Chapter 2
I reached out to a high school classmate and got the address for Charlie Carter's first birthday party.
On the phone, my classmate sounded genuinely shocked. "Emma, how did you and Ethan break up? We all thought you two would end up together. Who would've guessed he'd end up with Sophia?"
I could only force a bitter smile.
Honestly, I didn't even know when Ethan and I broke up, and I had no idea when he and Sophia got married.
Sophia promised she'd always be by my side.
Ethan was my first love, the boyfriend I'd spent ten years with.
Even a few years back, when I started doubting if we could really make it through the distance, Ethan swore to me, "Emma, I'll wait for you. You're the only one I'll ever love."
I really believed he loved me. I didn't know when he started to change, and I couldn't believe it.
My classmate's words were like a knife twisting in my heart. "It's so weird. Back in school, they couldn't stand each other, and now they're all lovey-dovey."
As she spoke, she sent me Sophia's social media account.
We'd followed each other everywhere, but I'd never seen this account before.
In the pinned live photo, Ethan gripped Sophia's wrist hard, his veins bulging.
The caption said: [I finally ended up with my first crush. No regrets in this life.]
The post had over a hundred thousand likes, and the comments section was flooded with congratulations.
I was the only one who noticed the date on the post.
That day, Ethan and I had a huge fight over something stupid.
I kept calling him all day.
He was nowhere to be found, and his phone was off the whole day.
Sophia messaged me: [Ethan went to the bar to get drunk. Don't worry about him.]
Two days later, Ethan flew all the way to see me. For someone as proud as he was, he swallowed his pride and apologized.
His eyes were red as he kissed me desperately, repeating his apologies hundreds of times.
Now I finally realize that Ethan didn't really come to me that day because he wanted to make amends.
It was only because he felt guilty after he slept with Sophia.
The second pinned post was a blurred-out marriage license.
But I instantly recognized Ethan's profile.
The caption said: [We got married because of the baby. Thank goodness for making it happen.]
It had been less than three months since I lost my baby.
I kept blaming myself for being so busy with work that I lost the baby, and now I might never get another chance to have kids.
My mood kept getting worse, and I started taking antidepressants.
Ethan tried to comfort me over a video call. "Emma, it's not your fault. We'll have kids someday."
Sophia took time off work and flew over to be with me.
She hugged me like she always did, trying to comfort me. "Emma, everything will be okay."
During that time, they treated me so well that it felt unreal. They carried all my pain for me.
It turned out that everything they did was out of guilt.
I collapsed on the floor, pressing my hand to my chest. The pain was so intense that my heart went numb.
Sophia and I grew up together as best friends.
We stuck together from kindergarten through high school, never spending a day apart.
When I was sixteen, Ethan pursued me fiercely.
I was the straight-A student, and Ethan was the rebellious bad boy.
When Sophia found out Ethan and I were together, she was totally against it and always gave Ethan a hard time.
She threw down a challenge. Ethan had to make it into the top 100 in the class if he wanted to date me.
Ethan hit the books like his life depended on it, and two months later, he actually pulled it off.
When he walked up to me with his report card, I was so happy that I jumped right into his arms.
Ethan hugged me tight, then shot Sophia a triumphant look.
Sophia's face twisted with embarrassment and anger, and she was left speechless.
Back then, I was so caught up in my own happiness that I didn't notice the disappointment and resentment in her eyes.
After college, Ethan decided to start his own business, but he was short on cash.
Behind Ethan's back, I took out a 150 thousand-dollar loan and had Sophia invest it under her name.
Sophia called me an idiot for doing it, but she ended up handing the money over to Ethan anyway.
After that, something changed in the way Ethan looked at Sophia.
He always said Sophia was his guardian angel, and whenever they argued, he'd always give in to her.
To pay off the loan faster, I volunteered for an overseas assignment in Southland. The conditions were rough, but the pay was the highest.
The day I left, I clung to Ethan at the airport, sobbing my heart out. He pried my fingers off and pushed me toward the boarding gate.
Not a single day went by in those five years abroad that I didn't think about Ethan.
He was always telling me, "Emma, put your career first. Don't throw away your bright future for me."
We fought about it more times than I could count.
Deep down, I always had this nagging feeling that Ethan didn't want me to come back.
Sometimes, I couldn't help but question everything.
Whenever Ethan and I argued, I'd always end up venting to Sophia.
She'd always say, "Emma, stop being so lovesick. He never planned on marrying you."
I thought she was looking out for me. But in reality, she was clearing the last obstacle between her and Ethan.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a message. My transfer request had been approved, and my boss wanted me to start as soon as possible.
[Got it,] I replied quickly and booked a flight to Eurovia.
*****
Early the next morning, I got two messages.
Ethan: [Happy tenth anniversary. I shipped your gift by express air. Make sure you sign for it.]
Sophia: [Today's Charlie's first birthday. Don't forget to send a birthday gift.]
I didn't reply to either of them and set my phone to Do Not Disturb.
That evening, I got to Charlie's birthday party early, thanks to the address my friend sent me.
When I saw the sign at the entrance of the ballroom that said, [Congratulations to Ethan and Sophia on their son's first birthday.]
My fists tightened on their own.
My phone wouldn't stop buzzing. Ethan was blowing up my phone.
"Emma, why haven't you answered me all day? Come on, don't give me the silent treatment. I've been really busy lately, but I promise I'll make it up to you for every anniversary from now on," he said.
I looked up, and there was Ethan, dressed sharply in a suit. "Ethan, I'm right here at your son's first birthday party."
The next second, he spun his head sharply and dropped his phone to the floor.