Chapter 4

Aria's POV

I was so scared my heart nearly stopped.

I struggled with all my strength, but I was no match for the man's brute force.

Feeling my clothes being stripped off one by one, I fell into complete despair. Tears streamed down my face.

The man pressing down on me felt a surge of tenderness and leaned down to kiss my face.

I seized the opportunity and bit down hard on his neck!

A painful howl echoed through the room.

I used all my strength to push him off and crashed through the door, running out.

"You fucking bitch! If I catch you, you're dead!"

Several men charged out after me. The one I'd bitten spoke through gritted teeth, his voice vicious.

I was terrified beyond belief. I ran while trembling, fumbling for my phone in my pocket.

I opened my contacts to call the police but accidentally pressed the first number in my list.

The moment the call connected, my voice was shaking. I instinctively cried for help.

"Please... help me..."

But what came from the other end was heavy, magnetic male breathing and Chloe's seductive moans.

"Ethan... slower... it's too fast, I can't take it..."

My phone fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

It wasn't until I ran out onto the street and saw a police officer walking toward me that I looked back.

The group of men didn't dare follow anymore. I knew I was safe.

My body went weak. I collapsed right there on the ground.

A sharp pain hit me. Looking down, I realized my elbow and shin had gotten scraped when I fell. Blood was slowly staining my white dress red.

The joy of surviving and the lingering terror swallowed my heart.

I covered my face and finally broke down crying.

By the time Ethan got the news and rushed to the hospital, I was at the front desk window paying the bill while holding my wound.

"Miss, your health insurance wasn't paid last month. You need to pay the full amount out of pocket now. Remember to renew it if you need to."

I shook my head.

"No need. I'll be leaving here soon anyway."

"Aria, leaving? Where are you going? We're about to get married."

I turned around and saw Ethan walking toward me.

I lowered my head. My tone was flat.

"Just a business trip in a little while."

Ethan nodded without thinking much of it.

In the operating room, I got thirty stitches total.

By the time I came out, my face was already pale as paper.

It was late at night. The doctor said I should have family with me while getting my IV.

The infusion area was eerily quiet.

I closed my eyes tiredly. For the first time, I didn't lean against Ethan.

"Aria, those men have been arrested. They said it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. They've already confessed."

I opened my eyes and looked at him. My voice was calm.

"Ethan, what if I told you that Chloe deliberately spoke badly about me and incited them to do this? Would you believe me?"

Ethan frowned slightly.

"Chloe isn't that kind of person. I know you usually look down on her, but if you still consider her your friend at all, don't make up rumors and ruin her reputation."

"I've been working with her at the prosecutor's office these past few days. I know what kind of person she is."

I pulled at the corner of my mouth. My heart felt like it was being stabbed with needles.

How long had he even known Chloe? Yet Ethan dared to defend her so confidently.

But we'd been together for ten years.

And in his heart, I had this kind of malicious image.

I was too exhausted to even argue back.

Ethan's phone rang.

It was a special ringtone.

Ethan's expression instantly became tense. He answered the call and lowered his voice.

"What's wrong?"

I heard Chloe crying on the other end.

"Ethan, I think someone broke into my house. I'm too scared to go in. Please come quickly. I'm so scared."

"I'm coming now."

After hanging up, Ethan's expression returned to normal.

"Something came up at work. I need to go work overtime. I'll come check on you later."

Even after Ethan's figure completely disappeared, I didn't say a word.

I suddenly felt like I'd been so stupid before.

Ethan's terrible acting had actually fooled me for three years.

I'd seen what it looked like when he loved me. So now that he didn't love me anymore, it was equally obvious.

In the middle of the night, I dozed off.

I didn't even notice when the blood bag filled up halfway.

It wasn't until the nurse rushed over that I woke up.

"Where's your boyfriend? He was just here. How did so much blood flow back without him noticing?"

I pulled at the corner of my mouth and smiled.

"You got the wrong person. That's not my boyfriend."