When my CEO wife, Nina Wynn, learned I voluntarily handed a multimillion-dollar project to her favorite assistant, Zach Channing, she thought her three-month cold treatment finally worked. Beaming, she suddenly suggested we fly to Ivesland for our long-delayed honeymoon.

When Zach found out, he became jealous and threatened to quit. Panicked, she spent three days and nights comforting him, then canceled our honeymoon again with the excuse of a business trip, giving him my ticket instead.

Later, she casually explained to me, "Romance is trivial. Work comes first. As the boss, I have to prioritize. You’re my husband; you should understand."

I looked at Zach’s latest social post, which was a photo of the two of them leaning intimately with their hands forming a heart, and said nothing. I only nod.

Thinking I’d become more thoughtful and obedient, she was pleased. She even promised to make it up to me with a more romantic honeymoon when they got back home.

However, unbeknownst to her, I’d already resigned. The divorce papers were already signed, and there was no future for us ever again.

On the second day of Nina Wynn and her favorite assistant, Zach Channing's "honeymoon", I wrapped up my handover work, went to HR, and completed the full resignation process.

Barely ten minutes later, a push notification popped up: "Request Approved. Nina Wynn."

"Looks like Ms. Wynn wanted him gone ages ago. Guess he finally figured it out."

"Right? Staying here was only making Ms. Wynn upset. Better to leave early. And honestly, what's he worried about? He's the CEO's husband. Even if he quit and stayed home forever, he couldn't spend all her money."

As I packed up my things, my coworkers watched me like I was the day's entertainment, their tones dripping with sour pleasure.

I was used to it.

Everyone knew Zach and I didn't get along, whereas my wife, Nina, openly favored him. She'd publicly embarrass me for his sake anytime she wanted. So they all rushed to target me, eager to win points with the beloved little assistant.

Thinking about it, a cold laugh escaped me.

"Sorry to disappoint," I said, "but I'm leaving for a better job. Another company's hiring me for double the salary. Better benefits, too."

I didn't bother staying to see their faces twist with envy. Carrying my box of belongings, I walked straight out of the office.

I hadn't even reached the front gate when my phone rang. It was Nina.

I was still considering how to explain the resignation when I answered. As soon as the call connected, she said, "I just sent you a file. Get it done within an hour."

So she didn't even know I'd quit.

I almost laughed and opened the attachment. It was the exact same major project I'd given up for Zach not long ago.

As always, Zach took the credit, and I did the work. When something went wrong, I took the blame.

At first, I tried refusing, but Nina pushed in every direction by coaxing, pressuring, and doing anything to get her way. When I stood firm, she gave me the cold shoulder and then stayed up late working on it herself, pretending she'd shoulder the burden.

I couldn't stand seeing her exhaust herself, so I finally agreed. I used to believe Nina would one day understand how much I'd done for her.

However, this time, for Zach's promotion, she'd fought with me, iced me out for three months, and not even come to the hospital when I'd been running a 104-degree fever.

Just because she wanted to force me into handing over a multimillion-dollar project I'd spent a month securing…

I realized then that something inside me had completely died.

"I'm not at the office," I replied flatly.

"Not at the office?" Nina’s voice instantly turned cold. "Last I checked, it's working hours, Darren Cole. Do you understand our company policy? Leaving without permission means losing a day’s pay."

"I know. But I already—"

I was just about to tell her I had resigned when another voice drifted through the receiver. It was soft, gentle, and unmistakable.

"Ms. Wynn, if Darren doesn’t want to do it, don’t force him. I can handle it," Zach said lightly.

"No way. You stayed up half the night yesterday. You need to rest today." Nina’s tone warmed immediately. It was a complete contrast to the way she’d spoken to me seconds ago.

Zach continued insisting he wasn’t tired, but Nina cut him off, firm and authoritative.

"I'm the boss. When I order you to rest, you rest. You dare disobey me?"

"I just don’t want Darren to overwork himself," Zach said.

"Overwork? Compared to you?" Nina gave a soft, dismissive laugh. "You’re traveling and still sorting contracts, while he sits in the office doing nothing every day."

Then she added, almost amused, "Besides, he’s my husband. Isn’t working hard exactly what he should be doing?"

With one sentence, she erased every effort I’d ever made.

I no longer felt anger, jealousy, or even heartbreak—only numbness. There had been too many moments like this.

When I said nothing, Nina assumed my silence was agreement and softened again. "Darren, do you really think I’m just giving you tasks? I’m trying to train you. You’re my husband. You should demonstrate more drive and responsibility toward the company.

