On our wedding anniversary, I canceled all my meetings and made a reservation at a restaurant.

That evening, my wife, the renowned investigative journalist Amaya Shaw, called me.

“Efim, I’m sorry! I just received a tip from a source. It’s urgent.

“It involves inside information about a well-known company. I have to go verify it immediately!”

But the next day, I saw that Javor Furey, the junior she had brought along, had posted a collage on his social media.

The central photo showed Amaya wearing a childish birthday hat. Her head was pressed against Javor’s, as they made a wish together in front of a cake covered in candles. This was the caption.

[Thanks, my dear Ms. Shaw! Even in the midst of her busy schedule chasing big stories, she remembered to give me this surprise birthday!]

[Chasing big stories.]

I stared at those three words. Then, I glanced at the limited-edition bag on our dining table. It was the one she had been raving about for half a year.

It was the anniversary gift I had prepared for her.

I felt absurd. I commented just two words under that post.

[How touching.]

Her call came in almost the second I hit send. She sounded furious.

“Efim, do you have to be so sarcastic?

“It’s just an anniversary. How old are you? Why are you still celebrating such childish anniversaries?”

From our first year of marriage to the present, her “tip-offs from informants” and “special circumstances” always took precedence over our promises.

This time, she could not even be bothered to come up with a plausible excuse.

I did not say anything. I hung up and blocked her number.

This marriage was over.

No sooner had I hung up than the phone started ringing again.

I clenched the phone in my hand, then immediately blocked Amaya Shaw’s number.

A partner from the law firm knocked and came into the office.

He asked in concern, “Efim, you don’t seem like yourself today. As for that important client meeting tonight—”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose and cut him off.

“Postpone it to next week. Also, clear my schedule for the next few days.”

After all, I needed some time to settle a personal matter.

No sooner had I finished speaking than the video call notification began ringing.

I glanced at it. It was an invitation from Javor Furey.

Out of a sort of cold curiosity, I answered the call.

On the screen, Javor looked innocent and aggrieved.

Amaya and several colleagues from their department stood behind him. The background resembled a private dining room.

“Mr. Gogh, I’m sorry. I really didn’t know yesterday was your anniversary…

“I was celebrating my birthday alone and felt a little down. Ms. Shaw only came to comfort me.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gogh. I’ll never celebrate my birthday again.”

I burst out laughing. This was not an apology at all.

It was clearly a collective show from the whole group.

Amaya stood behind him with her arms crossed.

Then, she said expressionlessly, “Now that Javor has apologized to you in person, are you satisfied?

“Efim, how did I never realize that a renowned lawyer like you could be so petty?”

Seeing that Amaya had sided with Javor without hesitation, the other colleagues on the screen chimed in one after another.

“Mr. Gogh, it’s only natural for Ms. Shaw to look out for a newcomer! Don’t take it so personally.”

“That’s right. Javor is just starting out. It’s normal for a senior to show some concern.”

I gave a cold laugh and said, “What’re you all yapping about? I don’t have a junior colleague like him.”

Then, I cut off the video call, unwilling to watch this nauseating spectacle any longer.

I never imagined Amaya’s colleagues would be so blind to right and wrong.

By the time I finished my work and returned home late at night, I found Amaya sitting in the living room waiting for me.

“What does it matter if we missed one anniversary? Was it really necessary to make such a scene and embarrass everyone?”

She tapped her fingertips impatiently on the coffee table.

“Javor just graduated and has no family or friends in this city. As his senior and a fellow alumnus, is it wrong for me to look out for him a little?

“Besides, I did go to verify a lead last night and only stopped by to check on him on the way. What’s wrong with that?

“You had to go and post those snide comments. Now, Javor doesn’t even dare to talk to me normally!”

I shut the door, and the pent-up anger I had been holding back finally boiled over.

“It’s just his birthday. Does he really need your entire team to go all out and throw him a ‘surprise’?

“Our anniversary plans were postponed from last year to this year! Do you even care about us anymore?”

After all these years with Amaya, this was the first time I had ever expressed my anger so bluntly.

She seemed to know she was in the wrong and instinctively avoided my gaze.

“All right, I know I was in the wrong this time. I neglected you.”

Although she admitted her mistake, she did not really sound remorseful. It was only a half-hearted apology.

Amaya’s tone softened. It was tinged with a deliberate attempt at conciliation.

“I promise this won’t happen again, but only if you apologize to Javor first.”

So, her concession was merely a negotiating tactic.

All that was just to get me to apologize to her junior.

When she saw that I did not respond, Amaya slammed her bag down on the sofa. Her impeccably made-up face was full of scorn.

“Are you trying to give me the silent treatment? Javor is just a fresh graduate! Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”

She suddenly caught sight of the paper bag on the coffee table, and her tone softened slightly.

“See how much I think about you? I went out of my way to buy some dessert from Mrs. Sugar’s.”

I had a stomach condition that required me to avoid sweets. This was something I had repeatedly emphasized to her when we got married.

I opened the elegant packaging to find a serving of rich mango pudding.

“Javor said this is their specialty.”

She leaned in to take a look.

“I knew an old-fashioned guy like you would never have tried something new like this. Try it!”

I scooped up a spoonful. The cloying sweetness of the mango exploded on my tongue.

I forced myself to swallow it while fighting the urge to vomit. My throat was already tightening.

“What’s with that face?! You’re deliberately putting on an act to tell me how unhappy you are, aren’t you?”

Before she could finish, I rushed into the bathroom and started retching.

When I returned to the living room, Amaya was grinning stupidly at her phone.

It was not until a rash broke out on my neck that she casually looked up.

“What’s wrong with you? Is the air conditioning too dry?”

“I’m allergic to mango.”

My voice was hoarse. I pointed at the dessert.

