The Wife and the Assistant
I froze her black card and sent her the screenshot. "You've forgotten our three rules, Mrs. Sterling."
She replied instantly, begging me to unfreeze the card. "I don’t carry that much cash."
"Then find the nearest gentleman’s club and pole dance for tips," I wrote. "With your status, you’ll earn plenty."
After a minute of silence, I sent a news alert: her family’s company, which I had propped up, had lost nearly a billion dollars in market value.
If she insisted on funding her boy toy, I’d make her pay it back tenfold first.
1
While Wall Street was still reeling from the sudden, inexplicable drop of a billion-dollar company, a video call from Amelia came through.
"Ethan, stop this nonsense. If I get up on a stage and dance, it's your reputation I'm humiliating, not just mine!"
Seeing the fury in her red-rimmed eyes, I offered only a cold smirk. "Amelia, I'll ask you one more time. Are you going to dance, or not?"
"Choices have consequences. You have thirty seconds. Otherwise…"
She hung up before I could finish.
Less than half a minute later, my phone started buzzing with videos from my friends who were also at the auction.
There she was. Amelia, my wife, dressed in a scandalously short dress, her face a mask of shame and wounded pride, her body moving around a brass pole with a practiced, elegant grace that was utterly out of place.
"Damn, Ethan, you're the man! That's how you handle a woman who steps out of line!"
"You've got her wrapped around your finger, Sterling! You have to share your secrets with the rest of us!"
I read their fawning messages, told them to delete the videos, and then sent a final text to Amelia.
"Amelia, remember your place. And don't ever forget the three rules we agreed upon on our wedding day."
This time, she didn't reply.
I knew she was furious.
I didn't care.
Ours was a marriage of convenience, a business merger. There were no feelings involved. Her family was insignificant compared to mine, but they were desperate for money and status, and I needed a wife to appease my parents.
Before the wedding, I had laid out our three rules, clear and non-negotiable.
"I will respect your public image as Mrs. Sterling. I will give you children to inherit the Sterling empire. But you will have no say in my business affairs."
"As for you, your only job is to be the perfect Mrs. Sterling. Do what is expected of you. Nothing more, nothing less. Do you understand?"
"If you can accept these terms, we get married. If not, you can walk away right now. But once you leave this room as my fiancée, the deal is sealed."
I saw her lips part, a protest forming, and I cut her off with a cold laugh.
"Miss Yang, let's be clear. Our families are not equals. You bring me no tangible benefits. If you refuse, I will find another woman, give her family a fraction of what I'm offering yours, and marry her instead. It's that simple."
She had nodded, a flicker of resentment in her eyes, but she had no grounds to refuse.
And to her credit, she had played the part of Mrs. Sterling perfectly for years. We even had a son and a daughter. As a reward for her good behavior, I had elevated her father's company from a minor firm to a billion-dollar corporation.
I never imagined that after all these years of peaceful coexistence, she would dare to cross the line.
This business with the assistant wasn't just a misstep; it was a direct challenge. His blatant, public boasting felt like a personal insult. I do not permit others to covet what is mine. Not even with a glance.
Toward evening, another message came from Amelia.
"Attending a gala tonight. Will be home late."
I snorted and went back to my work.
An hour later, my executive assistant forwarded me another screenshot from the boy toy's social media.
"You are the gentle breeze I have always dreamed of."
The picture was a selfie of him at the gala, a demure smile on his face, but his eyes gleaming with pride and triumph. The lighting on his face was soft, clearly cast by a woman holding the phone for him.
At the same time, my friend Liam sent me a photo from the same event.
It was Amelia, stunning in a couture gown, holding up her phone, aiming it directly at the pretty boy. The look on her face was one of indulgent, doting affection. The corners of her mouth were curved into a self-satisfied smile. Her intention was painfully obvious.
"What's going on, Ethan? Looks like your magic touch is failing you!"
In both pictures, the $99 million emerald necklace was impossible to miss, a glittering declaration of war.
She knew my friends would be at that gala. She knew I would see it.
Yet she had willingly played photographer for him, even tacitly approved his provocative post, all as a petty act of revenge against me. She was using my reputation as a stepping stone for her boy toy.
