The Pen That Ended My Marriage

I stayed indifferent, nudging the divorce papers toward Chelsea. She went pale, trembling, and could hardly speak. "Honey… are you really leaving Nathan and me?"

She cried so pitifully that even the other parents couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Just admit there's another woman!" Joseph seethed.

I only shot him a glance. "So what if there is?"

A few of the fathers nearby had had enough and rolled up their sleeves, ready to step in. I, however, fixed my eyes on the pen in Chelsea's pocket and changed my tone.

"If you won't sign, fine. Just give me the pen."

Her expression froze, and she instinctively clutched it tighter.

Joseph suddenly kicked me to the ground, his eyes dripped with an intent to kill. "You control freak. She's given so much for you! You said you didn't like the sound of the piano, so she quit playing the one instrument she's loved for 20 years.

"You said you disliked spicy food, so she gave up her favorite dishes to eat bland meals with you. And now, you want to take away the one pen she likes using?"

I stood up, staring at him with a smirk. "Let me remind you that this is my family matter. Why are you so worked up?"

My words instantly set the surrounding parents off. "You're a sick, controlling freak! Your wife can't even use a pen?"

"You think you're a tyrant or something? Your wife has the freedom to use whatever she wants!"

"I say sign the papers! Mrs. Larsson, you don't need a man like him! The sooner you leave him, the better!"

One of the mothers was so agitated that her chest heaved up and down, her finger trembling as she pointed it at me. "A man like you should've been run over on the street. You don't deserve to live!"

I ignored everyone else, my gaze fixed on Chelsea's pale face. "Sign the papers or give me the pen."

Her body wavered, as if the weight of humiliation and pressure was about to crush her. Under the sympathetic and urging eyes of everyone around, she slowly stood up.

Joseph's expression shifted instantly. He lunged and grabbed her wrist just as she reached for her pocket. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "You're really going to give it to him?"

She didn't flinch, though. Her eyes held a trace of comfort, like she was trying to soothe the storm.

His grip loosened instantly, as if he was thinking, "Right. So what if he got the pen? What could he possibly discover?"

His tense body visibly relaxed, and an amused smile soon curved his lips.

Chelsea lowered her head and handed me the pen. "Here, take it. We'll end this once and for all, okay, honey? Let's go home."

Her voice was heavy with resignation and compromise.

Once I acquired the pen, I didn't linger and walked away. I had already given them plenty of chances.

At the anniversary dinner party, I gave Chelsea the choice to be honest and end things cleanly. Earlier, I had given her one last chance to sign the papers with dignity.

Alas, greed controlled them. They greedily wanted to maintain the facade while making me out to be a fool. They thought deceit and public opinion were enough to cover the truth forever, keeping me nailed to the pillar of shame.

Well, fine.

I pulled out my phone. The surveillance footage showed Chelsea staring at the pen, licking it with abandon. I looked at her flushed face and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

In five days, during the Sloane family's livestreamed press conference, I would stop holding back and expose them for who they truly were.

When that day came, I stepped into the Sloane Group conference hall with confidence, silencing the chatter instantly. Every eye in the room was fixed on me, gleaming with schadenfreude.

Arthur caught sight of me and snorted heavily.