Waiting for a Love That Never Comes

My husband’s newly hired secretary had a terrible temper. Just because he casually picked a bite of food for me at the dinner table, she flew into a fit of rage and smashed every plate and bowl in the house. Then, she threatened to fake her death and deregister herself, saying she would disappear from my husband’s world forever. The moment he heard that, my husband panicked. He immediately abandoned me even though I was about to go into lung cancer surgery, and sped off on the highway, reenacting some over-the-top CEO drama of chase and pursuit. At three in the afternoon, the surgery was scheduled to begin. My husband called. His tone was apologetic. “As a boss, I have a responsibility to ensure the safety of my employees. “Once I find her and make sure she’s safe, I’ll definitely come to the hospital and accompany you for your surgery. I’ll even make it up to you with a wedding trip!” However, I no longer wanted to wait for him. “Julian, let’s get divorced.” Chapter 1 Julian’s voice came through the phone, thick with irritation. “Vivian is a rich heiress. The only reason I’m swallowing my pride and sucking up to her is for the company, for this family, and for you. “If you can’t understand that, fine, but you also keep holding me back. “Enough already! It’s just a minor surgery. Tell the doctor to postpone it for a while. Once I calm her down, I’ll head over to the hospital and stay with you, okay?!” He hung up impatiently. I did not call back. Instead, I dialed a number I had not touched in years. “Lucas, I lost. I’m willing to leave him now and accept whatever arrangements the family wants.” Lucas let out a quiet sigh. “You fought so hard for him back then. Can you really let him go?” I looked around the hospital room. Every other patient was surrounded by family members, while there was no one beside me. I put on a bitter smile. “There’s nothing left for me to hold on to.” Back then, my parents had strongly opposed my relationship with Julian. They insisted I enter a business marriage instead. To be with him, I gave up my identity as a wealthy heiress and cut ties with my family, all for the sake of what I believed was love. Before I left home, Lucas said to me, “You two don’t have a future. If the day ever comes when you regret this, call me.” He would help me no matter what happened. However, it also meant giving up Julian. I refused to accept defeat. I truly believed our love could survive anything. As such, for the past five years, no matter how hard life became, I never bowed my head to my family. That was until Vivian appeared. At first, Julian did not pay any special attention to her. After Vivian revealed she was a rich heiress and landed the company a million-dollar deal as a newcomer, everything changed. Julian started getting close to her. He took her out to dinner, went shopping with her, and played games with her. The two of them became inseparable. Our coworkers did not know Julian and I were married. They even praised them right in front of me, calling them the perfect golden couple. I became furious and confronted Julian about it. However, he calmly repeated the same excuses he used today; that it was all for the company, for our future, and for me. He spoke to me about dreams and ambition like some inspirational speech. I believed his lies. Even though it upset me, I still forced myself to accept it. Afterwards, Vivian failed to bring in a single deal for six whole months. If it had been anyone else, people would have questioned whether she was really some rich heiress at all. However, Julian was different. He still firmly believed Vivian would eventually bring huge contracts to the company. Not only did he constantly favor her, he even pressured me into handing over my own clients to her just to protect her position. Vivian felt no shame whatsoever about being dead last in performance rankings. Instead, she acted arrogant. “My dad refusing to give me business is just his way of testing me. “Once he sees how much I’ve improved, he’ll hand our company contracts worth hundreds of millions. When that happens, even the scraps of commission I casually toss your way will be enough to feed you for life. “If Julian hadn’t begged me, I wouldn’t even bother helping you. Don’t push your luck.” No self-made billionaire becomes successful by being stupid. There was no way someone would just hand out money for free. I never indulged in such fantasies, yet Julian did. He became tempted, using every threat and promise he could think of to force me into giving up my clients. In the end, just as I expected, Vivian could not handle them. The profits we were supposed to earn disappeared right before our eyes. As for the massive contracts she promised, they never came. The company suffered huge losses because of it. Despite all that, Julian still did not change. He continued trying to please her. Chapter 2 Now, he even abandoned me for Vivian’s sake while I was undergoing surgery and dressed it up as if he were doing it for my own good. However, I would never believe his lies again. Just then, a nurse walked in. “Lydia, has your family arrived yet? It’s almost time for surgery.” “What surgery? You’re sick?” Lucas’s shocked voice came through the phone. “It’s lung cancer. Lucas, can you please come sign the consent form for me?” “Give me ten minutes.” The moment the call ended, I clutched my phone tightly as tears finally burst past the limits of my control. In the end, my family were the only ones who truly cared about me. Meanwhile, Julian never responded to a single one of my messages. It was not until the day