The Chairman's Farewell

A sudden blizzard shut down the city. The snowy roads were slick, and I got into a car accident. I was on the verge of death. I called my wife over and over. No one picked up. Just as despair set in, I saw her stumble out of the car that hit me. Her clothes were a mess. There were red marks on her neck. And the man in the driver's seat was her assistant. He looked a bit like me. The signs had been there all along. The woman who once smiled and said, "I'll take care of you"—her heart had already strayed. I threw away everything for love. I married into her family. Now, it's all just a joke. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. "Leo, get ready to pull all cooperation with the Xu family." If the love is gone, then it's time to leave. I got out of the hospital and stood in the kitchen making dinner. My mind was still stuck on what happened a week ago. Right as I finished cooking, Yvonne Xu walked through the door. She wrapped her arms around me from behind, greedy, blissful. "Ethan, every time I come home and see you working in the kitchen for me, I feel so happy." "I love you so much, Ethan. I really, really love you." Her cheek rubbed against my back, back and forth, like she wanted to melt right into me. My body went stiff. I thought of the panicked look she gave Keith that day, and I said coldly, "Dinner's ready. I've got stuff to do. I'm heading out. Does it hurt your conscience to say things like that, Yvonne?" I pulled free of her arms and untied my apron. I turned around to find her looking at me, hurt, and she said, "Are you still mad about that day? It was all a misunderstanding, I swear. I'd just gotten back from a work dinner. My phone was dead from the cold. That's why I didn't get your calls." "Keith didn't mean it either. He was on a call with a client. He just didn't see you." Hearing that, my heart went even colder. Her disheveled clothes that day, her messy hair, the red marks on her neck—they'd already told me everything. She cheated. And the guy she cheated with was the one who put me in the hospital. She stopped me from calling the cops, too. I was in that hospital room, in so much pain. They were outside, comfortable and close with each other. Ha. What a fool I was. No, I am a fool. As for Yvonne—that "I love you, I love you so much" stuff—I believe she means it. After all, even though she didn't answer my calls, the panic in her eyes the moment she saw me—I caught that. But her heart still had room for someone else. The thought made me colder. My hands clenched into fists so tight my knuckles went white. Over the years, people always told me how lucky I was. A live-in husband, and I found a wife who cares about me this much—and she's rich, too. The kind who'd rush home through a hailstorm because she was thinking about her husband. But now I get it. Yvonne just needs someone by her side. And that someone—whether it's me or Keith—doesn't really matter. It felt like a blizzard had swept through my chest. Cold. So, so cold. I swallowed the cold feeling down. I didn't say anything. I put on my jacket and turned to leave. But Yvonne whined at me, playing cute. "Oh, come on. What if I push all my work aside today and just spend time with you?" "Don't be sad anymore, okay? Please? Come on. Smile for your wife." Hearing that made everything taste even more bitter. Yvonne, if you love me so much, why did you cheat? I smiled. A broken, miserable smile. Right then, someone knocked on the door. Yvonne looked puzzled. "This late? In a snowstorm? Who could that be?" My mind went straight to one person. I watched coldly as she opened the door, and sure enough—there was Keith, her male assistant. Keith's face lit up when he saw Yvonne at the door. Then his eyes landed on me, standing behind her. His expression dropped. He whispered something to her. Yvonne listened, frowned a little, then turned to me and said gently, "Honey, be good and wait for me at home. Don't go anywhere. Something came up at work. I need to deal with it." "Remember—don't go anywhere." Her pale finger pressed firmly against my chest, like she was casting a spell to trap me right there. Before, I would have followed her orders without question. I'd wait up no matter how late. But not anymore. Under Keith's taunting gaze, I said just one word, flat and emotionless. "Fine." I knew what this was. Another one of Keith's little games to win her attention. Put me next to him, and I don't exactly have the upper hand, do I? I mean, one of us is a house-husband who just knows how to cook. The other? A shining star in the business world. The front door closed. It was like a wall went up, splitting two worlds. Outside—bright, shining success. Inside—dark, lonely me. Before, I walked into this house willingly and locked the door behind me. But not anymore. Me—the live-in husband everyone looks down on—I pushed open the door I'd been shut behind for ten years. I wrapped myself in a thick black overcoat, pulled down my black felt hat, and stepped calmly into the snowy night. A car pulled up, quiet and discreet. I got in. It