Chapter 1

I had slipped the freshly signed contract into my bag at the party hosted for the merchants from Konleia.

August Perry, the general manager, snatched it from me with a smirk and turned to hand it to the young secretary standing beside him.

He announced to the clients. "This is my right-hand woman, and my future wife."

The crowd erupted in cheers and teasing.

Meanwhile, I, the wife who had built this empire from nothing with him, who had slept in basements and suffered a lot by his side, was seated alone in a corner extra chair, like some shameful, hidden nanny.

Under the table, August kicked my shoe and glared at me, silently ordering me to pour wine for everyone. "What are you staring at? Can't you take a hint?"

August had clearly forgotten that the core patent of the company bore my name, Abigail Foster.

He had forgotten even more completely that without me, he would still be a lowly bricklayer laboring away in Sorwain.

I set down the wine bottle and publicly removed the wedding ring from my ring finger.

*****

The AC in the private room was cranked up so high that my old hearing aid in my left ear buzzed with static, like the tension in my chest, ready to snap.

The massive round table had a crystal turntable that reflected the dazzling chandelier above, scattering wild, shifting patches of color across the room.

August's voice droned on, laced with that over-the-top excitement and hollow bravado I knew all too well from these business dinners.

"Kaden, relax. All the core tech for this project is locked in Megan's head. She's a highly educated returnee, and she's been working day and night for our project," August said.

Megan Patterson, dressed in a sleek white dress, was pressed close to August.

Megan flashed a bashful yet polished smile, holding the contract that should have been mine. She said in a coy, gentle voice, "Mr. Perry, you're too kind. I did what I was supposed to. It was Kaden who gave me the opportunity."

Kaden Ortiz, ever the shrewd businessman, let his gaze linger on Megan before thoughtfully glancing at me sitting in the corner, a meaningful smile playing at his lips.

"Mr. Perry, you really are lucky, accomplished in your career, and with such beauty by your side," Kaden remarked.

"Yeah," August replied, his eyes crinkling with laughter as he casually draped his arm over Megan's chair, like he was staking his claim.

And there I was, Abigail Foster, co-founder of AscendTech and the tech director holding sixty percent of the company's core patents, sitting in a temporary chair, set a few feet away from the main table.

The chair was obviously dragged in last minute, noticeably lower than all the others.

Sitting here, I was forced to look up at them, like August had always wanted me to, all these years.

August kicked my shoe under the table. It was not too hard, not too soft, but clearly impatient.

He gave me a look, gesturing at the bottle of Whisky sitting on the table. "Abigail, what are you standing there for? Don't you know how to read the room? Pour Kaden a drink."

His tone was so casual, like he was bossing the help around at home.

Megan turned to me, her eyes holding a subtle hint of challenge, but her voice was sweet. "Oh, Abigail, let me handle it. You're so clumsy. You might spill."

She offered, but didn't budge, instead gently placing her well-manicured hand on August's arm.

The executives who often asked me for favors kept their heads down, busy eating, pretending not to notice what was happening.

Only Winston Stone, our longtime rival, sat in the corner swirling his glass, his cold gaze fixed on me.

I got to my feet, slow and steady. The buzzing in my left ear got even worse, making my head throb.

I grabbed the weighty bottle of wine, but I didn't pour a drink for Kaden or August.

I met August's eyes, steady and calm. I loved him for a decade.

Ten years ago, in that cramped, windowless apartment in Sorwain, I was burning up with fever, sketching out designs.

He was right there, wiping my forehead with a towel, tears streaming down his face as he promised, over and over, he'd never let me suffer.

Now, dressed in a tailored suit, looking high-spirited and successful, he trampled all over my dignity to amuse that young girl.

"August," I called out, my voice rough, but I made sure every word rang out sharp and clear. "Did you forget who wrote the three key algorithms in this contract?"

August's smile froze, his face turning grim as his voice dropped, cold and harsh. "Are you crazy? This isn't the place for you to spout nonsense. Pour the drinks, now."

"And," I said, ignoring his warning, my gaze locked on his hand resting on Megan's chair, "did you also forget that I'm your wife?"

The private room fell silent. The sound of forks hitting dishes disappeared.

August's face went livid, and he slammed the table hard. "Abigail, are you trying to wreck my business? Look at yourself. Do you look like the boss's wife? Bringing you out is embarrassing enough, and you don't know your place."

"Don't I?" I said, a faint smile tugging at my lips. I lowered my eyes, staring at the simple, worn ring on my finger.

He bought it from a jewelry shop the day we got married. Back then, we were so broke that we couldn't afford a decent meal.

All these years, after we got rich, I never took it off. It was a reminder of everything we'd survived together.

But now, it felt like a bitter joke, squeezing my finger so tightly that it hurt.

"If you think I'm such a disgrace, then there's no need to force it." I reached out with my right hand, gripped the ring, and pulled it off with a hard tug.

After years of wearing it, my finger was misshapen, and as I slid the ring free, it scraped some skin off.

But I didn't feel any pain. All I felt was a relief unlike anything I'd ever known.

With a crisp clink, the ring landed in the discard dish. It rolled twice among the scraps, picking up greasy sauce as it went, like our marriage, gone bad, tainted beyond repair.

"August, I'm done being your wife." With that, I grabbed my purse and, under the stunned gazes of everyone at the table, headed straight for the door.

"Abigail, stop right there. If you walk out that door today, don't ever think about coming back." August's angry shout rang out from behind.

I didn't look back.

As I pushed open the heavy door to the suite, I turned off my hearing aid in my left ear. At last, the world finally went silent.