Chapter 2

His brutal interrogation rang loud and clear through the quiet hall.

The murmurs around us grew sharp and cruel.

"Man, what a loser. She followed him around for seven years with no ring on her finger, and for what?"

"Wait, if she's telling the truth, he's sleeping with his foster sister? That's messed up."

Hearing the chatter, a flicker of panic crossed Ethan's eyes, quickly swallowed by surging desperation.

He spun around toward the guests, stammering an explanation.

"You all know Rachel comes from a respectable background! Don't listen to this jealous woman's lies!"

He snapped his head back to glare at me, his tone venomous. "Clear this up right now, or I swear to God I will never marry you!"

He looked at me with pure fury and contempt, as if I were a vile, deceitful monster.

Behind him, Rachel put on a perfectly timed expression of hurt innocence, as if pleading to know why I was framing her.

Suddenly, I felt nothing but sheer exhaustion.

For seven years, it had always been like this. Whenever there was friction between Rachel and me, I was the one forced to compromise.

It was only now that I realized how pathetic I had been.

"Fine by me. Nothing would make me happier," I said with a faint laugh.

Ethan froze, dumbfounded. He never expected me to talk back instead of caving, and rage flared across his features.

"You..."

"Ethan, you've always treated me like an idiot, haven't you?" I cut him off, keeping my tone deceptively calm.

"Six months ago, Rachel tricked me into eating eel. I had a severe allergic reaction and was writhing in bed, practically dying, begging you to stay by my side. And where were you? In her bedroom, holding her until she fell asleep."

The fury on Ethan's face stalled. He couldn't understand why I was bringing this up now.

"Three months ago, she poured motor oil on the stairs, causing my miscarriage and putting me in the hospital. When I needed you the most, you took her on a vacation to Disney World."

A flash of guilt crossed Ethan's face, and he fumbled for an excuse.

"Rachel is young! She didn't know you were allergic, and she had no idea you were pregnant!"

"Besides, she has sleep trauma. Seeing you covered in blood traumatized her! I only took her away to help her clear her head..."

"Ethan, she's a year older than me."

"If she killed me tomorrow, would you still treat her like a clueless little girl?"

Ethan was stunned by the cold, dead seriousness in my eyes. His face stiffened, completely at a loss for words.

"Chloe, are you jealous?" Rachel dabbed at her tears, looking at me timidly with a choked sob.

"Ethan, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I ruined your relationship."

As she spoke, she peeked through her fingers to check Ethan's reaction.

Seeing his tight jaw soften, she dialed up the drama immediately.

"Chloe, Ethan loves you so much. Please don't be mad at him. I was the one who begged him to let me do the pearling..."

She rushed to explain, acting as if she cared deeply about our relationship, yet her words dripped with poison.

"You can yell at me or hit me, I don't care, as long as it makes you feel better."

"But Chloe, please, I beg you, don't spread dirty rumors about me! You only suffered minor injuries, but my reputation will be ruined forever! Everyone will laugh at me... sob..."