It was the New Year's Eve party. Someone swapped my pineapple juice for a beer. The problem? I had just taken antibiotics that day.

I barely made it after they rushed me to the hospital. When I came to, my wife, Chloe, was shielding the guy who did it.

"Let this go, Ethan. Be the bigger person. He didn't mean it."

I wasn't about to let this guy—the one who'd been way too close to my wife for comfort—off the hook. Chloe cut me off, frowning.

"Enough! He just graduated, he’s just a kid who doesn’t know any better. Why are you picking on him?"

"Do you have to ruin his life to be happy?"

Seeing her defend him like that, my heart turned to ash.

"Then maybe you two should be together."

...

"What do you mean, we should be together?! Ethan, can you stop being so petty? What’s wrong with a boss caring about her employee? And you twist it into this? You ruined a perfectly good New Year's party!"

My words hit a nerve. Flustered, Chloe lashed out, trying to sound tough.

I let out a cold laugh. "Oh really? Some 'caring'. Seems like you care more about him than your own husband. When I collapsed at the party, you were the one who stepped back, weren't you?"

Chloe froze for a second, then visibly tried to calm herself down, forcing her anger back.

"Ethan, I know you're upset. I promise I'll discipline Sam. I'll give you an outcome you're satisfied with. But calling the cops? That's completely unnecessary. He just graduated college..."

"How are you planning to discipline him?"

Having just stared death in the face, everything suddenly felt crystal clear. A dull ache throbbed in my temples. I cut through her rambling.

Chloe blinked, then mumbled, "Dock his pay for three days."

"...I almost died, and you want to dock three days' pay?!"

I couldn't believe it. I almost laughed out of sheer anger.

"Enough! He didn't do it on purpose! He's just a kid fresh out of college, how much money do you think he has? He has rent, bills... this is already serious! How is he supposed to live next month?!"

Chloe's face turned ugly. She clearly wanted me to drop it. But I had lost all interest in talking to her. I pulled out my phone to call 911.

Just graduated? Sorry, old enough means old enough to take responsibility for your actions.

I'd barely dialed a few numbers when Chloe snatched the phone from my hand, hanging up and yelling.

"Do you really have to destroy his future?! He's so young! What does he know?!"

"I just want to tell the police the facts. He knows exactly what he did."

My brow furrowed. I reached to grab my phone back. The tension in the hospital room was thick. Neither of us would back down.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door opened. It was Sam, holding a fruit basket.

He had a couple of perfectly placed tears on his cheeks. He entered the room looking timid and scared, bowing his head in apology the moment he met my gaze.

"I'm so sorry, Ethan. This is all my fault. I'm really, truly sorry."

"Sam, quick, sit down."

Chloe immediately rushed to welcome him, taking the fruit basket and patting his shoulder. "Look at you, spending money like this. Ethan's fine, really. What are you crying for? Don't be scared."

"Sorry, Chloe. I caused you so much trouble."

That only made it worse. Sam's eyes reddened further as if he really was terrified. His choked sob made Chloe's heart ache even more.

As tears welled up, he glanced up at me, a flicker of triumph in his eyes.

I frowned, about to tell him to cut the act, but the next second, he dropped to his knees in front of my hospital bed with a thud. He bowed his head and spoke through tears.

"I'm sorry, Ethan, I'm really sorry. I didn't know you'd taken medication. Switching the drinks... it was just... for the atmosphere. I honestly didn't mean anything else by it."

"Sam! What are you doing?! Get up!"

Chloe was stunned. She moved to pull him up, then turned to me, furious when she saw my expressionless face.

"He's like this! And you still don't believe him?! Ethan, I never realized you could be so cold-hearted! Forgive him right now! Stop making things difficult for this kid! Sam... get up, please. I don't want to see you like this either..."

"I'm not getting up! Not until Ethan forgives me!"

Tears streamed down Sam's face as he knelt there, stubbornly demanding my forgiveness. My head throbbed. I couldn't be bothered watching his performance. Seeing me still unmoved, Chloe marched over and slapped me hard across the face.

"Ethan! You son of a bitch!"

Smack!

It happened so fast. My right cheek burned.

That slap completely extinguished the last spark of feeling I had left for her.

2

Chloe and I met in college. We were classmates in the finance program. Our university's finance department was one of the best in the country. Most students there had family with "connections" and "backgrounds," but Chloe was different.

She got in purely through her own hard work and planned to build her future from scratch.

That determination drew me in almost instantly. Getting together with her felt inevitable.

I pursued her. I learned a lot from her too.

My family never thought much of Chloe. When we graduated, they'd already picked out a suitable bride for an arranged marriage, figuring Chloe was just a phase I'd get over before coming home.

But youth is rebellious. That fire I had back then is long gone now.

