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The day Callum Martinez announced his engagement to his assistant, Romina Fisher, was the same day his live-streaming company became the industry leader. I, the wife who had supported him quietly for five years, could only watch the celebratory party via live stream. "The success we celebrate today is largely thanks to Romina Fisher. We couldn't have reached this milestone without her." "We are grateful to our followers for their unwavering support of Callum. Together, we will navigate the future of innovative live streaming." Watching the flood of congratulatory messages pour in for them on the screen, I slowly loosened my grip on my phone. This marriage of five years needed to end. I wanted to see if Callum Martinez could maintain today's level of success without me. I logged out of the stream and, taking a deep breath, quickly opened my contacts. I found Grey Stewart’s number and dialed it without hesitation. "Mr. The day Callum Martinez announced his engagement to his assistant, Romina Fisher, was the same day his live-streaming company skyrocketed to the top of the industry. I, the wife who had stood by him silently for five years, could only watch the celebration unfold through a live stream. 'The success we’re celebrating today is thanks in large part to Romina Fisher. We couldn’t have hit this milestone without her,' Callum declared, his voice dripping with admiration. 'We’re also grateful to our fans for their unwavering support. Together, we’ll shape the future of live streaming,' he added, his charm oozing through the screen. As the flood of congratulatory messages poured in for them, I slowly loosened my grip on my phone. This sham of a marriage had to end. I wanted to see if Callum Martinez could keep up this level of success without me. I logged out of the stream, took a deep breath, and quickly scrolled through my contacts. Finding Grey Stewart’s number, I dialed without hesitation. 'Mr. Stewart, I’ve made my decision. I’m accepting your offer,' I said, my voice steady. 'Fantastic! You’ll have all the resources you need. I want the world to see just how much you’re worth,' Grey replied, his confidence reassuring. 'Thank you for believing in me, Mr. Stewart. I’ll join as soon as I wrap things up here,' I said before hanging up. Just as the call ended, Callum walked in. 'Who were you talking to, darling?' he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. 'The operations team needed my input on some product selection issues,' I replied, keeping my voice light. He shrugged off his jacket, loosening his tie with visible irritation. 'Why haven’t you prepped the product selection for the next stream? Are you trying to embarrass me in front of the partners because I didn’t take you to the party?' he snapped. I glanced up at him, noticing the glaring red mark on his neck. My heart ached, but I kept my cool. 'With Romina by your side, I figured you wouldn’t need me to worry about product choices,' I said, my tone icy. He froze at the mention of Romina’s name. 'You announced your engagement to Romina publicly. What does that make me, your lawful wife?' I asked, the bitterness in my voice barely contained. 'The company needs serious investment to scale. We’re planning to go public soon, and we need all the attention we can get right now. Romina has invaluable industry connections and a massive fan base. Announcing our engagement is purely a business move,' he explained, his words calculated. I listened quietly, the sadness washing over me, but I chose not to argue. Two months ago, several partners had approached Callum to discuss potential collaborations. He assumed I’d endure for the sake of the company, underestimating my resolve. Seeing my silence, his expression darkened as he tossed several contracts my way. 'These are the new contracts finalized today. From now on, Romina will handle external affairs, and you can focus on live stream planning,' he said, his tone dismissive. I met his gaze, my voice cold. 'If Romina is so capable, why not let her handle the planning, too?' Callum’s face grew stormy. 'Leslie, stop sabotaging things out of jealousy for Romina,' he snapped. 'You think I’d hand over the planning just to make her look bad? You’ve become so self-centered and spiteful!' I shot back, my bitterness spilling over. I gave a bitter smile. He thought I was just jealous, throwing a tantrum like I had in the past whenever he was surrounded by other women. Callum finished speaking and gave me that demanding look I’d seen countless times. 'Fine, go prep the materials for tomorrow’s investor meeting, and iron my suit,' he ordered. In the past, I would have jumped to do it, naively believing I was an indispensable part of this family. But in his eyes, I was just unpaid labor. Everything I once valued—my dedication and love—had become meaningless under his indifference. Even our five years together paled in comparison to an assistant who had been with the company for only five months. 'I’m done. You have hands and feet; if you want something done, do it yourself,' I said, my voice firm. Callum stood there, stunned, disbelief flashing across his face. 'Leslie, I’m working hard for our family, for the company, and you’re making a scene over something so trivial!' he yelled. 