Chapter 4

“Zoe, you still owe Claire an apology.”

Ethan Williams’ voice buzzed in my ears like an annoying fly. I couldn’t even turn around from the pain coursing through my body.

“Zoe,” he continued, his tone laced with irritation. “How many times do I have to tell you? These tricks don’t work on me. Stop playing games to avoid responsibility.”

His words were meaningless noise to me. The pain in my stomach twisted deeper, spreading like fire through my chest and into my very bones. My legs gave out, and I slowly sank to the ground.

Only then did Ethan seem to notice that something was wrong. For a brief moment, I caught a flicker of panic in his expression.

“Zoe, are you serious right now?” he asked, hesitating as though unsure if I was faking.

He finally moved to step toward me, but before he could reach me, a sudden, sharp cry came from behind him.

“Ah! Mommy, are you okay?”

I turned my head slightly to see Claire sitting on the ground, clutching her ankle, her face twisted in pain as tears welled up in her eyes.

Ethan immediately dropped my hand and spun around to rush to her side.

I stayed where I was, hunched over, beads of sweat dripping from my forehead onto the ground, leaving dark marks on the pavement. Slowly, the sharp pain in my stomach began to subside.

When I finally managed to stand, the space around me was empty.

My husband—my husband—was kneeling beside another woman, his hands gently touching her pale, uninjured ankle, his face filled with concern.

My throat burned, and my eyes stung with unshed tears. Five years of loyalty and love, wasted on a man who cared for me less than a dog. At least a dog would wag its tail when it received affection. Ethan? He didn’t even have the heart of a beast.

Without a word, I strode toward the flower stand bearing both our names. The gaudy display stood tall, a symbol of everything I had endured.

With a single, violent push, I sent it crashing to the ground.

The sound of flowers scattering and the collective gasps of onlookers filled the air. I didn’t care.

I walked to my car, my steps unsteady, and drove away without looking back.

I ended up at the cemetery.

A streak of vibrant sunlight filtered through the trees, landing directly on a small gravestone. The black-and-white photo on it gleamed in the light, the boy in the picture smiling warmly.

He looked so much like Ethan—the same face, the same eyes—but there was a softness to his expression that Ethan never had.

The sunlight made his smile seem alive, as though he were standing right in front of me.

I crouched down and gently placed a bouquet of white baby’s breath on his grave. Then, as the tears I had been holding back all day finally spilled over, I whispered:

“Jared… every year, I bring you stars. But no matter how many times I do, they’ll never shine as brightly as the ones in your eyes.”

I paused, my voice breaking.

“Jared, I’ve finally come to see you.”

From my bag, I pulled out a folded piece of paper—a medical report.

I placed it in front of his photo and continued, my voice trembling:

“This isn’t me giving up, okay? But the doctors said… that even if I go through treatment, I won’t make it past a year.”

I laughed bitterly, wiping at my eyes.

“So, I figured when the time comes, when I can’t hold on anymore, I’ll come find you. We’ll be together again.”

I tried to smile, but my lips quivered.

“In a way, I’m grateful for this illness. It means I can finally leave this world—a world without you. I don’t have to keep pretending Ethan is you anymore. He might have your eyes, but he’s nothing like you. Not even close.”

My hand shook as I reached out to touch Jared’s photo. If he were here, he’d probably scold me for not taking better care of myself. But now, all he could do was smile at me from inside the photo, frozen in time.

He couldn’t stop me now.

He couldn’t stop me from running toward the destiny I’d always believed was ours.

But just as I closed my eyes, ready to let the quiet surround me, a voice shattered the stillness.

“Who the hell did you just say I look like?”

My eyes snapped open, my heart pounding in my chest.

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