Chapter 3

Aria's POV

When I woke up in the hospital, a nurse Ethan had hired was sitting beside me.

The skin with extensive burns had already blistered. The moment I moved, the pain made me groan.

The nurse helped me sit up and poured me a glass of water while telling me how lucky I was.

"Your boyfriend really loves you. As soon as he found out you were hospitalized, he hired a nurse and bought a ton of supplements."

I looked at the gift boxes on the floor and said nothing.

I figured Ethan was still with Chloe right now.

Where the body is, that's where the heart is.

So did he really love me?

After the nurse applied my medicine, I took out my phone and saw that Chloe had sent me a one-minute video.

The thumbnail showed Ethan half-kneeling on the ground, carefully lifting her calf to apply medicine.

"Ethan, are you going home to be with Aria tonight? Can you stay a little longer? Please stay with me a bit more."

After applying the medicine, Chloe leaned into his arms. Her voice was fragile.

Ethan was silent for a moment.

"Not tonight. I'll stay with you when I have time."

Chloe looked up at him with her tearful eyes, looking pitiful.

"Anytime? I bought tickets to Disneyland this Wednesday. Will you come with me?"

"I don't mind not having a title. As long as you can spare time to be with me, I'm satisfied."

Ethan ruffled her hair and replied softly.

"Okay."

My fingers trembled. My phone fell onto the bed.

Ethan knew perfectly well that this Wednesday, both families were supposed to have dinner together to discuss the wedding.

Why did it have to be that day?

He knew that choosing Chloe on such an important day was what would make her happy.

Even though my heart felt dead, sadness, despair, and grievance, all these complex emotions surged and churned in my chest. My chest felt heavy and sore.

My eyes stung. Tears poured down like rain.

Ethan said he would come pick me up.

I didn't wait. I paid the bill myself and left the hospital.

That evening, I received an invitation to a class reunion.

The next day, I arrived at the private room only to find that Chloe and Ethan were there too.

I acted like I didn't see them and sat down in a corner.

Everyone had a few drinks, and the atmosphere gradually heated up.

Someone suggested playing games.

The first round was truth or dare.

Ethan drew a dare to kiss the person next to him for ten seconds.

At first, no one dared to say anything.

But seeing that I didn't react, everyone got tipsy and started egging them on.

Someone nearby got impatient and pushed Chloe.

She cried out and fell toward Ethan. Her red lips barely touched his.

Ethan instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist. His eyes darkened with heavy desire.

The room erupted with cheers and jeers.

When time was up, Chloe pulled away from Ethan's embrace with a red face.

The next second, I received a message from Ethan.

"It was just to complete the game. I didn't want to ruin the mood. Don't overthink it."

I pulled at the corner of my mouth without replying and got up to go to the balcony for air.

Right after, Ethan also received a call from his secretary and followed me out.

The game continued.

This time it was Chloe's turn to draw truth.

Everyone told her to reveal the most explosive secret she knew.

Chloe thought for a moment and smiled.

"Of course I have one."

"It's about Aria Bennett. You don't really think she's some innocent good girl, do you? In private, she's quite wild."

When I came back from getting air on the balcony, Ethan and Chloe were gone.

Someone said Chloe had drunk too much and was having stomach spasms, so Ethan took her to the hospital.

I didn't want to think about whether it was true or not. I just nodded.

But somehow, I felt like everyone was looking at me strangely.

The next second, the private room door was locked from the inside.

Alarm bells went off in my head. I stood up to leave, but a man next to me grabbed my wrist and pinned me down on the couch.

"I thought you were some pure innocent woman. Turns out you like hooking up with guys on apps when your boyfriend's out of town. And one guy isn't even enough for you... Lucky for you, there are five of us here. Why don't you stay and play with us?"

Before I could react.

The next second, a pair of hands started tearing off my clothes!