Too Late To Beg Your Secret CEO Wife

My husband, Franklin, and his mother, Sharon, ganged up on me, trying to pressure me into quitting my million-dollar-a-year job as a top architect so I could become a full-time housewife dedicated to supporting his career.

I firmly refused. Holding a grudge, Franklin secretly stole my core design proposal for the city's new art museum and leaked it to a competitor, resulting in my public firing and humiliation before the entire company.

He thought he had me trapped. He and his mother gloated, declaring that my only value now was to be "Franklin's wife."

Looking at their ugly, triumphant faces, I smiled coldly and dialed my personal assistant.

Right then and there, I ordered, "Announce the termination of Franklin, a project manager at a subsidiary of the Sterling Group, for gross violation of professional ethics. Effective immediately."

Then, I added, "And have everything prepared. I will be assuming the role of CEO at headquarters tomorrow morning."

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1

"Ava, when are you going to finally submit your resignation?"

My husband, Franklin, confronted me the moment I stepped into our Manhattan penthouse, his face taut with anger.

His voice was a low growl of suppressed rage.

His mother, Sharon, followed close behind, her sharp eyes scanning me as if I were a stain on her pristine world.

She slammed my birth control pills onto the expensive marble table.

"That's right, Ava. Behind every successful man is a woman who knows how to sacrifice!"

"Your obsession with your career is destroying our marriage, and it's crushing my son's self-esteem!"

"I've found the best family doctor. He said that as soon as you stop taking these, we'll have a grandchild by next year!"

I rubbed my weary temples and swept past them, tossing my handbag onto the sofa.

"Franklin, we've talked about this a thousand times. I love my job."

"I'm at a critical point in my career, and I'm not about to give it up."

"As for children, can't we just let nature take its course? Why are you pushing me like this?"

My words were like a match to a powder keg.

He rushed over, snatched the architectural design award I had just won, and smashed it on the floor.

"Let nature take its course? We've been married for three years, Ava! And you're still not pregnant!"

"How dare you say that to me?"

"I'm telling you, this family needs a child!"

"I'm my mother's only son. It's your duty to give me an heir!"

His face was flushed, his handsome features twisted with rage.

"It's not like I can't support you! Is that little salary of yours so important?"

"Isn't my one-hundred-fifty-thousand-dollar salary enough for you to live on?"

"Do you have to be out there, parading your success and making us a laughingstock?"

A bitter laugh almost escaped at his absurd, selfish logic.

"Franklin, I work for myself, not for you to support me."

"My work isn't about parading success. It's about fulfilling my own potential."

"Besides, I made the down payment on this penthouse. I paid for my Porsche in cash. And I cover most of our household expenses."

"Is your one-hundred-fifty-thousand-dollar salary enough to maintain our current lifestyle?"

My words shattered his fragile ego.

At that, Sharon shot forward, screaming.

"What kind of attitude is that! You married Franklin, so everything you have belongs to him!"

"Everything you have belongs to this family!"

"So what if you earn a little money? You can't even have a child, yet you have the nerve to give my son attitude?"

"I'm telling you, you're resigning today, and that's final!"

"Otherwise, get out of this house!"