A cold smile touched my lips as I opened my chat with her.
"It seems my generosity has been mistaken for weakness. You're getting bold, Amelia."
Three minutes passed. No reply.
My smile widened. I texted Liam.
"She's not looking at her phone?"
His reply was instant. "She glanced at it and shut it off. You about to read her the riot act?"
I sent one last message to Amelia.
"Ignoring me? You have ten seconds to reply. Or you'll regret it."
Ten seconds later, I sent her a photo of the signed divorce papers I always kept ready.
"ETHAN STERLING! ARE YOU INSANE? IT'S JUST A FEW PICTURES! IS IT REALLY WORTH ALL THIS DRAMA?"
Simultaneously, a text from Liam arrived.
"HOLY SHIT, MAN! What did you say? Her hands are shaking so bad she can barely type!"
I sent back a smirking emoji. "Sit back and enjoy the show."
Then I made a call to my household manager and instructed him to have my children taken to the airport immediately for a flight out of the country.
Liam's next message came quickly. "DUDE! TEACH ME YOUR WAYS! SHE'S LITERALLY ON HER KNEES STARING AT HER PHONE."
At the exact same moment, Amelia's text appeared.
"They're your children too!"
Her messages were now frantic, punctuation thrown in haphazardly, her panic palpable through the screen.
"Call me. Now," I typed.
Her call came instantly, her voice laced with fury. "Ethan Sterling! What the hell do you think you're doing? You've had your fun, you've made your point! Why are you dragging our children into this? Are you forgetting they're your own flesh and—"
I cut her off. "Start a video call."
"What are you planning to do?"
"I said, start a video call. Now."
Amelia hesitated for a moment before complying. I saw several of my friends and business associates in the background of her video. I smiled.
"Gentlemen, good evening. I hear my wife brought a new face to the party tonight. Is that right?"
Amelia's voice trembled as she rushed to explain. "Darling, you've misunderstood! He's just my assistant!"
I laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. "What kind of boss spends ninety-nine million dollars on an emerald for their assistant?"
"But don't be nervous," I continued, my voice dropping to a silken threat. "I told you I'd give you a chance. I hear the waters off the coast here are known for their shark population. I've lived a long life, but I've never actually seen a shark feed on a person."
"So, Mrs. Sterling, would you be so kind as to throw your assistant into the ocean for me? I'd love to see the show."
That night, the coastline was ablaze with the lights of search and rescue boats, their calls echoing over the water.
Liam's excited voice notes flooded my phone.
"Ethan, you are the absolute king! You've got the whole 'master of the house' thing down to a science!"
"Your wife is a piece of work, too! Grabbed that pretty boy by the hair and just chucked him into the sea!"
"You sure this isn't just part of some kinky game you two play?"
"Getting thrown into the ocean like a bag of trash by a woman… if that were me, I'd never show my face in public again."
"Seriously, man, teach me your ways! I'll buy you dinner, just give me a few pointers."
I chuckled at his message. "First, you lay down the law. Then, if they don't listen, you bring down the hammer. You think you have the stomach for that?"
"Not a chance in hell!"
Liam and his wife were high school sweethearts, a genuine love match. He was completely whipped. My methods would never work for him.
"By the way," he added, "I saw your wife jump in after him. Trying to save him. You're not worried?"
"Why would I be?" I replied coolly. "It's easy enough to find a more obedient woman to be the next Mrs. Sterling."
Liam sent back a quick "Savage, man," and then went silent.
An hour later, Amelia returned, drenched and disheveled. She stumbled into the foyer, and the moment she saw me, her eyes, red and swollen, blazed with fury, her chest heaving.
"The boy is in the ocean. The children are gone. Are you satisfied now?"
I was on a conference call, negotiating a deal. I didn't even grant her a glance.
Only after I'd hung up did she speak again, taking a deep breath to control her rage. "Ethan, I did everything you asked. What more could you possibly want? Tell me!"
I took a sip of my coffee, my eyes raking over her soaked, clinging dress with disdain. Our gazes met, and the fire in hers was instantly extinguished by the ice in mine.
