Chapter 4

When I didn't return to the city, Vivian tracked me down to the Hudson Valley.

She must have checked my travel booking records to find my train ticket and followed me straight to my mother's house.

When she walked in, she was carrying bags of expensive gifts, her face plastered with a bright, flawless smile.

"Mrs. Carter! It is so nice to finally meet you. I'm Vivian, Ethan's girlfriend."

Mom was overjoyed and quickly ushered her to the sofa.

"I finally get to meet you! Ethan always said you were so busy with work and never had the time to visit."

I wanted to open my mouth and say that was a lie.

But Mom looked so incredibly happy.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Vivian smiled and smoothly lied:

"Ethan and I had a little spat recently. He got mad and ran back home, so I came up to get him."

Mom swatted my arm playfully.

"Couples fight all the time, that's perfectly normal. Why did you run all the way back here?"

Just then, the front gate slammed open.

Caleb stood on the porch.

He was holding a massive, glaring red custom plaque, so large it covered half his torso.

I blocked the doorway.

"You can't come in here. Get out. Now."

But Caleb shoved past me, marching straight into the living room with the plaque held high.

He walked in with a sickeningly sweet smile, nodding politely at my mother.

"Hello, Mrs. Carter. I'm Caleb Brooks."

"I came today specifically to thank you."

He hoisted the plaque up.

Printed across the bright red surface in giant black letters was:

“Thank you, Margaret Carter, for raising such a competent kept man.”

Caleb pointed right at me.

"Mrs. Carter, don't let him lie to you."

"He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew Vivian was my wife, yet he kept sleeping with her."

Vivian's face flushed crimson. She shoved him hard.

Caleb immediately held up his phone, recording the whole thing.

"Don't touch me!"

He yelled into the phone, backing toward the door.

Mom was so shocked she couldn't speak.

I quickly stepped in front of her.

"Mom, it's a lie. I had no idea Vivian was married!"

But Caleb seized the chaos, shouting over me:

"Mrs. Carter, you're a reasonable woman!"

"Vivian is my wife! Her eight years with your son were nothing but an affair behind my back!"

"Your son is the homewrecker!"

Mom's body began to tremble.

She looked at the custom mocking award plaque leaning against the wall, her voice shaking:

"What... what is that?"

Caleb glanced at it and sneered.

"That's a plaque for him."

"To thank him for taking care of my wife."

Mom's eyes widened in horror.

She looked at me, her lips quivering non-stop.

"Ethan... is it true?"

"Are you... with a married woman?"

"No!" I desperately explained, grabbing her hands. "Mom, I didn't know she was married! She never told me!"

But the massive shock had already stolen her breath.

Before I could finish, she suddenly clutched her chest, her face draining of all color.

"Mom!"

I lunged forward to catch her.

Her body went completely limp, collapsing into my arms.

"Mom, look at me! Mom!"

"Call 911! Call 911 right now!"

Paramedics and police officers arrived within minutes.

After I explained the situation, the officers ordered Caleb off the property, documenting his continuous recording and provocation. He was escorted to a squad car for questioning.

The paramedics stabilized Mom on the living room floor and rushed her out to the ambulance.

Vivian finally panicked. She rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"Ethan, I was wrong!"

"I'll divorce him! We'll get married today, I swear!"

I looked at my mother, barely clinging to life on the stretcher, and then at the frantic woman in front of me.

I ripped my arm out of her grip, my voice dead.

"Married?"

"After finding out you have a husband, I finally accepted the job in Paris. We're done."

All the blood drained from Vivian's face.

"What... Paris?"

Chapter 4

When I didn't return to the city, Vivian tracked me down to the Hudson Valley.

She must have checked my travel booking records to find my train ticket and followed me straight to my mother's house.

When she walked in, she was carrying bags of expensive gifts, her face plastered with a bright, flawless smile.

"Mrs. Carter! It is so nice to finally meet you. I'm Vivian, Ethan's girlfriend."

Mom was overjoyed and quickly ushered her to the sofa.

"I finally get to meet you! Ethan always said you were so busy with work and never had the time to visit."

I wanted to open my mouth and say that was a lie.

But Mom looked so incredibly happy.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Vivian smiled and smoothly lied:

"Ethan and I had a little spat recently. He got mad and ran back home, so I came up to get him."

Mom swatted my arm playfully.

"Couples fight all the time, that's perfectly normal. Why did you run all the way back here?"

Just then, the front gate slammed open.

Caleb stood on the porch.

He was holding a massive, glaring red custom plaque, so large it covered half his torso.

I blocked the doorway.

"You can't come in here. Get out. Now."

But Caleb shoved past me, marching straight into the living room with the plaque held high.

He walked in with a sickeningly sweet smile, nodding politely at my mother.

"Hello, Mrs. Carter. I'm Caleb Brooks."

"I came today specifically to thank you."

He hoisted the plaque up.

Printed across the bright red surface in giant black letters was:

“Thank you, Margaret Carter, for raising such a competent kept man.”

Caleb pointed right at me.

"Mrs. Carter, don't let him lie to you."

"He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew Vivian was my wife, yet he kept sleeping with her."

Vivian's face flushed crimson. She shoved him hard.

Caleb immediately held up his phone, recording the whole thing.

"Don't touch me!"

He yelled into the phone, backing toward the door.

Mom was so shocked she couldn't speak.

I quickly stepped in front of her.

"Mom, it's a lie. I had no idea Vivian was married!"

But Caleb seized the chaos, shouting over me:

"Mrs. Carter, you're a reasonable woman!"

"Vivian is my wife! Her eight years with your son were nothing but an affair behind my back!"

"Your son is the homewrecker!"

Mom's body began to tremble.

She looked at the custom mocking award plaque leaning against the wall, her voice shaking:

"What... what is that?"

Caleb glanced at it and sneered.

"That's a plaque for him."

"To thank him for taking care of my wife."

Mom's eyes widened in horror.

She looked at me, her lips quivering non-stop.

"Ethan... is it true?"

"Are you... with a married woman?"

"No!" I desperately explained, grabbing her hands. "Mom, I didn't know she was married! She never told me!"

But the massive shock had already stolen her breath.

Before I could finish, she suddenly clutched her chest, her face draining of all color.

"Mom!"

I lunged forward to catch her.

Her body went completely limp, collapsing into my arms.

"Mom, look at me! Mom!"

"Call 911! Call 911 right now!"

Paramedics and police officers arrived within minutes.

After I explained the situation, the officers ordered Caleb off the property, documenting his continuous recording and provocation. He was escorted to a squad car for questioning.

The paramedics stabilized Mom on the living room floor and rushed her out to the ambulance.

Vivian finally panicked. She rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"Ethan, I was wrong!"

"I'll divorce him! We'll get married today, I swear!"

I looked at my mother, barely clinging to life on the stretcher, and then at the frantic woman in front of me.

I ripped my arm out of her grip, my voice dead.

"Married?"

"After finding out you have a husband, I finally accepted the job in Paris. We're done."

All the blood drained from Vivian's face.

"What... Paris?"