I’d just arrived home when two emails bloomed on my laptop screen.
One was a pink slip from my company. The other was a job offer from the State Human Resources Department.
I planned to deal with them after my shower.
But when I stepped out, I heard my husband, Mark, talking excitedly on the phone in the living room.
“Get over here, babe! I nailed the state job! And my wife finally got the ax! Talk about a double win!”
Less than ten minutes later, Susan, Mark’s assistant, was at our door with a cake.
Mark put his arm around her and flipped a bank card onto the table in front of me.
“Eleanor, let’s be real. You were aging out anyway. There’s five grand in there. Call it a severance package. You can move out tomorrow.”
Susan?nuzzled into his side. “Yeah, now that you’re jobless, you can finally be a full-time housewife. Oh, wait. I forgot. I’m the lady of the house now!”
I watched their little performance, almost bursting out laughing.
Poor Mark.
He thought I was the one who got fired.
Mark and Susan lifted the cake box lid together.
The sweet smell of buttercream wafted out, with a line of frosting: “Congratulations on Your Promotion, Mark!”
Susan cut a slice and offered it to me with a smirk. “You’ll need the sugar. Trust me, your life’s about to get real bitter.”
I didn’t take it. I just stared at her.
Mark grabbed the cake, took a huge bite, then hauled Susan into his arms.
“Don’t mind her. She’s yesterday’s news. Washed up. Doesn’t deserve a taste of our success. He shot me a look of pure contempt. “I told you, Eleanor. Keep up or get left behind. You chose to get left behind.”
He swallowed, puffing out his chest. “But hey, don’t take it too hard. I’m starting at the state house next week. Governor’s office in a few years, mark my words.”
“You? A jobless ex-wife is a liability. Dead weight. We’re not even playing the same game anymore.”
Susan echoed him from his embrace. “Exactly, Mark’s destined for great things. You’re nowhere near his league.”
Mark seemed pleased. He pulled out a document and slapped it on the table in front of me.
“The divorce agreement. Sign it.”
I picked it up and skimmed through it. The terms were ridiculous.
It demanded I move out with nothing but the clothes on my back, and voluntarily sign away all marital assets.
Susan peered over. “What are you waiting for? Just sign it! You’ll get five grand if you do. Otherwise, if it goes to court, with the connections he’s about to have, you won’t get a dime.”
I put the agreement down and looked at Mark. “This house is in my name. I bought it before we got married.”
Mark froze for a second, then scoffed. “In your name? Have you lost your mind? What makes a jobless woman think she can stand against me?”
I looked at Mark’s contorted face and leaned back slightly. “I’m not refusing. It’s just… today has been too much. I can’t process this right now. Give me until tomorrow. One night to think.”
The ruthlessness on Mark’s face instantly morphed into smug satisfaction. “Fine. I’ll give you one more night.”
Then, he lowered his head and kissed Susan passionately, right in front of me.
After their kiss, Mark wrapped an arm around Susan’s waist and swaggered towards the door.
“Come on, babe, let’s get out of this depressing place. We’ll celebrate at a hotel tonight.”
“Okay, Mark. I’ll make it a night to remember.”
The door slammed shut, leaving behind the mess they’d made in the living room, and that untouched cake.
At eight the next morning, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Mark.
“Are your things packed? Don’t make me come back and throw them out.”
His words were filled with impatience.
I didn’t reply. I tossed my phone aside and pulled down several large suitcases from the top of the closet.
But instead of packing my things, I took out all of Mark’s belongings and stuffed them into two full suitcases.
After that, I checked the time, got dressed, grabbed my printed resignation letter, and headed to the company to complete my departure.
As soon as I walked into the company lobby on the first floor, I ran right into Mark and Susan.
They were arm-in-arm, looking very cozy.
Mark immediately spotted the folder in my hand, with the words “Resignation Letter” peeking out.
He instantly raised his voice, in front of several colleagues.
“Didn’t you get fired? Why are you even bothering with a resignation letter?”
A few clueless colleagues started pointing at me and whispering.
I could hear their hushed gossip.
“So Eleanor got laid off, how pitiful.”
“Yeah, I heard her husband got a state government job. The gap between them just got even bigger.”
Mark was clearly relishing the attention.
He walked up to me, pretending to be magnanimous, and patted my shoulder.
“Don’t worry too much. Even if you don’t have a job, I won’t abandon you. Remember to keep that five thousand dollars safe.”
I coolly moved aside, avoiding his hand, and walked straight towards the elevator.
But my disregard seemed to infuriate him.
Mark shouted from behind me. “Attention, everyone! I’m leaving the company. I’ve accepted a position with the state government. Consider this my first step into public office. My goal? Governor’s mansion within the year!”
A ripple of?obligatory, sycophantic praise?washed over the floor.
“Incredible, Mark!”
“Don’t forget us when you make it big!”
Mark puffed out his chest, basking in the hollow adulation, his smugness practically radiating.
I stepped into the elevator, shutting out the farce outside.
In the HR office, the manager was incredibly polite, quickly processing all my departure paperwork.
“Eleanor, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.”
As I finished up and walked out, I saw Mark swaggering towards the department VP’s office.
He didn’t bother to knock. He just pushed the door open and walked in.
I stood a short distance away and could clearly see what was happening inside.
Mark slammed his resignation letter onto the VP’s desk.
He was full of vigor, chin held high.
“I’m here to resign.”
The VP was looking down at a document, which happened to be the company’s termination notice for Mark.
The VP paused, then looked up, a surprised expression on his face.
“Mark! Well, congratulations! Don’t worry, I’ll approve your resignation request right away, absolutely no delays!”
