My usually cold and distant wife shared a bowl of soup with her newly joined colleague.

Surprisingly, I felt calm, even as I brought up divorce.

She sneered at me, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm exhausted. He's just a colleague of mine."

"Even if we're married, you have no right to interfere with what I do with my colleagues."

"If that's what you think, then I can't help you."

When I actually put the divorce papers in front of her, she flew into a rage.

"Ryan, do you think the Wagners were still what they used to be? You're nothing without me!"

During dinner, Jen Walter avoided the food I served her for the third time.

Her rejection turned me off.

We had been married for two years, but she never accepted the food I offered her. She even insisted on using separate utensils.

She glanced at me when she noticed I was distracted. "Hmm? What did you just say?"

I looked at her calmly and said, "Let's get a divorce."

Her smile vanished, replaced by a look of disdain. "Stop joking around. I had a tiring day. I've told you Wesley is just a colleague of mine."

I slammed my bowl and retorted, "What kind of colleagues share the same bowl of soup? Are there not enough bowls or something?"

She stood up and glared at me as she shouted, "Stop being ridiculous, Ryan Wagner! We're married indeed, but you have no right to interfere with what I do.

"I know you regret marrying me. You're impatient and frustrated because you want a divorce. The Wagners aren't as glorious as they used to be, huh? What a joke."

She crossed her arms and added, "Let me tell you something. I won't let you get what you want."

I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Jen shared a bowl of soup with her colleague, Wesley Dyson.

Her company had a team-building event earlier that day. She had never invited me to one previously, but a few friends of mine from her company had told me to come.

I did not expect to witness that scene.

Wesley filled a bowl of soup, drank half, and Jen picked it up casually and took a sip.

"That's mine," Wesley reminded her.

Jen replied as if it were nothing. "I know."

Wesley's face turned red as he sat there.

At that moment, I was just as stunned as everyone else around them.

It turned out that Jen could share food and utensils with someone, but she never touched the food I served her.

She could joke around with someone, but not with me.

We had been married for two years, yet I was not even comparable to her colleague who she had only recently met.

"Jen, I said I want a divorce," I repeated firmly.

She still thought I was being unreasonable. She grabbed her things and headed toward the door.

"Calm down. This isn't a big deal. We'll talk when you're thinking straight. Also, don't forget to take care of what Mom asked you to do. She's been bugging me about it again."

She left, and the room fell silent.

Back then, her family had been on the brink of bankruptcy. They needed someone to bail them out of their financial mess.

That was when she remembered me—the guy who had been chasing after her.

She looked at me with her usual arrogance and said, "I can marry you."

However, I did not expect that after two years of caring for her, I would get nothing in return but her and her family's increasing demands.

Later that night, Wesley sent me a video.

Jen was partying with a group of people and having the time of her life. She did not look like someone who had just had a fight with her husband.

Back when I wanted to introduce her to my friends, she immediately refused.

At the time, I thought she was just emotionally distant, maybe socially anxious. However, I finally understood that it was merely because she simply did not want to be a part of my world.

She did not want to know my friends or be involved in my life.

For two years of marriage, we felt more like strangers living under the same roof.

Jen got a punishment for losing a game at the team building event. She had to kiss the man sitting to her left for one minute.

That man was Wesley.

Without the slightest hesitation, she leaned in and kissed him.

I turned off my phone in frustration.

Jen was not being anti-social. She was just avoiding me.

She did not come home that night. By morning, her mother stormed into my house, yelling the moment she walked in.

"Where's Jen? Why isn't she answering my calls? Can't you get anything done? You don't even have a job anymore. You're just a freeloader—"

Bang!

I slammed my glass down on the table to cut her off.

"You want me to get things done? Fine. Start by giving me 1.5 million dollars. I'll need money for favors and connections. Since you've made it clear I'm living off your daughter, I obviously don't have any myself."

Her face twisted with anger as she scowled, "You can't come up with that kind of money? Just say so if you don't want to help. Honestly, your family was already declining when we agreed to this marriage. The Wagners don't have much left, do they?

"Also, keep your idiot son locked up! I've been cleaning up his messes countless times. He's in his twenties and still acts like a child!"

She stood up, fuming with her hands on her hips and her face red with rage.

I retorted, "Be thankful that I never get rid of you. Jen and I are getting divorced. Either you leave now, or I'll get someone to make you."

Her confidence faltered for a moment, perhaps shocked by how different I was acting.

Previously, I had tried to please her family. After all, they were Jen's family members.

However, there was no need for that anymore.

I called security to escort her out.

I had saved her family business from ruin when Jen and I first got married, so they treated me with respect.

However, after all the crisis had passed, their true colors showed. They felt that I was not good enough for Jen.

To them, marrying Jen was a win for me—a man who did not deserve her.

