Morning sun lit our bedroom as I slipped on my jacket, watching Ethan knot his tie. Five years of marriage, and he still made me smile. “Happy anniversary!” I said, arms around him. “Celebrate tonight?” He glanced at his watch. “Client stuff. Maybe this weekend?” I hid my disappointment. “Sure.” He left for another “client dinner,” leaving me in our penthouse, built on Wildflower Boutique’s success—my online store turned multi-million-dollar brand. When Megan, my assistant, texted about being late, I decided to surprise Ethan with coffee at the office, craving a moment with him.
The office was still, but a woman’s giggle stopped me near Ethan’s door. Through the blinds, I saw Megan on his desk, Ethan kissing her, her hands in his hair. My coffee fell, but I was numb. I left, their betrayal clear: her lipstick, his ring, our photo hidden. In my car, I called Jack, my lawyer friend. “I need a divorce and a plan,” I said. We met, and I shared how Ethan became Wildflower’s co-owner for “investor relations.” Months ago, his secretive behavior led me to start a new company quietly. “He’s in trouble,” Jack said.
That evening, I gave Ethan divorce papers. “I saw you with Megan,” I said, cooking dinner. He demanded Wildflower. I handed him transfer papers. “It’s yours,” I said. “No fight?” he asked, suspicious. “I’m moving on,” I replied. He signed, triumphant. At the signing, his lawyer thought I’d lost, but I gave Ethan an empty box with a note: “This is your gain.” Three months later, my new company soared in a bright warehouse. Lisa, fired by Ethan, and top staff joined me. Marcus, a key buyer, switched, loving our designs. He mentioned Wildflower’s IRS issues, thanks to Lisa’s records of Ethan’s negligence.
Jack texted: the IRS froze Wildflower’s accounts, and Ethan was frantic. Six months later, I saw him at a coffee shop, defeated. “You planned this,” he said. “I told you to stop cutting corners,” I replied. “You’ve changed,” he said. “No, you never knew me,” I said, joining Lisa. Ethan took my company, but I built a better one. Justice, not revenge, lifted me. My new business, fueled by my heart, proved I was always the strength behind the success, and that’s something he could never take.
