Chapter 4

Sharon continued, "I know you only said you were quitting because you were angry. I know I messed up, okay? That's why I came straight home. We built this company together from nothing. Do you really have the heart to walk away from it and me?"

A sharp whiff of unfamiliar cologne caught in the back of my throat, sending a wave of nausea through my stomach. I forcefully shoved her off me and sat up.

Sharon froze, looking at me with a deeply wounded expression. "Are you seriously still mad?"

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver band. "Look, I bought you a gift. I didn't even hold it against you for forging the contract, so why are you still making such a fuss?

"Gabriel can be a little careless sometimes, sure, but his family specializes in overseas trade. He's going to be a massive asset to our growth. I'm doing all of this for the company and for our future. Why can't you just understand that?"

As I stared at the ring in her hand, I vividly remembered the identical one I had seen on Gabriel's finger just hours earlier at the office.

I simply hummed in response.

Sharon never explained her decisions to me. Her uncharacteristic rambling tonight made me wonder if she was truly just drunk or if she was plotting something again.

I slid out of the opposite side of the bed and grabbed a blanket to sleep in the guest room.

Suddenly, Sharon stepped into the doorway, blocking my path. "I remember you have a master list of our core client contacts. Reorganize it and hand it over to Gabriel tomorrow so he can start taking some of the workload off your plate."

I stopped dead in my tracks. So this was the real reason behind her sudden affection.

I brushed past her hand and replied coldly, "I thought he was supposed to be capable. If a big-shot board director has to ask a low-level employee for resources, he's going to be a joke."

Sharon's expression darkened. "Henry, everything you have right now was given to you by this company. I can take it all back in a heartbeat!"

"Be my guest."

With that, I closed the guest room door behind me, shutting out her voice completely.

…

The next morning, I expected Sharon to have already left for the office.

Instead, I walked out to find her sitting at the dining table with an equity transfer agreement resting right by her elbow.

My chest tightened as I recalled what she had whispered last night about preparing a surprise for our anniversary.

Sharon had brought this up before, arguing that since we built the company together, we should split the shares 50-50.

But to keep our secret marriage under wraps and avoid office gossip, I had always let her hold my half of the shares in her name.

Noticing my gaze, she quickly slid the equity transfer agreement into her bag with an awkward look.

"It's not for you," she said stiffly.

I watched her grab her bag and head out the door. I knew she wanted to use those shares to provoke me.

However, I didn't care anymore.

I changed into a clean suit, grabbed my resignation letter, and drove to the office.

The moment I stepped inside, I found a crowd of colleagues gathered around Gabriel, showering him with praise.

"Now you're our boss, right?"

"Man, talk about a power move. You've been here less than a month, and you've already locked down Ms. Lloyd and the entire company."

Catching sight of me, the marketing manager, Caleb Holmes, immediately yelled, "Henry, you're 30 minutes late. Not to mention you completely ghosted the team-building dinner last night without saying a word.

"Talk about a total lack of professionalism. I want a 5,000-word write-up reflecting on your behavior on my desk by the end of the day!"