We were married for six years, yet not once did she remember my birthday.

However, she had only known Joshua for a month.

I thought about what she wrote in her book, how every single day with me was just suffering and sadness.

My last bit of hope disappeared, leaving me feeling nothing but tired.

Solemnly, I said, "I really want a divorce.

"Shirley, let's let each other go."

…

That night, Shirley did not come back home. She went to stay at the dorm in the factory, a place meant for people without families.

I did not try to find her. Instead, I found myself thinking about the true worth of my position.

Soon, everyone at work knew about it.

They looked at me with mockery and pity in their eyes.

"Have you heard? Max is leaving."

"It's probably because Ms. Scott and Mr. Harris are going to be together soon."

"He's smart enough to know he's just a simple country guy."

Shirley never talked about us, so everyone thought I was just a relative from the countryside who came to her for help.

I wanted to tell the truth many times, but I did not want to mess up Shirley's chances to get ahead.

So, when I heard their gossip, I smiled and said, "Yes, I'm over chasing things out of my league. The city's boring. I'm happier in the country."

They did not know I was not giving up. I was only choosing a different path.

In my previous life, I worked super hard to learn things so I could talk to Shirley.

I got into college and even got a graduate degree.

However, even as an engineer, she still saw me as a simple country bumpkin who only cared about small things.

She would rather talk to the silent parrot at home than have a real conversation with me.

This time, I would live for myself.

I planned to wait until everything was settled and the money was in hand before I went to Shirley to finalize things so we could both move on for good.

However, an urgent message turned my whole world upside down.

[Your mom's really sick. She broke her leg. She needs 5,000 bucks. Fast.]

I felt ice-cold all over.

I could get 8,000 bucks, but the paperwork would take time, at least half a month.

My mom could not wait that long!

Right then, I saw Shirley leaving work. I did not think twice. I ran up to her and blocked her path.

"Shirley, I need 5,000 dollars. It's an emergency!"

Everyone around us started staring, wondering what was going on.

Shirley's smile disappeared. "Where would I get that much money?"

However, she had to have it.

Out of my 1,200-dollar paycheck each month, I only kept 300 for myself and gave the rest to her.

Even if she spent a lot, there was no way she did not have 5,000 dollars!

I was desperate, my voice shaking as I said, "My mom's hurt; her leg's broken. She's in the hospital and needs the money to get better!

"I really need it! All these years, I've given most of my salary to you. How can all of it be gone?"

Shirley frowned, and the looks from the others made her cheeks turn red.

She whispered harshly, annoyed, "Max, enough drama, okay? I told you, I don't have it!"

I kept staring at her, feeling more and more hopeless. "I gave you 900 bucks a month for six whole years! How can you not have 5,000?"

Shirley, looking annoyed, said firmly, "Think about how much you've spent, how much you've used. Don't you remember?"

The others started laughing and teasing me, saying, "Look at him, living off Shirley and now asking for 5,000 bucks! Shameless!"

"I bet Mr. Harris got to him, and now he's just causing trouble!"

I stared at Shirley, but she did not say a word to help me, just like always.

She knew I had not taken her money.

I understood it then.

She was mad at me for wanting a divorce, for standing up to her.

However, I could not wait; my mom was in the hospital.

I fought to suppress the anger in me and asked, my voice all scratchy, "What do I have to do to get the money from you?"

She liked seeing me give in, lifting her chin a bit. "Go and apologize to Joshua. Bow to him while you're at it.

"Then you'll get the money."

Joshua was there, faking a nice smile.

My hands were fists at my sides, so tight that they hurt.

I had to do that for my mom.

I bent my body in a full bow and forced out the words, saying, "I'm sorry, Joshua. I've got it all wrong about you before."

Joshua made a show of helping me up, but he was really making fun of me. "You're making too much of it. I never held it against you.

"Sure, you talk about me behind my back and make me look bad at work, but hey, we're friends. I don't care about that."

I snapped my head up. He was lying through his teeth!

Shirley's face hardened in seriousness, and she snapped at me, saying, "Max! That's a low move! How could you treat Joshua like that? Apologize!"

"I didn't do anything!" I said, feeling so low.

"Still want to argue with me?" Shirley looked at me like I was dirt, not believing a word I said.

The other workers started yelling, too.

"He's just a country bumpkin; he doesn't know better. Make him say sorry! Tell him to apologize!"

"Don't want to bow and apologize? Then, leave our factory!"

Two big guys who always tried to get on the manager's good side came at me, pushing me down.

