She Plans My Promotion, I'm Planning Divorce novel · Chapter 1 of 24
Chapter 1: Thank Her
On IPO day Claire hands out rewards and throws a stack of papers at Nathan in front of the whole company, while her inner voice swoons over the vice president letter in her fist. Nathan resigns in one sentence and says he already has somewhere to go.
At nine that morning Danforth Systems went public, and by noon the whole company was crowded around the lobby bar.
My wife handed out rewards to everyone in the room.
Cash for the sales team. A new title for her head of legal. A raise for the assistant who had been with her six months, Darius Cranston.
Then Claire Danforth came to me with a stack of papers in one hand and a cup of my usual tea in the other. She set the tea at my elbow without a word.
Then she pushed the papers into my chest.
"Nathan, your quarterly numbers are a disgrace," she said. "Look at them. Pick them up."
The pages slid down my shirt and scattered over the marble.
Nobody in that room knew I was her husband.
Claire had kept our marriage secret for five years, and the staff only knew me as the head of operations she liked to correct.
I knelt and picked up the pages.
Above me, Darius coughed into his fist and put on a wise voice.
"Mr. Ames, Ms. Danforth only does this because she wants you to improve," he said. "You should thank her."
The whole room joined in.
"You should be grateful she keeps you around, Nathan."
"Say thank you. Go on."
I kept my head down and said nothing, the way I had said nothing for five years.
Then Claire's voice rang inside my head, light and sweet.
"I should give him the vice president letter now. My darling Nate is going to cry."
I looked up.
Claire stood with her chin raised, her face cold. Her lips had not moved.
She looked at my face for a moment, then glanced away.
I smiled, and it came out bitter.
I had heard her thoughts since the first month of our marriage. It only worked when I could see her.
For years I took them as proof. She never said she loved me, but her mind said it constantly.
She had been kidnapped at eight, and her parents had barely noticed her since.
So I gave her another chance, year after year, until my paycheck was hers and my friends and my sister had stopped calling.
Six months ago she hired Darius, and the insults got worse.
Now, on the biggest day of her life, she had humiliated me in front of two hundred people and called it a surprise.
I could not live inside a love like that anymore.
I stood up and set the pages on the bar.
Last night I had signed the other papers. They were in my bag, in the inside pocket, under my laptop.
I took a breath.
"You're right, Ms. Danforth," I said. "I haven't been much use to this company. I'm resigning."
Claire's hand closed on the paper she held.
Her knuckles went white.
Behind her glass, the bartender stopped pouring.
The employees stared. Then somebody laughed, and the laughter spread.
"At least he knows his own worth."
"Finally. Mr. Ames, there's the door."
Darius lifted a hand to quiet them, and his frown was very serious.
"Mr. Ames, let's not be hasty," he said. "If you have a complaint about the company, say it. Ms. Danforth is fair. She'll take care of you."
He said it kindly, loud enough for everyone to hear, and every person in the room understood what he meant.
Nathan is angry. Nathan is making trouble.
I looked at Claire.
Her thoughts came all at once. "No. No, he's joking. He can't mean it. The letter is right here."
Her face did not move at all.
"Nathan," she said coldly. "Have you looked at your own performance? Where do you think you can go?"
"Somewhere that wants me," I said.
I reached into my jacket and set my keycard on the bar next to her glass.
The little plastic rectangle clicked against the wood.
She stared at it.
Her thoughts went fast and bright. "Three hours. He'll be home in three hours. He always comes home."
I picked up my bag.
Inside it, under the laptop, were the divorce papers, signed.
And on my phone was the message I had sent at seven that morning, before the party, with no answer yet.
Danielle, if your offer still stands, I'm ready.
I walked toward the door.
Behind me, my wife called my name once, loud and sharp.
I did not turn around.
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