Divorcing The Wrong Man: Her Regret

"Master Adrian, everything has been arranged! We can sign the contract with your wife's company tomorrow. She will then become the new star of the city's business world!"

A sycophantic voice came from the other end of the phone. Adrian replied nonchalantly, "Well done. The Cross family's performance has been very satisfactory to me."

As he spoke, he casually flipped the steak in the pan.

The person on the other end, flattered, respectfully replied, "It is our honor to serve the sole heir of the West family..."

Adrian, uninterested in further compliments, offered a few perfunctory words and hung up. He then plated the steak.

Today was his and his wife Vanessa's wedding anniversary, and it was also the day he planned to tell her about his true identity. A smile involuntarily graced his lips at the thought.

He glanced at his watch and frowned. It had been two hours past the time he and Vanessa had agreed upon, yet she still hadn't returned home.

The steak had been reheated after going cold and no longer looked appetizing. Adrian picked up his phone and dialed his wife's number for the ninth time. Worried that she might be in danger, he decided he would go out to find her if she didn't answer this time.

Unfortunately, a busy signal met his ears, and unease filled his heart. He grabbed his jacket, ready to leave. Just then, the front door clicked open.

Adrian hurried over to see his wife stumbling in. He let out a long sigh of relief.

"Vanessa? You had me worried sick. I called you nine times... What happened?" he asked with concern, walking towards her.

Vanessa looked up, the smell of alcohol wafting from her. Adrian frowned, "You've been drinking?"

"Yes. Why are you still up? Is our daughter asleep?" Vanessa said coldly, her brow furrowed as she looked at him.

Adrian, looking at Vanessa, was somewhat displeased. "Did you forget that today is our wedding anniversary, and that I had something important to tell you?"

Vanessa then remembered, but she said dismissively, "What could be so important? Besides cooking and taking care of our daughter at home all day, you don't do anything else of substance. Are you trying to ask me for money?"

With a cold tone, she walked to the dining table and sat down, commanding, "Pour me a glass of water."

Adrian swallowed the sting. “It’s our anniversary, babe. I called you. Nine times.”

She rolled her eyes, kicking off her heels. One skidded under the coffee table. “Yeah, well, I was busy. Company’s going public tomorrow, or did you forget? Some of us have actual work to do.” Her words slurred impatiently.

Adrian studied her carefully. His wife was drunk. She couldn’t even walk properly. His jaw tightened. He gestured to the table, the food now entirely cold, the candles almost completely burnt out. “Aria was um… waiting for you until 9pm. She wanted to join us for our anniversary before bed.”

Vanessa snorted, staggering toward the kitchen, drunk. “Aria’s fine. She’s always fine. You’re the one making a big deal outta nothing.” She grabbed a glass from the counter, filled it with tap water, and drank like she hadn’t tasted liquid in days. “God, why’re you always hovering? It’s suffocating. Do you know what I had to deal with at the baquet today?”

Adrian was angry by his wife’s excuses. There was no hint of sory in her eyes, not even for disappointing their daughter. He took a slow, deliberaate breath, controlling his anger. He’d seen this coming, hadn’t he? 

“But Vanessa, the Cross family’s handling everything, right? They’ll make sure the listing goes smooth. This is an important night for us.”

Vanessa froze, the glass halfway to her lips as she turned back to him in shock. “How the hell do you know about the Cross family?” 

Adrian watched Vanessa quietly and said in a low voice, "This is related to what I was going to tell you tonight..."

"Enough, enough. I get angry just looking at you..." Vanessa waved her hand impatiently, completely unconcerned with how Adrian knew the Cross family was helping her.

"I must have been blind to marry a man like you. You're completely useless," Vanessa complained. "If it weren't for Bobby's help, how would I have gotten assistance from the Cross family? You're nothing compared to him. If it weren't for the accident of having Aria..."

Adrian's face was devoid of expression. He knew Vanessa's attitude towards him had drastically changed at a certain point. It was after she met that man named Bobby.

"You missed our wedding anniversary to go drinking with that Bobby?" Adrian asked softly.

"Yes, so what? Bobby helped me so much, of course I have to thank him! If it weren't for him..." Vanessa was defiant, feeling not a shred of guilt.

Vanessa seemed extremely irritated by Adrian’s questioning, and the stifling heat in the room only made her more uncomfortable. She tugged at her collar, trying to get a breath of fresh air.

However, that simple motion revealed the hickey on her neck.

Adrian was struck as if by lightning. He clenched his jaw, suppressing the fury in his chest as he demanded,

“So… that mark was left by Bobby as well?”

"Wh-what... impossible, I specifically told him not to leave any marks..." Vanessa became flustered, quickly covering her neck with her hand.

"So… you cheated?" A sharp pain shot through Adrian's heart, and his whole body trembled. He had suspected it, but he never thought Vanessa would admit her relationship with Bobby so readily in her muddled state.

"I...OK, you're right, I did cheat. But are you completely blameless?" Vanessa said mockingly, dropping all pretense now that her lie was exposed.

If you hadn’t gotten me pregnant, I’d be somewhere else. Someone else. Not stuck with you and your pathetic little dinners.” She gestured at the table, her bracelet catching the candlelight. “This food? It’s disgusting. You’re disgusting. It smells like shit, I won’t even be able to touch that crap.”

“Don’t you get it, Adrian? I am being laughed at at work. All of my subordinates have their husbands buying them fucking sportscars, diamond necklaces. And I pull up there everyday with nothing but your broke-ass surname staining mine. I am ashamed, okay? I am ashamed and I am tired of this… whatever we call it. You’re embarrassing to me, to my public image.” 

The words hung there, jagged, final. It felt like Vanessa did not even give a single thought to her words before she laid them. Adrian had spent five long years building her up secretly, propping her dreams with his secret empire. He had stepped back, played the nobody, to keep her and Aria safe. And this was what he got?

“Vanessa,” he finally spoke, his voice low. “I want a divorce.”