After school, my daughter climbed into the backseat of the car and pulled out a blueberry muffin. My husband’s face instantly darkened. "No eating in the car! Who taught you to be so undisciplined?" My daughter jumped, terrified. My husband stared at a tiny crumb that had fallen onto the leather seat, and his temper exploded. "You're exactly like your mother. Absolutely zero class!" My hand froze on the door handle. Sitting in the passenger seat, his female assistant pulled her phone out of the latest season's Chanel bag and checked the time. "Derek, the client is arriving soon. Let's not delay business over something so trivial." Derek threw a pack of tissues at my face. "Pick up every single crumb, then take an Uber home!" The car sped off, its tires splashing a puddle of dirty rainwater all over my clothes. I stood on the sidewalk holding my daughter's hand. The damp wind blew against my freezing face. Back then, to help him keep up appearances for his business, I had used the inheritance my dad left me to buy that Mercedes S-Class in cash. I shook the muddy water off my coat and dialed my older brother's number. "Lucas, I need to sell the Mercedes. As fast as possible. Also, that loan you were preparing to send Derek for his materials? Cancel it." …… I waited on the curb for twenty minutes before finally flagging down a cab. The moment I opened the door, the stench of stale cigarette smoke and cheap leather hit me in the face. I instinctively covered my nose. The driver looked at me with open disdain. "It's rush hour, lady. Cabs are hard to find. Are you getting in or not?" I swallowed my discomfort and lifted my daughter into the backseat. The driver lit a cigarette and started puffing away like we weren't even there. "Excuse me, could you please put that out? I have a child in the car." The driver looked me up and down through the rearview mirror. "You sure are demanding. If you want luxury, go drive your own private car. Don't take a cab!" I kept the windows rolled down the entire ride, the biting wind making my eyes sting. When we got home, my daughter pulled out her crushed muffin and started scarfing it down. "Mommy, our school had a jump rope competition today. That's why I got out two hours late." "I won first place! I was just so hungry earlier, that's why I..." I gently smoothed my daughter's messy hair. "Chloe did amazing." I took off my damp coat, washed my hands, and started cooking dinner. An hour later, Derek sent me a text. "I have to entertain a client tonight. Won't be home for dinner." I didn't reply. After Chloe and I finished eating, I scraped the portion I had set aside for Derek straight into the trash can. I cleared the table, washed the dishes, gave Chloe a bath, tucked her into bed, and prepped her backpack for school the next day. By the time I finally lay down in bed, it was almost 10:00 PM. Derek texted again. "This client is a nightmare to deal with." "But if we land this contract, it'll cover the company's losses from last year." "Once this busy period is over, I'll take you and Chloe to Disneyland this weekend." I texted back: "Is Harper with you?" "Yeah. If she wasn't here taking shots for me, I definitely wouldn't be able to handle this guy." I replied: "Drink less. Come home early. You still have to drop Chloe off at school tomorrow." Two hours later, Derek texted: "I drank too much, can't drive. I'm just going to crash at a hotel nearby tonight. Go to sleep." I locked my phone screen. Three years ago, Harper joined his startup. Within three months, she went from an intern to Derek's personal executive assistant. "Harper is highly capable. We need to keep her at the company." "Harper lives really far away. It's not safe for a girl to commute alone at night, I'll drive her home." "Harper sits in the passenger seat because it's easier for us to discuss work." ...... I used to fight with Derek about it. I told him to fire her. He had just spread his arms, leaning back on the living room sofa. "I can't. She is my right-hand woman in this business. I can't function without her right now." "Stop overthinking everything. Just stay home and take good care of the kid." Derek said he couldn't function without her. Derek and I were college sweethearts. On the first day of freshman year, we literally crashed into each other on the quad. I was about to snap at him, but when I looked up and saw his face, all my anger evaporated. It was love at first sight. I chased him for six months. On my birthday, he played his acoustic guitar and sang a love song just for me. He looked at me with such deep affection and leaned in to kiss me. We got married the day after graduation. Derek said he wanted to launch a startup. He wanted to give me a better future. He used the $15,000 his parents gave him to open a small studio. For two years, he practically lived in that studio day and night. He used the profits to put a down payment on a house for us. Then, Chloe was born. Derek held his daughter and promised he would treat her like a princess for the rest of her life. One night, he rested his head against my chest. "Babe, the company is in a critical growth phase. I need a luxury car to keep up appearances with investors. Could you..." I took the entire inheritance my dad left me and bought him that Mercedes. And then, Harper joined the company. I flipped my phone over. It was almost 2:00 AM. Go to sleep, I told myself. I have to drop Chloe off at school tomorrow. The next morning, on my way back from dropping Chloe off, I saw Derek's latest Instagram post. "Nailed the contract! VIP Room at The Reserve tonight. Company dinner is on me!" Harper had commented with a playful, winking emoji. I sent Derek a text. "Company dinner? I want to come too." The next second, my phone rang. "Nora, it's not appropriate for you to come to a company dinner!" "I'm the