For a moment, the house fell into complete silence—so quiet we could hear each other’s breathing. She didn’t expect me to say those two words. But it wasn’t the first time I’d said them. Four years ago, when the company had just started gaining traction, I told her to cut ties with the shady people from her past. I begged her to stay away from that kind of crowd. But she didn’t listen. And in the end, trouble found her. I took a knife for her. I nearly died.
On the way to the emergency room, clutching her hand, I said, “If I die, that’s it. But if I survive this and you still refuse to sever ties with them—then we get divorced.”
She cried and promised me that if I made it out alive, she’d do anything I asked. But now, everything had changed. And for the second time, I said those same words—Let’s get divorced.
I turned toward the bedroom. Behind me, Natalie’s voice echoed coldly, “Do whatever you want. If you want a divorce, fine!”
I froze for a moment, my hand gripping the doorknob tightly before I opened the door and stepped inside. Leaning against the door, I heard the sound of her storming out. Bang! The sound of the front door slamming shut felt like a door inside my heart was closing too. She was gone. I crouched down in the corner of the room and cried. The last time I cried like that was back in school. Back then, I was a lonely kid, always bullied, with no one to turn to. I could only hide in a corner and cry silently.
That was when Natalie had stomped up to me, bold and brash, “You're a guy—why are you crying like a coward? Someone bullied you? Why didn’t you fight back?”
I didn’t take her seriously at the time, but she threw an arm around me and started talking about Tom, Harry and Danny. It was the first time I thought someone worse at school than me actually sounded like they knew more than I did. I believed her. Then—got beaten up again.
When she saw me with a swollen face and bruises, she laughed so hard she almost fell over. And I laughed too, like a fool. But from that day on, the bullies stopped messing with me so openly. Because they saw I was no longer just a pushover. I had learned how to fight for my dignity. After that, I never cried again. Until now. Thirteen years of repressed tears burst like a dam, flooding out in waves I couldn’t stop.
***
The next morning, I covered my swollen eyes with sunglasses and went to the company. Natalie wasn’t there.
Robin greeted me with a smug grin. “You actually showed up?” he sneered.
“Still trying to get me fired? Getting tired of being the boy-toy and now you want to be the boss? Who do you think you are? You really don’t know your place, do you?”
“Well, good! Keep acting like this and Natalie’s gonna hate you even more. I can’t wait to see you two get divorced.”
His taunts reminded me of something from years ago when the company hit a crisis and I was feeling utterly defeated. Back then, Natalie had comforted me just like always.
She threw an arm around me and said, “Remember what Tom said? Don’t get angry when facing the enemy—anger only makes you stupid. Let the enemy waste their energy screaming and roaring.”
I asked, “Did Tom really say that?”
She blinked and said, “Whatever. Doesn’t matter. As long as you get it.”
To this day, I still don’t know if Tom ever said that. But I took that lesson to heart.
I looked Robin straight in the eye and calmly said, “Call Natalie. Tell her the board of directors is meeting today.”
“The board?” He let out a mocking laugh.
“You? You think you have the right to call a board meeting? Who do you think you are, seriously? Just some loser who got lucky enough to marry the boss.”
I ignored him and walked straight into the boardroom. This company was something I had built behind the scenes, with my own hands. I brought in the funding. I brought in the investors. Truth was, most of the major shareholders invested because of me.
By that afternoon, the entire company was buzzing with rumors.
“Several major shareholders are forming a united front—they’re holding a board meeting to elect a new chairman!”
“Word is, big changes are coming. Not just a new chairman, but a major reshuffle in management too.”
“This meeting is going to decide the future of the company!”
When Natalie arrived, her face was ice-cold. She sat across from me and stared at me without saying a word. As expected, after the majority vote, I was elected the new chairman of the board.
Immediately, I began appointing new management and reassigning roles across the company. During the entire meeting, Natalie didn’t speak a single word. Not until I called in Robin. He walked in and saw me sitting at the head of the table. The color drained from his face. He was visibly shaken.
“You’re fired,” I said flatly.
He immediately turned toward Natalie, silently begging for help. She stood up. Even when she was stripped of her chairwoman title, she hadn’t said a word in protest. But now—for him—she finally spoke.
“I object. Robin is a valuable asset. We should keep him.”
In the past, seeing her defend another man like that would’ve crushed me. But not now.
Now, I was calmer than ever. “Then let’s put it to a vote,” I said.
Once we reached that point, her objection was meaningless. I held the same percentage of shares as she did. And this time, all the other major shareholders were backing me. She was outnumbered. Her protest meant nothing. Natalie didn’t seem surprised. She said nothing more and walked out of the boardroom, with Robin following behind. I watched them go, then calmly continued the meeting.
When it ended, a few senior shareholders came up to me.
“Kevin, no matter what happens, we’ve got your back. But please, sort things out with your wife. Don’t let outsiders take advantage of this and ruin the company.”
“Yeah, Kevin,” another added. “I still remember when you kneeled at my front door, begging me to invest in this company. Don’t let all that go to waste. Be careful.”
Their advice was part concern for me, part protection of their own interests. I shook hands with each of them, thanking them sincerely.
***
That night, when I got home, I was hit with the warm, familiar smell of food. In the kitchen, Natalie was cooking. I thought she would’ve disappeared for a while. But she was here, making dinner. I couldn’t even remember the last time she cooked at home. Two years ago? Maybe three? Or even longer…
