Chapter 1

Sarah Miller adjusted her blazer, her gaze fixed on Mr. James Peterson, CEO of Synapse Corp.

They were at The Bull & Bear, a high-end Silicon Valley steakhouse.

The restaurant buzzed with quiet power lunches, but Sarah' s focus was absolute.

"Our core technology," Sarah explained, her voice calm and clear, "can integrate seamlessly with Synapse's existing infrastructure, boosting efficiency by at least thirty percent."

Mr. Peterson leaned forward, a glint of interest in his eyes. "Impressive, Ms. Miller. Very impressive."

This partnership was crucial for NextGen Innovations, the company Sarah had poured her life into.

She was the uncredited co-founder, the majority shareholder with 65%, the brains behind it all.

Publicly, she was just the Lead Developer.

Her husband, Michael "Mike" Miller, was the CEO, a title she' d given him to boost his fragile confidence.

Just as Mr. Peterson was about to elaborate on his interest, a commotion near the entrance broke Sarah' s concentration.

Mike stumbled in, leaning heavily on his executive assistant, Chloe Sanders.

He was visibly drunk, his tie askew, his laughter too loud.

Chloe, clinging to him, giggled, her hand resting a little too long on his arm.

Their behavior was grossly inappropriate, a spectacle for the entire restaurant.

Sarah felt a cold knot tighten in her stomach.

Mike spotted her, his eyes narrowing.

Instead of shame, his face twisted into accusation. "Sarah! What are you doing here? Spying on me?"

Chloe chimed in, her voice saccharine but sharp. "She just gets so insecure, you know?"

Sarah' s blood ran cold. This was a disaster.

Mr. Peterson raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting from interest to polite concern.

"Sarah, is everything alright?" he asked, his tone supportive.

Before Sarah could respond, Chloe whirled on him. "Who do you think you are, old man? Sticking your nose where it doesn' t belong?"

The potential deal, Sarah' s hard work, hung by a thread.

Sarah stood, her professional composure a mask over her fury.

"Chloe," she said, her voice low but firm, "you will apologize to Mr. Peterson. Now."

Chloe scoffed. "Make me."

Sarah didn't hesitate. She took a step towards Chloe. "This isn't a request."

She felt a profound shift inside her. This was the end of something.

She looked at Mike, his face a blur of confusion and alcohol.

Then, she turned back to Mr. Peterson. "Mr. Peterson, I apologize for this interruption."

To Mike, she said, her voice devoid of emotion, "We need to talk. At home. About a divorce."