boss's wife. What's inappropriate about it?" I went home and dug out my dusty makeup bag, applying a simple, clean look. I took off the faded jeans I wore every day. I tore through my entire closet, but I couldn't find a single outfit suitable for a high-end restaurant. Forget it. I put the faded jeans back on. Derek and I arrived at the VIP room at the exact same time. He looked me up and down, didn't say a word, and guided me to a seat in the far corner. The rest of the employees trickled in. Harper walked in wearing immaculate makeup, a tight mini skirt, and designer heels. She walked right up to Derek and sat in the empty chair directly between him and me. She placed her handbag on the table right next to my arm. I recognized it. It was the newest Chanel flap bag. It cost over $5,500. Derek raised his wine glass. "As soon as the new materials arrive, production starts! When this order is finalized, everyone gets a bonus!" Every face in the room lit up with smiles. Harper picked up her wine glass, but Derek gently stopped her wrist. "You worked too hard last night. I'll take this drink for you." The table immediately started teasing them. "Derek's right! If Harper hadn't held her liquor so well, we never would have closed the CEO!" "That's our boss's right-hand woman! Come on, let's all toast to Harper!" Harper picked up a glass of warm water Derek had poured for her. "Oh, stop it. It was all for the company." "Don't flatter me too much, the food is getting cold. Let's eat!" Our boss's woman. Those words drilled into my ears. I looked up at Harper. Right on her collarbone, there was a very distinct, reddish-purple mark. I turned my head to look at Derek. The mark on his neck was even more obvious. Derek started peeling shrimp for Harper. One after another. Harper gave him a coquettish look. "Alright, Derek, that's enough. I can't eat anymore. Give some to Nora." She scraped the shrimp from her plate onto mine. I didn't touch them. Derek wiped the juice off his hands with a towel. "Nora, I thought you loved shrimp. Eat up." Oh, so he still remembered. Derek had ordered this entire banquet. Out of dozens of dishes on the table, not a single one was something I actually liked. He had been hustling in the business world for years. He was a master at catering to people's preferences and playing the social game. When it came to me, he just didn't care to try. Right in front of me was a plate of Pineapple Glazed Chicken. It was sweet and tangy. Harper's favorite. Harper picked up a large chunk of pineapple with her chopsticks and dropped it onto my plate. "Nora, you just focus on staying home, raising the kid, and enjoying a relaxing life. I'll be here to share the corporate pressure with Derek." Derek looked at her, his face practically glowing with the words, You really understand me. I am deathly allergic to pineapple. I used my chopsticks to pick the chunk up and set it on the tablecloth. Derek's face instantly darkened. "In front of all these people, you're really going to disrespect Harper like that?" "Pick it up and eat it." "Did you forget I'm allergic to pineapple?" "What kind of pathetic excuse is that? I've never seen you have an allergic reaction in my life." He picked up the piece of pineapple from the table and dropped it forcefully back onto my plate. "Eat it." I ate it. A few minutes later, my face started burning up. I rushed to the bathroom, but no matter how hard I gagged, I couldn't throw it up. My brother, Lucas, sent me a text. "I have a client who needs a used luxury car. He took one look at the specs for your Mercedes and wants it. Cash offer, ready to wire the funds today." "Nora, is that punk treating you badly again?" The emotions I had suppressed for years suddenly shattered. I crouched on the bathroom tiles, covering my mouth to muffle my devastating sobs. I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, wiping away the cheap foundation that my tears had ruined. I don't want the car anymore. And I don't want the man anymore, either. That night, Derek came home and tossed a box of allergy medication onto the table. "You shouldn't have gone tonight. You're a stay-at-home mom. Going to a corporate dinner like that is just asking to be humiliated." I stared at him with ice-cold eyes. "And who exactly did I become a stay-at-home mom for?" Derek's tone softened. He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Babe, I know taking care of the house these past few years has been exhausting for you." "But it's not easy for me either. I'm out there grinding every single day, and it's all for you and Chloe." I peeled his hands off my body. "Who you're really doing it for... you know better than anyone." Derek slammed the box of pills onto the table. Smack. "Why are you like this now?! Always acting crazy and paranoid." He started packing a suitcase. "I have to travel for work for the next few days. Stay home and take care of the kid." "Oh, and that loan your brother promised me for the raw materials? Why hasn't it hit my account yet? Hustle him. I need that money urgently." The front door slammed shut. Over the past few years, Derek constantly used "cash flow issues" as an excuse to borrow money from my brother. The first time, he said a client delayed a payment, and he'd pay Lucas back as soon as it cleared. The second time, he said they were expanding, and he needed seed money for a new department. He'd pay it back when the project was profitable. The third time, he said their equipment needed upgrading... Derek always told me, I'm working this hard for you. When your brother helps me, he's helping you. I believed him. Every single time, I was the one who went to Lucas and begged for the money. This time, he said he needed to buy a massive batch of new materials. He asked for $100,000 without blinking. I texted Lucas and asked him to