My Husband’s 99th Affair: I Signed the Divorce Papers

I had a silent agreement with Ethan Sterling, the billionaire CEO.

Every year on our wedding anniversary, we would drop all our work and spend the entire day together.

But on our fifth anniversary, he didnt show up.

Instead, he flew to a private island for a vacation with his childhood sweetheart, Chloe Henderson.

At the same time, he sent me the deed to my 100th luxury property as compensation.

Just like he had done the previous 99 times.

I didnt cry. I didnt make a scene. I simply attached the divorce agreement to the last page of the property transfer documents, waiting for his signature.

After he signed the papers without looking, a rare soft expression appeared on his face. "Wait for me to get back. I promise Ill make it up to you on our next anniversary."

But when he finally cleared his schedule to spend time with me, all he received was a text.

"There wont be a next time. We are done."

Over the past five years, Ethan had transferred a hundred luxury properties to my name.

Every time a new deed arrived, he was always spotted somewhere with Chloe.

Sometimes it was a high-end condo right next to an amusement park, the paperwork still smelling of fresh ink.

Sometimes it was a beachfront villa on a private island, delivered to me along with his vacation itinerary.

He even bought the building right across from City Hall.

The title was transferred to me today, and tomorrow he would take Chloe to stay in the penthouse of that very building.

The companionship I begged for was something Chloe got with absolute ease.

And all I got in return was a stack of cold, lifeless property deeds.

I locked my phone and sat on the curb, waiting for my Uber.

I waited for a long time, but the car didn't arrive. Instead, Ethans call came through.

The moment I picked up, his cold voice echoed through the speaker.

"Its this late and youre still not home? My wife is spending the night outside. Have you ever considered how that makes me look?"

"Where are you right now?"

I remained silent.

If this were the past, I would have bowed my head first, explaining my situation in a soft, apologetic tone.

But now, I just couldn't bring myself to care.

Ethans voice grew irritated.

"Avery, did you suddenly go mute?"

"Westview Heights Park."

Ethan went dead silent on the other end. It seemed he finally remembered today was our fifth wedding anniversary.

He had once promised me that every year on this day, he would cancel all his meetings and spend it here with me.

But today, he had flown to a private island in the Caribbean with Chloe, starting a three-day "anniversary weekend."

"I... wait for me. I'll pick you up as soon as I'm done here."

The line went dead. I canceled my Uber.

It wasn't because I was expecting Ethan to show up.

It was because the weather suddenly took a sharp turn, and a heavy blizzard started to fall.

I stood by the side of the road, shivering violently.

Due to the freezing temperature, my phone battery drained to zero in less than three hours.

From beginning to end, Ethan never showed up.

The last notification I saw before my phone died was a Page Six headline: *Billionaire Ethan Sterling Spotted on Private Island with Mystery Woman for Romantic Weekend.*

The attached photo was a shot of him from behind, his arm wrapped tightly around Chloes waist at the airport.

In the reflection of the black screen, I saw my own relieved smile.

On our fifth anniversary, he chose to spend three days on a private island with Chloe.

I waited in the snow all night, and he never showed.

I spent five of the best years of my life collecting his "compensation" deeds.

But in the end, one hundred luxury properties couldn't beat a single moment of genuine presence.

Ethan, Im not waiting anymore.

***

In the freezing night, I didn't go home. I dragged my numb body for two hours to the nearest hotelwhich, ironically, was under my name. The deed was right inside my bag.

That night, Ethan didn't send another text or make another call.

The next morning, I arrived at the office early to prepare my resignation letter.

Ethan was the founder of the company.

I was just a low-profile business specialist on paper, a ghost in his corporate empire.

I had been by his side since he had nothing.

But now, my presence was completely insignificant.

Even if I vanished, Ethan wouldn't notice a thing.

Just as I was about to sign the last line of my resignation letter, Ethan suddenly appeared behind me.

I remained completely calm under his gaze, switching my screen as if nothing had happened.

He looked at me, his voice crisp. "What are you writing?"

"Nothing. Just some property management files."

He frowned slightly, failing to notice anything unusual, and turned to walk into his private office.

"Avery, come in for a second."

The moment Ethan called me in, the surrounding colleagues started whispering among themselves.

"Oh no, Avery is going to get chewed out by Mr. Sterling again."

In the entire company, everyone assumed Chloe was his public partner.

