Carter has always been a quiet, aloof man. He rarely speaks. In our five years of marriage, the total number of words he’s spoken to me every day wouldn't even add up to five sentences. Until today, when I saw a video. In the video, Carter was holding a new intern, gently wiping away her tears. "Stop crying. Since you're pregnant, we'll keep the baby. How could I ever bear to make you get an abortion?" "Still crying? How about I tell you a joke? Be a good girl." His familiar voice continuously played from my phone. I closed the app. I called my lawyer: "Draft a divorce agreement for me. The sooner, the better." 1 I didn't say much. I just forwarded the video to Carter with a simple message: Divorce. Carter didn't respond for a long time, so I had to go to his company in person. In the CEO's office on the top floor of the Sterling Group building, the moment I pushed the door open, I saw Carter sitting on the sofa, holding that intern, Mia, in his arms. They were so focused on each other that neither of them saw me standing at the door. His fingertips gently stroked her back, his voice softer than I had ever heard it: "Stop crying. As long as I'm here, no one will dare wrong you." As he spoke, he meticulously wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, his movements so gentle it looked like he was cherishing a rare treasure. In our five years of marriage, he had always been distant and cold toward me. He had never shown me such tenderness. It felt like I had been violently stabbed in the heart. I walked straight over, without any hesitation, grabbed Carter by his collar, and slapped him hard across the face. Carter was stunned by the sudden slap, unable to react for a moment. Beside him, Mia immediately let out a piercing scream. "How dare you hit Mr. Sterling!" The next second, my other hand landed squarely on Mia's face. Ah, much quieter. "Let's get a divorce." I looked at Carter flatly. "You cheated." Carter's eyes darkened. He gave Mia a dismissive glance, his voice devoid of emotion: "Wait outside." Mia looked at me with resentment, but she obeyed Carter and left the room. Carter raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth. As he lowered his hand, his eyes were bone-chillingly cold: "If you're asking for a divorce just because of an affair, you're being too impulsive." He paused, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority: "Do I need to remind you, Chloe, that the Jenkins family is only surviving right now because of me?" I clenched my fists. I was able to marry Carter because of my mother. She was a powerful businesswoman. Unfortunately, I wasn't; I hadn't inherited her business acumen. I was just an ordinary girl who only knew how to rely on her parents. So my mom set her sights on Carter, who was just a small business owner at the time. She promised to back his career, but on the condition that he had to marry me. Carter agreed, and we got married smoothly. But half a year after our wedding, my mom passed away. My dad took over the company. He was a bit clever, but ultimately, he was just a man who had married into a wealthy family; he couldn't handle such a massive enterprise. So over these past few years, it had been Carter holding the Jenkins family together. Carter looked at my tense profile, a very faint smirk appearing at the corner of his lips: "Chloe, your mother did me a huge favor. So as long as you behave, no one can shake your position." "As for Mia, I like her a lot right now. You don't need to stress over these trivial matters." "I know my limits." "So, if you're done throwing a tantrum today, go home." Looking at Carter's emotionless face, I thought back to many years ago. It was at a business gala hosted by my mom. Carter was invited as an up-and-coming entrepreneur. He wore a well-tailored black suit, standing tall with a natural aura of detachment. But he was so incredibly handsome that when the light fell on his eyelashes, it was impossible to look away. I admit, in that moment, my heart skipped a beat. Later, when my mom proposed he marry me in exchange for full support of his business, he agreed almost without hesitation. I held onto a sliver of hope. Maybe marriage could cultivate feelings. Maybe this handsome man would eventually show me some tenderness. But five years proved how incredibly wrong I was. I let out a cold laugh: "Carter, I didn't expect the first time you'd say this much to me would be over something like this." "Let me tell you right now, listen closely. I am not like you. I cannot maintain a marriage with a cheating husband." "So, for the sake of my mom helping you back then, let's just go our separate ways." "I won't agree to a divorce." Carter looked up at me, impatience in his eyes: "It will damage the corporate image." Hearing this, I laughed out loud, finding it both absurd and ironic: "When you were holding another woman and promising to keep her baby, did you think about the corporate image then? You can commit adultery, but suddenly you care about your reputation?" His face stiffened. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but I couldn't be bothered to listen. "That's all I have to say." I turned and started walking. "Divorce. It's non-negotiable." With that, I walked out of Carter's office without looking back. 2 Mia was still waiting for me at the end of the hallway. Seeing me come out, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. Her fingertips were ice-cold and forceful: "Ms. Jenkins, give me a few minutes. We need to talk." I originally wanted to just shake off her hand and leave. But the moment my fingers touched her sleeve, Carter's ridiculous excuse about "corporate image" flashed through my mind. Oh, so he cares about his reputation? He cares about corporate prestige? Then I'll rip off his fig leaf and make sure his mistress can't show her face in public. Let's see if he can still stubbornly refuse a divorce after that. A cold smile spread across my eyes. I twisted my wrist to break her grip and brushed off imaginary dust from my sleeve: "Sure, let's talk. But let's change locations." Without waiting for Mia's reaction, I walked straight to the lounge area by the elevators. Employees of Sterling Group were constantly passing by. The door to the breakroom was half-open, and I could faintly see people moving inside. Mia's face changed slightly, seemingly surprised I picked such a public place. But she gritted her teeth and followed me. She tried to put on a weak, wronged act: "Ms. Jenkins, I know you're very upset right now, but Carter and I truly love each other. He treats me..." "Truly?" I cut her off directly. My voice wasn't loud, but just loud enough for people to hear: "True love means using your position as an intern to leech off someone else's husband and cry in his arms?" Mia's face instantly went deathly pale. Her eyes darted around in panic, and she reached out, trying to cover my mouth: "Stop talking nonsense!" "Nonsense?" I sidestepped her hand and pulled my phone from my bag. "Do you need me to post the video of you and Mr. Sterling being all lovey-dovey in his top-floor office into the company group chat, and let everyone judge for themselves?" Employees nearby had already slowed their pace. Mia's face flushed a deep red: "You... you're going too far!" "Too far?" I took a step closer, lowering my voice: "When you were stealing someone else's husband and acting like the lady of the house as a mistress, why didn't you say you were going too far?" I reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look at me. "From today on, for every extra day you stay at Sterling Group, I will humiliate you for a day. Your 'true love,' your 'grievances'—I'll make sure the whole company, and even the entire business circle, gets a good look at them." "Tell Carter: either he signs the divorce agreement obediently, or I'll leak the dirty secrets of you two to the partners he values most. We'll see if he can still protect his precious corporate image then." With that, I released her chin. Mia stumbled back two steps, her face as white as a sheet. I didn't spare her another glance, turning and stepping into the elevator. 3 Just as I stepped out of the elevator, my best friend Olivia called, her voice cheerful: "Chloe! We're having a college reunion tonight, a lot of old classmates are coming. You should come too!" I initially wanted to decline, but thinking about the mess lately, I really needed a change of scenery. After hesitating for a few seconds, I agreed. The dinner was held at a private restaurant. When I pushed the door open, Olivia spotted me immediately. She rushed over and grabbed my hand: "You finally made it! Sit down, everyone's been asking about you!" She dragged me to the table. As soon as I sat down, I met a familiar gaze. It was Julian. He looked much more mature than he did in college. He wore a simple white button-down, sleeves rolled up, revealing the smooth lines of his forearms. His eyes were as gentle as ever. The moment our eyes met, the air seemed to freeze for a few seconds. He reacted first, standing up and smiling at me: "Long time no see, Chloe." "Long time no see." I managed a small smile. This is the downside of dating a classmate. Running into them at reunions is awkward. After a few rounds of drinks, Olivia was busy chatting with others. As the conversation flowed, the topic somehow shifted to Julian and me. Someone joked: "I remember you two were a thing back in the day. Why did you break up?" I felt instantly embarrassed. We were young back then. Julian was a bookworm, not very talkative. I was very outgoing and loved to have fun. Julian was always forcing me to study and take all sorts of certification exams. I felt like I was dating a teacher, so I suggested we break up. Later, Julian went abroad to study. "Alright, back off, you dogs. That was ancient history," Olivia chimed in, defending me. Everyone laughed it off, and the topic moved on. The