Three months later, my divorce from Brandon was finalized quietly.

He signed the papers as promised, with a generous division of assets.


Our five-year marriage officially ended in the eyes of the law.

Brandon began his "proper courtship" as promised.

His approach was quintessentially Brandon.


He became the primary strategic partner for my "Phoenix" system, entrusting Shaw Group's global data security to my company.

We held weekly business lunches, discussing only market trends and technological innovations, never personal matters.


Through this approach, he seemed to be learning how to stand beside me as an equal, with genuine appreciation rather than ownership.

As for Brian...

He appeared to have shed his manic intensity overnight.

He launched a new company focused on AI security, funded by his mother's inheritance and his Shaw family trust fund.

He no longer called daily with updates but occasionally sent emails with genuine technical questions.

Between the lines of code and technical jargon lay an awkward but earnest attempt at maturity.

Occasionally we crossed paths at industry conferences.

He would appear in tailored suits, carefully controlling his limp, acknowledging me with a dignified nod rather than rushing over impulsively.

In his eyes, the obsessive flame still burned, but it had been channeled into something deeper—a more patient, enduring determination.