after my surgery that he finally sent me compensation — a transfer of fourteen dollars and three cents. “Vivian has a bad temper, so I’m taking her on a one-week vacation to help her relax. Tell the doctor to postpone your surgery until I get back.” Whenever Vivian threw a tantrum, he would shower her with tens of thousands of dollars without hesitation. However, when it came to me, even his apology amounted to a pathetic fourteen dollars and three cents. He still tried to romanticize it, claiming that the amount did not matter. It was the thought that counted. Those numbers had special meanings and it was his special kind of love for me. I used to believe nonsense like that. However, now I understood — follow the money and one would find where the love really was. He had only ever been brushing me off. I laughed quietly and rejected the returned the money to him. “You don’t need to come anymore.” The surgery was already over. What was the point of him coming now? Julian immediately replied with obvious irritation: [I already explained everything. Why are you still making a scene?] [Vivian finally convinced her dad to give us a contract worth over a hundred million dollars.] [Be good. Once this deal goes through, I’ll take you anywhere you want.] He even sent over the contract, afraid that I would not believe him. When I saw it, I froze for a moment. Was the client company not my family’s corporation? Before I could process it, Lucas leaned over to take a look and suddenly looked awkward. “So, you found out? We weren’t trying to secretly support you or anything.” “Half a year ago, one of our chauffeurs said he saw how badly you were living. Dad felt sorry for you, but he knew you’d never accept money directly, so he asked a friend’s company to send your company a contract instead. “It was only a million dollars. Not a huge amount, but enough for a small company to survive for a while. “And recently, the chauffeur mentioned that Julian looked down on you. Dad wanted to help restore your dignity, so this time he decided to cooperate under our company’s own name.” As he explained, his eyes suddenly narrowed at the name of the project lead. “Wait, wasn’t this supposed to go to you? Why is the person in charge listed as the chauffeur's daughter?” When Lucas and I compared everything, realization hit me instantly. It was no wonder Vivian had been acting so arrogantly. She had been using my identity all along, pretending to be the wealthy heiress. I briefly explained the situation. Lucas became furious and insisted on teaching them a lesson. I simply waved my hand. “There’s no need to do so. Just withdraw the contract.” He stared at me in surprise. “Lydia, you’re really giving him up? You won’t regret it?” "I'm certain that I have given up on him." From the moment Julian abandoned me, I stopped wanting him. … The recovery period after the minimally invasive surgery was short. I was discharged from the hospital after only a few days. During that entire time, Julian never once asked how I was doing. Instead, Vivian constantly sent messages provoking me. [During this trip, Julian took over a thousand photos with me. Did he ever treat you like this?] I stared at the flood of intimate selfies between them as my chest tightened painfully. No. He never had. Julian hated taking photos. Back when we got married, he had not even been willing to take wedding pictures with me. Before I could finish scrolling through the photos, Vivian sent another message. [Even though I was the one who caused trouble first, Julian said that since I got upset, he should compensate me, so he casually bought me a Ferrari.] [Ms. Lane, if you know what’s good for you, kneel down and beg me. Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll convince Julian to buy you a decent new car too.] I had been driving the same cheap electric car worth only a few thousand dollars for years. I brought up changing a new car with Julian many times before, but he claimed the company was struggling financially and rejected the idea every single time. Despite this, he bought Vivian a luxury sports car without blinking an eye. At this point, it seemed that even getting a new car would mean having to beg her for it. Chapter 3 I could not help but laugh at how ridiculous it all was. Life had really become this pointless. I turned off my phone and ignored Vivian’s provocations. Instead, I went home and started throwing away everything that once symbolized our so-called love. While I was busy, Julian suddenly called. “Vivian left in a rush. There’s a mistake in one of the processes. Please handle it.” Previously, I would have dealt with it no matter how angry I was for the sake of the company. However, this time, I just said no. “I can’t handle it.” Julian clearly did not expect that and snapped immediately, “What do you mean you can’t? It’s a simple task.” Then, Vivian’s loud, arrogant voice came through the line. “So Ms. Lane still doesn’t get it after all this time. Skills don’t matter, background does. “Julian, I was being nice by asking my dad to give your company a hundred-million-dollar deal. If she doesn’t want it, don’t blame me.” I was startled for a moment. She was this arrogant, even in front of me. Did she really not know who I was? Before I could think further, Julian quickly soothed her. “She doesn’t know any better. Please, for my sake, don’t take it personally.” Then his tone turned cold again as he snapped at me, “Do what I told you. Helping Vivian is your privilege.” At that moment, the maid walked over holding a watch. “Madam, should I throw this away too?” It was the watch I had given Julian