Chapter 5

Ethan didn't come back on the third day.

I sat dazed on the sofa until it grew dark and then light again.

My phone rang and rang.

Until the battery died and it automatically shut off, and the world became completely quiet.

Next Wednesday was my birthday. I sat outside the operating room and called Ethan.

"Sophia? You finally called me back. Have you been sulking these past few days? I've been too busy to come back."

"I'm doing this for triple pay! Can't you be a little understanding? What do you think I am, ignoring my calls and messages? If you can't handle this marriage, then let's just get divorced! What's the point of losing your temper at me every day? I really don't have time to coax you!"

By the end, his tone was terrible.

I pretended not to hear.

I spoke calmly and indifferently.

"Ethan, do you remember today is my birthday?"

He paused on the other end, saying nothing.

I didn't care. I wiped away my tears and continued.

"It's okay if you forgot. You don't need to remember anymore. Ethan, when you come back, let's get divorced."

After I finished speaking, he was silent for a long time.

So long that I thought he'd already hung up, when a voice finally came through.

"Sophia, are you using divorce as an excuse to force me to come back? Why do you have to be so extreme? Why can't you try to understand me? Do you think I'll give in if you do this?"

"I hate it most when you play these games! Sophia, I'll come back when you learn to behave!"

I pressed my lips together.

I stared at my phone, at the screen full of chat records and photos, in a daze.

This was Luna's secondary account, which had been sending me messages these past few days.

From the very beginning when they met, to their current chat records—I'd seen it all.

In four years, nine out of ten times he "worked overtime," he was at Luna's place.

And I'd foolishly prepared meals and waited for him until late at night.

Even when I saw the hickeys on his neck, I deluded myself into thinking they were mosquito bites.

I trusted him completely.

But he lied to me.

Ethan.

This is so unfair to me.

If you don't love me anymore, why won't you let me go?

"Ethan, I'm not joking."

"When you come back, let's get divorced."

Just then, a new nurse came out with a form, calling for patients.

Her voice carried into the phone.

"Sophia, which one is Sophia? Your scheduled abortion procedure is ready!"