I could feel their disdain growing over time.

Not even five minutes passed before Jen called, screaming at me through the phone.

"Ryan, could you stop causing problems for me? Do you even know how busy I am? Just do whatever my mom asks, okay?"

I laughed bitterly and asked, "Busy with Wesley in bed?"

There was a pause on the other end before the line went dead.

I could not help but feel bewildered. I never thought her mother would show up at my house.

Not long after, my mom called.

"Did you have an argument with Jen recently? It's normal for couples to have disagreements. Divorce is not a solution."

A lump formed in my throat. I had invested so much money into Jen's company, focusing all my attention on her.

It had taken a toll on my own business, which my parents had spent their lives building.

I took a deep breath and said, "Mom, I really want a divorce."

There was a pause, and my dad took the phone. "Ryan, it's good you've finally come to your senses. The Wagners aren't meant to be humiliated."

He raised his voice deliberately, but soon, I heard Jen's mom screaming in the background.

Then, the call ended.

I rushed home, worried my parents would not be able to handle Jen's mom's outburst.

By the time I arrived, Jen's mom was already gone. My parents were sitting on the couch, chatting calmly.

They saw me and walked over.

My dad frowned. "Why didn't you bring your luggage back?"

My mom rolled her eyes at him and said, "Don't worry, Ryan. Leela Walter won't be causing any more trouble in this house."

"Your mom's been a gentle soul her whole life, but she was so fierce earlier," my dad remarked.

I could not help but laugh, but as I did, my eyes stung a little.

"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad," I said, feeling the weight of everything I put them through.

Back at the office, I terminated the partnership with Jen's company. The project was practically a cash gift to her—something she had taken for granted.

That evening, for once, she got home before me.

The moment I stepped in, she confronted me.

"Why did you terminate the partnership? Just because Wesley and I shared a bowl of soup? Come on, Ryan. Don't take things too far."

She thought I was just throwing a tantrum.

I laid the divorce agreement in front of her.

She turned red with anger and shouted, "Are you serious, Ryan? You want a divorce over such a small problem?"

I leaned back on the couch, closed my eyes and replied calmly, "Yeah, such a small problem."

"I told you, Wesley and I are just colleagues. There's nothing going on."

"Oh, right. Just regular colleagues who sleep together."

Her mocking smile deepened. "We were drunk, and it wasn't me who initiated it. What are you jealous about?"

Her excuses no longer fazed me.

"Whatever. Sign the agreement."

I would not budge, so she became furious and started throwing insults.

"Fine, Ryan. You'll regret this. Don't beg me to come back later. You're not even worth one of Wesley's fingers—"

I snatched the signed agreement from her and snapped, "I'll see you at the Civil Affairs Bureau next Monday morning. Don't be late. Also, pack your stuff soon. I'm selling this house."

The next day, Leela stormed into my office. She started to scold before even meeting me.

"You ungrateful scumbag! How could you divorce Jen after two years of marriage? What, do you have someone else on the side?"

She did not hold back, hurling insult after insult.

"Do you think the Wagners are still a thing? We Walters could easily wipe you off the face of the earth!"

I had my assistant record the whole conversation. After all, Leela was a kind and gentle woman in public.

Her rant was vile, but she never even got to see me.

Later that evening, I went out with some old friends I had not seen in a while.

They were aware of what I was up to.

Zack Moller, one of my friends, asked curiously, "Ryan, are you serious?"

I downed a drink and responded, "Dead serious. It's over."

The group exhaled in relief.

"Honestly, Ryan, you've wasted two years of your life. We've warned you so many times, but you were so stubborn, like you were cursed or something."

"I saw Jen with another guy just a few days ago," one of them chimed in.

I glanced at him, and he immediately clammed up.

Zack patted my shoulder and tried to comfort me. "Alright, man. Let's chill tonight and blow off some steam. Do you want to hit up another spot?"

We ended up at a bar we used to frequent.

As soon as we sat in our usual booth, Zack exclaimed, "No way, man. Speak of the devil."

I followed his gaze and saw Jen leaning against Wesley.

As I got up, my friends followed.

Jen, clearly drunk, was muttering complaints about me.

"Wesley, you're so much better than Ryan. He says he wants a divorce, but without me, he's nobody. He always causes me trouble."

Wesley stroked her hair and comforted her, "Jen, just divorce him and be with me. I'll never treat you like that—"

I grabbed a beer bottle and poured it over Jen's head.

Both of them were startled. When Jen saw me, she immediately switched to a look of disdain.

"What do you want? I'll never forgive you for this!"

I sneered, "You'd better show up on Monday, on time, at the Civil Affairs Bureau. Otherwise, your video with Wesley, your mom's rant, and all the dirty secrets your family has will hit the top of the trending searches."

Jen's face paled as she stared at me in horror.