" she always talked about never came.

Chloe probably thought a few sweet words would keep me quiet and loyal.

She looked at me with that familiar, helpless expression, waiting for me to yield.

But my gaze was cold and steady. I forced the air through my vocal cords, making a raspy but distinct sound:

"Let's... get... a divorce."

Seeing me like this, Chloe looked deeply annoyed. She told me to calm down, slammed the door, and left.

Strangely, the moment the front door slammed shut, the tightness in my throat loosened. I tried to whisper my own name.

For the first time in five years, I heard my own normal voice.

I knew the System's reversal had begun.