Mark had no idea that the VP was just happy to save a large severance package.
“Thank you, then.”
He walked out of the VP’s office, completely satisfied.
Then he pulled out his phone, snapped a pic of the office building, and posted it on Ins.
“Out with the old! New career chapter unlocked!”
Finally, he called my family and friends, telling them he was hosting a celebratory dinner tonight at the city’s most expensive restaurant.
“Eleanor, you should come too tonight. See for yourself just how big the gap between us really is.”
That night, I didn’t go to Mark’s celebration dinner.
Instead, I stayed home and watched a movie.
Around ten o’clock, I heard a key turning in the lock, followed by Mark’s drunken shouts.
The door was abruptly shoved open, and Mark and Susan stumbled in, both flushed.
Behind them were two movers.
“Eleanor! Why aren’t you gone yet?!” Mark yelled, pointing at my nose the moment he stepped inside.
Susan fanned the flames. “Exactly, why are you still clinging on here? Mark’s home doesn’t welcome you.”
I didn’t say a word. I just picked up the house deed from the table.
I opened it to the page with my name, showing it to them.
“Look closely. The homeowner is me! The purchase date is before our marriage registration date. This house is my personal pre-marital property and has nothing to do with you. Now, you’re the one who needs to leave.”
Susan was the first to react, letting out a shriek. “You’re lying! That’s impossible!”
“You manipulative witch! You must have been plotting to steal Mark’s money all along!”
I ignored her, handing them a revised divorce agreement.
“This is the new agreement. I agree to divorce, with assets divided according to law.”
Mark snatched the agreement, tearing it to shreds. “You want me to leave? No way!”
He turned to the two bewildered movers and roared, “What are you waiting for?! Get this woman out of here!”
The two movers exchanged glances, and one of them awkwardly spoke up.
“Sir, the deed clearly shows this lady’s name. This is a domestic dispute, we can’t get involved. It’s illegal.”
Mark was furious. “I’ll pay you double!”
The two workers shook their heads. “Sir, this isn’t about money.”
Mark, seething with anger, yelled, “Fine! Eleanor, just you wait! You can live your whole life in this dump!
“I start my job with the state government tomorrow! I’ll have plenty of ways to kick you out after that!”
He hurled that threat, then dragged Susan and his suitcases out, slamming the door behind him.
The next day, Mark donned a brand-new suit, his hair slicked back.
He arrived at the state government building, looking radiant and ready to report for duty.
He walked up to the reception desk, flashing a confident smile at the staff.
“Hello, I’m Mark, the new hire. I’m here to complete my onboarding.”
The receptionist smiled and nodded, picking up a list in front of her.
She searched the list for a long time, her brow slowly furrowing.
She looked up at Mark with a puzzled expression.
“I’m sorry, sir, your name isn’t on our hiring list.”
Mark’s confident smile froze.
“That’s impossible! Check again, maybe there’s a system error? You must have made a mistake. My name is Mark, I’m the one who got this job.”
The receptionist still wore a professional smile, but her tone had a hint of detachment.
“I’ve already double-checked, Sir. We have only one new hire onboarding today: Ms. Eleanor.”
She said, lifting her chin slightly in my direction.
“Well, Ms. Eleanor is over there filling out her forms. Perhaps you’d like to ask her yourself?”
Mark turned his head, his gaze landing on me.
I was sitting at a nearby desk, filling out my onboarding forms.
I looked up and gave him a faint smile.
One moment he was full of swagger, the next his face was ashen, his lips trembling.
He rushed over to me like a madman, slamming his hands onto the table.
“How could it be you?! Weren’t you fired from your company?! This job was mine! It was mine!”
His roar drew the attention of everyone in the lobby.
I wasn’t intimidated by his outburst.
I calmly picked up my phone, unlocked it, and opened my photos.
I turned my laptop screen to face him.?On it were two emails, side by side.
“Look closely.”
“Email one: From my HR. To you. Subject: Termination Notice.?My finger tapped the screen.?”Email two: From the State HR Department. To me. Subject: Formal Offer of Employment.”
“Figure it out yet, Mark?”
Mark’s eyes were glued to the phone screen.
The color drained from his face at a visible rate, turning to a ghastly gray.
He read it once, then again, as if he didn’t recognize the words.
Then, he sharply looked up, his eyes bloodshot, glaring at me.
“It was you! You stole my job offer! You tampered with it!”
He started screaming incoherently.
“You faked emails! You sabotaged my political future! You evil woman!”
Mark reached out to grab my phone, but I easily dodged him.
His emotions completely collapsed. He yelled hysterically in the lobby, like a total lunatic.
“Everyone look! This woman has a viper’s heart! She’ll stop at nothing to steal my job!”
His wild behavior finally attracted the attention of security.
Two uniformed security guards quickly walked over, grabbing Mark’s arms from either side.
“Sir, please calm down. Do not disrupt the peace here!”
Mark continued to struggle, ceaselessly cursing at me.
“Let go of me! Do you know who I am? I’m the one who was hired! She’s the one who pulled a trick! Eleanor! You bitch! I won’t let you get away with this!”
The security guards ignored Mark’s shouts, lifted him, and dragged him towards the state government building entrance.
Mark’s brand new suit got wrinkled in the struggle, and one of his leather shoes fell off.
He was dragged out like a stray dog, utterly pathetic.
I watched Mark being dragged away until he disappeared outside the main door.
Then, I turned back to the desk. Picked up my pen. And with a hand that didn’t shake, I continued filling out my onboarding paperwork.
In the box marked?”Marital Status,?I checked?”Divorced?without hesitation.
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