Chapter 2

I didn't look back.

As the elevator doors slid shut, I caught a glimpse through the narrowing gap: Chloe was gently dabbing Ethan's cuffs with a fresh napkin, and he stood half-turned, making no effort to step away.

Leaning against the interior wall as the elevator descended, I let out a bitter, humorless laugh.

Three years.

I had been with Ethan for three years, and whenever I touched a fork during dinner, he would have it sterilized before using it himself.

Turns out, he wasn't a germaphobe at all. He just picked and chose his germs.

It was eleven at night when Ethan finally unlocked the front door.

The living room lights were on. I sat on the couch scrolling through my phone, not even bothering to glance up.

He slipped off his shoes in the entryway, leaned down to sniff his collar, and immediately hurried into the master bathroom.

The shower ran for twenty minutes before he stepped out. With damp hair and a towel slung low around his waist, he came to stand before me.

"Scarlett, let's talk about what happened earlier."

"Chloe was referred to me by Mr. Vance. I couldn't just turn down an executive's favor. Today was her first day, and she wasn't feeling well, so I showed some basic courtesy."

"I threw the mug away. It won't happen again."

He held his phone out to me. On the screen was an Amazon receipt showing that he had ordered an exact replacement just moments ago.

Staring at the order confirmation, I felt an overwhelming wave of absurdity.

Three years ago, I accidentally broke one of his favorite mugs. He gave me the cold shoulder for an entire week until I bought ten identical backups to keep in the cabinet.

Now, he casually threw away the cup he used daily, all because another woman had taken a single sip.

"Ethan." I pushed his phone aside. "Do you remember how you reacted when Sarah accidentally bumped into you last month?"

Sarah was his college friend. At an alumni mixer, she had brushed against his forearm by mistake. His face went instantly dark, and he snuck into the restroom three times that night to scrub his arm raw.

Ethan’s expression twitched with discomfort.

"That was completely different."

"How was it different?"

"Chloe had an emergency. She was genuinely in severe pain." Ethan sat down next to me, placing his hand over my knee. "Scarlett, don't overthink this. You're the only one in my heart."

I looked down at his hand. His fingers were long, pale, and manicured to perfection.

I used to admire his refined elegance. Now, looking at him, I only felt disgust.

He pulled his hand back, chilled by the frost in my gaze.

"Scarlett," his voice dropped into an irritated baritone. "What more do you want from me?"

"Nothing."

I stood up, picked up my keys from the coffee table, and turned to face him. "You sleep in the guest room tonight. I'm locking the master bedroom."

Ethan looked up sharply. "You're kicking me out of our bed?"

"The smell of your antiseptic wash gives me a headache."

I walked straight into the bedroom, closing the door behind me and turning the deadbolt with a sharp click.

Silence hung outside the door for a few seconds. Then came the soft sound of his footsteps heading down the hall toward the guest room.

I leaned my back against the hard wood and closed my eyes.

In the past, whenever he sensed I was unhappy, he would linger outside the door for half an hour, cajoling and begging me to let him in.

Tonight, he just walked away.

He didn't even bother waiting for two minutes.

The next morning, I woke up early and began packing my suitcase.

Ethan stood in the doorway of the bedroom, his brow heavily furrowed. He was already wearing a crisply pressed dress shirt, buttoned up to the very top collar.

"Where are you going?"

"Business trip." I didn't look at him, methodically taking my clothes out of the closet.

"You never mentioned a trip."

"It was confirmed yesterday. I didn't get around to briefing you." I folded a blazer and packed it into the suitcase.

Ethan walked over and pressed his palm flat against my luggage lid. "Scarlett, are you still throwing a tantrum? I told you, I tossed the cup! I've already arranged to transfer the new girl to the logistics department. What more do you want?"