My wife, Sarah, was laying it on thick last night. I thought our marriage was about to turn a corner. Then I overheard her girlfriends teasing her. "So, how's it going? When are you gonna get with the new college intern from the office?" Sarah burst out laughing. "I've been practicing hard, I'm in top form. Getting with a younger guy will be a piece of cake." In the video call, everyone was howling, egging her on to film it. Right after that, Sarah, an architect, suddenly bailed on our Memorial Day weekend plans, saying she had to go out of town to oversee a project and couldn't travel with me. But that same afternoon, I saw a video her intern, Kevin, posted on his social media feed. Sarah, who usually wouldn't know which end of a hammer to hold, was there, covered in dust, mixing cement and laying bricks. The caption read: "Having an architect girlfriend is awesome. Don't even need to hire workers to build a house!" I let out a cold laugh, liked it, and commented: "Professional job." The company group chat blew up instantly. Colleagues were screenshotting and forwarding it, speculating when I’d lose it. When Sarah called, her voice was ice cold. "What the hell did you mean by that comment? How is Kevin supposed to show his face at work now?" "His family's garden wall collapsed back home. So I helped him fix it, what's the big deal? You, spoiled rotten by your parents, you wouldn't understand real hardship." "Delete that comment right now, and I promise I'll make it up to you next holiday." Next time? I scoffed and hung up. After Memorial Day weekend, the waiting period for the divorce would be over. ... That was the first time I’d ever hung up on Sarah Hayes. I didn't need to guess; she'd be furious. Sure enough, my phone started buzzing immediately. I declined the call and blocked her. Finally, some peace. "Mr. Miller, your table for two is ready, and the kitchen has started on your order. Will you be waiting, or...?" I glanced at the empty seat across from me. "She's not coming. You can bring the food." Ignoring the waiter's pitying look, I looked down at my phone. A new message popped up in the work group chat. The intern, Kevin Chen, tagged everyone: "My post today was a bit inappropriate, sorry if it caused any misunderstanding." That wasn't an apology; it was a brag. I sneered. In the chat, Sarah quickly followed up: "You were just joking around. No need to apologize. Only someone petty would misunderstand." With the lead designer setting the tone, colleagues came out of the woodwork to agree: "Yeah, yeah, we all knew you were kidding. No need to apologize." "Thanks to Kevin, we got to see Sarah's skills in action!" "Haha, there's probably only one petty person in this chat, we all know who!" My colleagues were all sharp. They saw who the boss favored and sided accordingly, all defending Kevin. And me, the pitiful husband, was not only ignored but became the target of their ridicule. Even the protégé I'd personally mentored was sucking up to Kevin along with the others. After all, Sarah Hayes was the head of the company, and Kevin Chen was her new favorite. And I, the guy who’d invested his entire fortune to co-found the company, was just a freeloader in their eyes, a kept husband. I turned off my phone screen, set it aside. Out of sight, out of mind. I was determined to enjoy my holiday. But I'd barely taken a few bites when Mike, my assistant, sent a voice message, his tone aggressive: "Ethan, where are those blueprints I asked you to draw a few days ago? Why haven't you submitted them?" "Which project?" I frowned slightly. To make time for the trip with Sarah, I’d pulled two all-nighters before the holiday, finishing all my assigned drawings. There couldn't be any left. Mike said impatiently, "The Kingston project." My frown deepened. "Didn't Kevin take that one?" "Yeah, but he got sick and went back to his hometown. Sarah said you'd do the drawings. Ethan, can you hurry it up? The client's breathing down our necks." I almost laughed out loud. This was a major project, way out of an intern's league. But Kevin, greedy for the big payout from a major project, had asked for it. And Sarah, completely smitten with him, actually gave it to him. What could Kevin, an intern with less than a year at the company and no real experience, possibly draw? No wonder he suddenly went "back home" – he cracked under the pressure and bailed. "When did Sarah say I was doing it? Besides, I'm out right now, I don't have my computer. If the client's pushing, tell them to talk to the boss." With that, I hung up before he could reply and turned off my phone. Ridiculous. She