Chapter 2

Wendy strode into the conference room in a custom-tailored suit and heels. The room fell silent the instant she entered.

Lisa hurriedly pulled out a chair for her, but Wendy didn't sit down right away. Instead, she walked straight up to me.

"Julian, stop scaring everyone with your doomsday talk. Your pretentious act only makes me feel disgusted!" she snapped.

I was momentarily stunned. I'd assumed her earlier call-out was directed at Lisa, but it turned out she was talking to me.

Before I could respond, Wendy continued, "I really regret letting you join this company. I still don't understand why Grandpa insisted on bringing in someone who's just a figurehead.

"Who do you think you are, acting so high and mighty? Do you really believe this company can't run without you?"

We'd been married for five years. Even if it was only in name, married couples were expected to keep up a veneer of harmony in public. Her relentless, humiliating criticism left me stunned, and my expression hardened.

Five years ago, her grandfather, Michael Shaw, had called in an old family favor to bring me into Shaw Group as head of the Cybersecurity Department.

I still recalled what Wendy said back then.

"The company is in a critical situation, Julian. Thank you for lending us a hand."

She had been extremely polite at the time. I could tell she'd just returned from studying abroad, and her youthful, fresh appearance made that clear.

Later, Michael personally encouraged a match between us, and I fell for her at first sight. Given my personality, no amount of money or persuasion could have convinced me to agree to an arranged marriage. My only intention was to help Michael, and that was it.

I had thought that even if Wendy didn't truly like me, she at least liked me enough to give the relationship a try. She had said it was just a trial period to see how things worked out, but that trial had lasted five years. Over time, she forgot all the unseen effort I had put in for her.

I looked at her cold, indifferent face and spoke firmly, "If you want to shut down the Cybersecurity Department, fine. But you need to get Mr. Shaw Senior's approval first. If he agrees, so will I.

"I joined this company because of the relationship between Michael and my grandfather, not because of anyone else here."

Wendy's expression faltered. After a long pause, she tried to put on a fierce front, though it didn't hide her unease.

"What? Are you using Grandpa to pressure me? Is throwing your weight around the only thing you know how to do? I don't even understand why he insisted you join the company. Now, all you do is sit around and contribute nothing."

I looked at her, and the person I had known back then was gone.

Several colleagues grew restless and began urging me to leave.

"Why aren't you leaving? Ms. Shaw has already spoken. You're a grown man, so stop digging in your heels."

"Why make such a scene? You could have ended this without drama."

"Julian, be a man about this and stop dragging it out."

Their sudden hostility puzzled me at first, but once I saw they were all on the same page, everything clicked. I vaguely remembered rumors that they were colluding to embezzle company funds.

The one who'd led the mockery earlier had approached me before. He had subtly probed me about whether I'd be willing to falsify data, but I'd refused him outright. I hadn't connected the dots then, but now it all made sense.

Apparently, that was when the company started alienating me and targeting me at every turn. It turned out it was all these troublemakers stirring things up all along.

And Wendy was still naively believing them. I had no idea what she'd actually learned during her time studying abroad.

I turned toward the person who'd just accused me of "digging in my heels". If I remembered correctly, his name was Zachary Cole. I was ready to call them out.

"Mr. Cole, just because I wouldn't help you with falsifying accounts or setting up shady websites, that's no reason to go all out against me.

"And Mr. Leon Howard, Mr. Victor Grant, you've all been so eager to get rid of me since the meeting started. Whose cake did my department happen to touch?"