Chapter 3

Vivian Shaw POV

Quinn was temperamental, loved to make scenes, had a terrible temper. But Ethan doted on her, indulged her. Everyone said he was madly in love with her.

For as long as he loved Quinn, I secretly loved him from behind.

Until Quinn ran away from countless wedding ceremonies with Ethan.

The first time, she said she was too young and didn't want to get married so early.

The second time, she claimed to have pre-wedding jitters.

The third time, she said she felt Ethan didn't love her enough.

...

The ninth time, she called from overseas the night before the wedding. "Ethan, I've been thinking, and I still feel freedom is more precious. Let's not get married for now, okay? I want to travel abroad for a few years first!"

That time, Ethan didn't chase after her.

He was depressed for a while, then started accepting the blind dates his family arranged. He went on one after another, always ending things after just one meeting.

When I learned this, my heart pounded wildly.

I pulled strings and managed to get a chance to go on a blind date with him.

That day, somehow I ended up wearing the same dress as Quinn. Sure enough, when Ethan saw me, he froze.

He stared for a long time, then said, "Let's get married."

My wildly beating heart suddenly sank in that moment.

I knew he was seeing someone else through me.

But I still nodded.

Because I liked him too much. Even knowing he probably had no feelings for me, I still wanted to stay by his side.

After marriage, we were polite and courteous.

Ethan treated me well. He was never stingy materially, gave me all the respectability I deserved, but I knew that wasn't love.

He never initiated intimacy with me. Only when I wore clothes similar to Quinn's would he hold me in a daze, calling out "Quinn."

Each time I pretended not to hear.

Five years passed like this.

I thought life could continue this way, until Quinn came back.

At the time I happened to be three months pregnant. My stomach suddenly hurt terribly. I clutched my belly wanting to call an ambulance, but Quinn showed up at the door.

"So you're Vivian Shaw?" Quinn looked me up and down with contempt in her eyes. "I heard you took advantage of my absence to steal my position?"

My face was pale with pain. I had no energy to argue with her, only wanting to get to the hospital quickly.

I tried to go around Quinn, but she blocked me.

During the struggle, I really couldn't take it anymore and pushed her. Quinn stumbled backward, her head hitting the door frame. Blood immediately flowed down.

That night, Ethan locked me in the storage room.

My stomach hurt terribly, like a knife was twisting inside. I pounded on the door, calling over and over, "Ethan... save me... the baby... our baby..."

But no one came.

The pain made me curl up on the floor. Warm liquid flowed out from beneath me. I reached down to touch it. My hand was covered in blood.

Finally I passed out from the pain.

When I woke up, I was in the hospital. The baby was gone.

Ethan stood by the bed, looking at me with guilt in his eyes.

"It's my fault. After you're discharged, we'll have another baby."

"If you hadn't pushed Quinn back then, I wouldn't have locked you up. She's not in good health. That push nearly killed her. I acted rashly in the moment. I can compensate..."

In that moment, I laughed.

Laughed until tears streamed down my face.

"Ethan, what compensation do you think could make up for a life?"

That was the first time, and the last time, I cried in front of him.

From then on, I changed.

I secretly filed for divorce and applied to transfer to New York with my company.

No matter what happened between him and Quinn, I no longer cared.

Because I no longer loved him.