None of them knew I was his legal wife, holding nearly a hundred luxury deeds under my name.

Inside the office, Ethan looked at me with a tight frown.

"Just because I missed the anniversary, is it really necessary to throw such a tantrum and not even come home?"

I shook my head.

"The snow was too heavy. It wasn't safe to drive."

It was the truth, but also an excuse.

The important thing was that I didn't want to go back. I wanted to leave forever.

Ethan didn't seem to notice my detachment.

After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"The transfer of the Fontainebleau Manor is complete. The deed will be delivered to you in a few days."

Then, he slid an invitation card over to me.

"We are going tonight."

They were front-row tickets to my favorite symphony orchestra.

I knew this was yet another one of his "compensations."

I thought about it and took the card. After all, he owed me this.

Seeing that I remained quiet, Ethan opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.

But a sharp ringtone cut him off.

I watched him quickly step away to answer it.

I knew it was Chloe.

After all, only she had the power to make Ethan drop everything instantly.

When I left his office, I printed out my resignation and went straight to Marcus Brody, the Vice President.

Marcus was shocked when I handed him the papers.

"Avery, you're resigning? Is this because of Mr. Sterling?"

I pursed my lips, finding it slightly amusing.

They all thought I was leaving because I couldn't handle Ethan's harsh attitude at work.

None of them knew it was because my heart was completely shattered.

Seeing me nod, Marcus sighed and finally signed the approval.

As I was leaving the corporate building, I ran straight into Ethan and Chloe.

The entire company knew Chloe was his favorite.

Seeing me, Ethans face darkened slightly.

"Avery, if you have a report, do it later."

With that, he brushed past me with Chloe on his arm.

As she passed, Chloe threw me a warning glare.

I said nothing and showed up at the concert hall on time that night.

The hall was packed, except for the seat next to me. Ethans spot was completely empty.

In the past, whenever he asked me out, I would wait for him at the entrance until he arrived.

This time, I didn't wait. I went in alone and enjoyed the music.

By the time the concert ended, Ethan still hadn't shown up.

I wasn't even angry.

I had already wasted five years of my life. Why care about this last bit of disappointment?

Whether he knew about my resignation or not wouldn't change my decision to leave.

***

After the concert, I didn't go back to our house. Instead, I walked along the riverwalk.

The sky was filled with a brilliant display of fireworks.

But it couldn't spark a single emotion in my heart.

My phone kept buzzing.

It wasn't Ethan worrying about me.

It was the local news. To celebrate "the perfect end to their anniversary weekend," Ethan had set global social media ablaze by launching a massive firework show on his private island for Chloe.

It wasn't until midnight that I finally unlocked the front door of the house.

The living room lights were on. Ethan was asleep on the couch.

Was he waiting for me?

In our five years together, he was always the one coming home dead drunk.

I used to worry hed choke or get hurt, calling him dozens of times.

Id prepare hangover cures early, fearing his stomach would hurt.

Ethan had told me countless times he hated when I did that.

His reason? It made him feel like he was getting old.

My thoughts snapped back.

Maybe he heard the door open, because he suddenly woke up with a start.

The moment he saw me, he rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Where were you? Why didn't you pick up my calls? Do you know I was about to call the police?!"

I froze for a second, then gently pushed myself out of his grip and pulled out my phone.

Only then did I realize it was completely dead.

"The cold killed the battery. I didn't get any calls."

Hearing me mention the snow, a rare flash of guilt washed over Ethans face.

His lips pressed into a tight line. He awkwardly pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to me.

I took it and opened it. Inside was the complete deed to the Fontainebleau Manorwhat should have been my 100th property.

I stared at it.

Once upon a time, I had dreamed of the day Ethan would stand in front of me, offering me a real hug instead of another piece of real estate.

But that was in the past.

Now, my heart was a flatline.

I calmly folded the documents and tossed them casually onto the coffee table.

"Thanks."

Ethan stared at me, his handsome brow furrowing. He couldn't seem to understand my polite indifference.

"Why are you acting like..."

I looked at him, slightly amused.

Perhaps in his mind, I should have gasped at the sight of this multi-million-dollar estate, cried tears of joy, and forgotten all my grievances.

With that thought, I forced a dry chuckle right in front of him.

"Oh, I'm so thrilled. Yay."

"Are you satisfied now?"

