“Long enough. I saw you in your office… with her.”

He pulled out the documents, scanning the first page with narrowed eyes. “So you’re really doing this.”

“Yes.”

“Because of one mistake?”

“It wasn’t one mistake, Ethan. It was five years of mistakes.”

He flipped through the papers, frowning deeper with each page. “This doesn’t mention the business.” His head snapped up. “Where’s the settlement for Wildflower?”

A calculating look crossed his face as he set down the divorce papers. “I want the business. All of it.”

“You want Wildflower?”

“It’s as much mine as it is yours. More, considering I’ve been the face of it for years.”

I laid the knife down carefully and reached for my bag perched on the kitchen stool. Without a word, I pulled out another set of documents and placed them on the counter.

“What’s this?”

“Transfer of ownership. Full rights to Wildflower Boutique.” I pushed the papers toward him. “Already drawn up. I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“I—” He faltered, thrown off balance by my calm. “I expected a fight.”

I shrugged, sliding the diced peppers into a bowl. “Why fight? You’ve made it clear where your priorities lie.”

“Is this about Megan?”

“This isn’t about Megan. This is about you and me. About what we built and what you destroyed.”

He stared at me, eyes narrowing with suspicion. “So you’re just… giving up? That doesn’t sound like you.”

“I’m not giving up. I’m moving on. There’s a difference.”

“To what? You think you can start over at fifty?”

“I guess we’ll see,” I replied, turning back to my cooking. “The papers are all in order. You get the company. I get the house. Clean break.”

“Fine! I’ll have my lawyer review these.”

“Of course.”

As he turned to leave the kitchen, he paused. “You know, you’re better off this way. You’re too emotional for business anyway.”

I kept chopping, my knife steady against the board. “Goodbye, Ethan.”

***

The signing took place in Jack’s office one week later. Ethan brought his lawyer, a sharp-suited woman who kept giving me pitying looks. If only she knew.

“This all seems in order,” she said after reviewing the documents. “Though I must say, this settlement greatly favors my client.”

“I’m aware,” I replied, taking the pen Jack offered me. “I just want this over with.”

Ethan watched me sign with triumph. When all the documents were signed and notarized, he stood and extended his hand.

“No hard feelings, Chloe. You built something special with Wildflower. I’ll take good care of it.”

“I’m sure you will.”

As we all filed out of the conference room, Jack’s assistant handed Ethan a small gift box.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Just a parting gift,” I said. “For new beginnings.”

Later, he would open it to find an empty box with a note:”This is what you really earned from our marriage. Enjoy.”

Petty? Perhaps. But after five years of having my contributions minimized and my intelligence underestimated, I felt entitled to one small moment of pettiness.

“Goodbye, Ethan,” I said, walking away without looking back.

***

Three months passed, and I started fresh. My new office space, a converted warehouse with high ceilings and abundant natural light, was thriving.

Lisa, our production manager who had quit Wildflower the day after I left, poked her head into my office. “The Anderson order is ready for review.”

“Perfect timing,” I said, rising from my desk. “Is Marcus here yet?”

“Conference room B with the whole team.”

I followed her down the hallway, my heels clicking against the polished concrete floors. Through the glass walls, I could see my team gathered around samples of our newest collection.

Marcus, our biggest buyer, who had quietly shifted his entire business from Wildflower to my new company without missing a beat, stood as I entered.

“Chloe! These new designs are incredible. The quality is even better than before.”

I smiled, running my hand over the fabric samples. “We’ve gone back to our original suppliers. The ones who believe in craftsmanship over cutting corners.”

“Smart move. By the way, have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“Wildflower missed their delivery deadline last week. Rumor has it they’re having supplier issues.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, and that’s not all. Word on the street is the IRS is taking a very close look at their books.”