Chapter 3

"Don't leave, babe! Please don't go!"

As if suddenly waking up, Ethan scrambled to his feet, chased me to the door, and fell to his knees again, wrapping his arms around my legs.

"Is it because I didn't care enough about you? I'll change! I promise I'll put you first in everything from now on. Just don't divorce me, please! I... I really can't live without you!"

Seeing this, Richard and Helen clutched their chests, groaning in dismay.

I looked down at Ethan kneeling at my feet. His tears were dripping onto my shoes. I pulled my leg back, stepped around him, and opened the door.

"Instead of begging me, you should take your parents to the hospital for a check-up. You might actually kill them with this pathetic show."

Ignoring their pale faces, I walked out. As I turned the corner, I could faintly hear Helen’s cries echoing from the apartment.

"How can she be like this? Ethan gave her his whole heart, and she's divorcing him over a soccer game?!"

Richard’s voice sounded deep and exhausted. "Let it go. The girl has a heart of stone. We can't change her mind."

I paused for a second, then kept walking.

As soon as I walked out of the community gate, my phone rang. It was Lily.

"The agreement is drafted. Come pick it up whenever you're free."

The other end of the line fell silent for a few seconds. "Is it really just because of the game?" Lily’s voice was filled with confusion. "You guys always seemed so perfect. He never did anything to hurt you, did he?"

I held the phone tight, staying silent.

"I don't mean to gossip, but I really don't get it. You two have been good for so many years. Why the sudden divorce?"

I rubbed my temples, feeling a wave of exhaustion.

"It's nothing. Being with his family is just too draining. I want to be free."

Lily sighed, sensing my fatigue, and didn't push further.

I drove over to her office, got the divorce papers, and signed my name immediately.

By evening, I went back to the apartment to pack up my belongings. I wanted to remove all traces of my life here over the years, waiting for him to come back, sign the papers, and let me leave.

But I waited and waited. It was past 9:00 PM, and there was still no reply from him.

Frustrated, I decided to call him to get this over with.

But before I could dial, my phone rang. It was one of Ethan’s teammates.

The voice on the other end was frantic and drowned out by loud background noise.

"Chloe, you need to get over to the club right now! Ethan lost his mind at the season review press conference. A reporter asked about the missed penalty, and he smashed the microphone on stage. The backstage area is a total mess right now!"

I drove to the club’s media center.

In the backstage green room, a crowd was gathered.

Aside from Richard, Helen, and Hailey, there were club executives, sponsor representatives, and a bunch of Ethan's teammates.

My parents were standing right at the front. My mom’s eyes were red, and my dad’s face was thunderous. The way they looked at me made me feel like an absolute stranger.

I opened my mouth to speak, but before a word could escape, my dad grabbed my arm aggressively, shoving me back against the doorframe.

My ears buzzed from the impact.

Ethan was slumped on the couch, his tie loosened, his face flushed. He struggled to stand up.

"Robert, please, let's just talk. Don't touch her."

Seeing this, my dad's eyes welled with angry tears.

"Look at him! Look at what you've done to him! He lost his mind in front of the entire club!"

"Have you lost your damn mind?" My dad’s voice boomed through the green room. "How has Ethan ever wronged you? You're divorcing him over one missed penalty? How are we supposed to face our friends and neighbors?" His eyes grew redder.

"I think you've had it too easy these past few years. We spoiled you!"

My mom, who had always babied me and spoiled me since I was a child, looked at me with deep disappointment.

"I hate to say this, Chloe, but you've gone way too far this time!"

My dad snorted coldly.

"Why are you still standing there? Apologize to Richard, Helen, and Hailey right now! You nearly gave them a heart attack yesterday!"

I kept my head down, my voice quiet but firm. "This is between Ethan and me. Stay out of it."

With that, I snatched a pen from someone standing nearby and handed it, along with the papers, to Ethan.

"I didn't come here to make a scene. I came to get a divorce."

The moment the words left my mouth, the teammates—who had assumed I would back down after being scolded by my parents—glared at me in utter shock.

Looking at the divorce papers I had already signed, Ethan began to tremble violently.

His eyes were completely bloodshot as he clutched his chest.

"Chloe..." His voice was so weak it sounded like it would blow away with the wind. "I promise I'll bring the championship back next year. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't leave me, please?"

Someone nearby couldn't take it anymore and muttered under their breath, "This woman is a straight-up sociopath."

There wasn’t a shred of warmth in my eyes.

"No need. Just sign the papers."