Chapter 3

That night I didn't leave. I just sat alone in the corner and watched this absurd birthday party to the end.

It wasn't until everyone was leaving that Ethan finally noticed me in the corner and offered to drive me home.

Even though he was my husband, it was as if he wasn't going to his own home.

But just as he finished speaking, Chloe came over and grabbed his arm.

"Ethan, I'm tired. I want to go home and rest."

Ethan affectionately touched her hair. "Is the baby bothering you again? Let's go home first."

He put his arm around Chloe and left, while I could only get in the bodyguard's car again.

I felt like a clown.

I touched my cheeks. The tears I thought would fall didn't appear.

So it was true—when pain reached its extreme, you really couldn't feel it anymore.

I really couldn't understand.

If he cared so much about his childhood friend, why did he marry me and have a child with me?

If he wanted so badly to prove to the world how much he cherished Chloe, why wouldn't he divorce me?

Why insist on keeping our child, letting us be cursed and mocked together?

That night, I didn't sleep well.

It wasn't until late morning that I was awakened by the doorbell.

Chloe brought her parents and suddenly showed up.

As soon as Chloe's mother saw me, she mocked coldly:

"Pregnant with someone else's bastard, and you still have the face to occupy the position of Mrs. Shaw."

"I don't know how your parents raised such a shameless daughter."

Chloe's father also looked at me with contempt.

"Enough, why waste words on this kind of person?"

"Even looking at her makes me feel dirty."

With that, he and Chloe's mother carried several large suitcases upstairs.

Watching their backs going upstairs, I didn't understand either.

How, as parents, could they raise such a shameless daughter?

Seeing only me left in the living room, Chloe walked closer with a mocking smile at the corner of her mouth.

"So what if you're married to him? So what if you're carrying his child?"

"You still can't compare to me and my child."

"Oh, and Ethan said after the baby is born, he'll make my child the eldest son with the Shaw surname."

"And your bastard—he'll only adopt him as a foster son with your surname."

Looking at Chloe's glaring smile, I just felt a bit bored.

I'd seen this kind of trick from her too many times.

I moved aside to let her pass and planned to leave.

Chloe suddenly fell to the ground crying, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

Chloe's crying brought her parents running.

Her mother lunged at me like a madwoman.

Just then, the villa door opened and Ethan rushed in.

I was about to explain to him when Chloe's mother knocked me down, slapping my face while cursing with filthy, crude words.

As Ethan stopped her, a flash of heartache crossed his eyes.

He was about to speak when Chloe threw herself crying into his arms.

"Ethan, you promised that after our baby is born, you'd let my parents come take care of us."

"My place is small, there's no room for all five of us."

"I just wanted to ask Miss Carter if she minded us living together, but she suddenly hit me..."

She covered her own face, then her own belly.

And cried even louder.

I was getting dizzy from the noise.

Where I'd been hit felt numb with pain, probably already swollen.

And under Chloe's palm, her skin was white as ever. Nothing there at all.

Feeling Ethan's conflicted gaze, I wiped away my tears and silently stood up.

The husband who once said he'd protect me and cherish me for life had become the confidence that allowed another woman to act shamelessly when I needed protection most.

Perhaps our marriage was wrong from the start.

If he couldn't let go of his childhood friend, he could only let go of our marriage.

Because in one more day, I would leave him.