Chapter 2

"The divorce agreement is on the table. There's a pen next to it."

Ethan's tone was flat.

Blair slowly straightened her clothes, her neck covered with intense kiss marks.

She sat in my usual spot, glanced at me, and curved her lips slightly without saying a word.

As if she were the mistress of this house.

I walked over and picked up the agreement. Three pages, densely written.

The house goes to Ethan. Company shares go to Ethan. Savings go to Ethan. The car goes to Ethan.

I get nothing.

"I leave with nothing?"

Ethan finally looked at me. "The agreement includes compensation. Thirty thousand dollars. That's not nothing."

Thirty thousand. I'd been married to this man for three years. Ten thousand per year.

Blair set down her teacup. "Vivian, with thirty thousand you can rent a nice studio apartment."

I stared at her. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday." Blair tilted her head. "Ethan picked me up from the airport. He waited four hours—my flight was delayed."

Yesterday.

Yesterday Ethan told me he had to work late at the company.

Blair stood up and walked to Ethan's side, naturally linking her arm through his. "Ethan said you're a good person and wouldn't make things difficult for me."

Ethan didn't pull away from her touch.

The phone in my pocket pressed against the pregnancy test, jabbing painfully into my thigh.

I'd planned to come home and tell him—Ethan, we're having a baby.

You won't have to lose sleep over rent anymore, won't have to grovel and drink with clients until you get stomach bleeding.

I thought today would be our best day.

"Where's the pen?"

Ethan pointed to the coffee table.

I crouched down to get the pen. From this angle, I could see Blair's hand resting on Ethan's waist.

When I uncapped the pen, the pregnancy test nearly slipped out of my pocket. I quickly pressed it back in.

"Sign on the last page. Date it today." Ethan's voice came from above.

I signed my name. Vivian Stone. Put down the pen and stood up.

"Fine. The agreement needs to be filed at the courthouse to take effect."

"Tomorrow morning at nine. I'll come find you." After speaking, Ethan picked up his phone and unlocked it right in front of me, scrolling to his contacts.

He changed my label from "My Darling Wife" to Vivian Stone.

Then he closed his phone and put it back in his pocket.

Blair leaned on his shoulder. "Ethan, I want to eat your spaghetti."

"Alright, I'll make it right now."

Ethan actually turned and went into the kitchen. Three years, and he'd never cooked for me once.

I'd asked him if he could cook. He said no, said he couldn't even fry an egg without burning it.

Now he tied his apron with more practiced ease than tying his shoelaces.

Blair shrugged at me. "Vivian, don't just stand there. Hurry and take whatever you need. Tomorrow I'm having people come redecorate. I looked at your clothes—they're all pretty worn. Don't bother taking them. They're too shabby even for cleaning rags."

I went back to the bedroom and grabbed my important documents and a cloth bag containing a few things I'd brought from home when I got married—things that had nothing to do with Ethan.

When I came out and passed the kitchen, Ethan was cutting tomatoes. The knife thumped against the cutting board. He didn't look up.

I changed my shoes at the door. Blair followed and leaned against the doorframe.

"Vivian, I don't know if I should say this."

"Go ahead."

"When Ethan's with me, he never sighs. In these three years with you, I've heard him sigh so many times on the phone." She lowered her head, her voice soft. "Maybe you two really aren't compatible."

I looked at her. Ethan sighed because of broken funding chains, clients backing out, the company nearly collapsing.

Every crisis, I'd been the one supporting him from behind. After he sighed, the next day he'd wake up and the problem would be solved. He thought it was luck.

"You're right," I bent down to tie my shoelaces. "We're not compatible."

The moment the door closed, Blair's voice came from inside.

"Ethan, let's change the door lock code. I want to set it to our anniversary."

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