I fought with my family and chose Chloe. Looking back, we've been married for three years, together for five. In those three years, Chloe's career took off, thanks in part to my help.

There was a time she stood up for me just like she was standing up for Sam today. She once yelled at a condescending business partner who was trying to force drinks on me. She used to cook for me late at night. I truly believed Chloe and I would spend our lives together.

Our life got better, but the feelings faded.

Ever since Sam joined the company as an intern assistant, Chloe's attitude towards me took a nosedive.

I heard she specifically requested to have Sam transferred to work directly under her.

After that, she was constantly traveling for work or working late, and Sam was always with her. The official reason was "developing his skills." I wondered just what "skills" were being developed.

It got to the point where rumors started flying around the office these past few months, suggesting Sam wasn't just getting mentored, but that Chloe was involved with him.

I was lost in thought when another slap hit me, just as hard. I slowly looked up at Chloe. She gritted her teeth, spitting out each word.

"Ethan, accept Sam's apology. Right now. Or I'll make your life hell."

"Chloe, don't hit him! Please don't fight because of me!"

Sam waited until after she hit me to intervene. Then, he decisively stood up, a look of resolve flashing across his face.

"Ethan, since you still won't forgive me, maybe I should just turn myself in. I'm willing to spend the rest of my life making amends for this!"

With that, before we could react, he bolted out of the hospital room.

"Sam! Where are you going?! Don't do anything stupid!"

Chloe frantically chased after him. Before leaving, she shot me a parting threat.

"Ethan, if anything happens to him, I'll never forgive you!"

The door slammed shut, finally leaving the room quiet. I let out a long breath, feeling utterly exhausted.

Of course, Sam wasn't going to turn himself in. Everything he did today was calculated to drive a wedge between Chloe and me. It was such an obvious ploy, only Chloe would fall for it.

Sure enough, a little while later, Chloe posted on social media. The picture was a scenic view not far from the hospital. Her caption read: "I'll protect you forever."

She didn't hide it from anyone. Just put it out there for the world to see.

After chasing him out, she never came back to see me. I guess it made sense. I was out of danger, so there was no need.

I laughed coldly, indifferent to her passive-aggressive provocation. My stomach had just been pumped the night before. I couldn't eat anything, but I didn't want to stay in the hospital either. I talked to the doctor about being discharged the next day.

I packed my things and went home. Chloe was there.

3

"You're back?"

Chloe was sitting on the sofa. The moment she saw me, her smile vanished. Her tone was lukewarm, and she didn't even ask how I was feeling.

She clearly hadn't expected me back so soon. She seemed to have been in a good mood before I opened the door, but my arrival instantly soured it. For a married couple to reach this point... we were truly just putting on a show.

"Yeah, I'm back."

I replied casually, my tone equally flat. That's when I noticed her posture seemed unconsciously tense. I frowned. The next moment, I heard the sound of the shower running in the bathroom.

Someone else was home.

"Who's taking a shower?"

Even though a suspicion had already formed in my mind, I still held onto a sliver of hope as I asked. But as soon as Chloe heard the question, her expression turned guarded, and she quickly forced an explanation.

"It's Sam. His water's been shut off for a week, so I let him come over to shower after work. Don't get the wrong idea, his water really is off."

"Got it. I wasn't thinking anything."

My calm response actually seemed to throw her off. She studied my face, searching for any sign of anger. When she found none, she visibly relaxed.

"Wow, you finally figured it out. Nice to see you're not making a scene for once."

Making a scene? Is that how she saw my reactions all along?

I didn't reply. I walked straight into the bedroom, dragged a suitcase out of the closet, and started packing without a word. During this time, Chloe didn't even peek in to check on me.

As I packed, I realized how few things I actually owned after years of marriage. I'm not a particularly materialistic person.

I left behind everything Chloe had given me and anything we owned jointly. I didn't want them. I didn't want the memories.

When I finished packing and came out, Chloe was already drying Sam's hair. She was kneeling on the sofa, laughing and chatting with him. Looking at them, they seemed like a genuinely loving couple. I felt completely out of place in my own home.

Chloe's back was to me, and the hairdryer was too loud for her to hear me approach. But Sam saw me the instant I stepped out of the room. He slowly looked up, a smug expression spreading across his face, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

It was as if he was saying, See? You can't win against me.

My face remained blank. I didn't want to win, nor did I feel like I had lost. I just quietly watched Chloe patiently and gently drying Sam's hair, her expression soft.

I couldn't remember the last time she'd looked at me like that. So, it wasn't work stress making her lash out at me at home. It was just that her tenderness was reserved for someone else.

The hairdryer switched off. Chloe turned, saw me, and her expression tightened. She quickly explained.

