She Handed My Ring to Her Assistant,I Handed Her a Divorce

There was a tradition in the village: if you weren't married by thirty, the elder would arrange for you to come back and meet potential matches.

When I told Felicity Pruitt about it, she let out a cold laugh.

What is your village, some kind of medieval cult?

Ashton Whitfield, I told you I'd marry you and I will. But pressuring me into it is a whole different thing.

She pulled out the ring and handed it to her assistant without a second glance.

He took it, his face flushing red.

I was going to propose. But since that's how you feel, let's take some time to cool off.

The ring I'd waited years to give her, and she'd tossed it to someone else like it was nothing.

For a moment, I just stood there, blank.

Felicity swept out of my office, the corner of her mouth curled in a triumphant little smile.

Julian held the ring out to me.

I didn't take it.

Keep it. She bought it for you anyway, didn't she?

Go ahead and wear it. Looks like it fits.

The color drained from his face.

I showed him out.

Before closing the door, I saidTell your Ms. Pruitt that she and I are done.

That evening, Felicity came home from work to find me packing.

She spotted the two large suitcases in front of me and her steps faltered.

Why'd you come back without waiting for me today?

There it was again.

She always had that ability to flip the page on her own, as if nothing had happened.

And I was supposed to take the exit she offered and step right down.

Pretend everything was fine. Play the devoted couple again.

But I was done pretending.

Didn't your little assistant pass along my message?

Her brows pinched together instantly, like I'd struck a nerve.

I'm trying to talk to you like a normal person, and you have to be passive-aggressive about it?

Julian's practically your little brother. You're the one who brought him in. What's with the attitude now?

She wasn't wrong.

Julian Simmons had come to the company because I'd invited him.

He was from the same village as me, and Elder Harmon had always told us to look out for each other when we were away from home.

So when Julian graduated college and couldn't land a job,

I brought him into our company myself.

He was eager and obedient, and I was happy to mentor him.

Until I noticed the way he looked at Felicity. The lingering, the softness in his eyes growing harder to miss.

I recognized that look.

Felicity had been the center of attention back in college,

and I'd seen countless guys look at her the same way.

But her gaze had never landed on any of them, not even for a second.

So I wrote it off as a young man's crush and let it go.

But his mistakes at work started piling up,

and one day I called him out on it. Nothing harsh, just a few words.

He didn't talk back. Just stood there taking it, eyes rimmed red.

Felicity, though, wasn't having it.

She tore into me in front of the entire company for the first time.

He's just a kid. A few words would've been enough, don't you think?

He's basically your little brother. What are you doing, pulling rank on him like some big boss?

I was so furious I laughed, but I didn't back down.

Do you have any idea how many people had to clean up his messes? How much extra work his screw-ups cost this team?

She waved me off with a flick of her hand, unconcerned.

Fine. Then Julian can be my personal assistant from now on.

She looked around at the coworkers watching the spectacle.

Anyone else has a problem, bring it to me directly. Stop talking behind people's backs.

If you can do the job, stay. If you can't, get out.

She marched off ahead, long strides, like she'd just won a war.

Julian followed close behind her, and even from the back you could see the worship in his posture.

I looked up. Felicity was standing over me, staring down.

At some point I couldn't quite pin down, everything she said to me had stopped being about the issue at hand and started being about winning.

It always had to be about winning.

She wasn't the same woman who'd once looked at me in that tiny rented apartment and saidYou're the only person I'll ever lose to.

I glanced at my phone. The booking confirmation was still on the screen.

I was going home soon.

I couldn't be bothered to argue with her.

You're right. I was being dramatic.

It won't happen again.

When she saw my reaction, a flicker of confusion crossed her face.

She'd been ready for me to do what I always did,

demand to know when we were getting married,

demand to know what was really going on between her and Julian,

but she never expected me to just surrender like this.

After a few seconds of silence, she tossed out a Whatever and left.

She didn't come home that night.

The next morning, I went to the office as usual.

I could let go of Felicity, but Evergreen Era had every ounce of my blood and sweat poured into it.

Even if I was leaving, I needed to make sure everything at the company was in order first.

Besides, the shares would still pay me a steady dividend every year.

I was working through who I could promote to take over my frontline role so I could manage things remotely, when

Kenneth Dickerson, the sales department manager, appeared at the elevator bank looking like he'd seen a ghost.

He was one of the company's original crew, had been in the trenches with me through more deals than I could count.

I'd never seen him this defeated.

Mr. Whitfield, last night we sent the quote to Ms. Pruitt for review. Her assistant said she was asleep and that he'd handle it.

But he accidentally sent our floor-price sheet to the client along with the proposal.

Now the client's demanding a twenty percent discount, and our gross margin is only thirty.

His voice cracked.

We've been chasing this project for the better part of a year. If we go through with it now, we're losing money. If we walk away, we lose the client for good.

I nodded as he spoke and pushed open the door to Felicity's office.

Julian was lying on his side on the sofa bed while Felicity fed him water, one careful spoonful at a time.

