My Submissive Ex-wife Is A Secret Boss?!

"Let's get a divorce," Braiden Collins declared.

They had been married for three years. Yet, the man remained as reticent as he had always been. His voice carried no warmth, only a chilling detachment.

Emily Morris found herself behind Braiden, gazing at his tall figure. The reflection of his indifferent expression in the floor-to-ceiling windows sent a shiver to her very core.

Her hands, previously relaxed at her sides, now formed trembling fists.

The moment she had dreaded was upon her.

When Braiden turned to face her, his features became even more pronounced. Despite the years spent together, the sight of his perfectly sculpted face still held her in awe.

"Do we have to?" The words barely escaped Emily's lips. She struggled to voice out the words, her voice a blend of despair and a faint glimmer of hope.

Braiden narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at her. The absence of makeup did nothing to conceal Emily's natural beauty, though her eyes were red from emotion.

She was not striking in the conventional sense, but her clear complexion and the innocence in her eyes made her a comforting presence.

She looked at Braiden with her clear and reddening eyes. Under her right eye, a small mole added to her beauty, her black hair framing her face softly.

To Braiden, however, she represented nothing more than a quiet and unremarkable woman. She had fulfilled her role as a wife without fault, but he felt no love for her.

Three years ago, a car crash had left him with a serious spinal injury, casting doubt on his ability to walk again. The prognosis had been grim. He had faced the possibility of being paraplegic for life. During that challenging period, circumstances had forced him to part ways with the woman he loved. Under his mother's insistence, he had entered into an arranged marriage, marrying a doctor who could care for him indefinitely. Emily had become his choice, her lack of a prestigious background and her quiet nature being key factors.

"You have been by my side for three years, looking after me. As compensation, I am prepared to offer you ten million dollars." Braiden's tone was devoid of emotion, indicating no particular affection for her. "Unless, of course, you desire something else-"

"Why?" For the first time, Emily cut him off. Her teary eyes sparkled with a mix of determination and reluctance. "Why are you asking for a divorce now?"

Her question hung in the air. Tomorrow would be the day of their third wedding anniversary. She had envisioned celebrating it and many more to come, dreaming of a lifetime together with him.

"You know the one I love isn't you." Braiden's voice cut through her thoughts, cold and detached, offering no glimmer of hope. "Natalia has returned. I plan to marry her."

The revelation hit Emily like a bolt from the blue, making her tremble.

The marriage she had poured her heart into for three years seemed to easily disintegrate with the mention of Natalia Powell's name.

"Sir-" The butler's sudden arrival broke the silence. "Miss Powell vomited her meal and even coughed up blood!"

Braiden's demeanor shifted as he quickly moved past Emily, heading towards the guest room. His voice, deep and urgent, commanded, "Prepare the car. We're heading to the hospital."

Shortly after, he reappeared, tenderly carrying a fragile woman in his arms. Natalia was enfolded in a blanket that Emily had embroidered herself.

She looked exceedingly frail, her pallor making her seem like she was on the brink of death. Cradled by Braiden, she murmured weakly, "Braiden, Ms. Green is..."

Braiden halted, turned towards Emily, and announced, "The lawyer will discuss the divorce details with you. You need to leave the mansion within three days."

Then, he carefully adjusted the woman in his arms and proceeded downstairs, not once glancing back.

Emily remained rooted at the top of the staircase, eyes fixed on their departing figures. Natalia, nestled in Braiden's embrace, cast a victorious look towards her.

Just an hour ago, Natalia had said to her with a sly grin, "I'm back. Give him to me."

Emily's resolve crumbled only after they had vanished from sight. Silent tears cascaded down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around herself, a shiver of coldness enveloping her.

It had been ten years. From the moment he had saved her from despair to this day, she had observed him from afar for ten years, loving him. How many ten years did she have in a lifetime?

Yet, his love couldn't be forced. No matter how much she debased herself, it was clear she could never stir his heart to feel the same way.

"Braiden, I won't shed tears for you again."

With those words, Emily brushed away her tears. Gone was the gentle and fragile woman, replaced by someone cold and unwavering. A spark of determination lit up her eyes.

It was time for her to move on.

On the bedside table in the master bedroom, the divorce papers were impossible to overlook.

Emily turned to the document's final page, her gaze landing on the familiar signature. A brief flicker of emotion crossed her face as she tenderly traced the name "Braiden".

She stifled a sniffle, holding back the tears, picked up the pen, and signed her name.

It had all started with this name, and it was fitting that it should end with it as well.

Beside the papers, Emily left a seal she had spent nearly a year selecting and carving from jade, intended as her third-anniversary gift for Braiden.

