Teaching My Greedy Husband A Lesson

Chapter Two

I stared at my reflection in the vanity mirror.

A woman stripped of everything—but not defeated—stared back at me.

My eyes were swollen from crying, my lips pale, but my spirit… my spirit had finally woken up.

I straightened my shoulders, reached for my laptop, and whispered to myself,

“If Jacob thinks he can humiliate me and walk away unscathed, he’s wrong.”

Within seconds, I was logged into my email. Dozens of files from Andrew filled the screen—financial statements, board reports, ownership documents.

There it was. My name. Sheila Winfrey—majority shareholder and CEO of Evergreen Designs, the company I built from nothing.

A bitter smile crept to my lips. I had built it, trusted him with it, and he repaid me with betrayal.

But I was taking it back.

My phone buzzed with a message from Andrew.

Andrew: “The board has been notified. Meeting is tomorrow at 10 AM.”

Me: “Thank you.”

I closed the laptop and leaned back in my chair.

Tomorrow would be the beginning of Jacob’s downfall.

A knock at the door startled me. It wasn’t Jacob. He never knocked.

If he wanted something, he just barged in like the place belonged to him.

“Sheila?”

My stomach twisted at the sound. Mrs. Winfrey.

I took a deep breath before opening the door just a crack. “What do you want?”

The older woman’s painted lips twisted into a sneer as she pushed past me, uninvited.

“I came to talk some sense into you,” she said, folding her arms. “You’ve been sulking for days when you should be supporting Elena. She’s pregnant, for heaven’s sake.”

I blinked at her, incredulous. “Supporting her?” My laugh came out cold. “Last time you talked to me about ‘support,’ you slapped me.”

“Men make mistakes,” she said, waving her hand as if that erased years of cruelty. “You’re his wife. It’s your duty to stand by him.” Her lips curled. “Besides, you couldn’t give him a child. Elena did. And all you do is blame everyone but yourself.”

My fists clenched. “So it’s my duty,” I said slowly, “to cook for my husband and his mistress in my own house? To watch them flaunt their affair while you all pretend it’s normal?”

Mrs. Winfrey’s eyes narrowed. “Stop being dramatic. You’re barren, Sheila. Jacob deserves happiness. Elena can give him what you can’t.”

The word barren echoed through me like a slap, but I refused to show pain. Instead, I stepped closer, my voice low and sharp.

“Let me make something clear,” I said. “I might have been patient. Maybe even foolish. But I am done. Jacob took my dignity, my trust—everything. He won’t take my peace too.”

Her face hardened. “Then leave,” she snapped. “Leave my son and his wife alone. You’re living off him anyway. You don’t work, you don’t cook for him anymore, you do nothing. Just leave!”

I smiled faintly. “Leave my house, you mean?”

She scoffed. “My son’s house, you ungrateful, barren woman! I knew from the day he brought you here that you’d be worthless. Elena is from a powerful family. She’ll make him richer, something you’ve never done.”

I almost laughed. Elena? Make him richer? If only she knew the truth.

“You’re right,” I said softly. “Elena’s from the Rodriguez family, isn’t she? How… convenient.”

Mrs. Winfrey smirked. “Exactly. Her name alone will lift this family higher. You’re just a shadow, Sheila. You’ll always be hidden behind women like her.”

Something inside me snapped.

“Get out.”

Her eyes widened. “What did you say?”

“I said get out,” I repeated, walking toward the door. “You’ve disrespected me enough for one lifetime.”

“You dare throw me out of my son’s house?”

“It’s my room,” I said darkly, pulling the door open. “At least for now. So yes—get out.”

She glared at me, trembling with anger. “You won’t last a week here. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Then I’ll enjoy watching you fail,” I said coolly.

She stormed out, muttering curses under her breath.

When the door shut, I exhaled deeply, pressing my forehead against the wood. For the first time in months, I felt something new burning inside me—power.

“They think I’m weak,” I whispered. “Let’s see how long they laugh.”

⸻

The next morning, I stood before the mirror, adjusting the collar of my navy-blue suit. My reflection looked nothing like the broken woman of last night. My hair was sleek, my lipstick bold. I looked like me again—the woman who built an empire before love ruined her.

I didn’t even glance toward Jacob’s room as I left. He wouldn’t know what hit him.

At the company, Andrew waited for me at the boardroom door, nervous but loyal.

“Are you sure about this, ma’am?” he asked.

“Positive,” I said. “It’s time.”

The moment I entered the room, the board members stood.

“Good morning, Mrs. Winfrey,” they greeted in unison.

I smiled faintly. “Sit.”

Andrew handed out the documents as I took my seat at the head of the table.

“I’ll make this quick,” I began. “Effective immediately, I’m resuming my position as CEO of Evergreen Designs.”

The room fell silent.

“You’re firing your husband?” one man finally asked, disbelief in his voice.

I turned my gaze to him. “Technically, yes, Mr. Williams.”

Relief flickered across a few faces. One of them spoke up, “Frankly, Mrs. Winfrey, it’s long overdue. We’ve submitted countless complaints, but they were never answered.”

“Complaints?” I asked, raising a brow.

Andrew cleared his throat. “We emailed you, ma’am. Dozens of times. But… Jacob handled your correspondence. None of the messages reached you.”

Of course. He’d taken over everything—even my email.

“Understood,” I said curtly. “There’s another meeting scheduled tomorrow, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Andrew confirmed.

“Good,” I said, a cold smile touching my lips. “Let’s make sure Mr. Winfrey attends that one. I’ll handle it personally.”

I rose from my chair, every step echoing with renewed strength.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” I said, looking around the room, “I have a company to save.”

Andrew hurried to follow. “What next, ma’am?”

“Prepare all pending reports and forward every complaint to my personal email,” I said. “And schedule a meeting with Mr. Allison.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As I stepped out of the boardroom, sunlight flooded through the tall glass windows, glinting off the city below. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t the broken wife.

I was Sheila Winfrey, the woman who built an empire.

And tomorrow, Jacob would learn what it truly meant to lose everything.