Chapter 3

I didn't sleep a wink. I sat on the couch, staring at the front door handle until the sun came up.

Finally, the lock clicked. Chloe walked in. Seeing me on the couch, she walked over and wrapped her arms around my neck, testing the waters.

"Ethan, you're not still mad about yesterday, are you?"

She smelled like cigarette smoke. I don't smoke. And deep under her collar, a faint red mark was visible on her skin.

Chloe leaned in to kiss me, but I flinched away. The thought of her mouth on someone else's yesterday made my stomach turn.

A flash of shock crossed Chloe's eyes. Knowing I was still angry, she reached into her purse and pulled out a designer box. Inside was a pair of silver cufflinks.

"Look, Ethan. I got you a present."

It felt so cheap. It was exactly like those stories where a cheating partner buys a gift to appease their spouse and ease their own guilt.

I didn't take the box. I looked her straight in the eye.

"Do you still want to marry me?"

Chloe immediately pouted, looking like the victim.

"Of course I do... just not right now."

I let out a cold laugh. If this were in the past, seeing her look sad would have broken my heart.

Everyone knew I spoiled Chloe. I never let her suffer a single grievance.

During the two years Julian was gone, Chloe loved to cling to me, asking when we would get married. She said she couldn't wait to be my wife.

We had just graduated back then. I wanted to wait until I had some savings to give her a proper life. I worked myself to the bone and finally bought this apartment.

Every single detail of this place was decorated according to her taste.

I clenched my fists until my joints popped.

"Do you have any idea how much my mom wanted to see us get married?"

Chloe’s patience was paper-thin. If I didn't submit to her within two sentences, she would lose her temper.

"I know! It’s not like I’m saying no. Is your mom literally on her deathbed? Can’t she just wait a little bit?"

My mom had late-stage stomach cancer. But Chloe only knew she was sick in the hospital. She never bothered to ask what the diagnosis was.

I had asked her multiple times to visit my mom. She always claimed she was "too busy with work" and hung up.

Was she really busy? Or was she busy with Julian?

My high school buddy, who worked at the luxury mall, had called me several times saying he saw Chloe holding hands with another man.

My whole body shook with rage at her words. I slammed my fist onto the coffee table.

"Yes! My mom only has two months left! Are you happy now?"

It was the first time I had ever yelled at Chloe. She froze, startled either by my words or my tone.

Then, she covered her face, looking deeply offended.

"How was I supposed to know? Why are you being so mean to me?"

With that, she stomped into the bedroom and slammed the door.

She always did this. Whenever there was a real issue, she would throw a tantrum, run away, and wait for me to crawl back and apologize.

Chloe had been my goddess since college. I had a crush on her for years, but because of Julian, I never dared to cross the line.

Just when I thought I would never have a chance, she had come to me with red, teary eyes.

"Ethan, do you like me? Because I like you too. Let's be together."

She looked like a wounded little rabbit back then. My heart had melted instantly.

I thought if I loved her enough, I would be her forever, and Julian would just be a phase.

When I loved her most, I drove a thousand miles through a dangerous storm just because she said she was scared of thunder. I once got stabbed protecting her from some thugs, resulting in a ruptured spleen. I even ate an entire mango cake she made for me, despite being severely allergic to mangoes.

Because of all that, she was absolutely sure I would back down first. She thought she could keep hooking up with Julian under the guise of "just being friends."

After a few days of total silence, I didn't apologize. Maybe she felt the shift, or maybe she felt guilty. For the first time, she initiated the conversation.

"Ethan, let's stop fighting, okay? I promise I’ll marry you. I love you."

She tried to crawl into my lap, wearing a low-cut silk slip dress that left very little to the imagination.

"Julian was just depressed. I'm his friend, so I had to comfort him."

I looked away, staring at the calendar on the wall. My voice was dead cold.

"Tomorrow morning, we’re going to City Hall to get our marriage license. Don't forget."

Tomorrow was the date Chloe herself had picked months ago.

The girl in my arms froze. She opened her mouth to speak, but her phone suddenly rang.

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