I fought back hard, tears of shame in my eyes.

Shirley's voice came at me, all cool and distant, as she said, "Don't you want the 5,000 bucks for your mom?"

In a flash, I felt like all my energy had been sucked away.

I stopped fighting and let them pin me to the ground.

As I bent over, my shoulders ached, and the crowd's laughter rang in my ears.

Tears filled my eyes as I glared at Shirley. "Can you pay me now?"

She looked down at me, her voice cool as she said, "Not now. Wait till payday at the end of the month."

I was so mad I could have bitten through steel. "You're breaking your promise!"

She just tossed her hair, not caring. "I told you I was broke. You were the one who wouldn't let it go."

All my hurt and anger exploded like a volcano. "Shirley! You're heartless!

"In our village, my parents loved you like their own daughter!

"You got out of a tough life because my mom gave you everything she had!

"Don't you have a heart?"

Whack!

Her slap cut me off.

Her eyes were ice as she snapped, saying, "How long will you hold onto a small favor?

"Watch it, Max. Make trouble again, and you're out of here!"

She walked off with Joshua without a second look.

"Shirley, let's try that fancy place on Union Avenue? It's pricey, costing like thousands," Joshua said.

"No problem, it's on me! Let's celebrate," she replied.

I was so angry I could not think straight. I ran to the police station.

When I got back with two officers, Shirley and Joshua were just finishing their meal.

Her smile turned to stone when she saw the cops with me.

I saw the bill for 7,200 dollars; she sure did not hold back.

When Shirley found out I had called the cops on her for stealing money, she totally freaked out and tried to slap me.

I caught her wrist before she could. "Give me my money back."

Shirley was so mad, she yanked out 500 bucks from her pocket and threw it at my face.

"That's all there is! Take it or leave it!"

Joshua faked being nice, saying, "Max, why would you call the cops on Shirley for something so small?"

"Be quiet!

"Officer, she took more than 60,000 dollars from me!

"And I'm going to sue my wife, Shirley, for cheating with Joshua!"

The moment I mentioned cheating, Shirley and Joshua went white as ghosts.

Getting caught for that would not get anyone killed, but it could wreck one's career and reputation.

Shirley totally lost it. She scrambled to open her wallet and shoved a bunch of bills at me.

"Take it all! Is it really worth all this trouble over some cash?!"

Joshua got so scared that he quickly backed away from Shirley.

I took the money and counted the cash right in front of the cop.

It was more than 20,000 bucks, and she had been carrying it all around.

The cop looked at me and asked, in a perfunctory manner, "Sir, do you still want to press charges?"

I stuffed the cash into my pocket and shook my head.

Shirley and Joshua let out a huge sigh of relief.

However, I gave them a chilly smile. "I still want a divorce."

Shirley's face turned stormy, and she hissed, saying, "Great, Max! That's exactly what I want, too!"

…

The divorce went through super fast.

However, the moment I got back to the house to pack up my sad little bags, the door busted open.

The factory's security guys came in with dark faces and took me away.

"Max, someone told us you've been stealing scrap metal from the factory. You need to come with us," they said.

The old, chipped cup I was holding crashed to the ground, making a loud, screeching sound.

Shirley stepped out from behind them and whispered in my ear, "If you just do as you're told, I won't leave you. However, if you keep causing problems, I can't let you stay and be a bother to me."

My heart felt like it had turned to ice.

I could not believe that my wife, whom I had spent my whole life with, could be so cruel.

Just because she thought I might get in her way, she was willing to throw me in jail and ruin my life.

I looked at her, strangely calm.

"Do you really want to regret this later, or do you want to ruin everything for both of us?"

She took a step back, all business-like, and gestured to the security people.

"I'm just doing what's right. There's nothing for me to regret."

Joshua came over, too, looking sad and pretending to care.

"Max, Ms. Scott was so kind to take you in, a cousin from the countryside. How could you do something like this to repay her?

"It's just so sad."

The neighbors and coworkers who came to see what was happening started to gather around, whispering and pointing.

"That's right, Ms. Scott is such a good person. Yet, she ended up with someone who didn't appreciate her."

"Stealing from the factory is really bad!"

Some coworkers who were usually friendly with me looked like they wanted to say something. However, under Shirley's icy gaze, they just looked down quietly.

I watched the police getting closer.

Then, I started to laugh.

While everyone was calling me a 'scrap metal thief,' I shouted, "Officer, I have something to report!

"I want to report that the manager of Pioneer Factory, Shirley, is doing illegal things, making secret deals, and messing around!"