on our first date. He used to treasure it, wore it every day, never letting it leave his wrist. Now, it had long been tossed into a corner, covered in dust. It did not matter anymore. I nodded. Then, I replied to Julian, “Forget it. She’s so high and mighty. I’m not worthy enough to get involved.” Julian clearly heard the maid’s voice. “You’re at home?” “Work hasn’t ended for the day. If you don’t come back and fix this, I’ll mark you as absent and cut your salary.” He did not hesitate to threaten me with punishment just to protect Vivian. He thought that would force me to back down. Still, he was wrong. I shrugged my shoulders. “Do whatever you want.” … Silence reigned on the line for a full minute. No one spoke. Only Julian’s heavy, angry breathing could be heard. Finally, he could not hold it in anymore. “Lydia, what is wrong with you? I’m already exhausted from my business trip. Can you stop being so childish?” Exhausted? He was out there traveling and sightseeing, clearly having the time of his life! “I’m not throwing a tantrum. What Vivian said was right. Companies don’t need capable people anymore, only well-connected ones. As such, I’m stepping down. I wish you and your company great success.” Julian let out a long sigh. “You still say you’re not throwing a tantrum? I can hear it through the phone. “Lydia, you and Vivian are both my right-hand people. She handles connections, while you handle operations. It’s a win-win. “You should be building a good relationship with her, not targeting her.” After his long lecture, he transfered me 1 dollar and softened his tone. “The project still needs your approval when it comes through. Just hang in there for a bit. Once it’s done, I’ll give you a month off. Okay?” I did not respond. Vivian suddenly interrupted, “Julian, I'm willing to humble myself and get along with her for you.” Julian sounded satisfied. “See? That’s what real composure looks like. Lydia, you should really learn from her…” Before he could finish, I hung up. He called again, I rejected it. He texted and I ignored it. Then I switched my phone to silent. After I finished clearing out the house, I finally picked it up again. There were more than one hundred messages and missed calls. Still, I did not bother soothing his anger. Instead, I opened the work platform and submitted my resignation. The approval went through layer by layer and, when it reached Julian, he approved it instantly. Chapter 4 I let out a bitter laugh. It looked like my silent treatment had really driven him crazy this time. For once, he did not pull any dramatic stunts. He simply let me go. I shook my head. At least that made things easier. After handling my resignation, I pulled a divorce agreement out from the drawer. Julian signed it a few days before leaving for that trip. Back then, I placed the papers in front of him, but he did not even bother reading them before signing. I asked with surprise, “Did you even read what you signed?” Julian looked up at me with a gentle smile. “There’s no need. I trust you. You’d never hurt me.” My heart skipped a beat as I met his affectionate gaze. For a moment, I thought there was still a place for me in his heart. I was just about to speak when Vivian suddenly pushed the office door open. “Didn’t we agree to watch a movie? Why are you still working? I’m counting to three. If you don’t come out now, I’m leaving.” Julian hated being rushed. Even when I asked him something in a soft tone, he would lose his temper. However, when Vivian yelled at him, not only did he stay calm, he actually smiled and rushed toward her. “It’s my fault, my fault. Please don’t be mad…” That was when I realized Julian did not sign the papers because he trusted me. He signed them so quickly because he was in a hurry to go watch a movie with Vivian. After five years of marriage, my place in his heart still could not compare to that of a mere secretary. How pathetic. I lowered my gaze. Since he no longer loved me, then I would set him free. Holding the divorce papers, I headed straight to the courthouse. “Ma’am, I need to confirm that your relationship has truly broken down before we can process the divorce.” I nodded and pulled out my phone to call Julian. I already knew he was furious and would not answer. Just as expected, after the call was rejected more than ten times, the staff approved the application and stamped the papers. By afternoon, we got divorced. I called and told Lucas about my divorce. He was overjoyed and insisted on dropping everything at work to come pick me up. At first, I wanted to say it was not necessary. However, when I heard the excitement in his voice, I could not bring myself to reject his kindness, so I drove home immediately. I was going to get my stuff and wait for him. The moment I reached the front door, I heard bursts of laughter coming from inside. … I quietly pushed the door open a crack. Julian and Vivian, who were supposedly still on vacation, had already returned. The house was filled with colorful balloons. A ten-tier birthday cake sat beside the dining table. Vivian wore a birthday hat, smiling brightly. “Julian, I heard you’ve never even celebrated Lydia’s birthday before. I’m really honored.” Julian waved dismissively and replied nonchalantly, “She’s just some country girl. What’s the point of celebrating her birthday? It’s a total waste of money. “You’re different. You gave up time with your family to celebrate with us. We’re the honored ones.” My hand froze on the doorknob. Even though I had already given up on him, my chest still tightened painfully hearing those words. For five years of marriage, every birthday