“Oh!”

She let out a soft sigh and frantically rummaged through her bag.

“Look how forgetful I am! Javor insisted this one was the best…”

The allergy medicine she handed me had expired six months ago.

Just then, her phone rang with a custom ringtone.

After hanging up, she grabbed her coat and rushed toward the hallway.

“Javor’s livestreaming equipment broke down. Tonight’s breaking news broadcast can’t go on without me!”

She reached the door and turned back. Then, she shoved a bill into my hand.

“Call yourself a cab to the hospital.”

The moment the door closed, I hailed a cab and headed to the hospital.

While getting an IV at the hospital, I scrolled through my feed.

Javor had just updated his social media. The last photo showed Amaya’s back as she crouched to adjust the equipment. It was posted with this caption.

[My dear senior says my livestream’s way more important than some people’s lives!]

In the photo, the wedding ring on her ring finger glinted coldly. Our mutual friends were going wild in the comments:

[Amaya spoils you so much!]

[Let’s just bring the City Hall right to your doorstep!]

I calmly sent Amaya a text.

[Meet me at the courthouse tomorrow at 9 a.m. Let’s get a divorce. I’ll grant you your wish.]

While waiting for the ambulance, I commented under Javor’s post.

[Might I suggest changing the title of the next livestream to “Male Mistress Succeeds in Taking the Lead.”]

The next morning, I went straight to Metro Frontier magazine’s office, where she worked.

There were some things I needed to retrieve.

As I pushed open the glass door to her team’s office, the scene that greeted me came as no surprise.

Amaya and her junior colleague, Javor, were huddled together in front of the same computer chair. Their heads were almost touching.

They were chatting and laughing as they looked at a photo on the screen. The atmosphere between them was uncomfortably intimate.

When she saw me, the smile on Amaya’s face froze. It was replaced by undisguised annoyance.

“Efim? What are you doing here? Should you even be here?”

I glanced around the room. My gaze settled on the cameras and recording equipment as they gleamed metallically. A cold smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

“If I hadn’t come, how else would I get to admire the way ‘Senior Reporter Shaw’ and her right-hand man are so… deeply focused on their work?”

I paused deliberately.

“It seems your publication’s editorial focus has shifted from in-depth social reporting to office sitcoms?”

Amaya’s face flushed bright red.

Javor immediately stepped forward and tried to shield her.

“Mr. Gogh, please show some respect! We’re selecting images to go with last night’s breaking news. This is work!”

The other colleagues in the office shot us disapproving glances and began whispering among themselves.

“What gives him the right to come here and act like this?

“Amaya and Javor pulled an all-nighter to cover the story. Why should they be spoken to like that?”

“Who does he think he is? He’s just a lawyer…”

I ignored the whispers and walked straight to the cabinet in the corner where the high-end equipment was stored.

Inside was a top-of-the-line broadcast-grade camera system and several portable satellite transmitters.

That equipment was mine, which I had personally lent to Amaya’s team free of charge.

It was to support their on-site reporting in harsh environments or during emergencies.

Looking back, it seemed like a complete joke that I had poured my heart and soul into helping her and others “fight side by side.”

I began calmly taking inventory and packing up the equipment.

Seeing this, Amaya completely lost it. She rushed over and grabbed my hand.

“Efim, what’re you doing?! This is all work equipment! How dare you take it?!”

I shook off her hand. My tone was calm with unquestionable authority.

“How dare I? My name is on the receipt.

“I lent the equipment to you as a favor. It’s only fair to take back what’s mine.

“What’s this now? Is the great reporter Amaya trying to seize private property by force?”

Javor leaned in just then. His face wore a mock look of concern. However, his voice was low enough that only the two of us could hear.

“Mr. Gogh, it’s a real shame that last night’s mango dessert didn’t land you in the ICU. Guess what, maybe next time it’ll be a different kind of ‘accident’.”

Before he could finish, he suddenly reached out as if to snatch the camera from my hands.

I instinctively blocked his move, but he stumbled backward as if struck by a massive force.

He stumbled a few steps back dramatically before slamming into the desk beside him.

There was a dull thud. Then, he immediately clutched his lower back and curled up in agony.

“Efim, what are you doing?!” Amaya screamed and rushed over to support Javor.

When she looked up at me, her eyes were filled with venom.

“How dare you lay a hand on someone here?! Are you out of your mind?!”

Everyone in the office gathered around. Their anger boiled over.

“Call the police! Call the police right now!”

“He’s so brazen! He came into our office to assault someone!”

“Stop him! Don’t let him get away!”

Several burly male colleagues immediately stepped forward and grabbed my arms. Their grip was so firm that it sent a sharp pain through my joints.

I tried to explain. “I didn’t! He did it himself—”

“Enough!” Amaya interrupted me sharply. She helped the “feeble” Javor up as she ordered the crowd.

“Keep an eye on him! I’m calling security right now!”

“Committing an assault in broad daylight, Efim? I think it’s time your law license was seized!”

Javor leaned against Amaya as he spoke weakly. His voice choked with just the right amount of emotion.

“Ms. Shaw… Please, don’t make things difficult for Mr. Gogh. Maybe I just lost my balance… He definitely didn’t mean to…”

Those words were nothing short of pouring oil on the fire.

Amaya watched as I was held down. Her gaze was icy as she watched with a cruel sense of satisfaction.

“Didn’t mean to? I think he did it on purpose to get back at me! Once security arrives, take him straight to the police station!

“We’ll see how long you can keep up this act!”

Just as the scene descended into chaos and the security guards’ footsteps echoed down the hallway, a steady, authoritative voice rang out from the doorway.

“Oh? I’d love to hear exactly which law my company’s chief legal counsel has broken that warrants a trip to the police station.”