When the concert hall exploded, my wife rushed headlong toward her first love, leaving me to die in the inferno.

After I was rescued, I asked for a divorce.

My wife, enraged and embarrassed, said, "I only saved Jared first. Is it really necessary to divorce me over that?"

***

"You're not dead yet. Why are you making a fuss?"

Katie Lozano shouted at me, and her eyes red with frustration. But she didn't stop what she was doing.

She poured all the soup from the pot into a thermos.

The rich aroma of chicken soup made my stomach growl with hunger.

But I wasn't going to get to taste that delicious soup.

It was meant for Jared Randall, and I wasn't allowed to touch it.

I lay in the hospital for two days, and she never came to visit.

When I called her, Jared answered the phone.

He said, "Katie is exhausted from taking care of me.

"She's lying in bed now and doesn't have the energy to talk."

Even through the phone, I could picture what was happening.

I was so angry that I smashed the phone on the floor.

God knew how much I wanted to die at that moment.

When the concert hall exploded, Katie instinctively reached for Jared.

She grabbed him and fled towards the exit. I was stunned.

Didn't she see that I was injured?

Jared wasn't hurt at all; he was just a grown man crying.

I lay in the fire, closing my eyes in agony.

The lucky part was that I was rescued by the emergency team just a second before the roof collapsed.

After two days of recovery, I rushed home, eager to confront her.

But she went off on me first, accusing me of being petty and jealous.

It was at that moment I realized that this unequal marriage needed to end.

I was done with her.

"Whatever you think. I'm getting a divorce," I told her.

I dragged myself around with my leg still wrapped in bandages, but she acted like she didn't see.

If it had been Jared, she might have been very anxious.

She would have served him every hour.

She argued, "You're crazy, thinking about divorce over a small matter.

"Jared is bedridden with a fever after barely escaping death. He couldn't cook for himself.

"As his friend, it's only right I take care of him. You're not even a man."

Katie grabbed a pillow from the sofa and threw it at my back in frustration.

In the past, such actions would have left me feeling suffocated and desperate.

But now, I felt a sense of relief. It felt so good to be free.

She hurried off, probably worried Jared might starve.

I rested for a few days, and my leg was almost healed.

I picked up the divorce papers from the lawyer and signed my name.

Since the day she left, Katie hadn't come home.

I wanted to go to her office to talk, but then I received a frantic call from my assistant.

"Mr. Lozano, you need to come back to the office quickly. Mrs. Lozano says she wants to replace you," he said.

As soon as I walked into the conference room, everyone shot me a look of sympathy.

I turned and saw Jared sitting in my seat, giving me a challenging eyebrow raise.

An hour earlier, Katie had given him the seat meant for the vice president.

Everyone knew I was the actual VP of the company.

Katie had just publicly slapped me in the face.

I managed to hold back my anger and dragged Katie out of the conference room.

"What's the meaning of this? Are you trying to replace me?" I asked.

"Don't forget that when your family was about to go bankrupt, he was quick to break off the engagement and run abroad," I added.

Back then, when Katie's family was on the brink of collapse, Jared fled the country to avoid dealing with her.

He broke off their engagement.

He even sent Katie a message: [Don't come looking for me. I can't help with your family's problems.]

Katie was devastated.

She tried borrowing money from all her rich friends, but no one was willing to help.

Falling from grace, she stood in the pouring rain, crying that they were all liars.

She was even dragged into a back alley by some vagrants and nearly lost her dignity.

When I found her, her clothes were nearly torn off.

I beat up those vagrants and chased them away. After that, Katie collapsed into my arms, trembling.

She said she was grateful I was there. I took her home and took good care of her.

She was a girl I had liked since college. How could I just let her go?

I used all my savings to help her make a comeback.

During those days, I often stayed up all night writing plans, nearly running myself into the ground.

I drank with clients until I had a bleeding stomach, almost dying on the operating table.

Katie, the clueless little princess, relied entirely on me.

Eventually, the company revived.

Katie was very moved and wanted to transfer the company into my name, saying she couldn't do it without me. She decided to marry me.

She said, "No one will take away what belongs to you."

I refused, wanting to give her more security. In the end, I only agreed to take ten percent of stakes.

Although I invested more in the marriage, our life was peaceful.

It remained that way until Jared showed up.

"Given his major, Jared is more suitable for this position," Katie said.

Her cold voice brought me back to reality.

Well said! That everyone knew Jared was cynical good-for-nothing.

She added, "Marco, go back to your office and pack your stuff. Make way for Jared.

"Return to your director position and help Jared take over company affairs."

Jared stepped out then, standing next to Katie. They looked like victors, sneering at the defeated.

I said, "Katie, have a conscience. Didn't I treat you well during the years we were together?"

She sneered, "That was your choice. I didn't force you. I married you. What more do you want?"

Now I knew what burning bridges meant.

Back in the office, I glanced around.

This place was like home to me, a trench where I fought side by side with my colleagues.

All the time and energy I put in helped Katie gain respect in the team and made everyone accept her.

I led the company from the brink of bankruptcy to gradual growth and success.

Yet, all of that had now become a stepping stone for some scumbag and his mistress to find happiness.

Jared waltzed in, humming a tune, and grinned at me with smug abandon.

He said, "Marco, no matter what you do, you can't beat me.

"When the concert hall exploded, she saved me first. When I had a fever, she stayed by my side without leaving.

"I only joked about wanting to be the VP, and she agreed right away.

"Hahaha..."

I tore the future development plan I'd stayed up all night working on into pieces, crumpled it up, and threw it at Jared's face.

If he had no shame, then I wouldn't bother preserving their dignity.

Jared looked so pleased with himself.

He snorted, "Are you angry now? Well, let me tell you. Two days ago, we were in bed together.

"Katie moaned in ecstasy. What right do you have to compete with me?"