Hidden Tycoon: My Ex-Wife Regrets Everything

The moment Ethan Cole walked into the bright ballroom of the Grand Celestial Hotel, he sensed something had shifted. Not due to the sparkling lights hanging above or the crowd of rich guests drinking bubbly that topped his month’s budget. Nah - it was how his wife stared at him from afar, like he’d ruined her flawless night. Vanessa Chen stood right in the middle of the grand hall wearing a deep red dress from Valentino that followed her shape perfectly. Her black hair was pulled back neatly, tight at the nape, while sparkly studs flashed whenever she turned her head - she’d just chuckled at a comment from a big-shot financier nearby. Beauty clung to her, sure, but so did influence, sharp and cold. By twenty-eight, she’d turned her family’s company into a massive enterprise worth stacks, and nearly everyone here either chased her approval or kept their distance out of caution. Back then, Ethan used to enjoy seeing her glow. Lately, though, it only shows how distant they’ve become. "Is that Vanessa's husband?" A woman's voice drifted past him, not bothering to lower her tone. "Poor thing. I heard he doesn't even work. Just lives off her money." "I'd be embarrassed too if I were her," another voice chimed in. "Imagine being that successful and having to drag along a man who contributes nothing." Ethan stayed calm, hands shoved loosely into his jacket pockets. This jacket - Vanessa had ranted nonstop about it earlier that day back at the house. Not the fancy Italian brand she’d picked out recently - he didn’t feel real wearing that one, more like pretending. The current suit? Basic cut, sharp lines, nothing flashy. Bought it himself, paid with cash he earned. Little wins, he told his mind. Ethan.” Her words sliced through the background hum - sharp, sudden. Moving closer, she stepped forward as people shifted aside without thinking. Nobody ever stayed in her path when Vanessa Chen came by. He sat up a bit, locking gazes with her. Her deep brown eyes - once full of kindness - now showed nothing but sharp annoyance. You showed up," she told him once she got close. Her tone was quiet, though it carried a biting edge. "Even wearing that outfit "You invited me," Ethan replied calmly. "You said it would look bad if your husband didn't attend your biggest charity event of the year." "I also specifically told you to wear the Armani." Her gaze raked over him with barely concealed disgust. "But instead, you chose to show up looking like you're here to fix the air conditioning." A couple people close by had quieted down, listening in on the scene playing out. Vanessa didn’t bother holding back - rage took over. "The suit is perfectly appropriate - " "It's cheap, Ethan." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Everything about you is cheap. Do you know what people say about me? That I made a stupid mistake marrying someone so far beneath me. That I let sentiment cloud my judgment. And standing here looking at you right now, I think they're right." The words landed just like she meant. Yet Ethan’d grown tough from everything this last year. Every jab, every brush-off, every time she belittled him - he’d packed it on tighter. One piece at a time. "If that's how you feel," he said quietly, "then why am I here?" "Because appearances matter!" Vanessa's composure cracked slightly. "Because I'm trying to secure a fifty-million-dollar investment deal with the Hartley Group, and they're traditional. They want to see a stable family woman, not some CEO who can't even manage her personal life." That’s all there was to it. Not because she felt lonely or thought he mattered. She needed him around like a backdrop - something handy, something tidy, just to fit the look she liked. Something in Ethan broke loose. Not from rage or fuss - just a soft, clear snap. Kinda like when a latch shuts… never to open again. Vanessa," he stated, tone flat but smooth - so quiet it froze her. "Need us split up." The ballroom stayed noisy - silence like that was just something you saw on screen. Yet those standing near caught every word. Vanessa’s eyes popped wide, then squinted sharp. "Excuse me?" "A divorce," Ethan repeated, louder this time. He was done with whispers and hidden conversations. "I'm filing papers tomorrow. You can have everything - the villa, the cars, the bank accounts. I don't want anything from you." Vanessa's face flushed red, though whether from embarrassment or rage, he couldn't tell. "You're filing for divorce? You?" She laughed, but it was a brittle, incredulous sound. "Ethan, you have nothing. No job, no money, no prospects. You've spent the last three years living off my success like a parasite. And now you have the audacity to divorce me?" Yep. That one little syllable hit harder than a whole paragraph ever could. "You'll be homeless," she hissed. "Do you understand that? The moment you walk out of my house, you'll have nowhere to go. No one to support your pathetic existence." "I'll manage." "With what?" She was almost shouting now, drawing more attention. "Your pride? Your dignity? Those don't pay rent, Ethan. You need me. You've always needed me." Ethan held her angry stare with a look she didn’t recognize - total sureness. Not this time, Vanessa. Honestly, I don’t He spun around, heading for the door, each step firm against the shiny tiles. Following close, came a burst of hushed talk, shocked breaths - hints of juicy rumors ready to blow up by morning. Vanessa Chen’s good-for-nothing spouse actually did one cool thing - he walked out on her. "Ethan!" Vanessa's voice rang out across the ballroom. "If you walk out that door, don't you dare come crawling back! You'll regret this! Do you hear me? You'll regret this for the rest of your miserable life!" He kept walking. Never stopped moving. She wouldn’t catch a single flicker of feeling on him. The valet blinked hard when Ethan passed over the slip. "You want your car back, mister?" "No," Ethan said. "Just call me a cab." "Of course, sir." The young man hesitated. "Are you... alright?" Ethan grinned - genuine, like he hadn't done since forever. "Truth is, I feel way stronger than I have in ages While standing by the hotel stairs, his phone vibrated. It was one message - came from a contact he hadn’t heard from in thirty-six months. "Sir, are you ready to come home?" Ethan’s hand paused above the phone - then he tapped out an answer. "Yes. Send the car." A minute later, a shiny black Rolls-Royce stopped at the sidewalk. The parking guy gaped. The front desk worker snapped upright - then again, folks peering out the ballroom windows already saw it coming. A guy in a sharp-looking suit got out, then held open the back door while nodding slightly. "Good to see you again, Mr. Cole. It hasn't been the same without you." Ethan slipped into the soft seat; once the vehicle started moving from the Grand Celestial Hotel, he took just a quick look behind. Vanessa Chen froze by the door, skin ghost-white from surprise while that Rolls-Royce melted into the dark sky. But then everything felt heavier, like silence after a shout fades out slowly across empty streets where no one answers back ever again. She didn’t know what had happened because of her actions. Yet she’d soon discover.