He released me and stalked out to the balcony. The metallic click of a lighter followed.

His voice was cold, but weighed down with exhaustion.

“Sophia, do you honestly think we’re still a family?”

“Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?”

His laugh was bitter, his eyes closing for a moment before he forced them open again.

“You’ve really made up your mind? You’re set on divorcing me?”

I nodded firmly. “Yes.”

“I admit I failed as a husband. So I don’t blame you for cheating. After the divorce, we’ll split everything fifty-fifty. You don’t have to walk away with nothing.”

Ethan turned back toward me, his face shadowed by the light behind him.

There was no more rage, no accusations—only a quiet sorrow.

“I just can’t figure it out,” he whispered. “We were so in love. How did it all come to this?”

“When I asked you to be a stay-at-home wife, you refused.”

“Was that the moment you had already planned your escape, throwing yourself into work so you could secure shares in the company?”

I stayed silent, and Ethan gave a bitter smile, as if resigning himself.

“If you love being a workaholic so much, then go live with your work.”

He slammed the door shut behind him.