Ethan Ward had just been appointed CEO of New York’s largest technology corporation — ApexTech. Overnight, he went from a talented director to a powerful, wealthy, and media-sought-after man.
But at the same time, he filed for divorce from his wife of eight years — Clara Ward, who was six months pregnant.
“You deserve better than me,” Ethan said in an indifferent voice. “We are… not on the same level anymore.”
Clara looked at him silently, not saying a word.
He moved out of the house just a week later, with the beautiful new intern — Sophie, a 25-year-old with perfect looks, whom he introduced as “the woman of his life.”
Ethan believed this was the beginning of a new life, not knowing that his real life was about to collapse.
Three months later, the Manhattan District Court opened the divorce trial between CEO Ethan Ward and his ex-wife.
Ethan came in confident, certain that everything was in his hands—the mansion, the company shares, even custody of the children.
He smiled when the lawyer said,
“Your Honor, under the prenuptial agreement, Mr. Ward retains all the assets he has earned.”
Everyone nodded, until Clara’s lawyer stood up:
“Your Honor, please allow me to present a supplementary agreement, signed by Mr. Ethan Ward himself and legally effective five years ago.”
Ethan was stunned: “What?”
The paper was held up—a brief contract with just a few lines:
“In the event of one party’s betrayal, all shares and assets in the company’s name will automatically be transferred to the other party.”
Signed: Ethan Ward.
No one remembered signing such a document—except Clara.
She smiled slightly: “Do you remember that year when your company was about to go bankrupt, and I was the one who spent all my savings to save it? You said you wanted to prove your love… and sign this paper.”
The room fell silent. The press began to make noise.
The trial ended quickly.
Ethan lost control of ApexTech, was removed from the board of directors because of the “moral breach of marriage contract” clause.
The company he had once proudly built now belonged to Clara Ward — the woman he once called his “common ex-wife”.
On the day the new leadership was announced, Clara walked onto the stage in a white dress, her belly clearly showing. She said calmly:
“Women don’t need power to get revenge. They just need justice, and memory.”
Ethan stood at the back of the auditorium, watching the woman he had shared a bed with now sit in the very CEO chair he had once been proud of.
A week later, Sophie came to Ethan in his cheap rented apartment.
“I’m sorry,” she said, placing a file on the table. “I didn’t know it would turn out like this. But… do you know who introduced me to the company?”
Ethan looked up: “Who?”
Sophie smiled faintly: “It was Clara Ward. I used to work for her. She wanted me to ‘play the intern’ to test you.”
He was stunned.
Sophie finished:
“She knew from the beginning that you would cheat. What she needed was not love… but the truth to end this marriage with honor.”
Ethan collapsed into a chair, tears streaming down his face.
Outside, the billboard in front of ApexTech headquarters read in large letters:
New CEO: Clara Ward – Founder of the platform ‘HerCode’, a project to support women starting businesses in the technology industry.
In the old apartment, Ethan sat silently, looking at the old contract.
Below her signature was a line Clara had handwritten in blue ink:
“If one day you betray me, don’t worry. I won’t take revenge — I’ll just take back what’s mine.”
And she did just that.
Not a word of complaint, not a cry.
Just a contract, a lesson, and an unexpected ending.