Chapter 3

At noon the next day, the moment I approached my studio, I saw Caleb blocking the entrance. He had a few gossip bloggers and a crowd of onlookers with him.

He was holding a massive, glaring red banner that read:

“GIVE ME MY MARRIAGE BACK.”

His voice was shrill, his eyes turning red on command for the cameras.

"That's him! He seduced my wife for eight whole years!"

Every lens swung toward me.

People were live-streaming on their phones, the comments scrolling by in a blur.

“Run him out of the industry.”

“Shameless.”

“Expose him!”

I was shaking all over, desperately trying to be heard over the shouting:

"I was lied to! I didn't know she was married!"

But no one listened.

An egg cracked hard against my forehead, the cold yolk dripping down my jaw.

Then came the half-empty coffee cups. Plastic water bottles hurled right at my chest.

Through the chaos, I saw Vivian.

She was standing at the edge of the crowd.

I reached out to her, my eyes begging for help.

But she didn't rush in to pull me out.

She grabbed Caleb first, shielding him from the cameras, ushering him toward her parked SUV.

Her gaze finally landed on me.

She hesitated.

But in the end, she got in the driver's seat and drove away.

In that moment, my heart turned to ice.

I didn't go back to the apartment. I immediately contacted the HR department of the Paris firm.

My departure was set for one week later.

After sorting that out, I packed my bags and took the train up to the Hudson Valley.

My mom, who was battling terminal cancer, was waiting for me at the station.

She had lost so much weight. Her skin was sallow, and she was wearing a wig, but her smile was as bright as ever.

"Ethan! You've lost weight again. Are you not eating in the city?"

I hugged her tight, burying my face in her shoulder.

"Mom, I missed you."

On the drive back to the house, she kept talking:

"I made your favorite pot roast. It'll be ready as soon as we get back."

"When you head back down, I'll pack some of my breakfast sausages for you. You can just heat them up."

"By the way, when is your girlfriend coming up to visit? You two have been together for so long."

Mom knew I had a serious girlfriend.

But Vivian had never been willing to make the drive to the Hudson Valley to meet my family.

I looked out the passenger window so she couldn't see my face.

"Soon, Mom."

Once we got home, my phone rang.

It was Vivian.

I stepped out onto the porch to answer it.

Her tone was ice-cold.

"Where the hell are you? Stop throwing a tantrum."

"I already warned Caleb. He won't bother you again. Come back to the city right now."

"You wouldn't want this mess reaching your mother, would you?"

A chill ran through my entire body.

She was threatening me.

When Mom was first diagnosed with terminal cancer, I begged Vivian to marry me so Mom could have peace of mind.

She only said:

"Focus on her treatment first. Marriage isn't a rush."

Turns out, it wasn't a rush because she already had a legal husband.

I hung up the phone, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Right then, Caleb sent a message.

Attached was a deliberately staged photo.

Vivian was leaning against Caleb's headboard, and draped over the chair was the coat she had worn yesterday.

The caption read:

“Sorry, Ethan. Vivian already punished me last night.”

My stomach violently churned. I leaned over the railing, almost throwing up.

But this time, I didn't cry.

Through the window, I saw my mother setting the table, her eyes expectant.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Daniel Reed.

He was a lawyer, and the only friend I trusted.

"Daniel. I need you to pull everything. Every text, every bank transfer. I need to prove I was completely in the dark."

"Also, preserve all evidence of Caleb's defamation, harassment, and the mobbing at my studio. As for the financial irregularities at Vivian's company, submit those leads to the authorities."

Chapter 3

At noon the next day, the moment I approached my studio, I saw Caleb blocking the entrance. He had a few gossip bloggers and a crowd of onlookers with him.

He was holding a massive, glaring red banner that read:

“GIVE ME MY MARRIAGE BACK.”

His voice was shrill, his eyes turning red on command for the cameras.

"That's him! He seduced my wife for eight whole years!"

Every lens swung toward me.

People were live-streaming on their phones, the comments scrolling by in a blur.

“Run him out of the industry.”

“Shameless.”

“Expose him!”

I was shaking all over, desperately trying to be heard over the shouting:

"I was lied to! I didn't know she was married!"

But no one listened.

An egg cracked hard against my forehead, the cold yolk dripping down my jaw.

Then came the half-empty coffee cups. Plastic water bottles hurled right at my chest.

Through the chaos, I saw Vivian.

She was standing at the edge of the crowd.

I reached out to her, my eyes begging for help.

But she didn't rush in to pull me out.

She grabbed Caleb first, shielding him from the cameras, ushering him toward her parked SUV.

Her gaze finally landed on me.

She hesitated.

But in the end, she got in the driver's seat and drove away.

In that moment, my heart turned to ice.

I didn't go back to the apartment. I immediately contacted the HR department of the Paris firm.

My departure was set for one week later.

After sorting that out, I packed my bags and took the train up to the Hudson Valley.

My mom, who was battling terminal cancer, was waiting for me at the station.

She had lost so much weight. Her skin was sallow, and she was wearing a wig, but her smile was as bright as ever.

"Ethan! You've lost weight again. Are you not eating in the city?"

I hugged her tight, burying my face in her shoulder.

"Mom, I missed you."

On the drive back to the house, she kept talking:

"I made your favorite pot roast. It'll be ready as soon as we get back."

"When you head back down, I'll pack some of my breakfast sausages for you. You can just heat them up."

"By the way, when is your girlfriend coming up to visit? You two have been together for so long."

Mom knew I had a serious girlfriend.

But Vivian had never been willing to make the drive to the Hudson Valley to meet my family.

I looked out the passenger window so she couldn't see my face.

"Soon, Mom."

Once we got home, my phone rang.

It was Vivian.

I stepped out onto the porch to answer it.

Her tone was ice-cold.

"Where the hell are you? Stop throwing a tantrum."

"I already warned Caleb. He won't bother you again. Come back to the city right now."

"You wouldn't want this mess reaching your mother, would you?"

A chill ran through my entire body.

She was threatening me.

When Mom was first diagnosed with terminal cancer, I begged Vivian to marry me so Mom could have peace of mind.

She only said:

"Focus on her treatment first. Marriage isn't a rush."

Turns out, it wasn't a rush because she already had a legal husband.

I hung up the phone, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Right then, Caleb sent a message.

Attached was a deliberately staged photo.

Vivian was leaning against Caleb's headboard, and draped over the chair was the coat she had worn yesterday.

The caption read:

“Sorry, Ethan. Vivian already punished me last night.”

My stomach violently churned. I leaned over the railing, almost throwing up.

But this time, I didn't cry.

Through the window, I saw my mother setting the table, her eyes expectant.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Daniel Reed.

He was a lawyer, and the only friend I trusted.

"Daniel. I need you to pull everything. Every text, every bank transfer. I need to prove I was completely in the dark."

"Also, preserve all evidence of Caleb's defamation, harassment, and the mobbing at my studio. As for the financial irregularities at Vivian's company, submit those leads to the authorities."