Chapter 3
The nurse blinked, clearly surprised that the first thing I asked for was my phone.
She hesitated. "Your belongings are in the hospital's storage for accident victims. You're not well enough to use your phone yet"
"Find me an attendant," I cut her off, my voice soft but firm. "Right now."
The nurse caught my look and nodded. "Alright, I'll get someone for you."
After she left, the only sound left in the ICU was the steady beeping of the machines.
I turned my head, staring out at the gray, overcast sky.
It was just like the weather on the day I married Ethan.
For the past three years, I'd lived like a shadow, keeping a marriage secret from everyone but myself. I was naive enough to believe that if I was obedient and sensible, I could eventually melt his cold, stone-like heart.
Now that I think about it, I was so stupid it's almost pathetic.
Those red-marked emergency contacts on his phone—each one felt like a slap in the face.
Especially Nina.
That name had been a thorn in my heart for ages.
Back then, I kept clinging to my own fantasies, lying to myself.
The vivid memory of the car accident, along with the nurse's careless words just now, tore away every last bit of my facade.
The caregiver arrived quickly—a middle-aged woman with a kind, honest face.
I asked her to help me out and use her phone to make a call for me.
Not to Ethan.
But to my best friend, Lily, who was all the way down south.
When the call connected and I heard Lily's familiar voice, I almost broke down in tears again, but I forced myself to hold it together.
"Lily," I said, my voice hoarse but surprisingly calm, "I need your help."
"Chloe? What's wrong? You sound off!" Lily immediately picked up on something being wrong.
"I was in a car accident. I'm in the ICU at City Hospital," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I need you to find me the best lawyer—someone who specializes in divorce and medical disputes."
Lily gasped on the other end. "What? A car accident? Is it serious? Where's Ethan? Where the hell is he?"
Just hearing Ethan's name made my heart twist painfully, but my tone was icy. "Don't mention him. Lily, you have to keep this absolutely secret—especially, he can't know about the lawyer."
Lily was silent for a few seconds, then her voice burned with anger. "Is that asshole bullying you again? I swear, I'm booking a flight and coming straight to you!"
"Don't rush," I said, trying to calm her down. "Get this sorted for me first. Also, I need you to find me a trustworthy private investigator."
"Chloe, what are you planning?" Lily asked.
"I'm taking back what's mine," I said, staring at my hand hooked up to all these tubes. My voice was soft, almost a sigh, but there was a cold, heavy weight behind it. "And then, I'm going to make them pay."
After hanging up, I handed the phone back to the caregiver, gave her a generous tip, and reminded her to keep everything between us.
She thanked me over and over before leaving.
The room fell silent again.
I knew that from the moment I made that call, there was no turning back between Ethan and me.
Either he would destroy me, or I would destroy him.
Or maybe we'll destroy each other.
But no matter what, I refuse to live quietly and meekly in his shadow ever again.
That afternoon, the doctor came by for his rounds and said I was recovering well. In a couple of days, I'd be out of the ICU.
Not long after the doctor left, the door to my room was gently pushed open.
I figured it was just a nurse, so I kept my eyes shut and ignored it.
Until that familiar, crisp scent—mixed with the sharp tang of disinfectant—filled the air as it got closer.
It was Ethan.
He'd come.
I kept my eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.
I could feel his gaze settle on my face, lingering for a few seconds.
There was no concern, no guilt—just that cold, businesslike once-over, like he was checking off a task.
Then I heard him let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh.
Like he was just making sure I was still breathing, so I wouldn't become an even bigger headache for him.
"Her vital signs are stable," he said quietly to the nurse beside him, his tone as calm and professional as ever. "Continue with the treatment plan."
"Yes, Dr. Rivers," the nurse replied softly.
"Did she show any unusual behavior when she woke up?" Dr. Rivers asked.
"Uh Ms. Hart was pretty emotional when she woke up. She cried, and then asked for a caregiver" the nurse explained.
'Ethan paused for a moment, like he couldn't believe I'd actually cried or maybe he was just shocked I'd bothered to ask for a caregiver at all,' I thought.
'He probably expected me to just suck it up like always, quietly swallowing everything without ever causing him the slightest bit of trouble,' I told myself.
"Got it," he said, his voice flat. "Take care of her."
Then I heard his footsteps as he turned and strode out of the room.
He left without looking back, not a trace of regret in his wake.
Just as he was about to reach the door, my phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a text from Lily. The caregiver had charged it and put it next to my pillow.
The screen lit up, and even with my eyes closed, I could feel the light.
Ethan's footsteps paused.
He definitely noticed the phone, and the text preview flashing on the screen.
Sender: Lily Grant.
Preview: [Lawyer is all set. It's Mr. Blake, the best in the business, specializes in]
The rest was cut off, but the word "lawyer" stood out like a sore thumb.
The air in the room seemed to freeze.
I could feel his gaze, sharp as a knife, locking onto me.
He was waiting for me to say something, to explain myself.
Just like always, he expected me to give in first—to lower myself and tiptoe around, spilling everything for him.
But I didn't.
I kept my eyes shut, breathing steady, pretending to be asleep, like I was totally clueless about what was happening.
My fingers curled under the blanket, nails digging painfully into my palm.
'Did it hurt?' I wondered.
'Yeah, it hurt.'
'But it was nothing compared to even a fraction of the pain he put me through.'
Ethan stood at the doorway for a whole minute.
The atmosphere was so suffocating, the nurse barely dared to breathe.
In the end, he didn't say a word—just let out a faint, icy laugh.
Then his footsteps receded, disappearing beyond the door.
He probably thinks I hired a lawyer just to get some accident compensation.
Or maybe he figures I'm finally fed up and want to threaten him with divorce, hoping to squeeze more out of him.
But he'd never imagine that what I want goes way beyond all that.
In his mind, I'm just some desperate woman who can't live without him, resorting to childish tricks just to catch his attention.
How convenient.
Let him keep believing it.
Underestimating your opponent—that's the deadliest mistake.
Ethan, this game is only just getting started.
Let's see who ends up on top in the end.