Chapter 3
The pain I experienced every month wasn't just due to my physical makeup.
It was also a lasting effect of another car accident years ago.
We were on the highway when a large truck lost control and crashed into us.
In that split second, I threw myself across the seat, shielding Ethan from the impact.
Afterward, the doctors gave me the grim prognosis: I would likely never conceive.
I still remember that night. Ethan held me as he sobbed, his face wet with tears.
"Olivia, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," he choked out. "It should have been me... We don't need children. It's just you and me. I'll be with you forever."
His voice was thick with emotion, yet his words held fierce determination.
Now, that promise lay shattered.
I stared at our wedding portrait, losing track of time until darkness filled the room.
And just as the light had drained from the day, so too had all my love for Ethan, leaving nothing but exhaustion.
I was still lost in thought when the front door announced Ethan's return.
Finding me sitting on the floor in the dark, my face streaked with tears, his expression shifted to concern.
He let the roses fall to the floor and pulled me into an embrace.
"Olivia, what's wrong?" Ethan asked, his voice soft. "We're going to see that movie tonight. Why are you crying?"
He was as poised and collected as ever, as if nothing had changed.
As if there had been no affair.
But Claire had just posted another social media update.
[Day 2 of his return: We visited our high school amusement park. Wonderful to revisit our old haunt with the same person by my side.]
The comments section was filled with celebratory messages.
One comment read: [He waited eight years for her. What a devoted man!]
Another chimed in: [You two should get married right now!]
A third added: [I'm getting a cavity from all this sugar!]
As their romance played out online, Claire's "Diary of My Ex's Return" went viral.
When he drew me into his arms, I caught the faint, unfamiliar scent of her perfume on his clothes.
So, before coming home, he had been with Claire, lost in their shared past.
The thought turned my stomach.
Especially when I saw a fresh mark beneath his collar, poorly concealed.
Before I could react, Ethan took a small box from his pocket. "Look what I have for you," he said.
I froze for a second, then frowned.
"Is that the necklace I liked a few weeks ago?" I murmured.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Yes. It's for our anniversary. I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you on the day; something came up. Consider this me making it up to you."
As he spoke, he brushed my hair aside to fasten the necklace.
But I recoiled, stepping out of his reach. "Don't," I said, my voice low. "I just..."
Before I could finish, Ethan's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, frowned, and declined the call.
But the caller was persistent. The phone rang again and again.
Ethan hesitated, not answering.
Finally, I said, "Go ahead. We can reschedule the movie. I don't feel well today."
Ethan looked relieved, though guilt flickered in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Olivia. There's just so much at the hospital. It never ends."
I offered a faint smile and handed him a smartwatch from my bag. "You said your old watch was unreliable. I thought you could use a new one."
Perhaps out of guilt, Ethan removed the watch he'd worn for years and put the new one on.
He patted my head, his expression tender. "I'll bring back your favorite pastries."
I nodded, the picture of compliance.
Waiting until he was just out of sight, I snatched my keys and slipped out the door, ready to shadow his movements.
He had once taught me so much, like how to navigate the professional world and stand my ground.
But today, it was my turn to teach him a lesson.
Cheaters got what they deserved.