Over their three years together, she had presented him with numerous gifts, each chosen with care, only for them to be disregarded, ending up forgotten in a closet or discarded like her feelings.

Stepping out of the mansion, Emily saw a black luxury car waiting by the curb. She entered the vehicle and announced calmly, "I'm divorced."

The man in the driver's seat, donning a pair of sunglasses, smirked and said, "Congratulations on reclaiming your freedom."

He passed a laptop to her, his voice encouraging. "It's time to rediscover yourself. We've all been eagerly awaiting your return."

Emily paused for a moment to gather herself, then turned on the laptop. With swift keystrokes, she navigated through the surveillance system, meticulously erasing every trace of her presence.

She had come with her past shrouded in mystery and intended to disappear like that.

"Sir, Ms. Green has left!"

The next morning, Braiden received the update and came back to the mansion from the hospital.

Upon entering the room, he was met with the familiar, refreshing scent of roses, a fragrance distinctly Emily's.

He had seldom ventured into the master bedroom, a space Emily had taken pains to personalize. Unlike the rest of the house, this room radiated warmth and comfort, marked by bright yellow sheets and an overall tidy appearance that was quintessentially hers.

Yet, Braiden didn't stop to soak in the ambiance. He made a beeline for the bedside table.

There, he found the divorce papers, already signed by Emily, alongside the untouched check for ten million dollars he had prepared for her.

Then, a delicate, rose-shaped seal caught his eye, his name elegantly inscribed at its base. The petals of a white rose were carved with such precision that they seemed to come alive, a testament to the artisan's skill. He couldn't help but touch it, marveling at the feel of the high-quality jade, its cool, clear surface soothing against his skin. Uniquely, the jade bore red streaks that pooled at its base, mimicking the sunlit bloom of a red rose. It was both enchanting and beautiful.

He knew of Emily's fondness for roses. There had been an entire garden of them in the yard, yet he had never thought to present her with a single rose.

Beneath the seal lay a letter. He picked it up, unfolding it to reveal a message penned in her elegant handwriting. "Happy third anniversary. Braiden, goodbye."

The words struck him, especially as his gaze fell on the calendar beside the bed. April 10th was their marriage anniversary. Three years had passed in the blink of an eye.

Clutching the exquisite piece of jade, he was lost in thought, wondering how Emily had gotten her hands on such an expensive gift.

Despite his provision of a generous monthly sum for her, she had rarely used the money. Her basic needs for food and clothing had been well met, leaving her with few expenses.

As Braiden listened to his assistant's briefing, a contemplative look crossed his face. "Find out where she went," he instructed in a low voice. "Keep an eye on her recent activities. Should this be a scheme by a rival, ensure she is brought back."

Could the story of Emily being an orphan from the countryside be the truth?

***

Three days later, in Merden.

The Morris Group's headquarters, nestled within the Crest Building, was abuzz with activity. Employees hurried about as the higher-ups convened in the lobby, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their new CEO.

Just two days prior, the Morris Group, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy after a dramatic stock market downturn, had found itself unexpectedly rescued. A mysterious figure had stepped in to purchase the company at a premium, ensuring that employees kept their jobs. But the employees were now feeling a fresh wave of uncertainty.

"Who could our new CEO be? Male or female? Any idea about their background?" one of the employees asked.

"Even the top brass is in the dark about our new CEO. It's all very secretive. I'm holding out for a dashing male CEO to come to our rescue."

"Imagine if we ended up with a female boss," another said.

"Get real. What are the odds? Might as well wish for the dead daughter of the Morris family to make a comeback."

Suddenly, someone said aloud, "The new CEO has arrived! Quiet down!"

The lobby's air thickened with anticipation as all eyes were fixed on the entrance. A sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up, and the vice president himself stepped forward to open the car door.

Emerging from the vehicle was a woman.

Her black high heels made contact with the ground first, revealing a figure with neatly styled short hair clad in an impeccable white suit. She rose to her full height, and her refined makeup accentuated her striking features.

For the senior executives who had devoted nearly a decade to the Morris Group, her face was unmistakably familiar. They gasped in collective disbelief. "M-Miss Morris..."

Standing at the entrance, Emily greeted them with a smile, her red lips parting to say, "Hi, long time no see."

Emily, flanked by senior executives, made her way to the elevator. Turning to the vice president, she inquired, "Are some still absent?"

"Yes." Caleb Reynolds, the vice president, quickly approached. His demeanor was respectful, yet his voice carried a hint of informality. "Kyson and his cohort seem inclined to challenge you."

"Is that so?" Emily's face remained impassive, her aura unmistakably cool. "Times have changed. It's baffling that my uncles refuse to acknowledge this."

