I had known Eddison since our university days.

We were both pursuing our bachelor's and master's degrees. I majored in psychology, whilst he majored in mathematics. When we were dating, everyone said we were a force to be reckoned, a collision of rationality and rationality.

We got married after graduation, to no one's surprise.

He became a lecturer at the University of Alsburg. He taught undergraduates while pursuing his doctorate part-time. With the support of my advisor and financial help from my parents, I opened a psychological counseling firm.

I specialized in applied psychology, and hypnosis is a branch of applied psychology.

Psychology had always been perceived as taboo in our country. Back then, people not only rejected hypnosis but also the essence of psychology itself, thinking this field was filled with scammers.

The firm had a tough start but progress was imminent. After handling a few major cases, I gained a small reputation in the industry.

Reputation might seem superficial, but it could tangibly benefit anyone.

The firm's revenue skyrocketed.

There was a saying that "a woman's sense of security does not come from her husband but rather from money".

Because I earned well, my status at home also rose, and my sense of security grew. I was almost convinced that Eddison would never cheat. However, reality dealt me a painful slap in the face.

The day after I noticed something was off, Eddison had picked me up from work and took me in his arms as he usually would.

The outfit he had on that day made me grow suspicious. Seeing his unusually clean shirt, I slipped a lipstick into his coat pocket discreetly.

I pretended nothing had happened and happily went out to dinner with him.

During the meal, he went to the restroom for a full ten minutes and returned looking rather pale.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just some issues at school."

"Do you need to go now?"

"No, I'll deal with it tomorrow."

We were two accomplished actors at the table. I played the "completely oblivious" role flawlessly, while he vigorously portrayed a man troubled with "work".

After returning home, he took off his coat, grabbed his phone, and went to shower. I felt his coat pocket. The lipstick was gone.

Oh! What guilty behavior!

I tiptoed to the bathroom door. First, I heard the ring of an incoming WhatsApp message, followed by his hushed, reprimanding tone.

"If it isn't you, then who? There's no need to explain! I'm at home. Let's talk tomorrow!"

My heart sank.

Before we got married, we had both expressed zero tolerance for infidelity and that there would be no room for negotiation for this.

I stepped back, poured myself a drink, and sat on the couch as I plotted my next move...

We had no children, so divorce would only involve our assets.

Of our joint assets, aside from fixed ones like our house, cars, collections, and savings, Eddison managed everything else—stocks, funds, insurance policies, and associated bank cards. I rarely looked into them...

"Honey, what made you want to drink today?" Eddison emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair.

"To celebrate, of course!" I raised my glass toward him with a hint of invitation. "I saw you rushing to the showers after coming home, so I thought... Or was I wrong?"

"No, you weren't." He came over and kissed me.

We were two people lacking passion, and yet, we both feigned enthusiasm.

It was disgusting, and it felt as though I was feasting on a dead fly, but I kept reminding myself not to expose the fact that I knew about his affair.

I had seen many divorces. No matter how devoted the vows, few remained dignified when dividing their assets. Most become utterly despicable.

I did not want to see that ugly side of him or the other way round, so the best approach was...

To take care of what needed to be taken care of first.

I was a selfish woman. I did not want my years of hard work to benefit someone else.