Chapter 3

I froze.

Slowly, I lifted my head and met his dark, furious gaze.

He pressed down on the divorce papers, his fingertips tense as if he were struggling to control his emotions.

Thankfully, I hadn’t signed them yet. The signature lines were still blank.

“This…” My mind raced. I quickly came up with an excuse. “They’re Claire’s. She’s a lawyer, remember? She prepared them for a client and left them here when she visited yesterday.”

Ethan’s brows relaxed. He let out a breath.

“You scared me. I thought you were asking me for a divorce.”

He handed the papers to me.

“Don’t leave things lying around like that next time. It could give someone the wrong idea.”

I took them and smiled awkwardly, hiding the turmoil inside me.

“Okay. I’ll be more careful.”

Ethan pulled me into his arms.

“Did I scare you? I was being ridiculous. Our relationship is so good. How could we ever get divorced?”

I silently rested against his chest without answering.

My hand tightened around the papers, my fingers trembling.

The next morning, Ethan left early.

He had promised to take me to the hospital, but he had forgotten.

I wasn’t surprised.

It wasn’t the first time.

He was always like this. The promises he made were nothing but mist floating through the air, disappearing in an instant.

I went into the kitchen and made myself a cup of tea.

Muffin jumped onto the table and rubbed her head against my hand.

I stroked her head and sighed.

“Muffin, Mommy is going to send you to Aunt Claire’s.”

I had two surgeries that day.

The moment I changed out of my surgical scrubs, my phone began ringing nonstop.

Ethan’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hello?”

“Ava, I’m at the mall. Come help me pick out a gift. Your birthday is next Monday.” His voice sounded cheerful.

Next Monday was also the day I would be leaving.

I couldn’t let him suspect anything, so I forced my exhausted body to go.

By the time I reached the mall, it was completely dark outside.

Ethan stood beside a row of bright red dresses, a gentle smile on his face.

He picked one up and walked over.

“Look at this one. It would suit you.”

I reached out and touched the fabric.

The glaring red made me frown.

“I don’t like red.”

In the past, I would have pretended to be happy.

But now I didn’t want it.

I actually preferred simple, elegant clothes. These bright styles were much more like Lily.

Ethan paused, then smiled.

“Red brings out your complexion. Just try it.”

“No. I really don’t like it.”

I tried to suppress my irritation, but impatience had already crept into my voice.

He acted as if he hadn’t heard me. He lifted the dress and insisted on holding it against me.

I finally snapped.

“Ethan, I said I don’t like it!”

He froze, the dress suspended in midair. He clearly hadn’t expected me to lose my temper.

“How do you know you don’t like it if you won’t try it?”

A clear voice suddenly rang out.

“Ethan, that dress really is beautiful.”

I looked up.

Lily stood there with a sweet smile, intimately holding on to Ethan’s arm.

The dress she was wearing was identical to the one in his hand.

My heart dropped.

It felt as if someone had driven a knife straight into my chest.

Ethan looked down at Lily, his expression softening in the familiar way.

“Lily, what are you doing here?”

I stared at them standing side by side.

All the emotions I had been holding back exploded at once.

I turned and walked away. I couldn’t stand to look at them for another second.

“Ava!”

Ethan’s voice came from behind me, but I didn’t stop.

“Ethan, Ryan is too busy to help me choose a wedding dress. Will you help me?”

Lily’s sweet, pleading voice reached my ears.

A moment later, I heard Ethan’s footsteps stop.

He never came after me.

Ethan returned home that evening.

He wore the same gentle, affectionate expression as always and held out a shopping bag.

“I’m sorry, baby. I upset you today. I bought you some clothes. They’re all in styles you like.”

Of course, the clothes inside were all in simple, muted colors.

“I didn’t mean not to follow you and make you feel better. Lily’s getting married soon. As her brother, I need to pay more attention to her…”

He was still explaining when his phone rang.

He answered.

It was Lily.

I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but I could see the tenderness and urgency in his eyes.

After hanging up, Ethan turned to me.

“Lily needs me. I have to go. Leave the clothes here and get some sleep.”

The moment the door closed, I stared at the clothes in the bag and couldn’t help laughing.

Ethan had pretended to be devoted for so many years without ever slipping up.

He deserved an Oscar.

I stood and threw every piece of clothing into the trash.