was off in the countryside fooling around with her lover, while I was supposed to be here slaving over drawings? I expressionlessly cut my steak into small pieces and stuffed them into my mouth. Unexpectedly, five minutes later, the waiter hurried over with a landline phone: "Mr. Miller, your wife is on the line." She just wouldn't quit... I took a deep breath, took the phone. Sarah's voice was like ice: "Ethan Miller, have I been spoiling you too much?" "What's this, Ms. Hayes? Calling just to yell at me?" I speared a piece of steak with my fork, my tone cool. "I admit bailing on you was my fault, but that doesn't mean you can push your luck." "You have until I count to three to unblock my number. Otherwise, this marriage is over." My hand slowly clenched into a fist. How had I never noticed before how sharp and cruel Sarah's words could be? Just as I was about to say something, I faintly heard Kevin's voice in the background, sounding like he was calling Sarah in for dinner. I laughed. "What, you went home to meet his parents and still find time to call me? Aren't you afraid people will misunderstand?" "Oh, right. In the whole company, only I, the petty one, would misunderstand." Sarah snapped, "Kevin's family isn't well off, he's had a tough life. As his mentor, what's wrong with me helping him out a bit? Why are you throwing a tantrum?" Footsteps approached on her end, and Kevin's voice became clearer: "Sarah, Mom's got dinner ready. Come on in and eat." I heard Sarah's voice soften as she moved away from the phone: "I just need to discuss some work. You go ahead and eat, I'll be right there." The next second, she was close to the mouthpiece again, her voice chilling: "I want those drawings by the end of Memorial Day. That's the client's hard deadline. If you can't deliver by the fifth, pack your things and get out." The line went dead. I realized I had been terribly wrong. Wrong to think a trip could mend our already broken marriage. The moment Sarah had thrown those signed divorce papers in my face, I should have faced reality. I stood up, grabbed my jacket, paid the bill, and left. Back at my hotel, I turned my phone on. Messages flooded in, all work-related. Countless people had tagged me, sending a barrage of files, demanding I give them initial designs and specs ASAP. It seemed genuinely urgent. But the divorce would be final in three days. Why should I care anymore? I didn't even look at them. I left the group chat, typed up my resignation, found HR's contact, and sent her the file. HR was surprised, said she couldn't approve it without checking with Sarah. I braced myself for a confrontation with Sarah, but less than half a minute later, HR replied. "Sarah said okay." Sarah was even more ruthless than I'd thought. But it was a good thing. I let out a genuine sigh of relief. Without all that company crap, I felt instantly lighter. After three days of thoroughly enjoying myself, I flew home. As I expected, Sarah wasn't there. The large living room was eerily quiet, looking just as it did when it was first decorated, devoid of any warmth. It's funny, this apartment felt more like a hotel than the one I’d stayed in the night before. This wasn't the house we bought when we got married. The marital home I’d bought outright with my own money was sold long ago to fund Sarah's company. This current place was acquired two years ago when a client, who’d stiffed us on a design fee, offered it as payment instead. It was in my name. I often worked late, so I wasn't home much. Sarah was home even less, jetting around the country with Kevin, supposedly on business trips. But judging from the intern's social media posts over the past year, they were clearly just wining and dining everywhere. Pushing aside annoying thoughts, I contacted a realtor and listed the apartment online. The market in this neighborhood was hot recently; the realtor said it would sell within a week, and for a good price. The price didn't matter. I just didn't want to keep anything connected to Sarah. The next morning, I went to the office to pack my things. Colleagues were subtly watching me, huddling together and whispering. News of my resignation had clearly spread. I ignored them, went through the exit procedures, and headed to my workstation to pack. I picked up a framed photo from my desk – a picture of me and Sarah, taken when we first started the company. Both of us had bright smiles, but the dark circles under our eyes were so prominent we looked like we were cosplaying pandas. It couldn't be helped; the company was just starting out, and only she and I could do the drafting. We were like