Chapter 4

Stella POV

Over the next few days, I acted more docile and clingy than ever before.

I'd cook Ethan's favorite dishes myself, help him with his tie before he left for work, and even wander around in front of him wearing nothing but his dress shirt while he was in video conferences, making him hastily end meetings to pin me on the sofa and kiss me.

Ethan was thrilled, almost fanatically so, by this change in me.

He grew more and more unable to leave me, canceling all social engagements and coming home punctually every day.

"Stella, you've been so good lately. I love you like this."

Ethan buried his head in the crook of my neck, greedily inhaling my scent.

"I wish I could shrink you down and carry you in my pocket wherever I go."

I stroked his hair and smiled.

"Because I've discovered I love you more and more every day."

Ethan's body stiffened for a moment, then he held me even tighter.

He thought he'd completely tamed this bird that once wanted to fly free. He didn't know this was just the last illusion the bird was leaving him before flying away.

That afternoon, after Ethan went to the office, my phone received a picture message from an unknown number.

The photo showed a men's tie casually tossed on rumpled bedsheets.

That tie was the very one I'd fastened around Ethan's neck this morning.

Another text came through immediately:

"He spent last night here. He said you're as boring as a block of wood. Stella, you've monopolized him for five years. It's time you returned him to me."

I looked at the screen without even raising an eyebrow.

Mara couldn't contain herself anymore. She was starting to provoke me.

She thought I'd confront Ethan like a shrew or break down in heartbroken hysterics.

Too bad. She miscalculated.

Not only wasn't I angry, I actually found it somewhat amusing.

I casually deleted the photos and blocked the number.

When Ethan came home that evening, I was sitting on the carpet working on a puzzle.

"Why are you sitting on the floor? You'll catch cold."

Ethan walked over and scooped me up, placing me on the sofa.

I naturally leaned into his embrace, my fingers tracing circles on his chest.

"Ethan, I got a strange text today."

Ethan's movements stopped. His eyes instantly sharpened.

"What text?"

"A photo and some nonsensical messages."

I looked up at him.

"Seemed like some woman's prank. I didn't pay attention to it. Just deleted it."

Ethan's expression visibly darkened, violent rage churning in his eyes.

But facing me, he still tried his best to restrain himself.

"Don't be scared. Probably just spam sent to the wrong number. I'll have someone look into it."

"Mm, I trust you."

I nodded obediently.

The next day, I heard that the private hospital where Mara was staying had been surrounded by Ethan's men.

Ethan flew into a terrible rage, nearly smashing up the hospital room, warning Mara that if she dared provoke me again, he'd abort the baby in her belly and throw her in the ocean to feed the fish.

Mara was so frightened she had complications with the pregnancy and was bedridden for three days.

I listened to the private investigator's report and smiled.

Watching rabid dogs tear into each other never got old.

Ethan thought he was protecting me. In reality, he was just protecting his own perfect, inviolable sense of control.

The more he acted this way, the more disgusted I felt.

Ten days until I left.

I began systematically erasing my traces from this house.

I fed my old diaries and drawings into the paper shredder, bit by bit.

I was going to erase myself from Ethan's world so completely that not even a speck of dust would remain for him.