shot forward in an instant and caught up to Yvonne's car—a bright red Ferrari F8. Through the tinted window, I watched her and Keith inside. They looked like they were whispering sweet nothings. I cracked my window open. The wind carried their voices to me. "Yvonne, you work so hard, and Ethan can't even be supportive." "I told him I'd take care of him. Besides, he's basically illiterate. There's no way he could help you run the company as well as I do." I tightened my fist. Without me pulling strings behind the scenes, Yvonne's business wouldn't be running so smoothly. But from her lips? All the credit went to Keith. "So, baby, if I'm doing this well... do I get a reward?" Keith's eyes were full of hunger. Yvonne laughed, leaned over, and kissed his cheek. That kiss was like flipping a switch. Keith's hands started wandering all over her. Yvonne let out a flirty little protest. "Stop it. I'm driving. You don't want another accident like last time." Keith didn't seem to care. "Ethan's at home now. Yvonne, I really, really like you. So much. Divorce him. I'm tired of waiting." I didn't want to watch anymore. My voice wasn't exactly calm as I told my subordinate in the driver's seat. "Leo. Go faster." Leo looked a little surprised but didn't say anything after seeing my dark expression. He stepped on the gas, and the car surged ahead. Keith watched the black blur flash past and said to Yvonne, full of envy, "That's a Maybach Exelero. Worth over a hundred million. Only one in the world. The ultimate dream car for any guy. Can't believe I just saw one here." Yvonne couldn't care less about cars. She pulled her collar tighter and sped up too. Maybe she was in a rush to deal with work and get back home to me. I watched them in the rearview mirror and said flatly to Leo, "Are the divorce papers ready?" Leo's eyes filled with a vicious glint. "Mr. Gu, do you want me to..." I shook my head. I came here alone, for love. I should leave with the same dignity. The engine roared, burying the love I once held so deep.Late that night, I finished taking care of things. I planned to tell Yvonne about the divorce the next day. When I got home, she still wasn't back. I took a shower. I walked out naked, ready to crawl into bed, and Yvonne threw herself at me from behind. Her body was wrapped in cold air, snowflakes still clinging to her. The freezing chill against my skin made me shiver. "Baby, you're such a good boy. You didn't go anywhere. Now... how should I reward you?" Her cold little hands started roaming all over me. Through the huge floor-to-ceiling window, I saw her reflection. Her cheeks were flushed. Her breathing was getting heavier, hungry. "Baby, what would I do without you? So... let me reward you with a baby." My body froze. Ten years with Yvonne. Ten years of marriage. I'd tangled myself around her late at night countless times, wanting to have a child with her. Every single time, she shut me down. The idea of childbirth terrified her. Like having a kid would strip away the free, beautiful woman she was forever. I understood that fear, so I never pushed, even though I really wanted a kid of my own. And now, right when I'm ready to leave, she finally says yes. I turned to look at Yvonne. I knew she meant it. This wasn't her just stringing me along. My reflection stared back at me from her eyes, and her gaze sparkled like stars. When I didn't say anything for a while, she laughed lightly. "What? Too happy to speak?" "I'll try really hard to be a good mom. Let's do this together, okay, baby?" Too bad we can't go back to the way things were. I looked away from her bright eyes and forced myself to sound gentle. "Let's wait until tomorrow. It's too late now." Yvonne didn't seem too happy with that answer. She pouted, looking hurt. I didn't say anything else. I tried to be the man who still loved her, just for a little longer. A warm smile pulled at my lips. "You're no fun. Fine, tomorrow works. But right now? I want you to carry me to bed. Like a princess." I swallowed down the discomfort and scooped her into my arms. When I set her on the bed, she hooked her arms around my neck and pulled me down with her. Her triumphant little laugh filled my ears. "You big block of wood. Tomorrow night, you'll be waiting for me here, all clean and ready." "We're going to take on humanity's greatest mission together. Making a baby!" Her red lips pressed against mine, whispering the same sweet things we used to say. The stars faded. The moon slipped away. She fell asleep, just like always. I took one long, hard look at her, then turned away to shower again. There was a time I thought my eyes could see through it all. Understand it all. Every part of her. The beautiful parts. The barren parts. I thought I could reach through to the very core of her soul and touch the surging love inside. But now, I'm not sure I ever really saw her at all. I cleaned myself up. When I walked out, her phone screen was lit up. I hadn't meant to look, but I saw a message from Keith. One of those half-body shots the corporate climbers love to use. My subordinates are big fans