Chapter 4

I sat amidst the wreckage, watching Ethan's taillights disappear into the night.

The wound on my face was still bleeding, dripping onto the smashed clay figurine.

He had molded it bit by bit during the year I suffered from severe depression.

He said, "Scarlett, even if it breaks, I can put you back together."

But now, he was the one who had shattered me.

I didn't call an ambulance. I just grabbed a random bandage and pressed it to my face.

Ignoring the searing pain, I painstakingly picked up the fragments of the figurine.

Tiny shards of glass dug into my fingertips; the pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the agony in my chest.

At three in the morning, Ethan's call came in.

I thought he'd at least ask about my injuries.

But the moment I answered, his irritated voice barraged me:

"Have you made enough of a scene? Chloe's heart condition flared up because your crazy act scared her tonight!"

"You need to move out first thing tomorrow morning and clear out the master bedroom. I'm bringing her back to rest."

I clutched my phone tightly, my knuckles white:

"Ethan, that's our home."

"It's just a place to live!"

"I was there for you during your darkest days, when you wanted to die. Now you're unwilling to even give up a room?"

"Scarlett, what is your heart made of? How can you be so cold-blooded!"

"Beep—beep—"

The call was mercilessly cut off.

The next morning, I was still running a low fever when the front door was unlocked.

Ethan walked in brazenly with Chloe.

Chloe wasn't just wearing my haute couture wedding dress.

She even had the pearl necklace my grandmother left me around her neck.

"What are you still doing standing here?"

Ethan frowned, directing the movers to unceremoniously throw my suitcases out the door.

"Chloe can't stand the smell of your perfumes. I had everything of yours thrown out."

I abruptly stood up, my gaze fixed on the necklace around Chloe's neck:

"Take that off your neck."

That was the last memento my grandmother left me.

Chloe instinctively covered her neck, tears instantly flowing:

"Ethan, this was your calming gift to me last night, I…"

"Scarlett! Don't push your luck!"

Ethan shielded her, his eyes filled with disgust.

"It's just a cheap necklace. I've been through so much with you, what's wrong with giving Chloe a necklace to make her happy?"

"That's my grandmother's heirloom!"

I screamed, my eyes burning red.

I rushed forward a few steps and grabbed Chloe's collar.

"Slap!"

I didn't hesitate, raising my hand and delivering a brutal slap across Chloe's face!

The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the living room.

Chloe shrieked, covering her face and falling to the floor.

That slap made my palm tingle.

If talking reason failed, I would use the most direct method.

But my hand hadn't even dropped when Ethan's eyes instantly turned red.

He lunged forward, returning an even harder slap that snapped across my face!

"Scarlett, how dare you hit her?!"

I was already feverish, and the blow made me lose my balance, sending me crashing against the doorframe.

The wound that had just clotted last night tore open again, blood trickling down my chin onto my sweater.

I froze. In all our time together.

This was the first time he had laid a hand on me.

It felt like a knife had been plunged into my heart.

I tasted the strong metallic tang of blood in my mouth, and my ears rang.

Ethan looked at the blood on my face, his fingers stiff for a moment.

He let go, as if he'd touched something foul, and disgustedly wiped his hands.

Then he turned, cradling Chloe in his arms with a pained expression.

"Get out. Don't show your face to Chloe again until you learn how to act like a decent human being."

"Bang!"

The security door slammed shut in front of me.

Cold rain lashed mercilessly against my thin clothes.

I was soaked, blood from my face mixing with rainwater as it streamed down.

I coldly stared at the closed door, then pulled out my phone.

I dialed the number of a secondhand salvage company.

"Hello, Villa 3, smash and haul away all the valuable furniture, appliances, and all that junk high-end men's clothing in the walk-in closet."

"Yes, anything I paid for, smash it all and take it. Don't leave a single piece!"

I hung up, then turned and walked into the rain.