of mine had conveniently coincided with one of his business trips. He always claimed he had a bad memory and promised to make it up to me the following year. I believed him. Only now did I finally understand that he simply thought I was not worth celebrating. I did not walk in. They never noticed me standing outside. Julian’s friends laughed as they handed Vivian gifts, all while talking behind my back. “Lydia’s seriously useless. She eats off Julian, lives off Julian, and still can’t even handle simple work problems. He had to cut his vacation short just to come back and fix things himself. If I were him, I’d divorce her already.” “Whether it’s in terms of family background or ability, she’s not even comparable to one of Vivian’s toes.” “Julian, I think Vivian likes you too. Why don’t you two just get together already?” Julian pressed his lips together before replying vaguely, “Forget it! She’s been with me since the beginning. It wasn’t easy for her either. If I dumped my wife now, people would talk.” It sounded like he was defending me. However, he never once mentioned that over ninety percent of the company’s contracts had been secured by me. What did they mean by him supporting me? The truth was the exact opposite.I was the one supporting him and the entire company. Chapter 5 Without me, he would have ended up working in some factory, living the kind of dead-end life where you could already imagine the finish line. Julian stayed silent. His silence only made his friends even bolder. “Julian, you’ve already done more than enough for her. You fed her, spoiled her, and let her live in a luxury house. “Are you really going to waste your whole life on some washed-up housewife?” “Honestly, if we’d known things would turn out like this, we never would’ve played matchmaker just because she bought us a few meals.” “Seriously. Back then, she spent money so freely, I thought she was some rich heiress. It turned out she was just pretending to be wealthy.” “At the end of the day, we’re the ones who ruined your life. Don’t worry, we’ll help you get back on the right track.” I laughed when I heard that. Birds of a feather really did flock together. A few meals? Back in college, while chasing after Julian, I paid for all three meals a day for them throughout all four years of university. Whenever I took Julian traveling, I brought them along too. Even when I bought Julian gifts, I made sure every single one of them got something as well. Despite having eaten my food and accepted my gifts, they were sitting here encouraging him to divorce me. Still, they were not doing it for Julian’s sake. They simply believed Vivian had more money and could offer them more benefits. “Julian, if you’re worried about your reputation, we can fake evidence and say she cheated first. That way…” Bang! I stopped listening and pushed the door open. The room instantly fell silent. Julian stiffened. Panic flashed across his face as he instinctively tried to explain himself. Then he suddenly remembered we were still in a fight, and his expression immediately hardened again. He glanced at the time. “It’s not even six yet and you already left work early again. It looks like you still haven’t learned your lesson. In that case…” I looked at him in surprise. So he did not even know I had resigned. Then again, he had been too busy throwing Vivian a birthday party to even check whose resignation request he approved. He really did care about her. I cut him off with a cold laugh. “No need. I already quit.” “Quit? Since when?” Julian was startled for a moment before suddenly seeming to remember something. He rubbed his forehead impatiently. “Fine. The project’s already secured anyway, so we don’t really need you anymore. Do whatever you want. “I was trying to be nice and let you keep your name on the project so you could still earn some commission, but if you don’t want it, I won’t force you.” I raised an eyebrow. He really did not know the project had already been canceled. I was just about to say something when the roar of an engine sounded from downstairs. A limited-edition luxury car worth millions of dollars, something money alone could not buy, pulled up outside the house. Julian’s friends immediately got excited and started showing off in front of me. “Bet you didn’t know this. Vivian took her mother’s last name, Jenkins. Her father’s family name is Lane, as in the Lane Corporation.” “That car downstairs belongs to her brother. He’s definitely here to deliver her birthday gift.” “Lydia, you’re screwed for offending Vivian.” “Both of your family names are Lane but your lives are worlds apart. That’s fate. You should accept it.” They rushed to open the door, completely missing the ugly look on Vivian’s face. Julian lifted his chin smugly. “For the sake of our years together, if you hand over all your clients and resources to Vivian, I’ll allow you to stay home as a full-time housewife. Otherwise…” I knew exactly what he meant. He was trying to threaten me with divorce, to squeeze out every last bit of value I still had. I ignored him. At that moment, the door opened. Lucas walked in wearing a sharp tailored suit, brushing right past Julian’s friends and their eager attempts to flatter him. He came straight to me and patted my shoulder gently. “Lydia, are you done packing? Mom and Dad are waiting for us for dinner.” Julian stared at me in complete shock. I calmly pulled out the divorce decree and handed it to him. “Oh, right. I forgot to tell you that my parents already withdrew the hundred-million-dollar project. “And as for your offer, there’s no need anymore because we’re already divorced.”