of those profile pics. I pressed my finger to the phone's fingerprint scanner. It unlocked instantly. Her phone never had any locks against me. Mine was the same. I scrolled through her chat history with Keith. Started from the very beginning. "Boss, you're beautiful." "Boss, you're so gentle." "Boss, I really hate that I didn't meet you earlier." Message after message. At first, Yvonne's responses were pretty normal. But as the timestamps got closer and closer to the present, their conversations turned more and more suggestive. "Boss, in private... can I call you baby?" "Sure." I stared at that exchange. The timestamp was exactly one week ago. That was when Keith had hit me with his car and put me in the hospital. I'd been covered in injuries, nursing my wounds alone in the freezing night. Yvonne sat next to my hospital bed, whispering sweet things to the guy who put me there. Her heart had slipped away. I was gasping for air, emotions crushing my chest so hard I couldn't breathe. It felt like I'd been stripped naked and thrown into a snowbank. The ice and frost froze my blood solid, and even my soul was about to turn to ice. My eyes finally locked onto the last message Keith had sent. "Baby, divorce Ethan so I can marry you. Okay?" My fist clenched so tight it hurt. I could barely keep the storm inside me under control. Right then, Yvonne murmured in her sleep, frowning. "Honey... I'm so cold. Hold me." I took a deep, deep breath. I put the phone down. I went over and held her. I studied her face, really looked at her. My hand reached out without thinking, tracing her features. The truth is, the very first time I met Keith, I sensed something off. He looked too much like me. And after he showed up, Yvonne kept saying work was busy. She came home later and later. Sure, she'd crawl into bed with me late at night, cling to me, tell me she loved me. But looking back now? That love was just a thin cover over her betrayal. In my warm arms, her frown smoothed out. A soft smile settled on her face. But the words that came out of her mouth froze my heart solid. "Keith, stop messing around. It tickles." My thoughts went blank. I shot up. The anger in my eyes couldn't be held back anymore. It burst out like a flood breaking through a dam. I picked her phone back up. To Keith's message, I typed a single word. "Okay."I spent the night on the couch, smoking one cigarette after another. Through the curling gray smoke, I got up to make Yvonne her final breakfast. Today was the day. I was going to tell her I wanted a divorce. She appeared in the kitchen wearing the pink pajamas I'd picked out for her. Keith was right behind her. "Morning, honey. Thanks for making breakfast. Oh—make some for Keith too." I turned around with the pan in my hand and caught the disdain in Keith's eyes. Like he was looking at some old relic ready for the trash. He saw me turn and practically smirked. "Ethan, I gotta say, I'm so jealous of your life. All you do is sleep. What a gig." "The title's kinda rough, though. Live-in husband. Ha." Yvonne threw her arms around me, beaming. "Of course! I told you, I'd take care of him." I just watched it all, blank-faced. She wasn't taking care of me. I was the one covering for her behind the scenes. Everyone thinks I'm some useless, pathetic live-in husband. The truth is, I'm the biggest financial backer behind Yvonne's company. I waited for the leftover heat in the pan to sear the steak to medium-well, then smiled at Keith. "If you're so jealous, why don't you take over? Cook for Yvonne instead of me?" Keith's eyes flashed—smug, mocking. But out loud, he acted shocked. "Oh, I could never. No way would I be a kept man. If I ever married Yvonne, I'd marry her properly. The real way." "Living off her family? That's just embarrassing." When he said that, he shot Yvonne a heated look. Yvonne just pouted and squeezed me tighter, defending our—no, my—situation. "No. I like it when Ethan cooks for me. You're going to cook for me for the rest of my life." Keith had basically spit in my face, and Yvonne just acted like she didn't hear a thing. What a joke. My eyes couldn't help but drift to the Rolex Submariner "Hulk" on Keith's wrist. He was making sure I saw it. I'd seen that box at home before. Thought it was an anniversary gift for me. But the next time I saw it, it was on Keith's arm. She'd never given me anything that expensive. She definitely never gave me a watch—something that actually shows a man's status. Everyone knows Yvonne loves me. What they don't know is that her love isn't exactly... exclusive. My smile got brighter and brighter on the outside. Inside, my heart was bleeding. "I'm about to head out. Keith can make his own breakfast." I untied my apron and moved to leave. Yvonne wasn't having it. Her face dropped. "Honey, what's up with you lately? Why do you keep going out? Is there something going on? Let me handle it for you." "Did you forget? Tonight's the night. Our big... project. No way. You're not going anywhere today. You're sticking with me. We're meeting a client later." I laughed to myself. That client