Chapter 1

I had just walked out of the hospital with my positive pregnancy test in hand when a car plowed into me.

The driver was Victoria, my husband Ethan's ex-girlfriend.

To avenge my unborn baby who died in that crash, I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine.

But as I floored the gas and aimed my car at Victoria, Ethan threw himself in front of her.

Even as the paramedics lifted him onto the stretcher, Ethan was still protecting her.

"Whatever she owes you, I've paid it back for her," he wheezed, clutching his chest. "Please... don't hurt her anymore."

For three years, every time Victoria hurt me, Ethan would atone for her sins.

The first time, Victoria slashed my face with a key. Ethan cut his own cheek in response.

The second time, Victoria hired thugs to ruin my hand. Ethan slit his own wrist to make amends.

This was the third time.

And this time, my heart was completely dead. I let go of his hand.

"Okay," I whispered.

I'll let her go, and I'll let you go too.

Ethan was in the ICU in a coma for a week.

The moment he opened his eyes, Victoria shoved me aside and rushed to his bedside. She grabbed his hand, her voice trembling.

"Ethan, are you stupid?"

"You almost died for me!"

Ethan slowly opened his heavy eyelids. He reached out with great effort to wipe the tears from her face.

"Don't cry. Your life is more important than mine."

Standing nearby, even though I had already decided to divorce him, my chest still throbbed with a dull, stabbing pain.

Ethan turned his head. His gaze bypassed Victoria and landed on my face. His lips parted.

"Chloe..."

Before he could finish, two police officers walked into the room.

"Who called the police?"

Victoria snapped her head up, wiping her tears.

"Me! I did!"

"I want to press charges for attempted murder! She tried to run me over with her car! Look at what she did to Ethan!"

The officer turned to look at me.

"If this is true, ma'am, you'll need to come with us to the station."

I didn't answer. I just looked at Ethan.

"Is that what you want?" I asked him quietly.

A pathetic spark of hope still flickered in my chest.

He was willing to risk his life to protect Victoria. But what about me?

Would he protect me? Would he stop the police from taking me away?

"What are you waiting for, Ethan?" Victoria urged, squeezing his hand tightly as she saw his hesitation.

"She almost killed you!"

"Do you know how terrified I was? I thought I was going to lose you..."

Ethan looked at her tear-stained face. His heart softened.

Finally, he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Yes. That is what happened."

I let out a self-deprecating laugh and let the officers put the handcuffs on me.

Inside the interrogation room, the detective flipped through the security footage and sighed.

"How many times have you been here this month, Chloe?"

I kept my head down, silent.

The first time was when Victoria came to the hospital where I worked, covered in hickeys, making a scene in front of my patients and colleagues.

She shouted that the one who wasn't loved was the real interloper, telling me to pack my bags and leave Ethan.

Because of the scene she caused, the hospital suspended me.

That afternoon, I dragged her to an empty alley and slapped her three times to teach her a lesson.

The second time was on my way home from a late shift. Victoria and a group of thugs cornered me.

She tried to let those men assault me to ruin my life.

I pulled out a small pocketknife from my bag and swung it wildly in self-defense. In the chaos, I ended up scratching her face.

I spent the entire night at the police station.

And today was the third time.

The detective tapped the desk, starting the official questioning.

"Tell me about today. Why did you try to run her over?"

"He jumped in front of my car. I didn't have time to brake," I said, my voice flat and devoid of emotion.

Another officer walked in and placed a file on the desk.

"The victim's boyfriend says he just wants to teach her a lesson. He doesn't want to press formal charges."

"Then why the hell did they call the cops in the first place?" the detective muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Do you have any family members who can bail you out?"

I shook my head.

My parents were both gone.

In the past, Ethan was always the one who came to pick me up.

Every time Victoria and I had a showdown and ended up at the precinct, he would look at me with utter exhaustion when he signed the bail paperwork.

"Chloe, when are you going to stop making a scene?"

"Can you just give me one day of peace?"

I had screamed at him, completely breaking down in public.

"I'm the one being targeted! Why am I always the villain in your eyes?!"

But he never believed me.

"Since there's no one to bail you out, we'll have to keep you in holding for now," the officer said, closing the folder.

I was detained for seven days.

The food was cold, and the cot was hard, making my back ache constantly.

On the day of my release, the bright sunlight made my eyes sting.

The moment I stepped out of the facility, I saw Ethan standing not far away.

He still looked pale, but he was able to stand on his own.

He walked over to me slowly and reached out.

"Chloe, I'm here to take you home."