In the conference room, Kyson Morris and five directors lounged in their chairs, legs crossed, leisurely enjoying their coffee. They appeared nonchalant, yet beneath the surface, tension brewed.

"Why isn't he here yet?" Kyson, occupying the chairman's seat, voiced his impatience, his features tightening. Turning to his secretary, he ordered, "Find out what's delaying him."

"Kyson, don't worry. He's bound to come sooner or later. It's typical for a new leader to assert his dominance like this," Logan Morris remarked. His special attire lent him an almost otherworldly presence.

Kyson responded with a dismissive shake of his head. "The youth today lack reliability. We'll speak our minds when the time comes. After all, the Morris Group belongs to our family, and my word is final here."

As they plotted their strategy to assert dominance over the new primary shareholder, their conversation was interrupted. A female secretary rushed in, her complexion pale with concern.

"Sir, there's been a change. The new CEO has convened the management team in a different meeting room. Their meeting is nearly concluded..." she said.

"What did you say?" The calmness of the seasoned executives shattered. Rising in indignation, they slammed the table in anger. "We've devoted years to the Morris Group, and now we're being sidelined by this new boy!"

The audacity!

The secretary, her complexion ashen, hesitated before managing to say, "Actually... The new CEO is a woman."

The revelation took Kyson and the others by surprise. "A woman?"

As Emily adjourned the meeting, Kyson and Logan, followed by their entourage, stormed into the room, visibly seething. However, their anger swiftly turned to shock upon laying eyes on Emily. "Emily? How could it be you?"

Neither Kyson nor Logan had anticipated this twist. The very person who had breathed new life into the Morris Group and secured a 51% stake turned out to be their niece!

Hadn't she been presumed dead?

Emily, the once heir of the Morris Group, had been believed to have perished three years ago in a tragic mountaineering accident, having fallen from a cliff with her body never found. In the wake of their loss, her uncles, Kyson and Logan, had mourned her at a lavish funeral, thereafter assuming control of the Morris Group and inheriting Emily's assets. The fact that she could miraculously reappear was beyond their wildest imaginations.

Emily reveled in their astonishment, comfortably sitting in her chair. She casually said, "Uncles, I've returned from the dead. Shocking, isn't it?"

Her words alone were enough to shift the atmosphere. Kyson and Logan's faces transformed with joy, and they eagerly approached to embrace her.

"Emily, it's a miracle you're alive. Your parents would be so relieved to know this..."

Backing up in her chair to avoid them, Emily's expression hardened with a frown. She met their gaze with a cool detachment. "I'm sure they would be," she replied, her voice laced with an icy calm.

Kyson and Logan, caught off guard by her cold demeanor, found themselves at a loss for words.

Emily was not there to exchange pleasantries. She addressed the assembled executives, who were watching the scene with mixed emotions. "You all have been with Morris Group for years and are familiar with my ways. I'm here to protect and elevate the legacy my parents left behind. You can count on that. Concentrate on your responsibilities. I'm not stingy. Your efforts will be acknowledged and rewarded."

Meanwhile, in Vilgate, Braiden had picked up Natalia from the hospital. On their way back home, he was on his phone, scolding, "You couldn't find any trace? What exactly have you been doing?"

The assistant on the other end of the call was noticeably anxious. Despite a thorough search of surveillance footage spanning hundreds of miles and employing numerous tactics, Emily had vanished without a trace.

He managed to say, "Emily indeed hails from a small village in Ontmore, and her parents have passed away due to illness."

Braiden, tapping his fingers rhythmically against his knee, began to relax. Perhaps he had been overthinking it.

Natalia, seated beside him, let out a thoughtful sigh. "Miss Green comes from such humble beginnings, yet she left without claiming anything. She truly is unique. Wouldn't you agree, Braiden?"

Upon hearing this, Braiden frowned. Recalling the reserved and quiet woman, he wondered if she had intended to leave an impression of uniqueness.

"Sir, I've organized a search party in Ontmore. It's possible she's returned to her roots," the assistant said.

"No need," Braiden responded, his tone indifferent. "We're divorced now. There's no reason to maintain any ties. Since she chose this path, then let it be."

"Understood. But there's one more thing- and it's about business!" Sensing his boss' growing impatience, the assistant quickly stressed the business nature of his next update.

"Go ahead," Braiden said.

"It's about the Morris family in Merden. Just a few days ago, the elusive buyer of the Morris Group made an appearance. According to reports, Emily Morris is back."

Braiden's eyebrow arched in surprise. Emily Morris? Wasn't she supposed to have died three years ago?