That sofa bed was from the very beginning, back when we first started the company.

Felicity had bought it to force me to rest.

She'd saidMy office is your personal lounge.

So even after the company relocated and we bought our own building and renovated from the ground up,

I'd brought that sofa bed along.

Now another man was lying on it, and she was at his side, tending to him like something precious.

The way she once tended to me.

Something caught in my chest, but strangely, it didn't hurt anymore.

The moment Julian saw me, he sat up.

Ash, don't get the wrong idea. I felt so guilty I passed out, so Felicity was just giving me some honey water.

I still remembered the first time he'd met Felicity. He'd called her "sis." Somewhere along the way, that had changed.

I didn't acknowledge him. I walked straight to Felicity's desk and slapped the report down in front of her.

At the client's current asking price, closing this deal costs us a hundred and twenty thousand dollars.

I looked from one to the other.

Which one of you is covering it?

Julian's eyes went red instantly.

It's all my fault. I should've woken Felicity up. I just couldn't bear to because she was so exhausted.

I'll go find Mr. Lee right now. I'll beg him myself!

Felicity stared hard at the documents, brow furrowed, and made no move to stop him.

Kenneth and I stood right where we were, with zero intention of stopping him either.

Caught in his own bluff, Julian froze in place.

I folded my arms and watched him.

Julian, crying and begging don't close deals.

He threw off the cashmere blanket and took two steps before crumpling to the floor.

The performance was so clumsy that even engaging with it felt like losing brain cells.

But Felicity, the woman hailed as a business prodigy, bought every second of it.

She helped Julian up and settled him gently back onto the sofa.

Ashton Whitfield, you never change. Always pushing people too hard.

Does the whole world have to revolve around you?

I freed one hand and rapped my knuckles on the desk.

Cut the crap that has nothing to do with this project. A hundred and twenty thousand dollars. What's your plan?

Her eyes were bloodshot.

If taking the job means losing money, then we drop the project!

I let out a cold laugh.

Do you even remember how many drinks we downed, how many all-nighters we pulled to land this client?

And besides this project, we've got other contracts with them. If we walk away, how many more hundred-and-twenty-thousands do we lose?

Felicity, have you lost your mind?

She shot me an impatient look and muttered so petty,

then

pulled out a bank card and flung it at my face.

It's only a hundred and twenty grand. I'll cover it for him. Happy now?

My cheek stung, but I was eerily calm.

Back when we were broke, Felicity used to complain that a twelve-dollar plate of fried rice was too expensive.

Now a hundred and twenty thousand didn't even make her blink.

She'd already forgotten how many people's livelihoods depended on us.

This was never just about money.

Or maybe she knew that. She just didn't care.

Since she didn't care about a hundred and twenty thousand,

what about a hundred times that?

I wanted to see if she'd still be this casual then.

I met up with my buddy Stanley Barnes for afternoon tea.

He hadn't even finished cursing Felicity out when I got a message from Kenneth.

Mr. Whitfield, get back to the office now!

The second I reached the office door,

I saw Julian directing people to haul my desk out.

Contracts, files, documents, all scattered across the floor.

Years of work. Every bit of it built from nothing, with my own hands.

Who the hell did he think he was?

Put it all down. Now!

I closed the distance in two strides and drove my fist straight into Julian's face.

Who told you to touch my things?

Julian clutched his cheek, but his eyes stayed defiant.

Felicity said you blew a major deal. You don't deserve this office anymore. She wants you moved to one of the cubicles in the main hall.

She must have heard the commotion.

Felicity showed up.

Her gaze swept the wreckage on the floor, and something flickered behind her eyes.

Julian, I told you to notify him. Who said you could touch his things?

Julian lowered his hand, revealing the fist-shaped bruise blooming across his cheek, and turned those pitiful eyes on Felicity.

She caved instantly.

Ashton, the decision was mine. If you want to take it out on someone, take it out on me.

But rules are rules. Yes, Julian sent the price sheet, but it was one of your people who handed it to him. You bear direct responsibility.

She sighed, placing both hands on my shoulders.

I saw you booked a plane ticket.

I don't have time to go back with you, though.

Why don't you use this as a chance to take a few days off and head home? Hm?

I shook her hands off.

Who said I needed you to come? I'm going home because

She scoffedTo get set up on a date and married?

Drop the threats already. Julian told me your village doesn't even have some tradition about going back to marry at thirty.

Julian chimed inAsh, don't blame me for telling her. I just couldn't stand watching you lie to her anymore.

I looked him over, slow and measured.

Designer suit. Herms belt. Louis Vuitton shoes.

None of it matched his salary.

And it was a world apart from the kid I'd first met.

Back then, he'd been so grateful I'd paid his tuition that he could barely find words to thank me.

I bought him his first suit for college.

I went with him to open his first bank account.

The first time he ever ate at a buffet, I was the one who took him.

He told me once that when he made something of himself, he'd repay me.

And now here he was, holding my girlfriend,

dressed head to toe in clothes she'd bought him, telling everyone he felt sorry for her because I'd been stringing her along.

