Chapter 3

The other end fell into deathly silence.

A full five minutes passed with no writing appearing.

I thought the connection had broken, or maybe he'd thrown the notebook away.

Just as I was about to close the book, a line of crooked text emerged, the handwriting messy, revealing the writer's inner panic.

"You're full of shit."

"If you're going to make up stories, at least make them believable! Me cheat? Me force Violet to divorce? Unless I got kicked in the head by a donkey or possessed by a demon!"

"And Violet's best friend is that crybaby Sophia? That bitch? I can't stand her. I don't even want to look at her. I'd hurt Violet for her? That's the biggest joke ever!"

I froze.

So eighteen-year-old Ethan saw more clearly than anyone.

Back then, Sophia had just transferred to our school and always followed me around looking pitiful. I was soft-hearted and treated her like a little sister, sharing all my snacks with her.

Ethan warned me more than once: "Violet, stay away from that Sophia. She's got bad intentions. She keeps staring at my shoes and watch. Her eyes are off."

I didn't believe him then. I even scolded Ethan for being petty and assuming the worst about a girl.

Turns out, I was the fool all along.

"You don't believe me?" I wrote.

"Of course I don't!"

"Fine." I glanced out the window. A rainstorm had started outside. "If I remember correctly, today should be June 15, 2014. Three days after finals ended."

The other end replied: "So what?"

"Tonight at 8 PM, you'll go to the stadium downtown for a farewell game. Five minutes into the third quarter, you'll run into the basketball hoop trying to save the ball. Your left leg will fracture and you'll need three stitches in your forehead."

"This injury will make you miss the athletic scholarship to State Sports University. And it'll be... the first time you lose your temper with Violet."

This was an indelible turning point in my memory.

After he got injured that day, he thought he was useless and didn't want to burden me. He yelled at me in the hospital room, telling me to get lost.

This was the first crack in our relationship. Although we patched it up later, that scar was always there.

The other end went silent.

A moment later, he replied with an incredibly arrogant line.

"I just won't go for the save today! Let's see how your prediction turns out!"

"Wait to be proven wrong, you fraud!"

The writing faded.

I closed the notebook and wearily shut my eyes.

I hoped I'd be proven wrong too.

If the past could change, if his leg hadn't broken, would everything that came after be different?

...

10 PM.

The sound of the passcode lock opening the front door woke me up.

I thought Ethan had come back. My heart instantly leapt to my throat.

But it was Sophia who walked in.

She wore a loose maternity dress and carried a luxury brand purse from the current season. The one I'd liked last month but couldn't bring myself to buy.

"You still haven't left yet?"

Sophia looked at me with a bright smile, her victor's attitude completely undisguised. "Ethan sent me to check on your packing progress. After all, this house transfers to me tomorrow. I need to redecorate. I don't like your taste. Too plain."

I looked at her coldly. "Have him come tell me himself."

"Ethan's busy picking out bird's nest soup for me." Sophia stroked her slightly rounded belly, walked up to me, and lowered her voice to a volume only we could hear. "Violet, you're so pathetic. You know what? That day I didn't actually mean to fall. You were just too stupid, standing there daydreaming at the top of the stairs."

"Oh, and that baby... Actually, Ethan already knew you didn't want it. He said it was good riddance. Saved trouble during the divorce later."

Boom.

Something exploded in my head.

"What did you say?" I shot to my feet, staring at her intently.

"I said, Ethan never wanted the child you were carrying!" Sophia laughed delightedly. "He thought you weren't worthy!"

In that moment, all my rationality snapped.

I raised my hand, ready to slap her hard across the face.

"Stop!"

A roar came from the doorway.

Ethan rushed in and shoved me aside, shielding Sophia behind him.

His strength was enormous. Already weak, I crashed heavily into the corner of the coffee table. Sharp pain shot through my waist.

"Violet! Haven't you caused enough trouble? You're about to be divorced and you're still bullying Sophia? How can you be so vicious!"

Ethan looked down at me, his eyes full of disgust.

I lay on the floor, looking at this man I'd loved for seven years.

His face overlapped with the memory of that sunshine boy, then quickly tore apart.

"Ethan Blackwell," I spat out a mouthful of blood and smiled miserably. "You're something else."

He saw the blood at the corner of my mouth. His eyes flickered with what seemed like a moment of panic, but it was quickly replaced by cold indifference. "Get out now. Don't let me see you again."

He helped Sophia upstairs.

I heard Sophia say sweetly, "Ethan, don't be angry. She just can't accept it..."

I climbed up from the floor, grabbed the box containing the sketchbook, and stumbled out into the rainy night.