Chapter 2
After satisfying all of Ethan Zhou's unreasonable demands, he became increasingly out of control.
The first thing he did after school was play on his tablet.
He played while eating.
He even clutched the tablet when he went to bed and refused to let it go.
If he stayed up too late and couldn't get up in the morning, I didn't wake him.
I let him sleep as long as he wanted.
If he felt like going to school, fine.
If not, I didn't force him.
He loved snacks, and I made sure the house was always stocked.
Even the maids couldn't stand it anymore. One of them gently warned me,
"Ma'am, you're spoiling the young master. This isn't good for him."
I replied with biting sarcasm,
"Oh? I used to ruin him by forcing him to do what he didn't like. Now I'm ruining him by giving him what he wants. Either way, I'm always wrong."
But the chaos didn't last long.
Ethan's behavior soon drew the school's attention.
His homeroom teacher called me.
"Ethan talked back in class. He said, 'My parents don't care about me, so why should you?'"
I sighed. "I'm sorry, I really can't control him anymore. If there's a problem, please contact my husband."
Then I gave her Zhou Zeyu's number, hung up, and went back to my beauty treatment.
When I returned home, I was surprised to find Zhou Zeyu—the man who rarely showed his face—standing in the living room.
His expression was dark, his voice laced with disdain.
"Claire, your tactics are getting more impressive. Using your son just to get me to come home? Really?"
I had wanted him to come back.
After all, no matter how many times I called, he never answered.
Some part of me still clung to the memory of how we once were.
We had fallen in love freely. Married for love.
We endured hardship together and built our company from the ground up.
But once the business stabilized, I stepped back to focus on our family.
I poured everything into raising our son.
By the time I realized Zhou Zeyu had emotionally checked out of the marriage, it was already too late.
The other woman?
Lin Yaqi.
A 20-year-old intern full of youthful charm and sugary sweetness.
One day, I accidentally saw their chat messages.
Zhou Zeyu:You remind me of my wife when she was young. She used to be as fresh and lovely as you.
Lin Yaqi:What about now? 😊
Zhou Zeyu:Now she's... developed. And honestly, sometimes I get tired during sex.
That was when I realized—
To him, I was just an aging burden. A used-up woman.
I lost it that day.
The insult to my pride was unbearable. I demanded a divorce.
But Zhou Zeyu refused.
He said he was just joking with a young girl, and I shouldn't overreact.
Both sets of parents intervened.
"The child is only two years old," they said.
"Think of the baby. Don't make a scene over a little flirtation."
Zhou Zeyu even swore he'd cut off all contact with Lin Yaqi and fired her to prove his "loyalty."
To be fair, he hadn't physically cheated—yet.
So in the end, I chose to forgive him.
I even began to reflect on myself—
Maybe I had been too absorbed in our child.
Maybe I had neglected my husband.
Maybe I needed to change.
But then he cheated—for real.