Chapter 3

Ethan's eyes quickly flicked to the screen.

"There's an emergency at the office."

"My manager is a total workaholic. She doesn't even let us rest on weekends."

I kept my eyes on the congested traffic ahead.

"I see."

Ethan seemed to think my reaction was too indifferent. He glanced at me.

"Don't overthink it. My manager is three years older than me. She just mentors me a lot at work."

"The competition for the promotion is fierce. I need to make a good impression."

He patted the back of my hand.

"Once I make director, we'll put a down payment on an apartment downtown. We can even bring your parents over from your hometown."

Reuniting with my parents was indeed my biggest dream.

In the past, whenever Ethan said things like this, I would be so moved that I'd take on extra cleaning shifts at the mall just to make more money.

But now...

I pulled my hand back.

"No need."

"My parents are doing fine where they are."

The car stopped in front of our rented apartment building.

Ethan didn't get out.

"Babe, go upstairs and get some rest. I have to head back to the office."

He pulled two hundred-dollar bills from his wallet and handed them to me.

"Buy yourself something nice for dinner. Stop eating leftovers."

I didn't take the money.

I pushed the door open and stepped out.

"Don't drink too much."

I shut the door and walked straight into the dark hallway without looking back.

The motion-sensor light was broken again. It was pitch black.

I climbed up to the fifth floor by memory and unlocked the door.

The apartment smelled of dampness that never quite went away.

Ethan's faded white shirts hung on the balcony. Cardboard boxes I had collected for recycling were piled next to the sofa.

I walked to the bedroom and pulled open the bottom drawer of the nightstand.

There was a small metal tin inside.

Inside were all the savings I had managed to scrape together over the last ten years.

It was less than seven thousand dollars.

During Ethan's PhD years, tuition and living expenses were a bottomless pit.

I delivered food in the freezing rain by day and cleaned toilets at night. I even bought the cheapest brand of sanitary pads just to save a few pennies.

One night, while scrubbing floors, my back ached so badly I collapsed. I had a miscarriage.

That was how I found out I was pregnant.

By the time I was rushed to the ER, the doctor said it was too late. Half of my uterus had to be surgically removed to save my life.

Ethan had cried until his eyes were swollen at my bedside, swearing he would protect me with his life.

And I had believed him.

I took out the savings cards and slipped them into my pocket.

Then, I pulled out an old duffel bag and began packing.

I didn't have many belongings.

A few cheap clothes bought from clearance racks, a pair of worn-out sneakers, and a few old textbooks Ethan had discarded.

It took less than thirty minutes to pack my entire life.

I sat on the bare mattress, looking at the framed photo of us from ten years ago hanging on the wall.

In the photo, Ethan was wearing a simple white t-shirt, smiling shyly.

I had my hair in a ponytail, leaning happily on his shoulder.

I stood up and ripped the photo off the wall.

I pulled too hard, and a chunk of the cheap wallpaper peeled off with it.

The sound of keys jingling came from the front door.

Ethan walked in, holding a beautifully packaged cake box.

He froze when he saw the duffel bag on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

He set the cake on the table and rushed over to grab my hands.

"Why are you putting your winter clothes away? I can toss them in the laundry for you tomorrow."

He always did this. He would find a reasonable-sounding excuse rather than face what was right in front of him.

I shook his hands off.

"I'm moving out."

The smile on Ethan's face completely hardened.

His brows furrowed deeply.

"Are you seriously throwing a tantrum and running away over a stupid internet post?"

He took a deep breath, trying to control his temper.

"I already explained it was a joke. What more do you want from me?"

He pointed at the cake on the table.

"I skipped my overtime and drove across three neighborhoods just to buy you your favorite strawberry shortcake."

"Can you grow up for once?"