Chapter 3

Charlotte POV

The "live updates" in the emails were too timely.

I knew exactly what they did last night.

The woman slipped and fell in the shower, scraped herself a little, and Ethan took her to the hospital in the middle of the night in the rain.

Not only that, he used his connections to summon the best specialist overnight to examine her injury, staying busy until almost dawn before returning.

I don't know how long I cried before falling asleep. When I opened my eyes again, it was already bright outside.

The bedroom door opened, and Ethan walked in looking apologetic.

"Charlotte, you're awake?"

Seeing my swollen red eyes, Ethan's own eyes reddened with heartache.

"It's my fault. I didn't stay with you last night. I didn't take care of you. Are you upset?"

He leaned down and kissed my hair. "I'm not going anywhere today. I'll spend the whole day with you and make it up to you, okay?"

That day, Ethan truly didn't leave my side.

He didn't answer any calls from the company. Even when his assistant came to deliver documents, he turned them away at the door.

He cooked for me himself, watched my favorite movies with me, massaged my abdomen. Impeccably gentle.

Yet I only felt increasingly bitter.

For me, he could throw aside the entire company without hesitation.

For that woman, he could abandon me without hesitation.

The ranking in his heart was already very clear.

I never wanted him to put me before his career.

But no one could accept that there was such a woman in his ranking.

And this woman had now risen to first place.

In the evening, Ethan had a business association gala he absolutely had to attend.

I said I wasn't feeling well. The first time I didn't accompany him to an event.

Late at night, the door lock clicked.

But it wasn't Ethan who pushed open the door. It was that woman.

The woman supported the drunk Ethan, the man's tall frame leaning crookedly against her.

She walked right in supporting Ethan, smiling smugly. "Mr. Sterling had a few too many drinks tonight. I brought him home."

Then she skillfully helped Ethan into the master bedroom, took off his shoes and socks, changed his clothes, tucked in the covers. Completely ignoring my presence.

I sat in the living room watching all this, neither moving nor speaking.

In the days I didn't know about, this woman must have come to my house more than once.

The woman came out of the bedroom and expertly turned into the kitchen, took out honey and began brewing tea.

Before long, she came out carrying a cup of tea and set it on the living room table.

"I'll leave the rest to you. Remember to give Mr. Sterling this tea. The alcohol was strong tonight. His stomach will hurt."

She seemed to be ordering me around.

In five years of marriage, no one had ever dared speak to me like that.

Without a doubt, this courage was fed to her by Ethan himself.

I looked at her expressionlessly. "Your name?"

The woman laughed. "I thought Miss Thompson was magnanimous enough to accept even this. Ivy."

With that, she turned and left.

I walked into the bedroom, looked at the sleeping Ethan for a while, then turned and went to the study.

I took the divorce agreement from the drawer, returned to the master bedroom, and shook Ethan. "Mr. Sterling, there's a document that needs your signature."

Ethan thought it was Ivy. He didn't even open his eyes. "Ivy, don't drink. Let me drink it."

He thought he was still shielding Ivy from alcohol.

I bit my teeth, suppressed my anger, and urged him, "Sign it first. The document is urgent."

Ethan was heavily drunk and couldn't see clearly who was in front of him.

Perhaps he trusted Ivy too much. He took the pen and signed his name on the divorce agreement.

Looking at the signed agreement, the anger that had been stuck in my chest for two days finally dissipated a bit.

I took the blanket and went to the guest room alone. I didn't want to sleep with him.

The next morning, as soon as I woke up, Ethan called.

"Charlotte, I left a contract in the second drawer of the study. I need it urgently. Can you bring it to me?"

I brought the documents to Sterling Group, but it wasn't the former assistant who greeted me. It was Ivy.

"I said I'd go get it myself, but Mr. Sterling was afraid I'd work too hard, so he had to trouble you to make the trip."

Ivy smiled and reached out to take the documents.

I dodged to the side, my tone turning cold. "Move."

Ivy pouted, seemingly prepared for my coldness. "Mr. Sterling is in a meeting. Let me take you to the reception room to wait."

I laughed coldly. "What's your position?"

Ivy raised her chin defiantly. "I'm Mr. Sterling's personal assistant."

"Since you're a personal assistant, don't you know that when I come to the company, I always go straight to Ethan's office?"

As I spoke, I unceremoniously strode past Ivy and went straight to Ethan's CEO office.

The office was empty.

My gaze fell on Ethan's desk.

On the desk sat a small pot of succulents blooming beautifully, pink and tender, very cute.

Obviously this thing was placed by Ivy.

Ethan never allowed anyone to place anything unrelated to work on his desk.

On his desk, there wasn't even a photo of us together.

Before long, Ethan finished his meeting and pushed open the door.

"Charlotte, thank you for your trouble."

He smiled and walked over to pull me into his arms.

I dodged to the side, but my gaze remained on that pot of succulents.

Ethan followed my gaze. He coughed unnaturally. "A plant from an employee downstairs. I haven't had time to throw it out yet."

I raised my hand and threw the pot of succulents directly into the trash can.

"Since you didn't have time to throw it out, I'll do it for you."

Ethan chuckled softly, his large hand circling my waist. "Okay."