Chapter 3

I found a cheap, cramped apartment to settle down.

Just as I finished unpacking, my best friend, Hazel, sent me a Snapchat video.

"Chloe, look at what this green-tea bitch Lily posted on her Snapchat!"

The video showed Ethan's art studio.

Lily was playing with an exquisite pocket watch. Suddenly, her hand slipped.

The watch hit the floor, its glass face shattering completely.

That watch was our token of love. I had spent an entire year learning watch restoration, working until my eyes bled, just to fix it for Ethan.

Lily's sweet, giggling voice came through the speaker.

"Ethan, I'm so sorry. I broke the watch Chloe gave you."

Ethan's voice came from off-camera, utterly indifferent.

"It's fine. Out with the old, in with the new."

"I was tired of looking at it anyway. Throw it away."

Then, the camera panned.

The pocket watch—which held all my love and devotion—was swept ruthlessly into the trash can.

Staring at the screen, I felt a sharp pang in my chest.

But it didn't hurt much. It was mostly numb.

The very last shred of love I had for him evaporated at that moment.

To raise money to leave this city, I went to an art gallery I used to collaborate with.

I planned to sell a few of my award-winning paintings from before my marriage.

"Mrs. Miller, I'm so sorry," the gallery owner said, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

"All your bank accounts and credit cards have been frozen."

"Even if we sell the paintings, we can't wire the money to your account."

I froze.

Just then, Ethan's assistant walked out of the gallery.

His tone was strictly business.

"Ma'am, Mr. Miller said..."

"As long as you go back right now, apologize to Miss Evans, and admit your mistake from yesterday..."

"He will unfreeze your cards immediately."

Looking at the assistant, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Go back and tell Ethan."

"I, Chloe Vance, will never bow down to a homewrecker."

The assistant sighed.

"Ma'am, why must you do this?"

"Mr. Miller said you won't last three days. He says you'll come back begging him sooner or later."

I ignored him, turning on my heel to leave the gallery.

With my accounts frozen, I only had a few hundred dollars in cash.

To survive, I stood under the blistering sun with my eight-month pregnant belly, handing out flyers on the street.

Sweat soaked my clothes, and my legs felt as heavy as lead.

Just as my knees were about to buckle, Lily appeared before me, clinging to Ethan's arm.

Ethan was carrying several luxury shopping bags.

Seeing my pathetic state, Ethan's brow furrowed into a tight knot.

"Chloe, how long are you going to keep up this drama?"

"Just to spite me, you're making a fool of yourself on the streets? If you don't care about your dignity, I care about mine!"

Lily gasped, covering her mouth.

"Chloe, how can you do this kind of labor? What if you hurt the baby?"

She pulled a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills from her Hermès bag.

"Take this money for now. If it's not enough, I'll ask Ethan to give you more."

She stretched her hand out to hand it to me, but then she intentionally opened her fingers.

The green bills scattered all over the dirty pavement.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Chloe. My hand slipped."

"Do you mind picking them up yourself?"

She giggled behind her hand, her eyes filled with mockery.

I didn't bend down. I just stared at her coldly.

"Lily, you're nothing but a cheap homewrecker. Who gave you the right to flaunt yourself in front of me?"

Lily's expression instantly changed.

She suddenly took a step back and threw herself onto the ground.

"Chloe, I was just trying to help... why are you calling me names..."

Ethan, who had just returned from buying boba, caught the tail end of this.

Seething with rage, he rushed over and shoved me hard.

"Chloe, are you looking for trouble?!"

I was already physically exhausted. With that violent shove, I lost my balance.

I crashed heavily onto the concrete.

An agonizing, tearing pain erupted from my abdomen.

I curled up in excruciating pain, cold sweat instantly drenching my entire body.

Ethan didn't even spare me a glance.

He was frantically checking on the completely unharmed Lily.

"Lily, are you hurt? Does it hurt anywhere?"

Clutching my stomach, I felt a warm, thick rush of liquid flowing down my thighs.

Crimson blood stained my dress.

"Ethan..."

"Stop faking it! I barely pushed you. Get up right now and apologize to Lily!"