'Even Romina understands the challenges I face. Why can’t you?' he added, his frustration boiling over. Ignoring his protests, I turned and headed toward the bedroom.Callum was sulking, having spent the entire night away from our room. The next morning, out of habit, I prepared breakfast for two. When he got up and saw the meal laid out, he hesitated briefly before speaking unexpectedly. "There's an important private dinner tonight. I want you to come with me." I was taken aback. In the five years we've been married, he's always insisted on keeping work and private life separate, never acknowledging our marriage publicly, and never once taking me to an event. Countless nights, I kept company with an empty house, surrounded by solitude and loneliness. Could it be that he's finally realized his mistakes and wants to make amends? But just as we reached the entrance of the banquet hall, we ran into Romina. She walked straight up to Callum and adjusted his tie affectionately before feigning surprise. "Oh, Leslie, you're here too?" I looked at her coolly as she linked arms with Callum and gazed at me challengingly. "I've always been the one to accompany Callum to these events. It's quite surprising to see you here for the first time." So Romina had been his companion at every event. Last time, there was an important industry conference, and I hoped Callum would take me along. Instead, he scolded me sharply, reminding me not to disrupt company protocols with personal matters. Later, I saw with my own eyes Romina, dressed in an elaborate Victorian-style dress, link her arm with his as they got into a car headed to the event. He preferred to take an assistant who knew nothing over me, his partner working tirelessly for the company. "I'm bringing Romina along for the sake of the company," Callum explained. I replied coolly, "Assistant Romina's skills are impressive; no wonder you value her so highly." Romina wore a smug smile, though her eyes reflected feigned innocence. "Oh Leslie, I only do my part for the company. I was worried you might think I'm trying to overshadow you. You wouldn't be upset just because Callum brought me instead, would you?" Callum spoke up before I could respond. "It's just a dinner, for goodness' sake. Leslie always puts the bigger picture first and wouldn't bother with trivialities like this." I stood there silently. Callum, noticing my reaction, expressed his dissatisfaction, "Romina and I will head in first. You can join us later to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings." With that cold directive, I felt deeply mocked. Even today, when he brought me here unexpectedly, he still didn't want anyone to recognize our relationship. "Look, we're already at the door. Why not let Leslie come in with us, Callum?" Romina suggested, and Callum immediately changed his mind, turning back to urge me, "Hurry up and follow." I no longer cared about Callum and Romina's whispered conversations; I just hoped that this dinner would end quickly. Once my resignation is approved, I can finally leave all this behind.After the gathering concluded, Callum Martinez turned to Romina Fisher and said, "Your place is out of the way, and it's late. It's not safe for you to get back on your own. Let me give you a lift." He didn't spare me a glance as he and Romina walked off together. I stood alone as the rain softly pattered around me, watching their silhouettes fade into the night. When I finally got home, drenched to the bone, I changed clothes and was interrupted by a text from Callum. "Hey, haven’t you always wanted to visit the new art exhibit? How about we check it out tonight?" His words hit me like a cold splash. He was playing his cards well, knowing that the company’s future depended on my efforts. This cheap act of goodwill was meant to curry favor. After a moment, I replied, "Sure, I’m free tonight. I'll wait nearby." I planned to use the opportunity to have a serious talk about our divorce. After sending the message, I instinctively opened Facebook and stumbled upon Romina's latest update. It was a photo of two movie tickets with the caption: "Can't wait for our long-awaited date night," along with a heart emoji. Soon after, another message from Callum popped up. "There's an unexpected problem at work. I'll have to take care of it. Just go ahead and wait for me." I chose not to acknowledge his lies and rang up a lawyer friend instead, asking him to draft a divorce agreement as soon as possible. Then, I bought myself a ticket to the art exhibit I had longed to see, but never managed to attend due to one reason or another. After touring the exhibit, I found a cozy restaurant and took my time enjoying a meal. By the time I returned home, it was late, and Callum was still nowhere in sight. I checked Romina’s Facebook page again. A fresh post showed a picture from a dessert shop, with two hands intertwined over delicate pastries—one of them unmistakably Callum's. Her caption read: "Every moment with you is pure joy." In the quiet of night, Callum opened the bedroom door, wearing a placating smile. He approached me and presented a small box. "Hey, the designer bracelet you've always wanted—I finally got it for you. Go ahead and see if you like it." His words caught me off guard, and I looked at him, surprised. Previously, the gifts he gave me were cheap trinkets from flea markets. Whenever I mentioned this bracelet, he would ridicule me for being materialistic. But now, he seemed like a different person. I slowly reached out to open the box. As the bracelet emerged, the truth hit me instantly. This was the bracelet Romina had once flaunted in front of me. Back then, she bragged that Callum had ordered it just for her, but since she disliked the color, he didn't hesitate to order another. What was rejected by someone else now came to me as a "surprise." "Using Romina’s leftovers to placate me—I couldn't care less." I casually tossed the bracelet out the window. Callum, livid, shouted, "Leslie, that's a $40,000 bracelet, and you just tossed it out like it's nothing! Why do you have to be so irrational?” Once, even a $2 keychain from him was precious to me, yet now, it all felt like a charade. I glanced at my phone, reviewing the divorce agreement my friend had sent. Satisfied, I sent my approval and turned off my phone, meeting his eyes. "What do you take me for? Some patsy you can easily appease?" My question seemed to infuriate Callum. "Leslie, if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn't have this good life. You should be thankful!" "A thoughtful gift, and you turn your nose up at it. Take it or leave it!" I had decided on divorce, so there was no need for further arguments. Turning to the bed, I pulled the covers over myself and lay down. Callum, furious, left to sleep in the guest room for the night.