Chapter 3

My mood was ruined, so after canceling the dress, I went straight back to the apartment.

I thought I would toss and turn all night, but I actually slept peacefully.

In fact, I slept so well that when I walked downstairs the next morning and saw Hailey in the kitchen, I thought I was still dreaming.

She was wearing Ethan's oversized white button-down shirt, her bare legs fully on display.

Ethan, who never cooked, was actually standing at the stove making breakfast.

Hearing me walk down, they both turned.

Ethan frowned but said nothing.

Hailey, however, immediately started explaining.

"Chloe, please don't misunderstand! I drank too much last night and threw up on my clothes. I couldn't find my keys, so Ethan had no choice but to bring me here."

I let out a dry laugh. "No choice? He looks pretty thrilled to me."

Ethan slammed his spatula onto the counter.

He whipped around, glaring at me with pure irritation.

"Chloe! That's enough!"

It was laughable.

He had brought another woman into our home, and he was telling me *that's enough*?

He only dared to do this because he knew how much I loved him.

He had used the "cancel the wedding" threat to control me for three years, and it had worked every single time.

I used to think my love and patience would eventually change him.

But I forgot that constantly lowering your standards only teaches a man to look down on you.

Seeing my silence, Hailey bit her lip dramatically.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I'm just causing more trouble. I'll leave right now."

She made a show of walking toward the door, but Ethan caught her wrist before she could take two steps.

"You're barely wearing anything. What if you run into some creep outside?"

"Eat breakfast first. Once your clothes are dry, I’ll drive you home myself."

He then shot me another annoyed look.

"Chloe, is your goal in life just to make everyone miserable first thing in the morning?"

"Acting like this only makes me regret ever dating you."

The living room fell into a dead silence.

Even Ethan seemed to realize he had gone too export. He opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't give him the chance.

"Ethan, you're not the only one who regrets this."

"And you don't have to leave. I am."

I walked upstairs.

Ten minutes later, I came back down rolling my packed suitcase.

Ethan's eyes widened.

A flash of joy crossed Hailey's face, though she quickly masked it with her usual innocent act.

"Chloe, please don't do this. Ethan and I are just friends."

"I literally had nowhere else to go last night and no clothes to wear. He was just being nice."

I usually didn't bother wasting my breath on her, but her acting was so insufferable I couldn't resist.

"Nowhere to go? No clothes to wear?"

"Did every single hotel and mall in New York shut down last night, forcing you to sleep at another woman's boyfriend's apartment in his shirt?"

Hailey's face turned pale. Unable to find a comeback, she looked at Ethan with puppy-dog eyes.

"Chloe..."

"Shut up, Ethan. I don't want to hear a single word from you."

I grabbed my handle and walked out.

Behind me, Ethan's furious voice echoed down the hall.

"Fine! Have it your way! Don't marry me then, see if I care!"

Then came the deafening sound of the door slamming shut.

He left with Hailey.

From that day until the day before our scheduled wedding, he never contacted me once.

And I didn't sit around waiting.

I handed in my resignation at my design firm and started finalizing my departure.

Ethan didn't call, and I enjoyed the peace.

By the time my resignation went through, it was the day before what should have been our wedding.

My phone was blowing up all day.

They were all messages from our mutual friends.

*Chloe, are you still throwing a tantrum? Ethan's already cooled down. Just text him first and this will all blow over.*

*Chloe, Ethan hasn't even seen Hailey lately. You're taking this too far!*

*The wedding is tomorrow, Chloe. Stop playing hard to get. Men like Ethan don't grow on trees. If you actually dump him, you're just handing him over to the girls waiting in line.*

Looking at the messages, I just smiled.

Ethan was the one who crossed the line, yet everyone assumed I was the one who had to beg for him back.

I sent a mass reply to the group chat:

*Ethan and I are officially over. Anyone who texts me to take him back will be blocked. Thanks!*

I cleared my chat history, blocked everyone associated with Ethan, and deleted my fingerprint from the apartment's smart lock.

I left my engagement ring on the coffee table, sent Ethan one final text, and headed to the airport without looking back.

***