they were about to meet? That was me. Oh, and the divorce papers too. Fine. I'd have one last breakfast with her. After breakfast, Keith jumped into the passenger seat of Yvonne's two-seater Ferrari F8 before I could even move. "Ethan, sorry about this. The client meeting's about to start, and I've still got documents to review." "You don't really have anything to do anyway. How about you just grab a cab?" Yvonne looked at me, a little torn. But her words sided with Keith. "Honey, this client's really important. You..." I gave her a long look. "Work comes first." I hailed a cab and followed far behind Yvonne's car. We got to the hotel fast. I watched from a distance as Yvonne and Keith were escorted inside with the utmost respect. The doorman stopped me. The place was booked out by Dragonshine Group. If I couldn't prove I belonged here, I wasn't getting in. Just as I was about to explain who I was, Keith came scurrying over and snapped at the doorman, "This is President Xu's little boy toy. Don't you recognize him?" The doorman's face lit up with sudden understanding. "Oh, that famous live-in husband? You should've just said so." He waved me inside. I walked through slowly, feeling the mocking stares from the doorman and Keith on my back. The second I reached Yvonne, Keith ran over again, all out of breath. "Ethan, this client's a big deal. You're a kept man with no real-world experience. Keep your mouth shut." Yvonne looked worried too. "This client is the biggest investor our company's ever had. If anyone says anything about who you are... just stay calm, okay, honey?" "We'll talk about everything when we get home." Keith frowned beside her. "Yvonne, maybe we should have Ethan wait somewhere else? If something goes wrong because of him, the damage to the company would be huge." "I told you, a man like him shouldn't be at a place like this. What 'things' does he even have to do? Go grocery shopping? Haggle with old ladies over vegetables? Everyone here deals in millions per minute." Yvonne hesitated. She looked at me. "Ethan, what do you think?" She actually wanted me to be the one to say I'd leave. I would. Soon enough. More people started drifting over. "Hey there, President Xu. Oh, is that your little house-husband? A guy like that is fine for some fun, but at an important event like this? What if he screws things up?" "No wonder he's in this line of work. Gorgeous face. Great body. President Xu, can I borrow your boy toy for a few days? Just to play?" My eyes narrowed. I made a mental note to have Leo deal with these people later. But what really got me? Hearing others mock me like that and watching Yvonne just frown a little. She didn't say a word. Keith saw his chance and piled on, smug. "This man belongs to our President Xu. If you want one, go spend your own money." "If you don't want to spend that much, just hit a nightclub and order a male model. Three thousand a night. That's about what they're worth. Any more is a waste." The others burst out laughing. "True. Guys like this get boring fast. Not worth spending real money on." "A man needs a career to be attractive. What good is a pretty face? Live-in husband. Ha." With everyone laughing at me right in front of her, Yvonne finally walked over. And the first thing she did was try to get rid of me. "Ethan, maybe you should just go home. I'll be with you when I get back." I felt nothing. How many times had I gone through this over the years? Tonight? This was just a light round. But Yvonne's words still cut cold. She hadn't called me by my name in years. When people talked about me like I was some toy she'd bought, some plaything, she couldn't even find the nerve to say I was her real, legally-wed husband. Instead, she told me to go home. Maybe, in her head, I really was just her boy toy. Right then, my subordinate's car pulled up. I said flatly, "No need. Leo's here." Yvonne still looked confused about who this "Leo" was. Everyone else, though, spotted my subordinate's car and immediately flocked to it, trying to get on his good side. Before he even stepped out, the flattery started. "I thought I felt a warm spring breeze. Turns out it was President Li arriving." "Seeing President Li is like seeing the God of Wealth himself." "President Li, step right here when you get out. Watch out for slippery spots. My suit's Italian, custom-made. Perfect for traction." Bowing and scraping one minute after acting high and mighty. The thought alone was laughable. And President Li—the man they were all fawning over—didn't pay them any attention. He got out of the car with a frown, his eyes scanning the crowd. None of them had a clue what he was searching for. Then Keith shoved his way over and pushed me aside. "Why are you still standing here? Stay out of President Li's way." The shove sent me stumbling. Yvonne shot me an annoyed look. But I didn't feel any of it anymore. The disappointment had piled up high enough. Time to go. I looked toward President Li. He happened to look my way at the exact same moment. His whole expression shifted. The next second, he strode straight toward me.