"No, we are NOT done!" The mask shattered. Vivian's voice erupted through the phone, raw and furious. "I know you're angry! Fine! Be angry! But why do you have to be so — so goddamn unreasonable about this? Why do you insist on burning every bridge between us?"She was breathing hard now. He could hear it — the ragged pull of air between sentences."Think about this clearly, Ethan. You're a househusband. That's what you've been for five years. A househusband. You walk away from me — then what? What's your plan? Go back to driving Uber? Picking up drunk college kids at two in the morning for fifteen dollars a ride?"Her voice cracked with something between rage and desperation."Why can't you just come home? Come back and be my husband. Take care of me. Isn't this better than being an Uber driver?？"The words echoed in both offices — hers and his.Ethan was quiet.Then he laughed. "Even driving Uber," Ethan said, his voice low and utterly steady, "would be better than being your husba

Vivian exhaled. Some of the tension left her shoulders."I believe in you. With your network, you can definitely find a partner to replace Stellaris."As for Arthur Voss — she'd handle that herself. She'd go talk to him. Face to face.Resignations always came down to the same things. Money. Respect. Working conditions. Whatever his price was, she'd pay it.She waved both managers out and headed straight for the elevator.The café on the ground floor. Window seat.Arthur Voss sat across from her — early thirties, close-cropped hair, wire-rimmed glasses, calm as still water.Vivian smiled. Warm. Approachable. The smile she reserved for people she needed."Arthur, I heard you submitted your resignation this afternoon. Can I ask — is it the compensation? The work environment? Whatever it is, I want to make it right."Arthur had been with Lockwood Industries for three years. He was the company's backbone. Its foundation.Vivian was betting on loyalty. Three years built attachment. A heartf

"Does it matter?""Of course it matters!" Vivian's teeth clenched so hard the tendons in her neck stood out. Fury blazed in her eyes — not at herself, but outward. "Whoever told you is trying to drive a wedge between us. They want us to divorce. Tell me. Who was it?"Ethan's voice exploded through the hallway."Enough!"Vivian flinched. Her mouth snapped shut. She stared at him, stunned into silence."Vivian. Before today, I was your husband. You hid all of this from me — and you think that's acceptable? Now someone tells me the truth, and your first reaction isn't guilt. It isn't shame. It's anger — that someone dared to let me know?"He stepped closer. His voice dropped to something quiet and lethal."What is going on inside your head? When did your values get this twisted? The woman I married — the girl who used to be soft, who used to curl up next to me and hold my hand — she's gone. I don't know who you are anymore."He stepped back."We're done. Whatever's going on in your life

The meeting dragged on for over an hour.Nothing got resolved. Not the Stellaris partnership. Not Arthur Voss's resignation. Two critical problems, zero solutions.Reginald Lockwood's patience finally snapped. He tore into every department head at the table — finance, operations, logistics, R&D — nobody was spared. By the time he dismissed them, half the room couldn't make eye contact.Chairman's office.Reginald sat behind his desk, jaw clenched, the storm still rolling behind his eyes."I handed you the reins less than a year ago. And this is what you've done with my trust?"Vivian stood across from him, head lowered. "Dad — Chairman. These two issues aren't my fault. Stellaris chose to pull out. Mr. Voss chose to resign. What was I supposed to do?"Reginald wanted to keep going. But the look on his daughter's face — that wounded, cornered expression — softened him. Barely.He exhaled hard through his nose."This company is ours, Vivian. Those executives out there can afford not to

Time slipped hard and fast.By five-thirty, most of Stellaris had already emptied out. The business department was nearly silent, just the low hum of computers and the occasional click of a keyboard.Ethan sat with a client file open in front of him, eyes moving line by line.Across from him, Aurora propped her chin in both hands and stared at him with open annoyance."Are you seriously doing this right now?" she muttered. "It's after work. That file will still exist tomorrow."Ethan didn't look up."You don't have to wait for me. I'll leave after I finish this."That only made her roll her eyes."As if I'm waiting because I enjoy it. I want the dinner you promised me."A faint smile tugged at the corner of Ethan's mouth.Yesterday, she had still been testing him. Today, she had gotten bolder.Probably because she had realized he wasn't going to snap at her for every little thing.He closed the folder.Aurora lifted a brow. "What, giving up already?""You said you wanted me to cook."