I could hear Ethan's breath hitch before he erupted into a furious outburst.

"Vivian Ward, I've really spoiled you rotten! Employees are the lifeblood of a company—can't you understand that, you foolish woman?"

He was clearly enraged. "Threatening me with divorce time and time again is one thing, but now you're even cursing our child? I think there's something seriously wrong with your brain!

"Why can't you be more sensible, like Chloe? I'm coming to get you—let's go have that brain of yours checked."

Not long after, Ethan really did show up, holding a bouquet of half-wilted flowers. He tossed them onto the table impatiently.

"Chloe heard you were hurt. She asked me to bring these. Look at her—such a thoughtful young lady, showing concern for you during tough times."

I stared at the half-dead bouquet, seeing in it a reflection of myself from last night.

I had seen these flowers before, in Chloe's social media post. She had rested her chin on them, smiling brightly.

And now, the withered flowers she no longer wanted had been given to me. Clearly, Ethan thought I was just as lifeless and unsightly.

He picked up my bag, feigning nonchalance.

"Oh, by the way, you scared her last night. I gave her your car.

"She was so afraid to walk home alone at night. Having a car will keep her safe from bad people."

Ethan couldn't go three sentences without bringing up that intern.

And for a mere bouquet of flowers, she had taken my beloved car—a car worth three million dollars.

For the first time, Ethan had been so generous to someone else.

If this had happened before, I would have argued with him fiercely.

But now, I didn't even have the energy to look at him.

…

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary.

When Ethan and I got married, we had nothing but a marriage certificate. He had promised to give me a proper wedding one day.

I waited year after year. Ten years passed.

And yet, when I finally put on the wedding dress he had ordered for me and arrived at the venue, I realized—mine was a bridesmaid dress.

Chloe wore the wedding gown.

"I'm so sorry, Ethan," she said tearfully. "I only wanted to be a bridesmaid and make Vivian happy. But the dress fit me so well—I thought it was mine, so I put it on by mistake."

She ran out of the hall crying before I even had a chance to say a word.

Ethan had looked so concerned for her.

Inevitably, we fought.

Then, in the middle of it, an earthquake struck. I lost my balance and instinctively reached out for Ethan. But he took a step back and watched me fall.

I cried for help, but he only called me dramatic—he didn't even notice the blood pooling beneath me.

At that moment, I finally understood.

The Ethan who once had eyes only for me—he was already dead.

Oblivious to how pale I was, he dragged me all the way to the psychiatric department.

I had no strength to resist and ended up sitting weakly before the doctor.

"Doctor, check if there's something wrong with her brain. She's faking illness all day long just to fool people!" Ethan ordered the doctor impatiently.

The doctor and I locked eyes for a brief moment. I let out a lifeless smile.

He hesitated, then turned to Ethan.

"Sir, do you need to visit the ophthalmology department next door?"

The poor doctor bore the brunt of Ethan's temper, enduring several rounds of scolding.

I stepped in front of the doctor, my gaze cold as I looked at Ethan.

"Can you stop acting like a stray dog, biting at whoever crosses your path?"

Ethan froze.

For a moment, it seemed like he remembered—those were the exact words he had once said to me.

His expression darkened with embarrassment. "Did you pay him to put on this little show just to humiliate me?"

"You're insane."

I walked straight out. I had intended to return to my hospital room, but Ethan grabbed me and pulled me away.

He opened the passenger door, and the moment I leaned in, a nauseating stench hit me.

The car was part of their game. Scattered across the seats were remnants of last night's debauchery—a pair of pink lace panties hanging off the seat, black stockings torn apart and stained with questionable fluids. It was evident how wild things had gotten.

"Ugh—" I gagged and turned away, unable to hold back the nausea. Ethan hurriedly gathered up the mess.

"Baby, listen to me. I lent my car to Brandon yesterday. This must be him and his wife. I swear—" He hastily explained. "This is too much. I'm calling him right now—"

"No need," I interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. Ethan hesitated, looking at me with uncertainty.

I understood his confusion. In the past, I would have thrown a fit, refusing to let it go. But now, I simply didn't care anymore.

I raised my hand to hail a cab, but Ethan yanked me back forcefully.

"I already told you it's not mine. Do you have to be this dramatic?" His voice carried frustration, tinged with guilt.

"It's not even on the seat, for God's sake. You're freaking pretentious!"

The more he panicked, the angrier he became, as if his rage alone could prove his innocence.

He shoved me into the passenger seat. The stench made my stomach churn violently.

I rolled down the window, hoping for relief, but the nausea lingered.

My hand pressed against my abdomen. The pain was sharp and persistent, offering no respite.