I thought Ethan would leave it at that, but my attitude seemed to spark his anger.

"Avery, I only took Chloe to the island for a weekend!"

"And I already gave you the Fontainebleau Manor! How long are you going to keep throwing this tantrum?"

I wasn't intimidated by his dark expression. I calmly plugged my phone into the charger.

"You're misunderstanding. I'm just tired."

Ethan's face tightened. It was the first time he had ever felt such blatant indifference from me.

He bit his lip, reaching out to grab my hand.

But a sharp ringtone broke the silence again.

It was Chloe.

He looked at me, about to explain, but I spoke first.

"You're busy. No need to explain. I understand."

Seeing how "understanding" I was, Ethan looked even more bewildered.

He gripped my hand tighter, desperate to figure out what had changed.

But the phone kept ringing, louder and more urgent.

Finally, under my calm gaze, Ethan slowly let go of my hand.

"Wait for me to get back. I promise I'll make it up to you next year."

With that, he rushed out the door.

I acted as if nothing had happened. I went back to my room, pulled out the "property transfer documents" he had just signed, and turned to the very last page.

The words *Divorce Agreement* were printed clearly on the white paper.

I stared at his signature for a long time, then filed it away safely.

That night, I had the best sleep I'd had in five years.

Once the HR transition was complete, Ethan would never see me again.

***

When I arrived at the office, I walked toward my desk as usual, but Sarah pulled me back.

"Avery, you've got trouble today."

I looked at her, confused. I had already resigned. What trouble could I possibly have?

Sarah pointed ahead.

I looked over and saw Chloe sitting in my chair.

After Sarah's quick explanation, I understood the situation.

Today was Chloe's first day as an official employee.

When choosing her desk, she had taken a liking to mine at first glance.

I walked over to her calmly.

Seeing me approach, Chloe raised an eyebrow, a mocking smirk playing on her lips.

"I like this spot. Find yourself another desk."

I looked at her and gave a calm nod.

"Sure. Let me just pack up my things."

Though I didn't say anything, the colleagues around us immediately assumed I was being bullied into submission by Chloe.

But because of Chloes special connection to the boss, no one dared to speak up.

They only whispered and cast sympathetic looks my way.

Just as I finished packing my box and was about to leave, Ethan walked in.

Chloe immediately ran to him, grabbing his arm.

Ethan took the opportunity to introduce her to the team.

"This is Chloe Henderson. Shell be working with you all starting today. Please show her the ropes."

A few scattered claps echoed in the lobby. Ethan didn't seem to mind.

"Did you pick a desk?" he asked.

The moment he said that, Chloe pointed directly at my old spot.

"I want to sit there!"

Ethan looked over and finally noticed me holding my cardboard box. His expression turned slightly uneasy.

"That spot is taken. Choose another one."

Surprisingly, Ethan rejected her request.

But Chloe was determined to have my spot. She clung to his arm, whining.

"Ethan, I want this one. It's closer to your office. I can see you from here."

I didn't want to waste my time watching their little show, so I spoke up.

"She can have the desk."

Since I had already resigned, a desk meant absolutely nothing to me.

Seeing me back down, Chloe looked at Ethan triumphantly.

"See? She gave it to me."

Ethan shot me a glance, his face turning incredibly dark for some reason.

Then, he turned to Chloe, his voice dropping to a cold, firm whisper.

"I said, that desk is taken. Pick another one."

Ethan, who had always spoiled her and given her everything she wanted, was snapping at her for the first time.

Chloe stood there, completely stunned.

The atmosphere in the room froze.

Having made his decision, Ethan spared me one last look before turning on his heel and walking back to his office.

Panicking, Chloe rushed after him, but not before turning back to glare at me with pure hatred.

I found it almost funny. Once, I was just like Chloe, chasing after Ethans back.

The only difference was that I chased him for five years and got 99 deeds, but never a single day of his undivided attention.

As I was about to walk out, my phone buzzed with a text from Ethan.

*Tomorrow at 7 PM. Westview Heights Park. I'm making up for our anniversary.*

I smiled, blocked his number, and deleted his contact information.

After saying goodbye to a few colleagues, I walked out of the building.

With my bags already packed, I headed straight to the airport.

The next day, Ethan dressed up in a sharp white suit, carrying a beautifully wrapped gift, and arrived early at Westview Heights Park.