The Callous CEO

Chapter 2 You are nothing but just a blood donor

The following morning, Ethan arrived at the house feeling joyful. He had helped a woman who, in return, gave him five hundred dollars. Excitedly, he headed straight to the jewelry shop and purchased a beautiful necklace for his beloved wife.

"Sweetheart, guess what? I bought you a stunning necklace! Come and have a look," he exclaimed, his excitement resembling that of a child given his favorite lollipop.

"What... is... this?" he stammered, startled by what he saw. The necklace slipped from his hands as shock consumed him.

How could she betray him after everything he had done for her?

Ethan looked at her, waiting for an explanation, bewildered to find her sitting on another man's lap. This was something he believed should only belong to him.

Their constant arguments made him feel like he was merely filling a void in the family, and now he felt a deep sense of disappointment. He had expected to see shock on her face, but instead, she wore a smirk. It seemed he was nothing more than an ornament to them.

Oh, what a cruel world. Still, he decided to give her a chance to explain herself, hoping that perhaps his assumptions were wrong. Even if they weren't, he was willing to accept her back and do whatever it took to win her back.

"Daphne, what is going on?" he asked, his heart pounding in his throat.

Daphne feigned ignorance, continuing to cuddle the other man.

"Daphne, I'm talking to you! Who is this?" he roared, startling the adulterous couple.

She had never seen him like this before, and while initially afraid of his sudden change in demeanor, she relaxed upon realizing that the person beside him was more powerful than her worthless lover.

The other person didn't seem worried at all, despite the fact that her husband had caught her in this compromising situation.

Daphne averted her gaze and ignored Ethan, treating him as though he were a nobody seeking her attention.

Ethan felt as though he was losing his most valuable possession to this unknown man.

His mind clouded with anger as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, but his actions only infuriated her.

he forcefully pushed his hands away and returned to stand close to the other man.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped angrily.

"I'm trying to get you away from this person," Ethan replied, naively.

"And who said I wanted to get away from him? Did I scream for help, claiming he was kidnapping me? Did I call for your assistance to save me from him? No, right? So stop involving yourself in matters that don't concern you. You're so naive," she scolded him furiously.

Daphne turned to the other man, who stood there with a proud expression and his shoulders held high.

"I'm sorry, my love. I hope you're not worried," she asked him, her tone filled with concern.

Ethan had never heard such a tone from her before. Her voice had always carried a mocking or scolding tone.

Ethan felt humiliated and insulted. His wife seemed to care more about another man than him. Was he truly that useless in her eyes? He couldn't accept it.

It appeared as if she was making an effort to make this unknown guy feel comfortable. His heart ached, but he didn't want to lose her. He forced himself to calm down and control his temper. Perhaps it was his fault, maybe he hadn't worked hard enough.

What if the man was a distant relative? Ethan decided to ask again, desperately seeking an explanation.

"Daphne, who is this?" he asked, trying his best to restrain his anger.

She looked at him without a hint of guilt, smiling broadly at the man beside her. It was the first time he had seen her smile so brightly, and it was beautiful. However, it saddened him to know that the smile was not meant for him but for another man.

Daphne turned to him, her smile vanished, replaced by coldness. If he hadn't seen it clearly, he would have thought he was imagining things.

Or was he actually hallucinating? Her next words shattered that illusion.

"That is none of your business," she replied coldly.

Poor Ethan, who still believed he was at fault, tried to mend the situation.

"I'm sorry, Daphne. You know we are married, and it's a husband's duty to protect his wife, right? I thought he was just a random man. I apologize if I have offended you. You are my wife, and it is my responsibility to protect you," he bowed and mumbled, feeling like a child who had upset his parents.

He hoped that with this, she would no longer be mad at him. He anticipated her leaving the other man and running towards him with open arms. However, her next words felt like a bucket of cold water being poured on him.

"Wife? Marriage? Ha! You sure know how to dream," she scoffed.

The man beside her looked at him as though he were a clown putting on a show.

"Ethan, Ethan, Ethan, are you really this naive or are you just plain stupid?" Daphne said as she walked toward him, gripping his shoulder with a smile on her face.

Ethan was confused, and it showed on his face.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, perplexed.

"Well, I think it's time you knew the truth. You and I were never married," she said, and his body trembled.

"What? How could this be? You're lying, right? No, no, this must be a joke," he shook his head, refusing to believe it.

It had to be a joke. She was trying to make him anxious over nothing. She didn't mean what she was saying.

Ethan tried to gather his thoughts. But deep down, he knew she might be telling the truth.

"Have you ever wondered why I didn't want to share a room with you? Or why I didn't care if you went out with someone else?" she continued, her voice devoid of any care for him. "I have never cared about you, and it should have been clear enough for you to see. This marriage was a sham. We were never husband and wife. You were merely someone we found with a rare blood type that could help cure my mother."

Realization dawned on him. He had no place in this family. No wonder they never treated him well. This marriage was a facade.

"So... so everything," he managed to utter, struggling to hold back his emotions. The woman he was willing to do anything for had betrayed him. The woman he was willing to die for.

How heartless she was to repay him like this.

His eyes filled with tears, yet he fought against letting them escape, unable to find words to express his disbelief and shock.

Ethan felt a mix of anger, betrayal, and deep sadness. His eyes welled up with tears, but he refused to let them fall. He stared at Daphne, searching for any hint of remorse or love in her eyes, but all he found was cold indifference.

"I can't believe this... After everything we've been through, you're telling me it was all a lie?" Ethan's voice quivered with a mixture of pain and disbelief.

Daphne crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well, it seems you finally caught on, Ethan. You were nothing more than a means to an end for us."

The words pierced through Ethan's heart like a dagger. He couldn't comprehend how someone he had loved so deeply could treat him with such callousness.

"But... but I loved you," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I gave everything for you. How could you do this to me?"

Daphne's smile widened, a cruel glimmer in her eyes. "Love? Oh, Ethan, you were just a naive fool. Love had nothing to do with it. You were merely a pawn in our game, a tool to save my mother's life."

Tim, the man by Daphne's side, laughed mockingly. "You really thought you meant something to her? How pathetic. You were nothing more than a donor. I'm the one she truly desires."

Ethan's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. He struggled to control his anger, his entire being shaking with a mix of emotions. But he knew that resorting to violence would only worsen the situation.

"You both may think you've won, but I won't let you continue to use me," Ethan declared, his voice filled with determination. "I'm filing for a divorce. I refuse to be trapped in this sham of a marriage any longer."

Daphne's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger breaking through her facade. "Divorce? You think you can just walk away from us? You're nothing without us, Ethan."

Ethan took a step closer, his gaze locked with Daphne's. "I may have been a fool, but I won't allow myself to be used any longer. I deserve better than this. I may have nothing now, but at least I'll have my dignity."

Tim sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You think you can just leave? We'll make sure you regret this decision, Ethan. You'll never find happiness without us."

Ethan's eyes flashed with determination as he looked at them both. "I may not know what the future holds, but I refuse to let you define my happiness. I'll find my own path, free from your deceit."

With those words, Ethan turned away, his heart heavy but his spirit resolute. He walked out of the room, leaving behind the shattered remains of a life he thought he had built. It was time for him to rebuild himself, to find his own worth, and to heal the wounds inflicted upon his trusting heart.