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Jonathan returned home quickly. I confirmed again: he was always exceptionally quick when it came to Victoria. He seemed oblivious to the small suitcase at my feet, his brow still furrowed with anger: "Didn't you hear me on the phone?" My tone was distant: "I heard you, but I didn't want to answer." He found it unbelievable, as if I were being unreasonable: "Didn't I explain? Victoria's work performance has been good lately, and as her boss, I just treated her to a meal. Do you know how many people in the company have misunderstood her? After your comment, how is she going to face her colleagues?" I sneered: "Looks like not everyone's blind. So some people know what she's up to." I stared at him, my voice steady: "Besides, I'm not her mother. How hard she works in her career is none of my business." "What is it?" Jonathan's face instantly darkened. "Lindsay, when did you become such a shallow person who believes rumors and slanders outstanding women? You know how difficult it is for young women to succeed in the workplace, yet you still spread rumors and insult her? If you hadn't gone to the company to cause trouble last time, would Victoria be in this situation?" His eyes were tired yet accusatory. "I don't mind if you're willing to depend on someone else; I'm willing to give you a comfortable life. But not all women are like you... limited. If you continue to harbor malice towards Victoria and speak ill of her, don't blame me for being ruthless. Think of your mother." I finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, he@rtbroken and desolate. I opened my suitcase in front of him. "A comfortable life? Look at the 'comfortable' life I'm living in your house! What can I take with me when I leave this marriage? Not even four decent outfits. I have to apply through your secretary's system to get a haircut. Do you know that your nanny's monthly salary is higher than your wife's?" It had been three days since my last expense request crossed Jonathan Sterling’s desk. Evidently, he took my silence as progress, a sign I had finally learned my place as a trophy wi//fe. His text arrived like a royal pardon, “Your mother’s treatment is resumed. Do try to behave from now on, and spare me the sob stories. I know your kind struggles, but my money isn’t so easily fooled.” What he didn’t know was this, when that message came through, my divorce papers were already drafted and waiting. When I walked out, all I could take was what I’d walked in with a plain white tee and a pair of jeans. No one would believe that the woman who played the part of Mrs. Sterling so flawlessly in public, after three years of marriage, owned fewer than four presentable outfits. Every personal expense required system approval; every piece of jewelry was locked in a safe. If I needed so much as a dress for an event, I had to submit a formal request to his secretary, Victoria Sharpe. All because Jonathan never trusted someone from my background. In his eyes, poverty was a stain, one that came with reckless, greedy habits. Three days earlier, my adoptive mother lay dying. I’d requested 200,000 for her emergency surgery. Victoria stalled the approval, and by the time the system cleared it, my mother was already gone. Jonathan never understood. The only reason I endured this marriage, the control, the contempt, was for the medical resources only he could provide. Now that she was gone, neither was I. *** I asked Jonathan for a divorce. He refused. He coldly replied with three words, “Stop the drama.” He spoke to me while his eyes stayed fixed on his laptop screen, as if columns of dry financial data were infinitely more compelling than a conversation with his own wife. I lowered my gaze, my tone firm. “I’m being serious. I want a divorce.” Jonathan drew a slow breath and rose to his feet, his expression turning to frost. “Stopping your mother’s treatment was my call. Victoria had nothing to do with it, she only carried out instructions.” “If you hadn’t made a scene at the office, I wouldn’t have needed to teach you a lesson.” “I already had the treatment resumed yesterday. My time is valuable; I don’t have time for your tantrums.” Without waiting for my reply, he turned and left. Certain that before long, I would come crawling back, humbled. That I would continue shamelessly trying to please him, as before. Even if he said to my face, “Don’t act so desperate, it’s pathetic,” I would just smile silently and keep going, like a dutiful housekeeper. But now, whether the treatment resumed or not didn’t matter anymore. If Jonathan had just answered my call three days ago, perhaps I would still be bowing and scraping, trying desperately to please him. But he was never patient enough to take my calls. Back then, I begged him not to hang up, to please hear me out. But it was no match for Victoria’s single sentence, “Is Mrs. Sterling upset because I reminded her before to follow proper procedures?” “I just… I