Chapter 4

His words carved into my heart like knives.

So this was what he really thought. He believed I had no choice but him, which meant he could do whatever he wanted.

Even then, I still held on to one last thread of hope.

“Ethan.” I pressed a hand to my chest and lowered my head. “If I only had a month left to live…”

He cut me off impatiently. “Why don’t you ask whether I’d still love you if you turned into a worm?”

“Does it ever end, Claire? You’re a grown woman. Why are you still so childish?”

“If you really have a terminal illness, go ahead and die.”

He said it so casually. It was so absurd, it almost sounded like a joke.

But I knew he meant it.

We hadn’t even finished arguing when his phone rang.

The moment he saw the caller’s name, all the irritation vanished from his face.

He answered as he walked out.

I could faintly hear a woman’s sweet, coaxing voice.

Lily.

She worked under him. Over time, they’d developed feelings for each other.

With her, Ethan had rediscovered the energy and ambition of his youth.

A junior manager with a little success, and a lost young woman fresh out of school.

They’d hit it off and naturally fallen into an affair.

Every time, he told me they were discussing work. There were no personal feelings involved.

But he never seemed to notice how tender his expression became whenever he talked about Lily.

I’d once been on the receiving end of that tenderness, before we married. Never afterward.

Enough. I had to let go eventually.

I had no choice.

Ethan finished dressing and looked back. “Something went wrong with the project. I need to go back to the office. I won’t be…”

I waved him off. “Coming home tonight? Do whatever you want. Take a weekday off soon so we can finalize the divorce.”

This time, his brow furrowed deeply.

He hesitated. “I’m working hard for our future, but… you’re not angry anymore?”

Still pretending this was for our future?

He really had no shame.

I couldn’t be bothered to expose him again. No matter what I said, he always insisted they were nothing but coworkers.

I rarely got angry over things like this anymore.

Even the last time, when he’d abandoned me beside the highway on our way to my parents’ house because Lily wasn’t feeling well, I hadn’t really felt angry.