The vice president position at the company was vacant. My wife proposed a competition: whoever between me and her childhood friend could successfully start a new business within three years would get the role.
I went south. Her childhood friend went north. Each of us on our own merits.
For three years, I poured everything I had into building my startup until it reached a market value of over a hundred million dollars.
To avoid creating conflict with her childhood friend, I lied and said my venture had failed, then came back to the company.
During those three years, her childhood friend had grown quickly too, becoming a rising star in the business world.
But at the succession ceremony, my wife's rival suddenly made a quip.
"Kathleen, if you really wanted to test them, you shouldn't have opened up resources for them. You should've made them figure it out on their own."
I smiled. "Mrs. Simmons, my wife even cut off our living expenses. I just wasn't good enough."
"Impossible!"
Mrs. Simmons waved her glass, her cheeks flushed with wine. "Last year Kathleen traded shares to get me to open up northern resources. You're telling me that didn't help?"
My gaze snapped to my wife. My expression darkened.
Kathleen Pruitt let out an awkward laugh. "Arthur Dickerson, you're my husband. No matter what, your life going forward won't be bad."
"But—"
She cut me off, her face turning cold. "But what? Dylan has always struggled with insecurity. I was just giving him enough reassurance."
"You've been riding on the fact that you're my husband, blinded by your own arrogance. If you had any self-awareness at all, you'd start over from the bottom!"
"And if you even think about eyeing Dylan's VP position, don't blame me for what comes next!"
Bitterness flooded my chest. My hand tightened around my phone.
Inside it was evidence of her tax evasion. Since this was how things were, there was no reason for me to keep covering for her.
——
I looked at Kathleen.
"I'm only going to ask you one thing. What Mrs. Simmons just said about opening up the northern resources—is it true?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face before she smoothed it away.
"Arthur, everyone knows you got where you are because of me. All I did was give the position to someone with actual ability."
"Don't worry. Once your skills improve a little, I'll definitely promote you."
I laughed.
"Promote me. You won't do it now, but you're telling me 'later'?"
"And you told me it was a fair competition, then secretly funneled him resources behind my back. That's your idea of fair?"
I couldn't let it go.
"What am I to you?"
"Was this all just a game to you?"
But the next second, her voice dropped low and hard.
"I told you, I was only giving Dylan some reassurance. What are you making a scene about?"
"That's not a reason to lie to me!"
Kathleen's patience snapped. "The company is mine. I can give the VP position to whoever I want!"
"Forget about me helping Dylan. Even without my help, do you honestly think your three years of accomplishing absolutely nothing could compare to him?"
Right on cue, Dylan Henson rushed forward, his face full of concern. "Arthur, please don't fight with Kathleen."
"This is all my fault. I'm the one who told her during the startup phase that I felt insecure. That's why she pulled strings for me."
"Dylan, this isn't your fault. You don't need to apologize to him!" Kathleen pulled him behind her and fixed me with a cold stare.
"You couldn't even handle a startup without running it into the ground. You really think you have what it takes to lead a company?"
"We've all seen how hard Dylan has worked. He has the management skills. He deserves to be VP."
"With me as your CEO wife, you could do nothing for the rest of your life and still never go hungry. I don't even know what you're complaining about!"
"Complaining?"
I laughed.
"You see his effort. But what about mine? When I was drinking myself into a stomach ulcer trying to land investors and close clients, where were you?"
I kicked the chair over.
It grazed past Dylan.
My wife stared at me in shock. This was the first time I had ever defied her.
