Chapter 3

After dropping off Mandy, I sent Ethan a message telling him to have dinner on his own tonight.

Then I switched back to my Bentley and headed straight to the wedding house Ethan and I shared.

I wanted to see if the "home" Mandy mentioned was this place.

Ethan had decorated the wedding house a year ago.

He kept refusing to tell me the password, saying he wanted to surprise me on our wedding night.

970613, my birthday. "Beep, incorrect password."

950831, Ethan's birthday. "Beep, incorrect password."

200225, our dating anniversary. "Beep, incorrect password."

...

For the last attempt, I tried the birthday I'd just gotten from Mandy.

051113. "Beep, door unlocked."

Even though I'd already guessed the outcome, when it was confirmed, I still felt pain so intense I could barely breathe.

When I lifted my foot, my steps were messy, and I collapsed beside the entrance cabinet.

Two pairs of slippers were neatly arranged there. By the looks of it, they came here often.

I wandered around the house for a long time. Matching toothbrushes, matching pajamas, matching toys—everything you could want, warm and romantic.

Entering the master bedroom, I discovered the bedroom actually had a mirrored ceiling.

I remembered once watching a foreign romance film with Ethan.

The male lead's bedroom had a similar design.

At the time, he'd leaned on my shoulder, breathing in my ear, begging me to try it with him someday.

"Doing it in bed while looking in the mirror, wouldn't that be interesting?"

I'd always been cautious about these things, but thinking that Ethan and I would become husband and wife, this kind of activity could add some spice.

That time, I'd rarely given in.

I just never expected he'd still remember, and actually made it into a surprise for me.

The mirror overhead reflected the devastation in my eyes.

It was strange—it should have been the most pleasant autumn weather, but staying in this room, I felt damp and sticky. I could even smell the salty, fishy scent lingering in the air.

I almost threw up. My brain warned me I needed to leave immediately.

But just then, the door suddenly opened.

Heavy panting flooded the entire house as the door opened.

In my panic, I could only hide in the study off the master bedroom.

The study only had a desk. Ethan was highly sexual; he'd never waste time in here.

"Ethan, isn't today a bit too much~"

"Don't talk."

Mandy immediately went silent, even her moans sounding suppressed.

After just a few moments, she cried out in pain.

"I'm sorry Ethan, it hurts too much."

Ethan didn't stop. He kept going.

One minute, two minutes.

My stomach churned even worse, and my head felt dizzy.

I bit down hard on my own arm, keeping myself conscious, also punishing myself for being so pathetic.

I couldn't understand what made me choose to trap myself here.

From the moment they walked through the door, I should have caught them in the act.

One slap each to vent my fury.

But that seemed too easy on them. Or perhaps my feelings for Ethan made me afraid to face his betrayal directly.

After all, because I insisted on refusing premarital sex, he'd willingly stayed faithful for five years.

Amid the intense sounds of collision, Ethan suddenly hissed.

"Who told you to bite me!"

"Ethan, I'm uncomfortable. Can you be gentler~"

Mandy's voice was soft and tender, the kind that would make anyone's heart soften.

Ethan was no exception.

He paused, then said gently, "Whatever you want."

That familiar tone, that familiar inflection.

Ethan hadn't said those words to me in a long time.

I vaguely remembered the last time he said this to me was half a year ago.

That time, Ethan had been drugged during a business negotiation.

To prevent himself from doing something wrong, he called me to his side to watch over him.

He soaked in the bathtub's cold water, his body trembling constantly, yet his complexion was flushed unnaturally.

I went to the bar to get him water. When I turned around, Ethan pounced on me like a wild beast out of control.

I knew he couldn't control himself, but I didn't want to compromise either.

In my panic, I bit down directly on his collarbone.

Blood mixed with water dripped down, spreading across the white carpet.

Ethan's eyes were bloodshot, his pupils suddenly contracting.

"I'm sorry Mira, I wasn't thinking straight."

I got dressed and pushed him back into the bathtub.

Seeing me remain silent, he apologized to me over and over.

"I'm sorry, Mira, I didn't mean to."

"Mira, don't ignore me. I can't control myself."

Like a killjoy parent, I once again emphasized my aversion to premarital sex.

He looked like a drowned dog, lightly hooking my hand and saying those words.

"Whatever you say."

"I'll do whatever you want."

...

I didn't know when the sounds in the bedroom stopped.

I heard the front door open and close twice, one after the other.

Following that was Ethan's message.

"Mira, where are you? I miss you."

Mandy also gave me feedback.

"Mira, what you said really worked! The way Ethan looked at me was completely different."

I replied to her, "Really? Guess the rumors are true."

"What rumors? That Ethan wants to call off the wedding to marry you."