atmosphere remained lively, but my phone suddenly pinged with a WeChat notification. I frowned. It was my dad, telling me to come home. Probably because of my impending divorce from Carter. "Sorry everyone, I have to go." Julian stayed silent for a few seconds, then stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair: "I haven't had any alcohol. I'll drive you." I frowned. It wasn't a good time to call a driver, so I nodded: "Sorry to trouble you." "No trouble at all." 4 The living room was brightly lit. My dad, Richard Jenkins, was sitting on the sofa. Seeing me walk in, he stood up, his tone carrying a rare gentleness: "Chloe, sit." I didn't move. I stood by the entryway and cut straight to the chase: "Spit it out. Let's not waste time." Richard sighed and sat back down: "Chloe, Dad knows you've been wronged. What Carter did was unacceptable." "But think about the Jenkins family's current situation. We're only surviving because of the partnership with Sterling Group. If you divorce him, the deal falls through, the company collapses, and all your mother's and grandfather's life's work will be gone." He looked up at me, his eyes faking a pleading look: "Dad is begging you. For the sake of this family, just endure it a little longer." "Carter cares about his reputation. He won't actually let Mia replace you. You'll still be Mrs. Sterling, and the Jenkins family will survive. Isn't this the best outcome?" "The best outcome?" I laughed out loud: "Richard, you have the nerve to tell me 'for the sake of this family'?" "Back when my mom was lying in the ICU, terminally ill, without even the strength to open her eyes, what were you doing? You were out fooling around with other women!" My voice spiked: "Your so-called 'family' shattered the moment you betrayed my mother. What you want to protect is never the Jenkins family, nor my mother's and grandfather's life's work," "It's your own status! It's your capital to continue living like a tyrant!" Richard's face instantly went deathly pale. His eyes darted around in panic, his lips trembling, unable to form a word. "Carter cheated, and I won't tolerate it." My eyes were resolute, leaving no room for negotiation: "The divorce is final. Don't even think about using the Jenkins family to blackmail me!" "You! You ungrateful daughter!" Richard was shaking with rage. I gave him a flat glance, turned, and left. 5 The movers were carrying the last box of my belongings to the truck. Just as I stood up straight, I heard a loud bang from the entryway. Carter was back. He looked at the movers in the living room, frowned, and finally his gaze landed on me: "Chloe, you're moving out?" I looked up at him, my tone as casual as if I were discussing the weather: "Yes, moving out." Carter's breathing grew heavier; he was clearly angered by me: "We aren't even divorced yet, and you're moving out now?" "It's only a matter of time." I urged the movers to hurry up, wanting absolutely nothing to do with him. Seeing this, Carter took a long stride forward, closing the distance between us. "Is this because of Mia?" "It's for myself." I looked at Carter, then pulled out my phone and opened the trending topics page. After leaving the Jenkins house, I sent the video of Carter to the media. Now, Twitter was exploding with trending topics about him. The screen was filled with high-definition photos and video clips of him holding Mia. The headlines were increasingly sensational. "Sterling Group CEO Cheats on Wife with Intern, Promises to Raise Illegitimate Child" "Aloof CEO Reserves Affection Only for the Other Woman; Wife of 5 Years Ignored" I shoved the phone in his face, my tone dripping with mockery: "The whole internet is digging into your sex scandal right now. Your business partners are sending letters demanding an explanation. And you have the time to worry about whether I'm moving out?" He lowered his eyes and glanced at it. His pupils contracted slightly, but he didn't lose his composure. He slowly looked up: "So you were the one who leaked it." "So what if I was?" "You've got more guts than I thought." His thin lips pressed together, his Adam's apple bobbing: "Chloe, you've really lost your mind." "I haven't lost my mind." I looked him dead in the eye, enunciating every word: "You betrayed our marriage first. You thought I would silently swallow this and just act as your trophy wife." "You care about your reputation, your career. But what I care about is a clean marriage. Since you can't give me that," "Then I'll personally tear off your hypocritical mask and let everyone see the real CEO Sterling." "Do you know how much this will cost Sterling Group?" Carter's eyes were filled with blame, as if scolding me for being unreasonable. "You should know that the Jenkins family still relies on Sterling Group!" "Don't try to threaten me with the Jenkins family! Ever since my mom died, the Jenkins family stopped being the Jenkins family!" I turned toward the door, calling out to the movers: "Guys, let's go." I didn't give him another glance, walking out of the villa that had imprisoned me for five years without looking back. 6 Just as the car drove out of the Sterling villa complex, my phone suddenly vibrated. The name "Carter" dancing on the screen was like a tiny thorn, making me inexplicably irritated. I stared at the name for three seconds before sliding my finger across the answer button. Carter's voice came through the line. "I agree to the divorce." He didn't wait for me to speak, dropping the sentence immediately. "The asset division will be exactly as you proposed. I'll add another twenty million to your cash settlement. But... I need a favor." My grip on the steering wheel tightened, a mocking smile curving my lips. Of course. He never compromised for nothing. Even when agreeing to a divorce, he had conditions. "Speak." I spat out a single word, too lazy to beat around the bush. "Tomorrow morning at 10 AM, Sterling Group is holding a press conference." His voice lowered. "You need to show up and testify for me. Just say... say we finalized our divorce agreement half a year ago, we just never announced it publicly." "As for Mia and me, we only met after that. There was no cheating." "Absurd." I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Carter, do you really think anyone will believe that now? Do you think everyone is stupid?" "Whether they believe it or not, Sterling Group must offer an explanation for this." Carter's voice carried a faint exhaustion. "The new Sterling product line just launched." "I have to minimize the PR damage." I leaned back in my seat, stepped on the brake, and the car slowly pulled over to the side of the road. I wanted to cut ties with this man as soon as possible and end this suffocating marriage. Testifying was just standing in front of reporters, telling a few lies, and acting in a play that was already over. But this play would buy me a clean, absolute release. It would let me completely break free from Carter. This "trade" was too good a deal. However, the thought of sugarcoating his infidelity and lying to the cameras still made me slightly uncomfortable. But then again, this was my final "collaboration" with Carter. Once this performance was over, we would have absolutely nothing to do with each other. "Fine." I cut off his rambling. "I agree. But I have two conditions." Carter sounded relieved on the other end: "Tell me. As long as I can do it, I'll agree to everything." "First, after the press conference, before 2 PM, we must be at the courthouse to complete all the divorce paperwork. No delays, no excuses." "Second," I paused, "after this act, we are completely done." "You are not allowed to contact me for any reason, nor are you allowed to let Mia or anyone from the Sterling family disrupt my life." The line was silent for a few seconds before Carter's hoarse response came through: "Alright. I agree to everything. Tomorrow morning at 9, I'll send my assistant to pick you up." "Good." 7 After the press conference, Carter and I arrived at the law firm one after the other. I had just sat down when the door opened. Carter walked in first, with Mia closely behind him. She walked straight to Carter and sat down next to him, looking at me with a hint of provocation in her eyes. She probably thought she could finally stand by Carter's side legitimately. The exhaustion deep in Carter's eyes lingered. Compared to his composure at the press conference, he looked much more defeated now. He didn't look at Mia, nor did he look at me. He just picked up the pen, his fingertips trembling slightly, and signed his name on the agreement. The sound of the pen scratching against the paper was exceptionally clear. Mia suddenly spoke, her voice laced with deliberate showing off: "Ms. Jenkins, thank you for stepping aside. Carter and I will be getting engaged soon, I'll make sure to send you an invitation." I looked up at her, my eyes completely devoid of emotion. In the past, I might have been angered by her provocation. But now, this woman, just like Carter, was nothing but a past I was desperate to shed. But I wasn't a pushover either. "What's wrong? Do you want to get slapped again?" My tone was flat. Mia's face stiffened. She clearly didn't expect this reaction from me. She wanted to say more, but Carter coldly cut her off: "Enough." He pushed the signed agreement to the lawyer, his voice raspy: "Implement the asset division as quickly as agreed." The lawyer nodded and reminded us: "There is a one-month cooling-off period. Once it expires, both parties must be present to finalize the divorce certificate. Neither can be absent." "I know." I stood up, grabbed my bag, and without glancing at Carter or Mia again, turned and left. Julian was waiting outside. Ever since that day, Julian and I had reconnected completely. Since neither of us had anything pressing to do, we just strolled aimlessly down the street.
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