She collapsed onto the floor, hugging her knees, her voice a raw whisper.
"Even if I was in the wrong today, does that give you the right to utterly destroy my reputation? To push me to the brink? If the rescue team hadn't been so fast, I'd be facing manslaughter charges right now! What do you want from me?"
I looked at her, my expression devoid of emotion.
"Are you sure I'm the one who destroyed your reputation? Weren't you the one who broke our agreement first?"
Defeated, her lips moved several times before she spoke. "Leo is just a college graduate. What could possibly happen between us? After all these years of marriage, don't you trust me?"
"Amelia, I can choose to believe your words. But your actions have been a profound disappointment."
"Do you think that boy could earn ninety-nine million dollars in a hundred lifetimes? You can't even produce that kind of cash yourself, yet you'd buy something so extravagant for him?"
"Forcing me to foot the bill for another man is one thing. But what gives him the right to have the great Mrs. Sterling dive into the ocean to save him? Have you ever once considered your own status, your own identity?"
Amelia looked up at me, her face a picture of wounded confusion. "He just seemed off at work these past few days. I wanted to cheer him up, so I made a grand gesture. It was a joke. I never thought you'd take it so seriously."
"I don't understand why you're so angry. It's not like I cheated on you…"
I let out another cold laugh.
"Who is he, some kind of god? It costs ninety-nine million dollars to cheer him up? Can you guarantee he wouldn't see that as an invitation, that it wouldn't give him ideas he has no right to have?"
"If not for your indulgence, a nobody like him would never have even entered my orbit. But now he feels bold enough to challenge me on social media. Don't tell me you didn't see it."
"Respect is a two-way street, Amelia. You trampled all over mine. Why should I bother protecting yours?"
I placed the divorce papers on the table between us, my gaze unwavering.
"Amelia, if you truly have feelings for him, you are free to sign these and leave."
Seeing the words "Divorce Agreement," she burst into tears.
"No… I don't, I didn't…"
"Tell me, do you remember our three rules?"
She nodded, repeating my words from all those years ago through choked sobs.
My knuckles tapped against the papers. "In a business marriage, I don't deal in feelings. I deal in duty. You failed to uphold your duties as Mrs. Sterling. Naturally, there are consequences. Including divorce."
Amelia wiped her tears and threw herself into my arms. "I… I know I was wrong."
I calmly took a drag from my cigar. She laced her fingers through mine with one hand and used the other to gently take the cigar and stub it out.
"Darling, don't punish your own body for my mistakes, okay?" she murmured, pressing herself against me.
"Ethan, it's been so long since we…"
She started to unbutton my shirt, but I stopped her, my hand closing firmly over hers.
"I sent the children to stay with their grandparents. I have no desire for them to come from a broken home. I will respect you, Amelia, but I will not tolerate your behavior. Do you understand?"
I pushed her away. I saw the flash of surprise in her eyes, quickly replaced by a wave of panic. My voice was calm and businesslike.
"Furthermore, I expect you to act out of duty as a wife, not use your body as a bargaining chip."
With that, I stood and walked toward my study. Just as I opened the door, I turned back, my tone deadly serious for the final time.
"Regarding incidents like this, let me be perfectly clear. This was the first, and it will be the last. You will not get a second chance."
Her eyes, red and wide, met mine. She nodded vigorously.
"I promise, darling. I swear. It will never, ever happen again."
The very next day, Amelia’s first order of business was to publicly fire Leo. He instantly became a pariah at the office, openly mocked by his former colleagues who were quick to follow the shifting winds.
"Well, well, if it isn't our swimming champion! How'd you get fired?"
"Weren't you just bragging about the emerald necklace the boss bought you? Guess you didn't think she'd take it back, huh?"
He could only slink away like a beaten dog.
After that day, life seemed to return to normal. Amelia slipped back into her role as the perfect wife and mother. Seeing her improved behavior, I brought the children home.
"Ethan," she said, her smile genuine for the first time in weeks, "I wasn't thinking clearly before. Now, all I want is to be a part of our children's lives."
Perhaps it was the sound of our children's laughter, but I found myself almost forgiving her transgressions.
