Chapter 4

"Oh!" Chloe gasped, startled by his sudden stop, and playfully pouted.

But when she saw me, her eyes lit up. "Elena! You're here too!"

I didn't say a word. I just stared quietly at Ethan.

I expected to see panic, or at least a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

But there was nothing.

His gaze was as cold and indifferent as if he were looking at a complete stranger. His voice didn't hold a single tremor of emotion:

"Hello."

Chloe clapped her hands together. "Oh my god, I totally forgot! I haven't officially introduced you two yet! This is my absolute best friend in the entire world, Elena. You better treat her well!"

Then she winked at me, gesturing to Ethan. "And this is my guy. He's thirty, so only five years older than me. Since we ran into each other, let's grab lunch together! Consider it an official introduction."

A faint smile touched my lips. "Sure, why not."

Ethan's icy glare immediately locked onto me, filled with a silent, dangerous warning.

I pretended not to notice, letting Chloe hook her arm through mine as we walked out.

At the restaurant, Chloe looked at me with deep concern. "Elena, you barely smile these days. I told you, your boyfriend is a loser. You need to dump him."

She nudged Ethan. "Don't you have a bunch of hot, single friends? Introduce one to Elena. Let's make her boyfriend jealous."

Ethan's voice turned freezing cold. "She doesn't need one."

I raised my eyes, meeting his frosty gaze. "Actually, I think I do."

Ethan's face darkened instantly.

Chloe excitedly grabbed his phone. "Julian Pierce is a great guy. Let me call him right now."

Before Ethan could snatch the phone away, Julian answered. "Hey Chloe, did Ethan piss you off again?"

Chloe giggled, covering her mouth. "Actually, I want to set you up on a blind date."

Ethan's hand clenched into a tight fist, the veins bulging on his forearm.

I took the phone from Chloe and spoke directly into the receiver. "Hi Julian. I'm Elena, the girl Chloe wanted to introduce to you. It's really nice to meet you."

On the other end of the line, Julian went completely silent, stunned. After a long pause, he abruptly hung up.

Chloe laughed awkwardly, reclaiming her phone. "Well, that was rude of him. Don't worry, I'll find you someone way better."

Ethan let out a subtle sigh of relief and quickly changed the subject.

After lunch, Chloe wanted to drive me home, but Ethan suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply right in front of me.

Chloe was left dazed and blushing furiously.

Meeting Ethan's warning glare, I simply turned around and drove home.

The moment I unlocked the front door, I was grabbed by a pair of furious hands and slammed hard against the wall.

Ethan's voice vibrated with suppressed rage:

"Why did you agree to that? Are you really that desperate to throw yourself at another man? Don't forget, we are married. What you did today was cheating!"

I froze for a second, and then, a low chuckle escaped my throat.

The laugh grew louder, turning into a desperate, hysterical sob.

My sudden breakdown made Ethan's chest tighten. An unfamiliar, suffocating anxiety gripped his heart.

"Ethan Vance... you actually know what cheating is?"

"You knew she was my best friend. Why her? Out of everyone in the world, why did it have to be her?!"

"How could you do this to me?!"

The agony I had bottled up for weeks finally erupted. I sank to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why are you treating me like this? Ethan, he who betrays a true heart will swallow a thousand needles. I hate you! I hate you!"

Ethan tugged violently at his tie, looking incredibly annoyed. "She doesn't know anything about us. Besides, you and I are already married. I'm just giving her a wedding. You are still my legal wife."

"We already owe her so much. Do you really have to hold onto this?"

"You have the marriage certificate. You have the honor of being Mrs. Vance. She only has my affection and a temporary wedding. It's fair."

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

Facing a man like this, words were entirely useless.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed.

It was a Snapchat from Chloe:

"Elena, I think he's cheating on me."