spinning tops back then, barely daring to close our eyes, just drawing day and night. Terrified of missing a deadline. We got through those tough times… My thoughts returned to the present. I casually tossed the photo into the trash can. Just as I was about to leave, Kevin's voice came from behind: "Ethan, are the drawings for the Kingston project done yet?" I turned around. His young, innocent-looking face came into view. Seeing the box in my arms, he feigned surprise: "Oh... Ethan, are you resigning?" Why ask when you already know? I replied coolly, "Yeah, I am. Are you blind?" The smile froze on Kevin's face. He changed the subject, asking for the drawings again. I found it strange. I'd already resigned, what drawings did I owe him? He could draw them himself. "But Sarah told you to submit them by the fifth..." "Then go ask her for them. I don't have them." I turned to leave with my box, but Kevin rushed to block my path. I sidestepped him to leave, but he suddenly collapsed as if having a seizure. "Aah—" "Kevin! Are you okay?!" Seeing this, Sarah rushed over, anxiously helped Kevin up, and after checking him for injuries, breathed a sigh of relief. She glared at me furiously. "Can't you just talk things out? Why did you have to push him? Apologize to Kevin right now!" Kevin, pale-faced, tried to soothe her, "Sarah, don't be angry. I was just too anxious about the Kingston project. It's not Ethan's fault, he just accidentally..." He mentioned the project, and Sarah instantly remembered today was the sixth. Her brow furrowed. "If you hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten. Ethan Miller, where are those drawings you were supposed to do? Why haven't you submitted them yet?" "I've resigned. What drawings?" I retorted. "Resigned? Ethan, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now? You can't produce the drawings, so you're threatening me with resignation, is that it?" That was a strange thing to say. She herself had approved my resignation, and now she was accusing me of threatening her? Before I could speak, she strode over and slapped the box out of my arms. My belongings scattered across the floor. "Company documents are confidential. Who gave you permission to take them out?" Her voice was icy, her eyes blazing as if looking at an enemy. "If you want to leave, you can leave now. But these things need to be inspected first." Nearby, colleagues craned their necks, watching the drama unfold. My face burned, my fists clenched tightly. Right now, I really, really wanted to land a punch squarely on that face I once loved to death. I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths, and managed to calm down. "I don't want the stuff anymore. You can throw it all away. Goodbye." I threw out the words and turned to leave. As I neared the exit, someone snickered: "Haha, overplayed his hand. Thought he was so important to the company, huh? Bet he's stunned now that Ms. Hayes kicked him out." It was that male colleague who was always gossiping about me. I spun on my heel, strode over to him, grabbed the slice of cake he'd scrounged off someone from their desk, and unceremoniously smashed it right in his face. "Didn't you brush your teeth this morning? Your breath stinks." Seeing him standing there, dumbfounded, with cake all over his face, my mood lifted considerably. I turned and walked out of the company. Sarah's car was parked downstairs. I’d given it to her when we got married. Lately, Kevin had been driving it. Just yesterday, I saw Kevin post on social media that Sarah was planning to transfer the car's ownership to him, any day now. Logically, what someone does with a gift is none of my business. But it just made me sick. I grabbed a loose brick from the roadside and did a number on the car, wrecking it pretty thoroughly, until a security guard heard the commotion and came running, shouting. Only then did I drop the "weapon" and bolt. I didn't care if I was caught on camera. The satisfaction was worth it. Leaving the office, I drove to the county clerk's office and, before dark, successfully obtained the divorce certificate I'd longed for. Finally, free from this miserable marriage. I got to my front door, happily about to open it, when I suddenly heard voices from inside. Sarah's parents had arrived. "That Ethan Miller is a real piece of work!" Sarah's father was railing against me in the living room. "Your mother and I came all this way, and he didn't even bother to pick us up. Kevin's more thoughtful." Sarah's mother chimed in, "Didn't you say he also threw a fit and smashed your car? Oh dear, I hope he doesn't have a violent