send me the ledger of every wire transfer he had ever sent to Derek. $15,000. $30,000. $40,000. $50,000... It added up to exactly $300,000. Derek had never paid back a single cent. He always said Later, When we make a profit, Soon... I saved the ledger screenshots to my camera roll. While I was cleaning the house, I found a crumpled receipt shoved in the back of a drawer. Chanel Boutique. $5,500. Dated February 5th. I remembered that day. It was right after Derek had borrowed $60,000 from my brother. He had told me the holidays were approaching and he absolutely had to pay his employees their end-of-year bonuses. I was the one who borrowed that money for him. I swore to my brother that Derek would pay him back this time. Instead, Derek turned around and bought Harper a $5,500 designer bag. I opened Harper's Instagram. Her latest post was tagged in Cabo San Lucas. "Taking a few days to properly unwind." The photo featured the back of a man looking out at the ocean. I recognized Derek's shoulders instantly. I scrolled to the next post. "Wheels up to Cabo! First-class seats are so spacious." The next one. "Year-end bonus picked out by the boss. Love it." (A photo of the Chanel bag). Further down. "Business trip. The boss booked me a luxury suite." "Women really need to focus on their careers! My salary just doubled!" "My commute was too long, so the boss rented a luxury apartment for me right next to the office! Ahhh, he's so sweet!" ...... I kept scrolling down, all the way to her very first post at the company. "First day at the new job. The boss is really nice." A notification popped up from Chloe's school group chat. "Parents, please submit the spring uniform and extracurricular activity fees. The total is $150." After I paid the fee, my bank account balance was exactly $45. For years, Derek constantly told me the company was tight on cash, telling me to be frugal and save money. I listened to him. I stared blankly at my $45 balance. My phone rang. "Nora, where's the car parked? I brought the buyer." I looked at the Mercedes. Back then, I had paid $160,000 in cash for it. In three years, the number of times I had actually sat in this car could be counted on one hand. The buyer inspected it thoroughly and was thrilled. The agreed price was $100,000. He would wire the funds in three days. Three days later, Derek came home. There wasn't a trace of fatigue on his face. But his mouth said otherwise. "Business trips are exhausting. I've been working to the bone." "Alright, unpack my suitcase for me. I have to go to the office." He shoved his luggage at me, turned around, and left. That afternoon, I went to his office. His private office door was locked from the inside. I could hear voices murmuring. It sounded like Harper. I knocked on the door. No one answered. I knocked again, and Derek's impatient voice rang out. "Didn't I say I was resting?! No one is allowed to knock during this hour!" I didn't say a word. I just kept knocking. I heard frantic footsteps. The door clicked open. When Derek saw me, he froze. "What are you doing here?" "The office isn't a place for you. Go home!" I said calmly: "Chloe left something in the car last time. I came to get the spare car keys so I can look for it." I took two steps into the office. I saw a shadow cast on the wall from behind the large filing cabinet. Derek hurriedly pulled his keys out of his desk drawer. "Here, take them. Go find it, and bring the keys right back!" I took another two steps into the room. I saw a large, suspicious wet spot soaking into the leather of Derek's executive chair. Derek nervously rubbed his nose. "Uh, I accidentally spilled some water earlier." I kept walking further in, but Derek leaped in front of the filing cabinet to block my path. "Didn't you say you needed to look for something?! Hurry up and go!" I stopped, holding the keys, and turned around. The moment the office door clicked shut behind me, the muffled sounds of passionate moaning that I had interrupted resumed. The buyer arrived with the money. $100,000, wired instantly. The second the money hit my account, I let out a massive sigh of relief. As for the depreciation loss, I considered it the idiot tax for being blind enough to love him. An hour later, Derek called me. "Did you find it?! Bring the keys back immediately, I have to go meet a client!" "And did you hustle your brother like I asked?! Why hasn't the money hit my account yet?!" "If those materials don't arrive, we can't ship the product. The client is going to sue us for breach of contract!" "Nora, do you ever actually listen to a single word I say?!" I hung up the phone and texted Lucas. "The car is sold and done." "The money he owes you? We're making him spit every last penny of it out." Derek called back immediately. "Nora, what the hell is wrong with you?! Did staying home and wiping a kid's ass rot your brain?! Can you not understand basic English?!" "The entire company is waiting on these materials! If this contract goes up in flames, can you afford to take responsibility?!" I hung up on him again. Derek was panicking. "Nora, this is my final warning! Tell your brother to wire the money right now!" I declined the call. I watched as Derek stormed out of the office building, his face twisted in rage. Harper was trailing closely behind him. I was standing on the sidewalk waiting for them. I noticed that the wet stain on Derek's slacks hadn't dried yet. He marched up to me, furious. "What the hell are you playing at?!" "And your brother! He promised to wire the money on the 5th! It's two days late! What is his problem?!" "Give me the keys! I need to go see my client right now!" "Where is the car?! It was literally parked right here!" His phone buzzed. It was a text from Lucas. When Derek opened it, he almost collapsed.
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