After 12 Years of Cold Marriage, I Left My CEO Husband

Seraphina Blackwood had just gotten the latest trendy cat-eye manicure in a soft, light purple. Her husband, Damian Sterling, insisted that a dark green cat-eye would suit her better. Seraphina didn't sleep a wink that night. At daybreak, she asked him for a divorce. Damian had fixated on cat-eye nails—specifically, dark green—despite being the kind of man who couldn't tell leggings from stockings, yet now he was an expert on manicure styles and colors. The truth was self-evident: he really had climbed into bed with his new secretary, Vivienne Mercier. At the dining table, nobody took Seraphina's request for a divorce seriously. Damian was rushing to get to work, adjusting his tie in front of the entryway mirror, silent the whole time. Seraphina watched him calmly, repeating, "I want a divorce." Perhaps her persistence annoyed Damian. He shot her a cold glance. "You have too much free time," he said. "If you're bored, go get a job." He fastened his Rolex, calling to his son as he headed for the door, "Leo, Daddy's taking you to school today." "Awesome, Daddy!" Leo Sterling brushed right past Seraphina. He straightened his clothes in the entryway just like his father, then gave Seraphina a look of disdain. "Mom, Dad's right. You don't do anything. Everyone else's mom has a decent job, earning a million a year, talented and beautiful. What about you? Without Dad, you're nothing." He added, "Oh, and don't pick me up today. I'm having Vivienne pick me up." Every word pierced Seraphina's heart. The woman her son referred to was Damian's new secretary, Vivienne. In just six months, she had woven herself into their marriage. Damian mentioned her constantly, always with praise, while reserving only cold indifference for Seraphina. The child followed his father's lead. The door slammed shut with a heavy thud, echoing deep within Seraphina and shattering her last glimmer of hope. The house fell into a cold silence. Seraphina sat motionless for a long time before taking out her phone to call her brother, Julian Blackwood, to state her intention to divorce Damian. There was a brief silence on the other end. "Are you saying Damian cheated?" Seraphina's eyes trembled. "Yes." "His infidelity is a stain on him, but it's also your leverage. If you file for divorce now, you're throwing that leverage away for nothing. Seraphina, a truly wise woman maximizes her interests instead of just burning everything down." It was an analysis so cold it was almost cruel. Seraphina's eyes turned red instantly. "Julian, don't you even care if I've been wronged?" There was another silence. Finally, he spoke, "All men are the same. You won't find anyone better if you leave him. Besides, he's the biggest client of Blackwood & Associates." The truth was laid bare. Interests mattered more than her. Seraphina laughed at herself. "Then you'd better prepare to lose that client." She slammed the hang-up button, drove to a different law firm, and began drafting the divorce agreement. The assets were easy to split. Seraphina knew exactly what Damian's salary and assets were on paper. As for anything hidden, she didn't know, and she didn't want to dig deep. It was time to cut her losses; she valued her precious freedom more than his money. The lawyer asked, "What about custody of the child?" Seraphina paused. Just then, her phone rang. It was a message sent from her son's smartwatch. Leo: Mom, I need money to buy a birthday present for Vivienne. Ever since he started Evergreen Preschool, he had prepared a gift for Seraphina every year—except this year. He hadn't celebrated her birthday, and he'd only remembered to say happy birthday after she reminded him. Seraphina had tried to delude herself, convincing herself he must have been too busy with schoolwork to remember. But this message hit her like a slap in the face. It woke her up—any act of "forgetting" was simply a sign of not caring. Looking up, Seraphina's eyes were dull and lifeless. "I'm giving up custody." It was already dark when she returned home. Pushing the door open, Seraphina saw a pair of high heels that weren't hers. She looked up and locked eyes with Vivienne, who was sitting on the sofa. Vivienne offered a distant, polite smile and explained, "Mrs. Sterling, sorry for the intrusion. My son couldn't bear to be apart from Leo, so he fussed until I brought him over to play." Seraphina scanned the room. Damian wasn't back, but Leo was throwing darts with Vivienne's son. After sitting down, Seraphina glanced at the teacup on the table and returned an equally polite smile. "Ms. Mercier, you're using my husband's teacup." The atmosphere turned subtle. Vivienne feigned surprise. "Oh, Leo poured this for me. He must have picked the wrong one." She rubbed the rim of the cup with her fingertip, then shifted her tone. "But then again, I have one exactly like this at home, too. Isn't that a coincidence?"