Chapter 2

I stood up abruptly, kicking the heavy wooden table over with all my strength.

Plates shattered, and greasy, colorful soup splashed all over Julian and Olivia.

Julian screamed in panic.

Olivia’s face turned green with rage.

Before she could scream at me, I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face.

Then, I looked at Julian.

"I’m done with this trash."

"If you want her so badly, you can have her!"

"Olivia, we are divorcing!"

I articulated every single word, turned around, and walked out.

My parents, their faces dark with fury, stood up and followed right behind me.

We left behind a chaotic mess and the humiliated Vance family.

Olivia was shaking with rage, screaming at my retreating back.

"Ethan! How dare you bring up divorce? Do you think I’m afraid of you?!"

"Fine! We’ll divorce! Trust me, I will live a much better life without you!"

I didn't look back. I led my parents out of that restaurant as fast as possible.

I wouldn't spend another second in that toxic environment.

After dropping my parents off at their house, I drove back to the suburban home Olivia and I shared to pack my things.

But the moment I arrived at the front door, I froze.

All my clothes, books, and personal belongings had been tossed out onto the lawn like piles of garbage.

Even the digital lock on the door had been changed.

I called Olivia. No answer.

So I initiated a FaceTime call.

It connected.

But the face on the screen belonged to Julian.

He was wearing my favorite silk robe, lounging on my marriage bed. His collar was draped open, deliberately showing off fresh, red hickeys on his chest.

Seeing me, he raised an eyebrow, his eyes dripping with smug provocation. "Olivia and I are busy trying to make a baby. Why are you calling so late?"

Before I could speak, he waved his hand.

The diamond ring on his finger caught the light, and my pupils dilated.

It was my wedding ring. The one I had personally designed and crafted for Olivia—a one-of-a-kind piece.

Just a few days ago, Olivia had lied to me, saying she was taking it to the jeweler for a professional cleaning.

I never imagined she would give it to Julian.

Even the decorative picture frames on the nightstand had been replaced with intimate photos of them. Some showed them kissing, others hugging.

Noticing my stare, Julian grinned widely.

"Oh, sorry about this, Ethan. Olivia said this house belongs to me now. She said all the old trash needs to be thrown out, so I tossed your things into the yard."

I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles turned white.

I took a deep breath.

"Where is Olivia?"

He blinked innocently. "Olivia? She’s in the shower."

He sighed dramatically.

"You have no idea how clingy she is. She insisted on going for a second round. That’s why... I’m waiting for her."

A wave of intense nausea hit my stomach.

"Oh, by the way, Olivia said since you were the one who demanded a divorce, you should grab your trash and beat it."

"After all, she was the one who bought this house."

Before I could reply, Olivia stepped out of the bathroom, coming into the frame.

She was wearing a semi-sheer negligee, her neck covered in red marks.

Her eyes were hazy and wet.

The moment she stepped out, she snuggled directly into Julian’s arms.

Julian said mockingly, "Olivia, look, Ethan is watching us."

Only then did she notice the screen. Her expression instantly hardened into a mask of pure annoyance. "Since you want a divorce, what are you doing calling in the middle of the night? This place has absolutely nothing to do with you anymore!"

The fury in my chest erupted completely.

"Olivia, have you lost your mind? I paid for eighty percent of this house! The startup capital for your company came from me selling two of my tech patents! Your very first client was handed to you through my personal network! Just because people call you 'CEO Vance' now, you think you’re a god? What right do you have to kick me out?"

Olivia had been put on a pedestal for too long. No one had dared to strip away her fake mask in years.

Having her secrets exposed made her face twist in rage.

"Ethan, don't flatter yourself! Everything I have today, I built with my own hands! It has nothing to do with you! If it weren't for marrying me, a small-town boy like you would still be rotting in the dirt! For nine years, you and your family have been leeching off my success. Who do you think you are to bark at me?"

My heart ached with a sharp, dull pain.

Looking at her distorted, angry face, the last shred of my affection died.

"Olivia, every single cent my family and I spent in the last nine years was earned by my own sweat! Without me, do you honestly think an empty shell of a woman like you could have ever reached this position?"

She gnashed her teeth.

"I graduated from an elite university! How dare you call me an empty shell? Do you really think the company can't function without you? Ethan, you are nothing!"

"You want to make a scene? Fine! I’ll give you what you want! Tomorrow morning, we sign the divorce papers, and you are officially fired from the company! I’m going to show you that my business runs perfectly fine without you!"

"Olivia, since you want to play dirty, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

"Get ready to watch your precious company burn."

I sneered, preparing to end the call.

Olivia bounced on the bed in rage, screaming like a banshee just before the line went dead.

"Ethan! Do you think you can survive in this city without me and the company?! I’ve already blacklisted you with every major firm in this region! You won't find a single job! I will make sure you starve on the streets!"

I hung up, turned around, and walked away without looking back.

I had to leave. If I stayed there a second longer, I would have broken down the door and dragged those two parasites to hell with me.