~Aria's POV~

My breath caught. The question was a slap; it implied I had nothing. I had contributed nothing. I was nothing. The words hung in the air, and I felt my face go cold, my fingers curling into fists.

"What do you mean by that?" I spat, my voice venomous, my face inches from his. "Eclipse Innovations is mine I built it, I bled for it. So why can't I find the documents to it or the company?"

Ethan's smile grew wider, patronizing, as he leaned against the doorframe. "Aria darling, have you forgotten? You signed it over to me as your husband. I own it on paper, at least." My outrage choked me.

"Husband? My foot!" I snarled, my words trembling with fury. "I don't remember signing anything. I wouldn't have given up my rights so easily." Ethan chuckled, his eyes cold.

"How would you remember, Aria? You were so in love with me, you barely knew what day it was. You signed it over happily, trusting me completely. And now you want the company back? What a joke!"

I felt like I'd been gut-punched. The words sliced through me he was twisting it all, making me doubt myself. I called him a "douchebag" under my breath, my vision blurring with rage.

I wanted to slap him, to claw that smug smile off his face. I raised my hand, but Ethan was quicker. He caught my wrist mid-air, his grip like a vice, and pushed me back against the wall.

I hit the surface hard, my breath knocked out. "What's wrong with you?" he growled, his face close to mine, his eyes blaring incredulity. "Why are you acting all up, Aria? You got what you wanted the company is still in your name. Be grateful I haven't take that yet."

I sobered up against the wall, the cold reality of my humiliation settling in. My wrist thached where he gripped it, but I didn't struggle I met his eyes, my voice low and bitter.

"Here I was thinking it was our anniversary," I said, the words scraping out of me. "You booked the dinner, and I thought... I thought it meant something. But it was all part of the plan, wasn't it? This whole thing me, us, the past three years was it all just a joke to you?"

Ethan's grip on my wrist didn't loosen, but his expression shifted to one of amused curiosity, like he was examining a curious specimen.

"Three years, Aria. You want to know how long I've been planning this?" He paused, his smile twisting. "I'd say I've been planning it since the day I realized how useful you were. You know how much it took me to endure your whining's? You had the brains, the passion and I had the name, the connections. It was a perfect arrangement. And the anniversary dinner... well, that was the perfect ending to our little arrangement."

I felt my stomach twist into knots.

"An arrangement," I repeated, the word tasting like acid. "You mean I was a tool. A means to an end."

"Call it whatever you want," Ethan shrugged, his eyes glancing over me with detachment. "Don't be dramatic, Aria. We both got what we wanted. You got security, a husband, a place in the industry and I got Eclipse. I got success. It was transactional, plain and simple." My voice rose, incredulous.

"Transactional? You used me! You took my work and gave it to your whore —"

"Watch it, Aria," he cut in, his grip tightening painfully on my wrist. "Serena is the one I love. She was never a whore. You were just... expedient."

The word stung like a lash. I laughed, the sound ugly and raw, because if I didn't laugh I'd break.

"Expedient. Is that what you call using someone's passion and talent? Did I mean so little to you?" I demanded, my face heating with tears of rage. "Was any of it real? The dinners, the talks, the nights... was any of it real? Do you even have any shame?"

Ethan's gaze was unyielding, his voice taking on a bored tone. "Aria, don't be naive. It was business. Don't make a big deal out of it. I needed a partner for Eclipse, and you fit the bill. The rest was... packaging. And you were happy to be packaged."

I felt like he'd slapped me clean of all dignity. My free hand balled into a fist, but I forced it open, my nails biting into my palm. I wanted to scream, to hurt him as he'd hurt me.

"And the love?" I asked, my voice a poisonous whisper. "The 'I love you's'? Were they part of the packaging too?"

Ethan's smile was back, small and irritatingly calm.

"Aria, you know I had to keep up appearances. For the sake of the partnership, if nothing else. Don't pretend you didn't benefit from it. You got love and security — I got results. It was quid pro quo."

I jerked my wrist hard, but he didn't release me. Instead, he leaned closer, his breath on my ear. "And now it's over. You have the remnants of the company — be grateful. Move on. Serena is my future."

I pushed against his chest with all my might, but he didn't budge. "Get. Off. Me," I growled, articulating each word like a threat.

Ethan straightened, releasing my wrist with a push. I stumbled back, rubbing the ache in my arm, my eyes never leaving his.

"So remorse for goodness sake!" I yelled, my voice cracking on the words. "How could you treat your wife like that — and think I'd just let it go?"

Ethan adjusted his cufflinks, his expression rearranging itself into polite dismissal. "Aria, don't make this ugly. You knew the deal. I gave you what you needed, and I took what I needed. It's done. Accept it!"

I laughed again, the sound mingling with my first sob.

"Accept it? You think I'll accept it? I will bring you down, Ethan. I will take everything — Eclipse, the awards, your precious reputation. I will make sure you regret this."

Ethan's smile lingered, but his eyes hardened. "Go ahead, Aria. Give it a Try. You'll find you signed it all away. And I have the recordings. I have the emails. I have everything to prove you were a willing participant in our 'partnership'." He turned to leave, pausing at the door.

"And speaking of which, I plan on divorcing you. My lawyers will get in touch with you tomorrow to discuss the terms. Don't expect a fight — you'll get nothing." I felt a fresh slice of pain, but before I could respond, he turned to leave.

The door clicked shut behind him, and I slumped against the wall, my legs failing me, my sobs finally breaking free, my mind repeating one vow over and over: I will destroy him if that's the last thing I do.