Chapter 7

"Claire, if you don't like them, I'll have them move out this afternoon. We can go back to how things used to be."

Ethan spoke with such raw sincerity.

Hearing this, Chloe took a sharp step forward, biting her lip, but she didn't dare say a word.

I let out a cold laugh. He really knew how to manage his harem.

Did he think we were still living in the 1950s? Did he honestly believe he could keep a wife and a mistress under the same roof?

I wondered if he knew that Chloe wasn't as helpless and innocent as she pretended to be.

The suddenly casted video, the heartbreaking footage, the sudden appearance of the child, the unlocked hidden door, and that perfectly timed conversation...

She played her hand beautifully.

"I'm tired," I said.

Truly, utterly exhausted.

Ethan leaned down, trying to kiss my forehead, but I flinched away.

His touch, which used to bring me comfort, now made my skin crawl with disgust.

Ethan smiled helplessly. "Rest up, babe. I'm going to set up the dinner party for tonight. I'm hosting Marcus and the guys. Don't worry, I'll handle everything. Since you don't like Chloe, she will never appear in front of you again."

He really believed I was that easily pacified.

I took some medicine and fell back asleep.

When I woke up again, it was to the sound of Marcus's loud voice in the living room.

"Ethan, you dog! You pulled this off and Claire still won't divorce you? Why don't you invite the little wife over for a drink too?"

Ethan hissed, "Keep it down. Claire isn't feeling well. We've been together since high school. She's completely dependent on me. She loves me too much to leave."

The guys roared with laughter. "Man, I'm so jealous."

Marcus piped up, "Hey Ethan, you promised last time that you'd have Claire check out my prostate. You backtracked at the last second. That's not cool. No time like the present, let's do it today!"

Ethan laughed. "Sure, sure. I'll make it happen."

I sat frozen on the bedroom floor, unable to believe what I was hearing.

They all knew about Chloe.

No wonder they treated me with such casual disrespect. They were Ethan's friends.

He never respected me, so why would they? A marriage certificate meant nothing to them. I was just a joke to his circle.

To Ethan, it wasn't about locker-room talk or male ego. Deep down, he truly believed I was cheap because of my job. He thought I was dirty.

"Claire, Marcus and the guys are here. Put something on and come out," Ethan called out.

The home I had decorated with so much love suddenly felt like a house of horrors.

I grabbed a random coat, wrapped it around myself, and ran out, slamming the door behind me.

Behind me, I could hear them whispering.

"What's wrong with Claire?"

"Oh, just throwing a tantrum. I'll sweet-talk her later. She can't live without me anyway. Who else would want a woman who looks at men's junk all day?"

Ethan's voice was full of absolute certainty.

It was New Year's Eve, a night for family reunions, but I had nowhere to go. This massive city felt like it had no place for me.

The shops near the apartment complex were all closed.

Perhaps it was for the best. At least no one I knew would see me wandering the streets like a ghost.

My phone buzzed repeatedly in my pocket.

The community group chat was flooded with holiday greetings.

Suddenly, a photo was posted.

Chloe, wearing a beautiful red dress, was sitting next to Ethan. Little Leo sat between them, looking adorable. They were surrounded by Ethan's friends at the dining table, everyone smiling happily.

[A neighbor replied: "Chloe's husband finally showed his face! What a beautiful, happy family!"]

[Another added: "So perfect together!"]

Chloe generously sent an eighty-dollar red envelope in the chat, thanking everyone for their blessings.

The words "beautiful family" and "so perfect" flooded the screen.

Even though the neighbors had mistaken Ethan for her husband, they did look happy.

None of the neighbors who had praised Ethan for being a "perfect husband" to me even realized I was missing.

The wind felt colder.