Part 1The Ultimate Insult

Everyone in our circle knew I loved Seraphina Winer to the point of madness. For years, I had quietly given her everything.

When her mother fell ill, I secretly brought in the country's top specialists to treat her.

When she launched her company, I poured a fortune into clearing her path to success.

Whenever I found something beautiful or rare, my first instinct was to lay it at her feet.

After twelve years of marriage, I held onto the belief that my devotion would one day win her heart.

I never imagined she was sleeping with her male secretary behind my back.

The sonogram, the endless, blindingly intimate photos he sent me—they were enough to turn my heart to ash.

I didn't scream or break things. I calmly called a meeting of the board and had Seraphina removed from her position as CEO.

I would make her understand. Without me, she was nothing.

* * *

On my birthday, I treated myself to a prime-grade steak and my favorite matcha mousse cake. I sat in the cavernous living room, savoring the solitude.

Seraphina walked in after settling a filthy stray dog she’d brought home, her expression grim. "Why isn't dinner made?" she demanded, her gaze sweeping over my plate. "You know I don't eat steak, and I can't stand matcha. What am I supposed to eat?"

I didn’t look up. "There's instant ramen in the cabinet. Just add hot water."

Her face tightened with anger. "I flew back from out of town specifically to celebrate your birthday, and this is the attitude I get?" she snapped. "So I was delayed by work, so what? I even brought you a gift. What more could you possibly want?"

"Was it really my birthday you came back for?" I countered, my voice sharp, finally meeting her gaze.

A small, cold smile touched my lips. "I saw the pictures. You and Leo Archer, taking a leisurely stroll in the park this afternoon."

While I was at home, my heart filled with anticipation, planning a surprise for us, she was basking in the afternoon sun with her secretary, looking for all the world like a pair of lovers. It would have been a beautiful picture, if she weren't already married to me.

And my birthday "gift"? The dirty stray dog she'd impulsively rescued during her little walk with Leo.

Seraphina's face went rigid before her brows furrowed in annoyance. "Yes, I got back this morning. Leo was having a rough day, so I took him to the park to clear his head. As his boss, isn't it my job to care about my employees' well-being?"

She sat beside me, her tone still devoid of any warmth or guilt. "Eddy, I know what this is really about. Don't take your obsession with having a baby out on Leo."

"I told you before, I'm just starting to build my empire. My work takes all my energy. I simply don't have time for a child."

"You're thirty-five," she added coolly. "Do you really think you're still young enough to have a healthy child?"

I may be thirty-five now, but I was in my early twenties when I married her. For twelve long years, I'd yearned for a child, and for twelve years, she'd put me off with the excuse of her career. I had always supported her, respected her, acting as the silent, unshakeable foundation she stood on.

Her pride was immense. To help her conquer the business world, I secretly leveraged my family's resources, paving every inch of her road to success. I had given everything to walk this path with her.

And now that she was a titan of industry, a celebrated name, she had the audacity to tell me I was too old, unworthy of fathering her child.

Sensing the shift in my mood, Seraphina moved to embrace me, her voice softening into a placating purr. "Darling, I really don't have the time. And you don't have the energy to raise a child alone. I'm thinking of you."

She gestured toward the dog. "This little guy might not be perfect, but all creatures have a soul. We can raise him as our child, okay?"

I caught the faint, cloying scent of another man's cologne on her, and a wave of nausea washed over me.

I pulled away from her, my face a mask of indifference. "If all creatures have a soul, why didn't you give the dog to Leo? What, is it not as good as the limited-edition sports car you bought him this afternoon? He gets a priceless car, and I get a stray dog?"

Her expression soured instantly. "Did the paparazzi snap that too? Eddy Cole, are you investigating me? How can we be a couple if there's no privacy or trust between us!"

She scrambled for an excuse. "I bought him the car because he's been with me for years, from obscurity to success. Don't I owe him a thank you?"

I stared at her, a bitter taste filling my mouth. It felt like a hand was squeezing my throat, like I’d been slapped across the face. "Seraphina," I said, my voice strained, "he's been your secretary for three years. I've been your husband for twelve. And you used our money to buy him a priceless car as a 'thank you'?"

Twelve years, and she still didn't understand. It wasn't about the dog, or the car. It was about her contempt for me.

Her face flushed with rage. "Why have you become so petty? A little money and you've completely lost your head. You're a house husband. What would you do with a sports car, drive it to the grocery store?"

She waved a dismissive hand. "I can't be bothered to argue with you. Keep up this nonsense and this marriage is over!"

Just then, her phone rang.

The anger vanished from her face, replaced by a gentle concern as she answered. "Leo? What's wrong? Don't worry, I'm home. I'll be over as soon as I'm done here."

Leo's shaky voice crackled through the phone. "Sera… I was in an accident. I think my leg is hurt…"

"Okay, just wait for me, I'm on my way!" Seraphina's face was pale with worry. Without another word or a single glance back at me, she bolted out the door.

A moment later, a text from an unknown number buzzed on my phone.

It was a sonogram report. Seraphina Winer, three months pregnant. Below it, a neatly typed message.

"This is our first child. To celebrate, Seraphina bought me a sports car and a new villa."

"Tonight, she's all mine, Eddy. Happy birthday. Enjoy the dog."