Chapter 4

Rachel's voice was dripping with jealousy.

Ethan let out a soft laugh. The blurred shadow against the frosted glass leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Silly girl, you know you're the only one I love, right?"

"I gave you my everything last night. Where would I even find the energy? Besides, I promised you I wouldn't touch her."

I covered my mouth, forcing myself not to make a sound.

Ever since we got engaged, our intimacy had dwindled to almost nothing. We hadn't slept together in over a month.

He had always been a man with a high sex drive. But when he used the "I'm just too stressed with work" excuse, I had actually believed him.

They flirted and made out inside for a while longer. By the time they came out, I was already back on the couch.

Ethan had a faint smear of pink lipstick on his collar and the corner of his mouth. I pulled out a tissue and handed it to him.

"Look at you. You're a grown man, yet you still eat like a kid. What did you sneak into?"

I let the double meaning hang in the air. Ethan panicked, grabbing his phone screen to use as a mirror, frantically wiping his mouth.

"Oh, uh, I must have gotten some of your lipstick on me when I washed my hands."

I didn't call him out. Rachel couldn't stand being there any longer. She adjusted her smudged lipstick and said:

"Chloe, I have some errands to run. I should go."

She practically fled the house. Behind Ethan's back, a slow, cold smile crept onto my face.

I turned off the television, picked up my phone, and permanently deleted the engagement video.

Ethan noticed.

"Chloe, why did you delete our engagement video? I thought that was your favorite."

I looked him straight in the eyes, my smile not reaching my eyes.

"I don't like it anymore. Besides, the wedding video in a few weeks will be much more exciting. That's the one worth keeping."

My words were smooth and flawless. The brief suspicion in Ethan's mind quickly dissolved.

Since it was his day off, he spent the afternoon begging me to go out with him.

"Chloe, I've been so busy with work lately. I know I've neglected you. There's a new movie playing today, and I already bought the tickets. Let's go."

The rejection at the tip of my tongue was swallowed back down.

Ethan hated shopping and movies. I wanted to see what kind of game he was playing today.

Was this guilt after cheating, or did he have another motive?

I bypassed the rows of white dresses in my closet and threw on a casual, oversized sweater and jeans.

When I walked out to the hallway balcony, I saw Ethan looking down at his phone, a massive grin on his face as he texted someone.

The moment I stepped downstairs, he quickly put his phone away.

"Chloe, why aren't you wearing a dress? I always love seeing you in white sundresses."

Without looking up, I pulled out a dusty pair of sneakers from the closet.

"I suddenly don't like them anymore."

"Ethan, don't you think it's weird? People can change overnight. The things we used to love can suddenly mean absolutely nothing to us."

Ethan's body stiffened for a fraction of a second before he forced a smile.

On the drive to the mall, he kept glancing over at me. Unable to stand his fake face, I simply closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

Once we arrived at the mall, he held my hand tightly, as if he was terrified I would run away.

"Ethan, you've been acting so strange lately. Did you do something wrong? Is this your way of making it up to me?"

I looked at him with a smile. His grip on my hand tightened, and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

"I'm just kidding. Look how nervous you are. Don't tell me you actually did something?"

He swallowed hard. Before he could answer, a familiar voice called out from behind us.

"Chloe!"