The CEOs humble Secretary

The Ghost Wife's Billion Dollar Tech Comeback

Huo Wuer

Today is October 14th, my birthday. I returned to New York after months away, dragging my suitcase through the biting wind, but the VIP pickup zone where my husband's Maybach usually idled was empty. When I finally let myself into our Upper East Side penthouse, I didn't find a cake or a "welcome home" banner. Instead, I found my husband, Caden, kneeling on the floor, helping our five-year-old daughter wrap a massive gift for my half-sister, Adalynn. Caden didn't even look up when I walked in; he was too busy laughing with the girl who had already stolen my father's legacy and was now moving in on my family. "Auntie Addie is a million times better than Mommy," my daughter Elara chirped, clutching a plush toy Caden had once forbidden me from buying for her. "Mommy is mean," she whispered loudly, while Caden just smirked, calling me a "drill sergeant" before whisking her off to Adalynn's party without a second glance. Later that night, I saw a video Adalynn posted online where my husband and child laughed while mocking my "sensitive" nature, treating me like an inconvenient ghost in my own home. I had spent five years researching nutrition for Elara's health and managing every detail of Caden's empire, only to be discarded the moment I wasn't in the room. How could the man who set his safe combination to my birthday completely forget I even existed? The realization didn't break me; it turned me into ice. I didn't scream or beg for an explanation. I simply walked into the study, pulled out the divorce papers I'd drafted months ago, and took a black marker to the terms. I crossed out the alimony, the mansion, and even the custody clause-if they wanted a life without me, I would give them exactly what they asked for. I left my four-carat diamond ring on the console table and walked out into the rain with nothing but a heavily encrypted hard drive. The submissive Mrs. Holloway was gone, and "Ghost," the most lethal architect in the tech world, was finally back online to take back everything they thought I'd forgotten.

Modern Divorce Ex-wife

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Theodore

"Isa wait. Let's talk about this baby, you can't say something like that and just leave," I plead with my wife softly, trying to get her to rethink her decision. Isabel has always been much too stubborn for her own good.

"No! There's nothing to talk about Theodore and you know it," she says calmly while staring at me, daring me to fight her on this.

Usually, at this point I back off and let her have her way but not this time. This time I have to be more stubborn than she could ever be.

"You're not leaving Isabel, I won't let you. How could you even think about leaving us? Are you even thinking about me? Our family? Our children?!" I ask with quiet anger.

She laughs loudly and that makes my blood boil. She knows that Ethan and Emile are in the next room but she makes no effort to avoid disturbing their sleep. Another instance of Isabel being too selfish to be a good mother.

"Am I even thinking about us?" she asks incredulously after her deep laughter. "We both know there is no 'us' Theodore. The farce has gone on for as long as it can and I can finally call quits."

"Isa-"

She puts her hand up to cut me off while pacing up and down the large master's bedroom. I look out the door, concerned that her loud voice is causing a disturbance to our twins.

"And our families? They have gotten what they wanted after forcing us into this loveless marriage. Why keep on going with it when they have moved on?!"

Her sea blue eyes stare at me defiantly.

I want to oppose her, but even I can't deny it. The business between the Renaults and Thompsons that made both families decide to have their heirs marry each other has long since been concluded, leaving Isabel and I to live out the consequences.

I would never have agreed to the arrangement if Isabel wanted no part of it so we both agreed to resign ourselves to a loveless marriage. We have been comfortable going about our lives living under one roof for the past three years. At least, that's what I thought.

"This-this is not what we agreed to Isa," I say quietly as I think of her request for a divorce.

Even though we never fell in love, we developed a unique friendship surrounding our situation and her decision to leave feels like a betrayal.

Her eyes soften as she holds my gaze. "Theodore, I'm sorry for going against our initial agreement. You're a wonderful friend...but I want more. I want my freedom."

I stare into her eyes and I see just how serious she is. If I let her leave, she won't come back. This isn't one of her usual hasty decisions.

"You want your freedom? If I let you leave what do I get from that?" I ask quietly as I walk out of the French windows while massaging my head. I can already feel the headache coming.

Isabel's heels announce her joining me on the balcony.

"Do you remember your life before we got married?" She asks behind me. "Don't tell me you've forgotten that carefree young boy who was in love. You can go back to that time, Theodore. You can leave everything, the kids, the businesses, our families. You don't have to pretend anymore."

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