Chapter 2

When I didn't reply to Julian, Ashley grew irritated.

"Ethan, Julian’s talking to you. Why are you zoning out?"

"You're being so immature. Don't ruin my happiest day by making me yell at you!"

I let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, my bad. I'm sorry."

Hearing the flat exhaustion in my voice, Ashley softened a fraction.

"Whatever. It’s not like your childishness is anything new. I'm hanging up; we have guests to toast."

"By the way, go home and pack your things. Move out for a bit. If Julian’s parents see you there tonight, the whole gig is up."

Right. It was definitely time to move out.

After all, that wasn't my home anymore.

"Did you hear me, Ethan? I..."

I cut her off, my tone eerily calm. "Ashley, let's break up."

Ashley froze, and then her temper flared.

"Ethan, what are you babbling about?! We're legally married! Break up with what?!"

"I just held a fake ceremony with Julian! You're holding our marriage certificate in your own hands! Are you really that insecure and petty to pull this crap with me?"

Hearing her words, I didn't even have the energy to argue. I just felt absolute disgust at all the wasted years I had given her.

Marriage certificate?

She knew better than anyone what that piece of paper really was.

My silence made Ashley assume I had backed down again.

After a beat, she sighed. "Look, I get that you're jealous and trying to get a rise out of me by threatening a breakup. But pull this again, and I’m actually going to be pissed. Just treat this as... taking some space apart, okay?"

"Oh, right. There's a tricky case over in New York. Fly there first and dig up some evidence."

With that, she hung up. But right before the line went dead, I caught her muffled whisper to Julian:

"I haven't found anyone competent enough to take over his workload yet. Once I find a replacement..."

A hollow ache washed over me.

So in her eyes, I was never anything more than a cash cow.

I worked myself to the bone winning trials, only for her to blow all that money wining and dining Julian.

I still remembered a year ago when my beat-up electric scooter died. I begged her to get me a new one.

Instead, she bought me a secondhand bicycle and made me pedal through the freezing dead of winter to get to work.

"The economy is rough right now, and cash is tight. Just deal with it."

My nose had been bright red from the biting frost. When I finally reached the firm, I saw a brand-new Apollo supercar parked right out front.

That was the moment I realized the economy wasn't rough at all.

Ashley had simply taken the money I earned and bought Julian a lavish birthday gift just to put a smile on his face.

Shaking my head at the bitter memory, I went back to the apartment, packed my bags, and headed straight to the law firm.

"Mr. Miller? Aren't you supposed to be at your wedding with CEO Ashley?"

Everyone had gone to the wedding reception, leaving behind only a lone female intern.

"You're mistaken," I replied calmly, setting down a letter of resignation. "That's Ashley and Julian’s wedding, not mine."

Because Ashley always claimed I was a partner and co-owner of the firm, she had never actually made me sign an employment contract.

Which meant if I wanted to leave, all I had to do was walk out the door.

How ironic. A law firm full of legal experts, doing the shadiest, most illegal things behind closed doors.