Chapter 1

My husband, Dr. Ethan Sterling, had fallen for one of his patients.

The day Chloe Summers's cancer came back and spread all over her body, he put the divorce papers in front of me.

He was blunt. "I don't love you anymore. Let's get a divorce."

I knew their feelings never crossed the line, and I knew Chloe's situation was heartbreaking. But what I never expected was that the price for all this would be the love I'd poured into him for over a decade.

When I refused to sign, he left everything behind and went abroad with Chloe for her treatment.

He even excitedly shared all the details with me from overseas.

He told me Chloe had found a treatment plan that might work, and a renowned specialist abroad was willing to try the surgery.

He said it was the first time he realized his mood could be completely tied to someone else's ups and downs.

Every word he said was so sincere.

Even when he said, "Sophia Reed, I never really loved you. It was a habit," he meant it as sincerely.

But right after I got that message, my medical report came back.

"Possible tumor? Neurocytoma?" I asked.

Ethan's colleague nodded. "Dr. Sterling is an expert in this field. You can ask him, and then..."

Before he could finish, Ethan sent the divorce papers to my phone again.

*****

Still, he acted like he meant every word.

He sent me a photo.

The picture showed a messy bed, Ethan holding Chloe close, her cheeks flushed, clothes scattered all over the floor. The happiness in that photo knocked the wind out of me.

He called me, sounding solemn.

Everyone in the office went silent, holding their breath.

I held back my tears and answered.

"Hello? Sophia?" he asked.

He spoke softly, like he was afraid of waking the person next to him.

I whispered, "Yeah."

He quickly got to the point. "Look, I slept with Chloe. I'm sorry. I know this is a betrayal, but I couldn't hold back. Everything about her draws me in. She has something you don't."

My hands were shaking.

I'd always seen posts from girls saying they'd rather their partners be honest and admit they didn't love them anymore, it would hurt less.

But when it really happened, those words felt like something inside me broke apart.

I couldn't say a word.

Ethan probably thought I was furious, maybe even falling apart.

He pleaded, "Please, don't blame Chloe, alright? This is all my fault. I lied to her, told her we were already divorced, hadn't made it public yet. I'm the one most at fault here. So if we get divorced, I won't take a thing.

"I want a divorce. That's all I want."

In that moment, I realized his brutal honesty cut deeper than any secret ever could.

Not even the comfort of pretending he once loved me was left for me.

"Ethan..." I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat.

I couldn't bring myself to tell him about my illness.

I was scared he'd think I was using it as some trick to make him stay.

After all, we'd both seen that kind of thing before.

He said that kind of thing was pathetic.

I told him I'd never stoop that low. If he ever said he didn't love me, I'd leave without hesitation.

But this time, I still asked, my voice trembling, "Ethan, if I got sick too, would you pick me, or her?"

He answered, as earnest as ever. "If you got sick, I'd do everything I could to make you well. But I don't love you."

In that instant, it felt like my obsession with him clamped down on my chest and ripped my heart right out.

The pain hit me so hard I collapsed to the floor, his voice echoing from the phone, "Hello? Hello?"