"You should learn from Zach. He worked until 4 a.m. last night. I’ve never seen someone so young, so talented, and so hardworking."

Zach chimed in beside her, smiling. "I think Darren’s great too."

However, the tone carried a faint condescension.

Nina didn’t notice. She gave another little laugh. "If he were even half as good as you, I’d be thrilled. Don’t forget. You were the one who completed all our projects this year."

The two of them were perfectly in sync.

I stayed silent. There was no point arguing.

Every project this year had been snatched from my hands and handed to Zach. Nina knew that but pretended not to. In her eyes, five years of marriage meant I’d never divorce her over something so "trivial".

"Alright, Zach and I have a business dinner. Finish the work and send it to me as soon as possible."

She hung up before I could respond.

Two minutes later, my phone buzzed twice.

It was a new social media post from Zach. They were sitting at an extravagant candlelit dinner. Nina leaned her head playfully onto his shoulder. In front of Zach sat a small, elegant gift box, just big enough to hold a ring.

I scrolled further down.

There was another post from last night, timestamped at 4 a.m. He and Nina were drinking and laughing at a bar.

So that "hard work" Nina mentioned was them drinking together, and tonight’s so-called "business dinner" was actually a date.

I let out a quiet, humorless laugh. I couldn’t even bring myself to question her.

It was pointless. She always had some reason prepared. Even if I cornered her with facts until she had nothing left to say, what waited for me wasn’t an apology. It was another endless coldness. Every time, I was the one who had to beg for peace.

Thinking about it now, I should’ve spent that energy figuring out how to make more money instead.

Money never betrays you. Feelings do.

With that thought in my head, I walked straight out of Wynn Group, already considering what came next after leaving.

I had barely driven out of the parking garage when my phone buzzed twice.

It was a payment alert.

Nina had charged twenty thousand on my card. Again.

Everyone assumed I married Nina for money, but the truth was she controlled all my cards. She insisted her own income had to be invested into the company, so for years every expense—rent, food, utilities, gifts, daily spending—came out of my salary and whatever extra I earned from my side work.

I agreed since I believed a man should shoulder more for his family, so I never argued.

Not until recently, when I realized something strange. I made good money, more than enough, yet somehow I had no savings. Not a cent was spared, and I was always short.

I finally cracked and checked my statements. That was when I found out that Nina regularly used my card to buy gifts for Zach.

A gaming console worth thousands.

A tailored suit costing over ten grand.

On Zach's birthday, she'd booked the entire wing of the five-star Aurelia Grand Hotel, worth over a hundred thousand, to celebrate him.

Meanwhile, I had worn the same underwear for two months, and she still refused to replace them. Anything over a hundred dollars was "too expensive". For my birthdays, she scribbled a card, saying she wanted to save money for "our future".

I couldn't hold back anymore, so I confronted her.

Nina's face went cold. She accused me of not trusting her. Then she froze me out and declared she would never use my money again.

Thinking about all that, I still called her.

I dialed more than ten times. Not once did she pick up.

So I stopped hesitating and went straight to the bank to report that my card was lost.

Less than a minute later, Nina called back.

"I was busy just now and didn't see your calls. What's up?" she said, feigning innocence.

"My problem's already solved," I replied evenly.

"Oh."

"Your card isn't working. It's frozen," she added.

"I know." I didn't hide it. "I froze it."

"What did you do that for? Do you have nothing better to do?"

"Maybe. But didn't you say you wouldn't use my card anymore?"

Nina faltered.

I had never once quarreled with her about money before Zach intervened in our lives.

When she first started Wynn Group, I had fallen seriously ill. The surgery cost a hundred thousand. At that exact time, she had secretly invested everything she had into a project and lost all of it.

She thought I'd rage and break down. Instead, I comforted her. I told her money was small stuff and that my money was hers to use first.

I thought giving wholehearted love would make our marriage stronger. Instead, it only taught her how far she could push without consequence.

Nina didn't think that deeply. After two seconds of silence, she sighed. "Alright, I get it. You're still mad I didn't go on the honeymoon. You're throwing a tantrum. Darren Cole, I actually thought you'd grown more mature. Turns out you're still this petty.

"I promise you, after this, I'll drop everything and go on the honeymoon with you, okay? I didn't bring my card with me today. Unfreeze it now. Stop being dramatic. Tonight's dinner is really important."

To make sure I obeyed, Nina added one last threat before hanging up. "You have ten minutes. If you don't do it, I'm going to be angry."