Even if it meant throwing away my own dignity, I was done protecting theirs.

I pulled a stack of printed pages from my bag.

And read them out loud in front of every single colleague

Three months ago, my girlfriend booked a hotel room for the two of you. The room and the protection came out to $5,800.

Two months ago, she bought you a limited-edition belt worth 0-00,200.

One week ago, she bought you a ring worth 0-026,000.

I have receipts and photos for all of it. So tell me, who exactly was deceiving whom?

Whispers rippled through the office.

Some of my coworkers didn't even bother hiding their contempt.

Felicity's face went white, then flushed scarlet.

I told someone to help me move my things back to their original spots.

Felicity tried to stop them, but nobody listened.

Kenneth was the most ruthlessMr. Whitfield, let me spray some sanitizer in your office. Reeks of homewrecker in here. Can barely breathe!

He doused both of them with it.

In the end, all Felicity could manage was sputtering, Fine! Fine, all of you!

Then she grabbed Julian and left.

I'd barely settled back into my chair when my phone rang. It was Elder Harmon.

Ash, are you really coming home?

If it's for sure, I'll have the Pruitt girl meet you at the train station.

I smiled for the first time in a long while.

Already bought my ticket. But don't tell Granny yet. I want to surprise her.

The Elder's voice lifted, warm and bright.

He said good, good, and hung up.

Our village didn't really have a rule about marrying by thirty, but Granny was eighty years old.

She couldn't wait forever.

After things blew up between Felicity and me,

the two of them only got bolder at the office.

Like they were relieved they didn't have to sneak around anymore.

Like they wanted to rub it in my face.

They were joined at the hip every day.

Whenever Felicity attended an event, the man on her arm was Julian.

He even started acting like he owned the place, barking orders at coworkers left and right.

Just waiting for me to walk out the door so he could take my seat.

Kenneth couldn't stand it. He vented to me more than once.

I clapped him on the shoulder.

Hold steady. Let him run his mouth.

By the fifth time Julian tried to provoke me and I didn't take the bait,

he finally cracked.

He barged into my office without knocking.

Felicity's done with you. Why are you still hanging around like a stray?

I reached over and casually smoothed a wrinkle on his brand-new suit.

Then spoke without looking up

Women follow the money. You know how it is.

You do realize I hold forty-nine percent of this company, right? How much do you hold?

How about a little bet? If she's willing to give you ten percent, I'll forfeit every share I own and walk out that door.

If she won't, you're the one who walks. Deal?

The color drained from his face.

But he noddedDeal! Don't come crying when you lose!

A few days later, Julian walked into my office with Felicity in tow.

He slapped a share-transfer agreement down on my desk.

I scanned the second clause: fifteen percent, transferred to his name. I laughed out loud.

Drop the act, Ashton. Pack your things and get out!

Felicity glanced at me, a flicker of something uneasy crossing her face.

Ash, don't blame me for helping him. It was just a bet. Think of it as a consolation prize for the kid.

Then her tone shifted.

But we're business people, and our word is everything. A bet's a bet, win or lose.

But don't worry. Even though you're giving up your shares, I'll still marry you. You can be the man behind me from now on.

I'll make sure your monthly allowance is more than generous.

As for Julian, I won't let him show up in front of you or challenge your position.

All these years, and the one thing she'd learned was how to have her cake and eat it too.

Felicity, you really do have it all figured out, don't you? I'm supposed to give up my dividend-paying shares and go home to be your kept house husband with my hand out?

I'll pass.

Julian pulled out a recording of me. My own voice played back clearly: I'd honor the bet, I'd give up my shares.

Then he handed me a voluntary share relinquishment agreement.

Kenneth's eyes went red. He lunged forward to grab it, but I stopped him.

Then I picked up the pen and signed.

Julian's face flushed with excitement.

Something complicated flickered through Felicity's eyes, but triumph swallowed it whole.

I set the pen down. Satisfied?

Felicity nodded and turned to address the room

From now on, Julian is my partner. He'll be taking over Ashton Whitfield's position.

Some people felt the chill of knowing they could be next. Others were already scrambling to kiss the new ring.

We'll follow Mr. Simmons' lead from here on out.

What are you standing around for? Get Mr. Whitfield's things out of here and make room for Mr. Simmons!

The insulated mug Felicity had once bought me was knocked to the floor, its side dented on impact.

A model I'd built with my own hands hit the ground and got trampled underfoot.

Even the orchid I'd been growing lost a branch, snapped clean off.

I didn't stop them. I didn't get angry.

I just remembered the day we'd first moved in, the way she'd thrown her arms around me.

Ashton, we did it! This is our empire!

My vision blurred for a moment, then cleared.

I stood there, watching the place I'd poured years of my life into

get hollowed out piece by piece.

It wasn't until the nameplate on the door changed from MR. WHITFIELD to MR. SIMMONS

that I finally turned around

and walked straight into Felicity's office.

Sat down in her chair.

I saidFelicity, you're fired.