didn’t mean anything by it,” she said, her voice layered with a practiced, wounded softness. “So I tightened up the process a bit. That way, Mrs. Sterling will remember and develop good habits.” Hearing that, Jonathan grew even more impatient with my call. Ignoring my pleas, he coldly ordered, “Do as Victoria says.” It was always like this whenever I needed anything from him. “I’m busy. If you need something, talk to Miss Sharpe.” “Listen to Miss Sharpe.” “Do whatever Miss Sharpe tells you to do.” I was his wife, yet I had not an ounce of dignity. Forget about going out normally; even for social engagements essential to my role as Mrs. Sterling, events I had to attend with him, I had to apply for approval through his secretary. Every time, Victoria would smilingly, dismissively reject these ridiculous requests. “Mrs. Sterling, the application description isn’t detailed enough. Please rewrite it.” “The party only goes until 10 PM tonight. How can you put 12 AM?” “Mrs. Sterling, why are you like this every time? Look at the application you wrote. Didn’t we agree to submit only after checking it’s correct?” She always waited until the last conceivable moment to approve anything, then watched, smiling faintly as I scrambled to get ready, frantic and disheveled, racing for a dress or a pair of earrings I should have had access to all along. Occasionally, I’d be late because of it. Jonathan would look at me with displeasure. “Lindsay, do you have no concept of time?” “You can’t even handle such a small thing properly. Look at you; in what way can you compare to Victoria?” But I couldn’t handle these “small things.” I could never arrive on time. All because of Jonathan’s wonderful secretary, his right-hand woman. But he couldn’t see it, nor did he care. It was the same way he knew, perfectly well, that my mother’s treatment couldn’t be interrupted, not even for a day. And yet, over the phone, his impatience was absolute, “How many times do I have to tell you? If it’s urgent, take it to Victoria. Do you really think she’d say no?” Getting money from Victoria was as difficult as ever. “What kind of emergency requires a 200,000 payment upfront? Mrs. Sterling, you’re not using it as an excuse to get money, are you?” “200,000 isn’t a small amount. Please attach an itemized bill, and then I’ll approve it. I’m rejecting it for now.” I explained to her that it was a prepayment, and the final bill would only be available upon discharge. Victoria curled her lips into a smile. Feigning sudden understanding, she said, “Oh, I see. My family members are all very healthy, so I had no idea.” “But expense applications are very strict. Violating the rules like this won’t do. Why don’t you get an official regulation document from the hospital and attach it, then I’ll approve it? I’ll reject it this time.” Later, she said, “Hospitals can apparently collude to create fake documents. I’m not saying you would, Mrs. Sterling, but the possibility exists.” “Maybe you could attach an industry regulation instead?” And so, the golden window for emergency treatment was delayed again and again by Victoria. By the time I finally got the money, even the most outstanding medical team was powerless. A continuous, searing hatred and pain pricked at my he@rt. An indescribable sense of suffocation filled my che//st. This marriage was a cage trapping me. I had to escape. Once I knew exactly what I had to do next, I felt a sudden, startling lightness like chains I hadn’t even known I was wearing had fallen away. So when Victoria’s post showed up on my feed, all pointed smiles and subtle shade, I didn’t flinch. No ache, no anger. I just captured the screen, saved it without a second thought, and even tapped ‘like’ before moving on. Whenever Victoria was involved, Jonathan’s messages always came swiftly. “Victoria has been doing excellent work lately. I’m just treating her to a meal as her boss. Don’t make a fuss and cause misunderstandings.” I couldn’t help but wonder what else Victoria might have whispered in his ear. “You already hit ‘like,’” he went on, his voice leaving no room for debate. “If you take it back now, you’ll just make Victoria look guilty.” “Go comment something nice about her work. Let people see we support her as a couple.” I hadn’t planned to engage. But the more I thought about it, the more that knot of anger refused to settle. So I complied with Jonathan’s demand. I commented on Victoria’s post, [Miss. Sharpe’s dedication and professionalism are truly unmatched, she treats the CEO’s wife with the same rigorous standards as any other employee, proving that great power can indeed reside in the smallest of approval systems. Keep up the… remarkable work.] [After all, every d0llar you pinch for the company today only adds to the marital assets you may one day share. Bravo.] After posting the reply, I tossed my phone aside. I began calmly packing my things. My phone kept buzzing incessantly during that time, but I ignored it. Packing didn’t take long. After