1. Cheating deserves humiliation...

ELOWEN

My husband Adrian and his first love Lauren were inside his office, supposedly having ‘an important meeting.’

Yet— "Oh Adrian, you’re so naughty!" A sharp intake of moaning caught my ears.

And the joke was on me as I, his assistant and a ‘wife in shadows’ stood right before the CEO's office, witnessing sounds of illegal pleasures bathing in the air, each of their hummus was like a cruel whiplash on my existence…

With a deep inhale, I masked my anguish and knocked on the door, causing an abrupt pause in their fun as I pushed the door open.

“What the hell do you want?” Adrian's voice rang like a distinct bark, even before I could enter.

My heart coiled, suffocation seeped within me as the overly sweet fragrance of perfume hit my nostrils as I stepped inside, blending with the aroma of coffee in my hands that only added more to my headache.

“Your coffee, Mr. Hale.” My words laced with cold professionalism as I walked inside unhesitant.

There, my husband of five years, sitting like a king behind his desk. His loosened tie hung leisurely on his neck, and his shirt buttons were inappropriately open. And on his lap, was Lauren Marlow, my husband’s first love, the woman he couldn't forget.

Her lipstick smeared, her blouse showing most of her bosom and the deep purple marks of their immorality.

They didn’t even bother to fix them in my presence. Instead—

“Coffee?” Adrian frowned, annoyance cloying his brows. “I didn’t ask for coffee.” He snapped, irritation dripping from each word.

Well, I'm aware, still I chose to bring them in. Because it wasn't coffee I wanted to feed them, but I wanted his signatures on a paper that would change our fates completely—our divorce papers.

I had seen enough a week ago… The moment I returned from the Paris conference, I had seen it all—in our bedroom, on our bed, even in the places I had never even stood for more than a few seconds… Therefore, this office display was nothing new—just a public insult added to the private betrayal.

“The board documents need your signature,” I said flatly, striding forward as if I wasn't bothered, but the tight knot in my chest said otherwise.

“And the coffee’s for you and Ms. Marlow.” I put the tray on his desk.

Lauren leaned closer to him, her manicured fingers sliding over his bare chest, tracing the lipstick marks she had given him. “Adrian, isn't she too perky?”

Her eyes threw me a distasteful stare, as she packed up a coffee cup, swirling it leisurely… “Don’t you think it’s time you hire a secretary with— better manners perhaps?”

My fists clenched behind me, nails painfully digging into the skin as I remained silent.

Her emphasis on "secretary" was intentional and full of mockery, as though I hadn't dedicated years to managing this entire company for him, all while concealing the fact that I was his wife at home.

So much so that I even let go of my own career, only to be thrown out in the end… Indeed I was a fool.

“Need your signature on page four, section twelve.” I opened the file for him. “Here, and—here.” I pointed, my tone was tightly professional… Something, I had mastered through these five years working for this ungrateful man.

Adrian glanced at me, his jaw tightening, but he still signed the papers without reading them at all. He always trusted my paperwork. What an irony, isn't it? It nearly made me laugh.

Yet, I bit back. After all, this trust—I'm gonna use it well enough, just like he did mine…

“She’s disrespectful, Adrian.” Lauren's voice rose again, almost like a child making a demand to her guardian.

“If you don’t fire her, I will.” She pouted with demand. It seems like she didn't like how he ignored her in the first place.

Adrian's brows, however, furrowed. His expression tightened, but he didn't lash out. After all, she was his first love, the woman who had always had his heart like no other.

“Calm down, Ren.” He said, his hand massaging her slender waist. “Good help is hard to find, especially in a high-status business.”

A distinct bitterness formed within me. ‘A Good help?’ Yeah, that was what I had always been. A trash can, he can dump anything, but not anymore, Hale.

“Baby!” She whined like a child, “You're missing the point here!” She leaned closer to him, caressing his face as though I never existed.

"Did you forget that I had just returned from studying abroad, and now interning at top New York firms?” Her demand fell out, “Office work was familiar, Adrian. I can certainly manage well—even more than her! She's just a normal graduate, not even from any top university!”

Her words slit through my heart, stomping all my hard work beneath her feet, cruelly reminding me how stupid I was to give up on everything for this same guy.

I couldn't take this anymore. I wanted to react, but I chose to bear it for the sake of my clear way out.

“Shall I leave?” I asked, my tone hardened with professionalism. So much so that Adrian frowned at me.

He didn’t say anything though, only— “Yeah, go away and don't disturb me with any minor things.” He waved me off, as if waving dust off his shoulder.

“I will not.” I agreed, calmly, placing the last page before him, tapping the line where his name was needed.

Without hesitation, he scrabbled his name, oblivious to what he had just signed—our divorce agreement.

“Thank you, Mr. Hale.” My voice was light, almost quivering with gratitude.

“Yeah, now leave!” He tossed the pen, grabbing Lauren's waist tightly, seemingly ready to pound.

I glanced at them, “Umm, Mr. Hale? There's one last thing…”

Their eyes shot up, irritation flickering in their gazes as though I had held their romance hostage.

“What again?” Adrian barked, looking like a dog in heat.

I flashed them a quiet and deliberate smile, “Well, I was saying—I resign.” And dropped my words.

A few simple words, yet the word feels like the shattering of a hundred glasses together.

The quietness gnawed the air, which was disturbed by Lauren's sudden high high-pitched laughter. Very annoying…

“What did you just—”

"Well, you heard me," I interrupted her. I dropped the envelope of my resignation and added, "I even emailed you one later, Mr. Hale. My work's done here as you've gotten a high-quality secretary for yourself.” Each word of mine dripped with malice and sarcasm.

“Who can work and—” The corner of my lips twitched with a lingering smirk, “—be spread legs as well.”

Throwing those words, I turned for the door, giving them no more chance, but—I was wrong. Shameless people like them never truly sit quietly.

“How dare you!?” Lauren's shriek followed me behind, tauntingly and physically... “You need to respect your boss, you pathetic—” Her hand grabbed my arm, her nails dug painfully into my skin deliberately, and that was it…

My hand raised and landed across her cheek, the cracking sound echoed louder than thunder, silencing her, almost turning the air speechless.

Lauren staggered back, shock painted her face in a scarlet hue. Her eyes were wide in sheer disbelief.

“Respect is earned, Lauren Marlow.” Words tore through my throat coldly, staring her down. “Cheating on your wife, or sleeping with another woman’s husband, none of them earns respect. It's desperation, which only deserves humiliation.”

“And both of you are lucky enough that I haven't yet created a scene.” My words laced with disdain, resonated through the office walls coldly.

But how did I forget, I was dealing with shameless shits!

Instead of regret or even a slightest bit of guilt, her eyes burned with fury, “You bloody bitch!” She screamed, lunging at me, but before she could come near, Adrian’s arm snapped out, restraining her. Well, or should I say, saving her?

“Enough,” he barked like a worthless king.

His gaze fell on me, lips parted to say something bitter and brutal, but before he could, I bit him, “Keep your whore under control, Adrian, or else…” The ominous threat seemed to hang in the air, causing him to recoil slightly as his eyes grew wider in disbelief.

Well, isn't it obvious? He had only seen the obedient, docile side of mine, and now, he should taste the bitterness as well.

Knowing what follows next, I didn’t bother anymore. I just turned around and walked out with my head held high…