"Just drying his hair. Didn't want him to catch a cold with wet hair and miss work tomorrow."

"I know. You don't have to tell me everything."

My casual, indifferent reply gave Sam another opening. He adopted a timid look.

"Ethan, I guess I'm not welcome here... I should probably go."

He made a show of getting ready to leave, and Chloe immediately stopped him.

"You just showered. Going out now, you'll catch a cold!"

"I didn't say you weren't welcome. I'm the one who's extra here. You can stay. I'm leaving."

I grabbed my suitcase from the bedroom and headed straight for the door. Seeing this, Chloe's face darkened, and she stepped in front of me to block my way.

"Ethan, what are you doing? I knew something was up when you came home acting so calm. What kind of scheme is this?!"

A faint, ironic smile touched my lips. I really couldn't be bothered to guess what kind of image Sam's manipulations had painted of me in Chloe's eyes.

I looked at her calmly, my voice devoid of emotion.

"No scheme, Chloe. Check your email soon. I'll be sending you the divorce papers."

4

"You want to divorce me?!"

Unexpectedly, hearing those words didn't make Chloe explode with rage. Instead, she frowned, a hint of confusion in her expression.

"Ethan, you have no reason to divorce me. All I did was look out for Sam, practically like a little brother. If you want a divorce over this, I can only assume you don't love me anymore, that you never really cared."

"Think whatever you want. The divorce is happening."

I didn't even glance at her. Arguing at this point was meaningless. My unwavering attitude seemed to finally make something click for Chloe. She initially thought I was just "making a scene" like before, but now she realized I was serious.

She instinctively reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Ethan, stop messing around. Let's just talk..."

I yanked my arm away, a deep look of disgust flashing across my face.

"Don't touch me!"

With that, I turned to leave. Thrown off balance, Chloe stumbled back, her anger finally igniting. She yelled after me.

"Ethan! Where are you going to go without me?! Back to your family? Don't forget, you cut ties with your family years ago!"

"Get back here! Did I say I agreed to this divorce?!"

I acted as if I hadn't heard a word. I got in my car and drove straight to the office. After packing up my desk, I went to HR and submitted my resignation.

"Uh... Ethan, are you sure about resigning?"

The HR person saw my blank expression and probably guessed what was happening. She held the form, asking tentatively.

"Yes."

I understood her hesitation. Everyone in the company knew I was the husband of the CEO, Chloe. Although she always claimed to keep business and personal life separate, there was inevitably office gossip.

Sure enough, a troubled look crossed the HR person's face.

"Well... I can't really approve this myself. Maybe we should wait for Ms. Hayes to get back?" (Assuming Hayes as Chloe's Americanized surname).

"No need. My position doesn't require her sign-off. Just process it through the usual channels."

Chloe founded this company five years ago. I was one of the first employees back when there were only about ten of us. I wore multiple hats – tech guy, running errands, handling sales. I worked incredibly hard for a long time.

But in the last couple of years, as the company started doing well, Chloe kept me in this low-level position, earning a basic salary. It was even less than what Sam made as her personal assistant.

The HR person sighed helplessly. Technically, my position didn't require CEO approval. She signed the form, probably just hoping Chloe's eventual wrath wouldn't land on her.

I went back to my desk, picked up the cardboard box with my belongings, and walked out. As I left, I saw the pitying looks from my colleagues and heard their hushed whispers.

"He's really... leaving?"

"I actually liked Ethan... When I first started, he was the one who taught me everything about sales."

"It's because of Ms. Hayes's new assistant, isn't it... She really has been a bit too..."

Hearing their words didn't change my expression one bit. Just as I stepped out of the building, I saw Chloe arriving with Sam.

When she saw me holding the box, she immediately flew into a rage.

"Ethan, how long are you going to keep this up?! You want to leave me that badly?! You're even quitting the company?!"

"Ethan, calm down. I heard you've been with this company for years... Don't be impulsive."

I completely ignored Sam's attempts to stir the pot, not even giving him a glance. Seeing my indifference, Chloe took several deep breaths, struggling to contain her fury.

"Fine! Fine! You're dead set on divorcing me, aren't you? Then let's do it! I'll sign the papers right away! Ethan, just don't you regret this!"

Hearing this, I stopped walking, finally showing a reaction.

"Since you're signing, let's go to the courthouse this afternoon."

That same afternoon, Chloe and I finalized the divorce. She was clearly still furious and left immediately with Sam.

I didn't bother trying to talk to her further. I was just relieved it was over so quickly.

Standing outside the courthouse, I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number I hadn't called more than a few times in three years.

It rang twice before a somewhat stern voice answered, sounding surprised.

"Hello? Ethan?"

I pressed my lips together, then spoke, my voice hoarse.

"...Dad? Mom? I want to come home."