Chapter 3My Useless Husband Fired Me Today

The doorbell rang. It was entirely expected.

I looked through the peephole. Mandy’s face, contorted with rage, was practically pressed against the camera. Behind her stood my father-in-law, Thomas, looking small and deeply uncomfortable.

“Daniel! Open the door! I know you’re in there! You coward, you’re brave enough to ruin her online but too chicken to face us?!”

She pounded her fist against the heavy mahogany door, the solid thuds echoing through the foyer.

I didn't answer.

Instead, I leaned against the entryway wall and lit a cigarette. It was a habit I had abandoned three years ago because Meredith despised the smell of smoke, claiming it was a crutch for people who couldn’t handle pressure.

Now, I welcomed the familiar burn.

The smoke curled toward the ceiling, making me cough slightly, but it cleared the remaining fog from my mind.

Outside, the shouting continued. The insults transitioned from "ungrateful" and "leech" to "a useless parasite living off our family."

She seemed to have forgotten that this brownstone was bought entirely by me before the marriage, paid in full, with only my name on the deed. She had forgotten that the red Porsche her daughter drove was a thirtieth birthday gift from me. And she had certainly forgotten that when Meridan Digital was on the verge of bankruptcy, I had emptied my personal accounts and mortgaged my parents' home to give the company enough runway to survive.

People have remarkably selective memories when it suits them.

After about thirty minutes of relentless shouting, Mandy’s voice grew hoarse, her energy spent. The hallway outside went quiet.

I knew she was simply regrouping for her next move.

Sure enough, my phone rang. This time, it was Thomas.

I stubbed out the cigarette and picked up. “Thomas.”

“Dan…” Thomas’s voice sounded weary and strained. “Just… just open the door and let her in so we can talk. She’s making a scene, and the neighbors are starting to stare.”

“Thomas, you know exactly what she’s going to say,” I replied.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“Dan, I know. I know Meredith was wrong. We… we spoiled her,” Thomas sighed heavily. “But can you please, for my sake, and for the sake of the three years you spent together, keep this from turning into a complete circus?”

“For the sake of our marriage, Thomas?” I let out a soft laugh. “Let’s talk about those three years. Three years ago, I stepped down as active lead, handed her the reins, and walked away from my own clients and industry connections so she could shine. Did that count for nothing?”

“I took care of the house, made sure she came home to a hot meal, and kept her life running smoothly so she could focus entirely on work. Did that count for nothing?”

“She traveled three hundred days out of the year, attending dinners and 'expanding the business.' I never doubted her once, and I never complained. Did that count for nothing?”

My voice remained perfectly level, but I could hear Thomas’s breathing grow heavier on the other end.

“I gave her everything I had—my career, my time, my absolute trust. And what did she return to me?”

“A photo of her in bed with another man, and a text telling me my wife belongs to him.”

“Thomas, you tell me—who was the one who abandoned the marriage?”

Thomas had no answer.

After a long silence, he spoke in a tone that was almost a plea. “Then… what is it you actually want?”

“What do I want?” I walked back to the peephole, watching Mandy lean against the wall, catch her breath, and glare at the wood of my door with pure venom. “It’s very simple.”

I spoke into the phone, knowing my words would reach both of them.

“First, a divorce.”

“Second, Meredith leaves with absolutely nothing.”

“Third, I am taking Meridan Digital back.”

A sharp gasp echoed through the receiver—I couldn't tell if it came from Thomas or Mandy.

“You’re out of your mind, Daniel! You’re dreaming!” Mandy’s voice shrieked through the line, vibrating through the speaker.

I ignored her.

“Thomas, I’ve given you my terms. You can head home now.”

“As for the gift I prepared for Meredith…”

I pulled back the living room curtains. The morning sun was bright, illuminating the street below. A black sedan had just pulled up to the curb. Two men in tailored charcoal suits stepped out, carrying heavy leather briefcases.

My attorneys.

“The gift has just arrived.”

I hung up and unlocked the front door.

As I opened it, Mandy lunged forward, but her movements froze when she saw the two stern, professional men standing right behind me.

I stepped aside, gesturing into the apartment.

“Mr. Adler, Mr. Gallagher, please come in.”

I turned to my mother-in-law and offered her the warmest, most genuine smile I had worn in three years.

“Mandy, would you like to come inside and listen?”