Chapter 4

I gasped in shock.

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!"

Ethan grabbed my shoulders violently, shaking me.

"Why did you kill her baby?! Why?!"

"I wondered why you were so quiet these past few days. You were planning this all along!"

"If it weren't for you, Scarlett wouldn't have been cleaned out by her ex-husband!"

I stared at him blankly. "What are you talking about?"

He sneered and threw his phone onto the couch, showing me a Snapchat thread.

"See for yourself!"

The blood in my veins turned to ice.

The screenshots showed someone using my name and profile picture, spreading Scarlett's private photos on Snapchat and claiming she had STDs.

Then, there was a text message showing "me" hiring someone to run Scarlett over with a car, which supposedly caused her miscarriage.

It was a complete fabrication. I had never done any of this!

"Ethan, this isn't me. These screenshots are fake! I'm calling the police!"

But he didn't listen. He began brutally ripping at my clothes.

"You're the only one who hates her! Who else could it be?!"

"Just because I didn't touch you for a year, you had to destroy her?"

"Fine! If I touch you now, will you leave her alone?!"

His rough, frantic touching made me scream in terror.

He didn't stop, his voice dark and vicious.

"It's fine. Just bear with it, you'll get used to it."

"Maybe we just never tried hard enough. From now on, I'll schedule a night with you every month. Does that satisfy you?!"

At that exact second, my heart died completely.

I remembered the boy who had carried me to the clinic when I fainted from low blood sugar.

I remembered the boy who had stood up for me against the school rumors.

I remembered the man who had promised me at our wedding that he would never let me down.

Losing all control, I grabbed the heavy tissue box from the nightstand and smashed it against his head with all my might!

"Ethan, you animal!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "I have never done anything to hurt Scarlett!"

Ethan froze.

The madness in his eyes faded, replaced by a cold, sober reality. He stood up, adjusting his shirt.

"I crossed the line today, and I'm sorry. But stop hurting innocent people."

"I'll give you a proper explanation later. Just stay here and calm down."

He walked out.

I adjusted my torn collar, forcing myself to stop shaking.

Then, I dialed my lawyer.

"Marital rape can be used as evidence of domestic abuse, right? I have security camera footage of the bedroom."

"Add it to the filing. Let's sue him."

Right after, Scarlett called me.

"Chloe, just sign the divorce papers."

I quietly tapped the record button on my phone.

"You should be telling Ethan that."

She sighed over the line, her voice dripping with venom.

"He's only staying with you out of obligation, not love!"

"He even told me that if we hadn't been caught back in college, he would have waited for me to grow up."

"Chloe, you only got him because I threw him away. It's time to give him back."

She finally dropped her cool, laid-back act.

I replied calmly, "So you fabricated those fake screenshots to frame me for your miscarriage? I'm going to the police, Scarlett."

Scarlett's breathing turned sharp.

"Go ahead! Ethan will protect me!"

"Let me guess... the baby wasn't even Ethan's, was it?" I interrupted softly.

"That's why you were so desperate to stage a miscarriage. It drives a wedge between Ethan and me, makes him feel guilty, and saves you from getting caught when the baby is born and looks nothing like him."

As expected, the line went dead silent.

I quietly saved the recording.

Almost instantly, Ethan's call came through. He started shouting immediately.

"Chloe, what did you say to Scarlett?! She just lost her baby, and you're still tormenting her! Do you even have a heart?!"

I didn't argue. I simply packaged the security footage and the voice recording of Scarlett, and emailed them to him.

By then, I was already at the airport.

As the boarding announcement echoed through the PA system, Ethan's voice finally turned into pure panic over the phone.

"Why do I hear airport announcements? Where are you?!"

"Where I am is none of your business anymore."

I boarded the plane and took my seat.

"Check your Instagram. Don't you love her body?"

"I hope you still love it after seeing what I just sent you."

"Ethan, see you in court."