2
Ethan looked shocked for a second.
But then he seemed to remember something,
and that arrogant smirk returned.
<
“Remarried? Stop making shit up.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re pissed
I’m bringing Chloe home.”
“Trying to make me jealous?”
။
“You think I’m stupid enough to believe that?”
People around us started laughing out loud.
“Yeah, right, she remarried? Who the hell
would want her?”
“She’s probably lost her mind from the
shock.”
“Talking complete nonsense.”
Just then, my daughter, Lily, ran up to me.
<
She could tell I was upset, her little face
wrinkled with worry.
“Mommy, who are they?” she asked in her
small voice.
Before I could answer, Chloe’s two sons
swaggered over.
The older one shoved Lily hard.
Lily fell, scraping her knee on the hard floor.
Blood welled up, and she burst into tears.
The younger boy stuck his chin out defiantly.
“Hmph! Like you could steal our Daddy!” he
sneered.
く
I lunged forward, pushing those two brats
away from my daughter.
As I turned to check on Lily, someone kicked
me hard in the lower back.
I stumbled forward, catching myself on the
floor.
My palms scraped against the marble, leaving
bloody streaks.
Before I could even process the pain, Ethan
was standing over me, looking down his nose.
“Sarah, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Attacking innocent children!”
Then, he kicked me again, hard, in the
く
shoulder.
The toe of his expensive shoe slammed
against my bone.
Pain shot through me, making me gasp.
I pushed myself up, struggling to my feet.
Every cruel thing he’d ever done flashed
through my mind.
Old wounds and fresh anger boiled up inside
- me.
I swung my hand back and slapped him
across the face. Hard.
“Ethan, you’re not even human!”
く
He clutched his cheek, staring at me in.
disbelief.
Chloe rushed to his side, clinging to his arm,
her voice soft and pleading.
“Ethan, honey, Sarah didn’t mean to hit you,
I’m sure.”
“Don’t be angry.”
“It’s all my fault, I should have watched the
children better.”
Her words instantly erased the flicker of
doubt in Ethan’s eyes.
His face hardened with fury again.
く
“Sarah, you’re not worth even a single strand
of Chloe’s hair!”
Looking at this stranger before me, this man I
once loved, a cold laugh echoed in my chest.
I remembered being a kid, when bullies tore
up my homework or stole my lunch money.
Ethan would beat the crap out of them.
He’d stand tall and tell the whole school,
“Sarah’s my girl. Anyone messes with her,
messes with me!”
After that, nobody dared touch the girl
protected by the toughest kid in school.
Under the cherry blossom tree in the
く
Under the cherry blossom tree in the
schoolyard, Ethan ruffled my hair.
“When we grow up, I’m gonna marry you and
protect you forever,” he’d promised.
I blushed and nodded, believing every word.
So when our families arranged our marriage, I
thought it was a fairy tale come true.
Until our wedding night.
That’s when I learned about his “one true
love.”
Ethan looked like he was about to explode
again.
But seeing my silence, a flicker of guilt
く
crossed his face.
Chloe’s eyes filled with tears, ready to spill
over.
“Ethan,” she sniffled, “Sarah must still love
you so much.”
“She just lost her temper for a moment, that’s
why she went after the kids.”
“Please, just forgive her this once.”
Whatever guilt Ethan felt vanished instantly,
washed away by Chloe’s performance.
He suddenly snatched a wine glass from a
passing waiter’s tray.
And threw the contents right at me.
<
Cold wine soaked through my dress instantly.
I stood there, dripping and humiliated.
The room erupted in gasps and whispers.
“You’re fucking insane!” I spat.
I refused to engage with this lunatic any
longer.
I picked up my crying daughter and turned to
leave.
But Ethan wasn’t finished.
He stepped in front of me, blocking my path,
his voice a low snarl.
<
“Sarah, you apologize to Chloe and the kids
right now.”
“Then get the hell out of here and crawl back
under whatever rock you came from.”
“Mr. Ford’s party is no place for trash like
you.”
I held Lily tighter, my gaze sweeping over him
with ice–cold contempt.
“I will never apologize.”
“And for the last goddamn time, I am
remarried.”
“My life is none of your business.”
“Stay the hell away from me.”
<
With that, I turned my back on him and
walked away.
Behind me, Ethan froze for a beat, then
erupted in furious shouts.
“Sarah! Don’t you dare try to fool me with
that pathetic excuse!”
“You’re not getting off the hook that easily.
for what you did!”
