Chapter 2

"Ethan, my sister is still pregnant. Besides, something like this — how can you ask her to go buy it..."

Chelsea wound herself around Ethan like a vine, her cheeks flushed, playing the picture of shy innocence.

"It's not like it's the first time. Since when did you get modest? You weren't exactly shy five minutes ago."

Ethan gave her a squeeze, his words growing uglier by the second.

"I'll go get them."

A wave of sickly-sweet perfume mixed with the smell of sex hit me in the face. My stomach turned.

I swallowed the urge to gag, answered quietly, tucked the letter into my pocket, and started toward the door.

His gaze snagged on the letter in my hand. A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes.

He crossed the room in a few long strides and snatched it from me. When he read what was written inside, his expression softened.

His voice took on a rare gentleness.

"Serena, if you just behave, I'll make time to come to your next prenatal appointment..."

I cut him off before I could stop myself. "Don't bother."

The warmth on Ethan's face vanished. "Serena, don't push your luck."

Chelsea caught the shift in his voice. Her eyes darkened for just a moment before she drifted to my side, her tone turning sweeter.

"Serena, are you still upset with me? I genuinely have feelings for Ethan. I don't even care that I'm not his wife..."

"And you're pregnant right now. Ethan just doesn't want to hurt you or the baby. But men have needs — that's all this is between him and me..."

Her face wore a pitiful expression, but her eyes held something sharp. Without warning, her manicured nails drove hard into my palm.

The pain drained the color from my face. I yanked my hand away on instinct.

Chelsea let out a sharp cry and stumbled backward, landing on the floor. Her eyes went red immediately, and she looked utterly helpless.

"Serena, apologize to Kiki. Now."

Ethan gathered Chelsea into his arms with careful hands, eyes full of concern as he studied the scrape on her palm.

When he turned back to me, his face held nothing but cold indifference.

His stare cut right through me. Without thinking, I started to explain myself.

"She was the one who —"

The words died in my throat under his deepening glare.

Of course. Ethan hadn't believed me in a long time.

The day I found out about his first affair — the day I bit that woman badly enough to leave scars — that was the day he stopped believing me.

Thinking about it now, I felt something hollow settle in my chest.

So I said nothing.

"Ethan, it's okay, it doesn't hurt. Serena was probably just upset. Please don't fight with her because of me..."

Chelsea's voice floated up again, and Ethan's expression went completely cold.

He pressed his lips gently to Chelsea's forehead, his eyes full of tenderness.

"Kiki, I know you're easygoing, but you don't have to put up with everything she does. She owes you an apology, and she's going to give you one."

"Serena. Last chance. Are you going to apologize or not?"

I stared at Chelsea, smug and satisfied in Ethan's arms, and felt the man I'd spent ten years with become a stranger.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"Unbelievable."

"Take Serena to the isolation room. She can stay there until she's ready to apologize."

My eyes flew open. The color drained from my face.