But I never forgot about Leo.
I'm a man who believes in settling scores. I had my assistant keep tabs on him, ensuring that life remained… difficult. If you dare to covet what is mine, you must be prepared to pay the price.
I just never imagined Amelia would dare to deceive me on such a fundamental level.
A message from Liam arrived unexpectedly one afternoon.
"Ethan, are you being played? I was at a meeting with your father-in-law's company, Yang Corp, today. Guess who the new CEO is? Your wife's pretty boy!"
The attached photo showed Leo in a sharp suit, looking confident and triumphant, with no trace of the humiliated wretch who'd been thrown into the sea. And there, around his neck, was the emerald necklace. A glaring, defiant insult.
"Amelia," I seethed, "I underestimated you."
I drove home, a cold fury building with every mile. As I approached the front door, I heard her voice from inside, speaking to our children.
"From now on, no one in this house mentions his name! He was planning to ship you both off to work in African mines! If it weren't for me stopping him…"
"You don't have to thank me too much. I'm your mother, after all. A few of the company's shares as a thank you will be enough…"
My fists clenched, my face a thunderous mask as I strode inside.
Amelia’s words caught in her throat, and raw panic flashed across her face.
"Amelia! I entrust you with our children, and this is how you raise them?"
My son and daughter ran to me, hugging my legs. "Daddy! Mommy is trying to make us bad!"
I gestured for the children to go to their room, then turned my icy gaze on Amelia. "For the sake of our children, I will give you one chance to explain yourself. Speak."
Her expression hardened into one of annoyance and impatience. "Explain what? I was making a joke with the kids. Is a simple 'I'm sorry' not enough for you?"
I slammed my hand down on the table, my patience gone. "You won't talk? Fine! I'll talk for you!"
"You've gotten quite bold, Amelia! Playing these deceptive little games right under my nose?"
"My time is limited. Sign it."
I threw the divorce papers onto the table again. Her eyes immediately welled with tears.
"What is wrong with you today? Is divorce really something you can just throw around like it's nothing?"
"I've dedicated myself to our family! I haven't even stepped out of this house! On what grounds are you divorcing me?"
"Why don't you just accuse me of still seeing Leo? Can you stop taking your bad moods out on me? You're scaring the children! I'm not your punching bag! Go think about what you've done!"
With that, she stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
The children were frightened by our argument, so to comfort them, I decided to take them to a charity auction to pick out a gift.
We had no sooner arrived when someone in the crowd exclaimed.
"Look! It's the new CEO of Yang Corp! So the old CEO stepped down for the man by her side!"
Leo was beaming, his face radiant with success. And on his arm, looking regal in a haute couture gown, was my wife, Amelia.
Her eyes met mine across the room. She held my gaze for a moment before deliberately turning her head to whisper something in Leo's ear, guiding him into a private suite as if my children and I were complete strangers. When someone in the crowd referred to Leo as "Mr. Yang," she merely smiled and nodded, not bothering to correct them.
The auction began. A sudden gasp rippled through the room.
"Look! Mr. Yang is making a grand gesture for his lady! He's bidding without a limit!"
"What a man! To spend so extravagantly on his wife! I'm so jealous!"
"Didn't you hear? Mrs. Yang spent ninety-nine million on her husband not too long ago! It must be some kind of romantic game they play!"
Amelia looked at Leo, her smile full of doting pride and a hint of triumph.
My son, hearing the whispers, looked up at me, his face possessing a calmness far beyond his years.
"If Mommy wants to be with that bad man," he said, his small voice clear and steady, "then Daddy can just get us a new mommy."
To make a child say such a thing… Amelia truly was one of a kind.
I stroked his hair gently. "That's right, son. We sit at the head of the table. People like them are merely items on the menu. They don't even qualify as villains."
My gaze fell upon Amelia, who was basking in the spotlight. My voice was low and cold.
"And as the future heirs of the Sterling Corporation, today, Daddy will use them to teach you both a very important lesson on how to remove an unwanted dish from the menu. And…"
I paused, letting the weight of my words settle.
"What the fury of a top-tier dynasty truly looks like."
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