Chapter 1

I was about to explode from the anger boiling inside me because my wife was kissing another man right in front of me.

They stayed locked in a passionate embrace and refused to part their lips. When they finally pulled away, Carter Enders looked at me with a taunting expression while he held the panting Izzy Sockman in his arms. “Are you deaf? Is it so difficult for you to pour me a drink?”

My wife leaned into his arms while she tidied her messy skirt. “Do not make me repeat this, Shawn. Tomorrow is the day Sockman Enterprise goes public. Carter and Eugene are here with me to meet Frank Collier from White Mount Investments. Do you think you can take responsibility for any consequences tomorrow if you upset them?”

It was a ridiculous sight.

My great‑grandfather had been in the army when he was young. When his battalion was separated after an attack, he was saved by a Sockman who fed him half a piece of bread when he was close to starving to death.

Our family had been in the Sockmans’ debt ever since, and we had always been grateful.

When we found the Sockmans, Izzy owned a small twenty‑person company that was close to bankruptcy. I invested in her company without hesitation and turned her from a failing owner into a powerful CEO. I even married her because it had been my great‑grandfather’s dying wish. We had been together for three years.

She was now humiliating me because of her two lovers.

“I am your husband, Izzy, not your waiter,” I said calmly while I tried to suppress my anger.

Izzy burst into laughter. “My husband? Do you earn enough for me, or have you done anything useful? You are not a sweet talker like Carter, and you are not as smart as Eugene. What else do you know besides cooking and cleaning? Do you think I would marry you if my grandfather had not insisted on it?”

She waved me off with impatience.

“If you cannot serve us drinks, then go pay the bill. After that, start the car and make sure the air conditioning is running. You need to take us to the presidential suite. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get the car. Or do you want a divorce instead?”

My wife was asking me to take her and her lovers to a hotel room.

She did not seem to remember that when my great‑grandfather was close to death three years ago, her grandfather had knelt beside his hospital bed and begged him to let Izzy marry me. When my great‑grandfather learned that the Sockmans were not capable businessmen, he thought about it for three days before he agreed. He allowed me to marry into the Sockman family to repay the debt and help strengthen Izzy’s business for three years.

“If she still cannot be helped after three years, we will consider the debt fully repaid.”

Back then, I had been willing to let her enjoy a comfortable life even if she was not smart, as long as she was dutiful and responsible. It now seemed clear that she would never change.

I dumped the food I brought her into the garage bin. Izzy’s eyes widened as she lost her temper. “Are you throwing a tantrum in front of me? Who are you throwing a hissy fit at, Shawn? If you are not careful, I will leave you with nothing after divorcing you!”

Carter added fuel to the fire. “Izzy is the one who is about to become rich. What is with your act? Do you really think you will get rich just by having sex with Izzy? Why not just castrate him, Izzy? That would stop him from ordering you around.”

“I cannot do that. My grandfather chose him as my husband. I cannot explain it to him if I castrate Shawn.” Izzy took a deep breath and gave me a condescending look. “I will overlook what you did just now. If you know what is good for you, go home and make me a hangover remedy for when I return. Make sure you kneel at the door when I get back, and I will consider keeping a good‑for‑nothing like you around and forgive you for what you did.”

“No need. I am just a nobody who will not disturb you any longer, Miss Sockman.”

Izzy looked stunned. “What do you mean, Shawn? What is with the sarcastic tone?”

I ignored her and pulled the door open before I walked out. When I reached downstairs, I called my assistant, Frank. “Prepare my divorce papers and the contract for Sockman Enterprise’s equity transfer, and send them to their office. Also, I want the person ringing the bell tomorrow to be changed.”

Frank sounded surprised. “Who do you want it changed to, Mr. Colter?”