Chapter 2

Back at our shared apartment, Ethan walked straight into the kitchen.

Less than half an hour later, he walked out with a piping hot plate of garlic butter shrimp.

"Chloe, your stomach's been acting up lately. Eat more protein. It's good for you."

As he spoke, he peeled a jumbo shrimp, dipped it in sauce, and held it directly up to Chloe's mouth.

Chloe looked at me, making a half-hearted attempt to pull back.

"Don't be shy. Vivian doesn't mind, right?"

Ethan glanced at me casually, not even waiting for an answer before peeling a second one.

Sitting across from them, watching their effortless intimacy, my stomach churned with nausea.

"Ethan, could you get me a glass of water?"

I asked quietly, testing the waters.

"The pitcher's right there. Pour it yourself."

He didn't even look up, his hands entirely focused on peeling shrimp for Chloe.

I stared at the empty glass in front of me, then shifted my gaze to the growing pile of shells before Chloe.

The dread in my gut sprouted like wild weeds.

Looking back over the past six months, there had been far too many red flags.

Every time Chloe complained of a stomach ache, Ethan immediately dashed out to buy medicine and brought it straight to her bedroom.

Whenever I mentioned having a migraine after working overtime, he only ever texted, *"Drink some warm water."*

Chloe had offhandedly mentioned craving organic strawberries, and the very next afternoon, an imported crate showed up on our doorstep.

When I asked to go to the movies, he always claimed he was swamped and brushed it off with *"Maybe next week."*

All those moments I chalked up to coincidence or his careless personality were calculated down to the millimeter.

I forced down two bites of food, claimed I was exhausted, and retreated to my bedroom.

Lying in bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling.

Whose baby was it?

I needed undeniable proof.

The next afternoon, I clocked out early on purpose.

The moment I unlocked the front door, stifled sobs drifted from the living room.

Chloe was curled up on the sofa, burying her face in her hands, weeping pitifully.

Ethan was half-kneeling before her, clutching one of her hands while gently rubbing her back.

I froze in the entryway, my hands pausing mid-motion as I slipped off my shoes.

"What's going on?"

Both of them snapped their heads toward me. Chloe wiped her tears with frantic haste, looking conflicted.

Ethan rose to his feet, wearing an intensely solemn expression.

"Vivian... Chloe is pregnant."

A bitter sneer rose in my throat, but I forced an expression of pure shock.

"Pregnant? Who's the father?"

Chloe bit her trembling lip, casting a tearful glance at Ethan before ducking her head.

"It's... my ex-boyfriend's."

Her voice was barely a whisper, thick with tears.

"I reached out to him, but he denied it and blocked my number everywhere."

She broke down into ragged sobs again, her shoulders trembling.

Ethan immediately wrapped an arm around her, his tone vibrating with fury and protective warmth.

"What an absolute piece of trash. Chloe, don't be scared. I'm handling this. All the way through."

I stared at the two of them, unsure of what face to make.

Chloe and her ex had broken up two months ago. The math was off by miles.

Instead of calling her out, I played along. "So what do you plan to do?"

Chloe looked up, her tear-filled eyes wide and helpless.

"I don't know... I can't bring myself to terminate it, but I can't possibly afford to raise a child alone..."

Ethan slapped his knee, his tone ringing with absolute conviction.

"Chloe, keep the baby. I'll help you raise it."

I thought my ears were playing tricks on me. I froze where I stood.

"Ethan, what did you just say?"

He looked at me, his face a picture of righteous indignation.

"I said we'll help Chloe raise her baby. We're getting married and having kids eventually anyway. What's one more? We can just take care of it along the way."

*Along the way?*

Looking at his self-righteous, heroic posture, I found the entire scene painfully absurd.

I hadn't even married him yet, and he was already playing dad to another woman's child.

"Did you even think to ask my opinion?"

I fought with every ounce of strength to keep the tremor out of my voice.

Ethan's brows furrowed, his patience instantly vanishing.

"What is there to ask?"

"Chloe is your best friend. When she's in trouble, of course we step up and help! Isn't that basic decency?"

"Besides, she's unmarried and completely alone. How can you be so heartless?"

Chloe tugged on Ethan's sleeve from the side, whimpering softly.

"Ethan, please don't fight with Vivian over me... It's all my fault..."

"This has nothing to do with you. She's just being completely selfish."

Ethan hurled the words at me, turning his back to continue comforting Chloe.

Standing frozen in place, watching their perfectly synchronized routine, ice settled deep into my bones.