Chapter 3

Ethan came running over, panting heavily, his face pale and tense.

Maya stood beside him, holding her son's hand. Her eyes were red, making her look incredibly fragile and wronged.

The moment Ethan reached me, he started pointing fingers.

"Chloe! How on earth are you raising our daughter?"

"You let Lily say those ridiculous things on stage? Everyone in the school group is laughing at me now! How am I supposed to show my face?!"

I pulled Lily behind me and took a step back, looking at this man.

This was the man I had loved for eight years.

"Which part of what she said was wrong?"

Ethan choked on his words, his eyes darting away.

Still, he forced a defense.

"I only help Maya because it's not easy for her as a single mom! I was just helping her out!"

"Fixing a leaky pipe, changing a lightbulb—how did that turn into something so disgusting in Lily’s mouth?"

"Chloe, please don't be mad at Ethan."

Maya stepped forward, wiping her tears.

"Leo saw other kids with their dads and wouldn't stop crying for one. Ethan just felt bad for him, so he brought him out to buy a toy."

"If you want to blame someone, blame me. I'm just useless. I can't give Leo a real family."

She certainly knew how to play the victim.

Before I could speak, Lily peeked out from behind me and pointed at the massive box Leo was holding.

"Mommy, why did daddy have money to buy him a giant Transformer?"

"Last week, when I wanted that Barbie doll, daddy said it was too expensive and that kids shouldn't be greedy. He didn't buy it for me."

Ethan froze.

Leo clutched the box tightly, hiding behind Maya, and yelled loudly:

"My daddy bought this for me! You don't have one!"

Maya quickly covered Leo’s mouth, looking at me with an apologetic expression.

"He’s just a child, Chloe. Kids say the craziest things, please don't take it to heart."

"Ethan only bought this toy to calm Leo down because he felt sorry for him."

Ethan’s face turned bright red. He tried to grab my hand.

"Babe, let me explain. I only lied because I didn't want you to worry..."

I stepped back, avoiding his touch, and clicked my car keys to unlock the doors.

"Shut up, Ethan."

"Whether you did this out of pure charity or because you have feelings for her, you know the truth in your heart."

I opened the car door and buckled Lily into her car seat.

Ethan rushed over, grabbing the edge of the door, his voice dropping into a low, threatening hiss.

"Chloe, don't push it."

"I've already swallowed my pride to explain this to you. Do you have to make such a scene in public?"

"I'm not the one making a scene."

I shoved his hand off the door and slammed it shut.

As I drove out of the garage, I saw Maya standing next to Ethan in my rearview mirror, gently patting his arm to comfort him.