all, every valuable item that supposedly belonged to me in this house was securely locked away in the password-protected dressing room and the triple-locked safe. For so many years, I had lived here like a temporary guest. My traces were only ever superficial. Now, seeing things clearly, it finally hit me. Jonathan arrived home quickly. I noted it once again. Whenever Victoria was involved, he was always prompt, never delayed. He acted as if he didn’t see the small suitcase by my feet, his brow still furrowed with anger. “Did you not hear me calling you?” My tone was detached. “I heard. I didn’t want to answer.” Jonathan looked at me as if I’d said something utterly ridiculous, with an expression of pure incomprehension. “Haven’t I already explained? Victoria’s work performance has been good lately. That’s why I took her to dinner.” “Do you have any idea how many people at the company already misunderstand her? After your comment, how is she supposed to face them?” I couldn’t help a cold laugh. “Looks like not everyone is blind after all. So some people do know what kind of ‘good deeds’ she’s been up to.” I held his gaze, my voice steady. “And anyway, I’m not her mother. Why should it matter to me how hard her little corporate climb happens to be?” In an instant, Jonathan’s face darkened. “Lindsay, when did you become this kind of shallow person who believes every rumor?” “You know perfectly well how hard it is for a young woman to climb the corporate ladder. Why would you spread rumors and insult another accomplished woman? If you hadn’t caused that scene at the office last time, would Victoria be in this position now?” His eyes held a tired, accusatory weight. “You’re happy to live off someone else, I don’t hold that against you. I’m willing to give you that life of ease. But not every woman is as… limited as you are.” “If you continue to harbor such malice and slander towards Victoria, don’t blame me for not being lenient. Think about your mother.” I finally couldn’t hold back a laugh, a sound filled with he@rtbreak and pain. In front of Jonathan, I unzipped my suitcase. “A life of luxury? Look at the kind of ‘luxurious life’ I’ve lived in your house.” “I’m walking out of this marriage, and you know what I’m taking? Not even four outfits I’d be caught dead wearing outside. I had to file a request through your secretary’s system just to get a haircut. Do you realize your housekeeper earns more in a month than your own wi//fe does?” As I spoke, I forcefully pulled Jonathan to the dressing room, pointing at the password lock on the door. “Do you know how to open this lock? You need to enter a code and use a fingerprint. Your company files aren’t even locked up this tightly!” “What kind of ‘luxurious’ wi//fe has to live like this, like a mistress begging for scraps under her husband’s secretary?” Jonathan’s face was a mask of incomprehension. He asked me, incredulously, “Is that what this is about?” “So you’re jealous of Victoria, and that’s why you went to the office to ruin her reputation?” Hearing his question, my he@rt sank instantly. Every word I had just spoken might as well have been thrown into the wind. If Jonathan had ever for a moment seen this arrangement for what it was humiliating, degrading, wrong, he never would have allowed Victoria’s petty controls to dictate my life, year after year, folding every basic need into that cold, unforgiving system. I half-closed my eyes. “Whatever. Think what you want.” “We’re getting a divorce.” Hearing the certainty in my voice, Jonathan actually laughed. A look of smug comprehension settled over his face. “Enough, Lindsay. I don’t have the time or patience to coddle your moods.” “You’re making a fuss because you’re jealous of my secretary, aren’t you? Don’t assume all women are as petty and narrow-minded as you.” He gently smoothed the wrinkles I’d made on his sleeve, as if making a grand compromise. “Tomorrow, I’ll have the best medical group from abroad come to treat your mother. In a bit, I’ll have Victoria give you the codes for the dressing room and the safe. We’ll change the fingerprint to yours too.” “From now on, I’ll have finance transfer you 100,000 every month. No need to go through the system.” After years of marriage, I knew Jonathan well enough. For him, this was his utmost concession. By all rights, I should quit while I was ahead. But I was truly tired of this three-person relationship. No, perhaps I had never truly been a part of it in the first place. Just like now, he made all these promises but didn’t mention a single word about Victoria’s actions. Even though we both knew perfectly well that this ridiculous approval system was something she had casually suggested. He had agreed to it all so casually, so easily, not because it was reasonable, but because none of it ever really mattered to him. Which meant if I agreed to Jonathan’s arrangement now, went back to being Mrs. Sterling, Victoria would continue to be present in our lives in the future.