streak... You can't keep a man like that. Divorce him sooner rather than later." "Besides, that Kevin boy is so charming and sensible, and young too. He's definitely in better shape than Ethan. We might finally get those grandkids we've been hoping for, right?" My hand rested on the doorknob, hesitating to push it open. When we first got married, her parents' attitude towards me wasn't like this. Later, as the company grew successful, they began to look down on me more and more. "I'm busy with work lately, not in a hurry to have kids." Sarah's voice drifted through the door. She wasn't rejecting her parents' suggestion, just commenting on the timing of having children. "Even if you're not in a hurry, wouldn't it be better to have someone who's considerate to you and knows how to respect his elders?" "He hasn't spoken to his own family in years, just mooches off his wife's company all day. That's not what I call a responsible man." Sarah's mother spoke of me with utter disdain, then said to Sarah, as if exasperated, "At least Kevin seems much better than that Miller guy. Sweetheart, shouldn't you pick a man who's good to you? Look at him, busy in the kitchen right now, he clearly knows how to take care of someone." "And this jade bracelet I'm wearing? He bought it for me. And when he heard your dad's leg was bothering him, he even bought a special therapeutic device for him..." I chuckled. Over the years, I’d given my in-laws plenty of gifts, any one of which was more expensive than those two items. And what was the result? They didn't remember any of my kindness, and still thought I just sponged off their daughter's money. No need to hear any more. I pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing me suddenly appear, the three of them froze. I ignored them and started walking towards the bedroom, but Sarah stopped me. "Ethan Miller, stop right there. You see my parents and don't even greet them?" Sarah's father snorted heavily. "Almost thirty, and still doesn't have the social graces of a fresh college graduate. He's really regressing." Sarah's mother crossed her legs, shot me a venomous glare, and sneered, "No sense of responsibility, just knows how to live off his wife all day. Truly shameless." I paused, turned my head, and asked Sarah calmly, "My resignation, didn't you tell your parents about it?" Sarah frowned. "I'll contact the client about the Kingston project later and try to get you a few more days, okay? Constantly threatening me with resignation is really childish." I found her ridiculous. "My resignation paperwork is all finalized. You think I'm threatening you?" Her mother's eyes darted around, then she snapped, "What's this? You plan to dump the whole company on my daughter while you loll around at home leeching off her? You're truly shameless!" Sarah's expression changed slightly. "I never approved it. How did you process the paperwork?" Still putting on an act at this point? I was speechless. This family of weirdos was truly difficult to communicate with. "Ethan, you're back! Sorry, hope you don't mind me using your kitchen. I made a bunch of my specialties today. Come sit down and try some." Just then, Kevin emerged from the kitchen carrying a dish. Seeing me, he eagerly played the host. He looked as if he were the man of the house. I gave him a dismissive glance, not bothering to acknowledge him. I had no time for this male green tea bitch. Sarah's father immediately bristled. "Sarah, look at that! Kevin kindly invites him to eat, and he doesn't even have basic manners. He's unbelievably arrogant." Kevin looked overwhelmed by the attention, waving his hands frantically to explain, "No, no, Ethan's always like this with me. It's just that I'm not good enough..." Sarah's mother couldn't stand it anymore, slapped her thigh, and stood up. "Alright, I'll say it! Ethan Miller, you know the situation between our families now. If you have any shame left, you'll divorce our Sarah immediately." "Mom." Sarah frowned slightly, then turned to scrutinize me up and down. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a divorce... You've been acting very strangely lately. You refused to do the drawings I asked, you attacked Kevin, and you threw a tantrum and smashed the car." "Ethan Miller, are you having some kind of mental breakdown?" She cheated on me, and now she thought I was mentally ill? I sneered. "I think you're the one who's lost her mind." As they all stared, stunned, I slapped the divorce certificate down on the table. "Here's the divorce you wanted. Can you all shut up now?"
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