Ethan glanced at me before starting the car. "Still pretending? You really think I'll believe you?"

He scoffed, "I'd advise you to be more sensible. You can't even compete with a fresh graduate, and resort to tricks like this? Pathetic."

I wanted to retort, but as soon as I inhaled, another sharp pang twisted my stomach. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Clenching my jaw, I leaned back against the seat and focused on breathing, praying the pain would pass quickly.

Just as the silence started to settle, a voice message disrupted it.

Chloe's sweet voice rang out. "Ethan, why aren't you answering my calls? I have something really, really important to tell you! Please, I'm begging you! I'm so scared—I can't live like this!"

I cracked my eyes open slightly, watching as Ethan fumbled with his phone.

Chloe must have known I was with him. That was why he hesitated.

And she, knowing him all too well, deliberately made a fuss, hoping to provoke an argument between us.

She couldn't stand the thought of Ethan bringing me home. She wanted him by her side every second of the day.

I decided to grant her wish.

"Answer it," I said. "Pretend I don't exist."

Ethan froze, then turned to me after a few seconds. "You finally believe me? You're not jealous anymore?

His tone softened. "I swear, there's nothing between us. She's just too naïve. She needs someone to look after her."

I closed my eyes and turned my face toward the window. "I don't care."

That was all it took. Ethan answered the call immediately.

On the other end, Chloe's shrill scream came first. "Ethan, you finally picked up! Aren't you afraid something might happen to me while I'm all alone?"

Ethan gripped the steering wheel with one hand, stealing a cautious glance at me. "I'm driving. Get to the point."

Chloe's voice dripped with sweetness. "I knew you wouldn't ignore me on purpose. You big meanie, I miss you."

Ethan coughed awkwardly while she continued her flirtations.

"You know, I'm not the same person anymore. You should hurry up and buy me some designer bags."

Ethan quickly agreed. "Alright, alright. What do you mean 'not the same person'?"

Then he turned to me. "She's just a kid. I treat her like a baby sister. You don't mind, right?"

I remained silent.

Chloe giggled, her voice growing even more coy. "You big meanie, you were way too rough last night. You hurt me so bad!"

She let out a soft whimper before adding, "I just came back from the hospital. The doctor said we can't make love anymore. Our baby could get hurt."

The moment those words left Chloe's mouth, Ethan's grip on the steering wheel faltered. The car swerved sharply, coming to a sudden, slanted stop in the middle of the road.

A loud screech of tires followed as the cars behind us were forced to brake abruptly.

A furious driver jumped out and stormed over, shouting, "Do you even know how to drive? You can't just turn like that here!"

Ethan's forehead veins bulged as he clenched his jaw, taking a few moments before opening the door to argue with the man. He didn't even glance at me—still curled up in pain in the passenger seat.

The abrupt stop had slammed my abdomen against the car's interior.

I could barely speak. A warm, distinct sensation spread beneath me, accompanied by an unmistakable scent.

It was the other driver who noticed first. "Hey, isn't that your wife? She doesn't look good. Did she get hurt?"

Only then did Ethan finally turn his gaze to me. Both hesitated as they approached, but neither dared to touch me. Their eyes were fixed on the dark red liquid pooling beneath me.

Ethan's expression twisted with panic. His voice trembled as he crouched beside me. "Honey, it's going to be okay. Our baby will be fine."

He reached out to touch my abdomen—then froze. His eyes widened in shock as realization dawned.

My stomach was already flat.

His hands shook uncontrollably. "Honey—" His voice cracked. "Where's our baby?"

My consciousness began to drift, pulling me into a haze where memories surfaced—memories of a time when Ethan had just graduated, back when we were still deeply in love.

Until Chloe came along.

When did I first start to notice the signs?

Perhaps when Ethan, who never cared for photography, suddenly became skilled at taking pictures.

Perhaps it was when he would vanish for weeks, unreachable, only for me to later learn he had been hiking Mount Rainier at night with Chloe, watching the golden sunrise together.

Or perhaps it was when, despite knowing how much it would hurt me, he gave Chloe my wedding dress and made me wear the bridesmaid's gown instead—just to amuse her.

A gentle voice pulled me back to consciousness.

A sharp, burning pain seared through the spot between my nose and upper lip.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the head nurse who had taken care of me during last night's shift.

She let out a sigh of relief the moment I woke up, quickly wiping away her tears. "I was so worried about you!"

Then she shot a fierce glare at Ethan.

"Are you out of your mind? Why the hell did you suddenly switch lanes like that?

"She just lost her husband and her child—her body and mind are already fragile! Do you have any idea that because of your reckless driving, she almost lost her life too? What kind of family member are you? How could you be this careless? Did you bring her out of the hospital just to watch her die?"