- 4.
Seeing Ben rescue Paisley filled me with a
rush of tears. I ran to her, burying her in my
arms.
Paisley was shaking like a leaf, but she didn’t
cry. She hugged me tight, whispering,
“Mommy, don’t cry. I’m okay.”
I looked at Ben, nodding hard, tears
streaming down my face.
“Thank you… If it wasn’t for you, Paisley
would have been taken by those thugs.”
く
“How could I stand by and watch a child from
Chicago fall into the hands of those animals?”
He helped me up, his voice full of concern.
“I was heading back to the city on orders
from the Governor. I saw that man from a
distance and recognized you. Luckily, I got
here in time.”
Looking at Paisley, safe and sound, I felt a
surge of gratitude that I’d chosen to leave the
city and run into him.
Ben was a war hero, a general, and we’d
grown up together.
During the last riot, he’d rushed into the city
to save Paisley, but by then, the city had
descended into chaos.
He’d had to prioritize the safety of the
wealthy and powerful, the people holed up in
their gated communities.
This time, I’d headed out of the city, hoping
I’d run into him.
<
With him by our side, Paisley and I would be
safe.
Ethan stormed over, yanking Ben’s hand off
my arm.
“Chloe! Have you no shame?! I’m standing
right here, and you’re all over another man?!”
Paisley cowered behind me, terrified he’d
throw her back to the thugs.
Seeing the jealousy in his eyes, you’d think he
actually cared.
I shoved him away, my face hard.
“If you care so much, then let’s get a
divorce.”
“Divorce?!”
His eyes bugged out. He spat the word out
like it was poison.
He glared at Ben, standing at my side, then
sneered,
“You’re asking for a divorce because he’s
here?! I knew it! You two have been sneaking
<
around!”
“How many times have I heard that you two
were childhood sweethearts, that you would
have married him if I hadn’t come along? How
many times did you deny it?!”
“What? Now that he’s back, you can’t hide
your feelings any longer?!”
He grabbed my arm, his eyes blazing.
He looked like a rabid dog, ready to tear me
apart if I said the wrong thing.
Ben grabbed his arm, his voice a low growl.
“Let go of her. You’re hurting her.”
Ethan just dug his fingers in deeper.
“She’s my wife! It’s none of your damn
business!”
Enraged, I finally exploded.
“Ethan! My getting a divorce has nothing to
do with Ben! You threw Paisley to those
thugs. You don’t deserve to be a father!”
Paisley, noticing my pain, bit down hard on
his arm.
“You’re hurting Mommy!”
Ethan winced, letting go of my arm, and
glared at Paisley.
“I’m your father! How can you take the side of
a stranger?!”
Paisley hid behind me, bursting into tears.
“You’re not my father! You’re Tiffany’s father!
You were going to let those men hurt me!”
Looking at her tears, my heart broke.
Paisley understood everything. She hadn’t
cried after being rescued because she didn’t
want to worry me.
Ben, hearing everything, lost his cool.
He grabbed Ethan by the collar and started
hammering him, yelling,
“What kind of man are you?! You’d hand your
own wife and daughter over to those
animals?!”
Ethan didn’t even try to fight back, just
<
laughed bitterly.
“I knew you wanted her! Well, forget it! You’ll
never get near her!”
I stepped in, pulling Ben away.
“The city’s in chaos. You need to get back
and deal with the riots.”
Ben shot Ethan a look of pure hatred, then
turned to me.
“Stay safe, Chloe.” With a last glance at
Ethan, he rode back towards the city.
Ethan staggered to his feet, staring at me
with a twisted smile.
“So eager to see him go? He’s going to die in
there. He’s going to die a hero, and you’ll
never be the girl you were when you two were
young and in love.”
“Chloe, we’ve been married for five years, we
even have a kid. You didn’t seem so worried
about me when we were leaving the city.”
Brenda and Tiffany rushed over, helping him
<
- up.
“Chloe, you’re being so unfair. Ethan is your
husband! How could you let another man hurt
him?” Brenda spat.
Tiffany crossed her arms, sneering.
“Yeah! And stop calling him ‘Daddy‘! You
didn’t even try to save him!”
They hadn’t been so quick to jump in when
Ben was around.
Now, they were playing the good wife and
daughter.
It was disgusting.
I laughed, not holding back.
“Speaking of strangers, aren’t you two the
ones who don’t belong here?”
Ethan stepped in front of them, his face dark.
“Chloe, you’re out of control!”
A roar erupted from the city. Ethan gave me a
smug look.
“Worry about Ben. You divorced me because
<
you thought you’d found a better option.”
“If he dies in the city, don’t come crawling
back to me, begging me to take you and your
daughter in!”
He said it with anger, but I saw a flicker of
hope in his eyes.
I looked at the burning city, my face blank.
“Don’t worry. That will never happen.”
