Chapter 3

My stomach dropped — and then quietly, I felt relieved. Thank god I'd booked everything under my own name.

If I'd used my mother-in-law's name, it would've been over before it started.

Sandra never missed a chance to make my life difficult. I'd barely finished booking, and she'd already gotten her hands on the paperwork.

I quickly lowered my eyes and put on my best uncomfortable, hard-to-admit expression, forcing the words out slowly.

"Dr. Hayes, I looked into it and the fibroid really isn't serious. But this other problem — even though it's not dangerous, it's been affecting my life. A lot."

I glanced up briefly, then dropped my eyes again, voice barely above a whisper.

"My husband hasn't been coming home much lately. I just want to fix this as fast as I can."

Sandra listened. The corner of her mouth twitched — just barely — and a layer of smug satisfaction settled over her face before she could smooth it away.

Of course she knew exactly where Ethan had been spending his time. With her.

She composed herself quickly and put on the superior, lecturing tone she liked to use with me.

"According to your file, you've never had children. You're young — why would you have this kind of issue?"

"Honestly, it makes me wonder about your lifestyle choices. A woman should take care of herself. Otherwise, the day your husband loses interest and moves on, no one's going to want what's left."

I seethed on the inside. On the outside, I nodded like I was taking notes, properly chastened.

She seemed to enjoy the sight of me taking it. Satisfied, she waved me off like she was doing me a favor.

Right before I reached the door, she made a show of fanning the air in front of her nose, her face scrunched in exaggerated distaste.

"Summer — personal hygiene before the procedure, please. You've only been in here a few minutes and the whole room is already..."

She let the sentence hang there unfinished. The look on her face said everything she didn't.

I kept nodding and walked out.

When I got home, Ethan was already at the dinner table.

He looked up when I came in. The flicker of disgust in his eyes was barely disguised.

Sandra had already told him something, clearly.

Once everyone sat down and the food was on the table, Ethan made a production of covering his nose, his face twisted.

"What is that smell? Something's off in here — like something sour."

"Summer, are you even keeping this place clean anymore? You can't even manage basic hygiene? Mom, aren't you going to say something to her?"

I played dumb and glanced nervously over at my mother-in-law.

Her face had gone the color of a bruise.

Her lips were trembling. Her eyes were glassy with humiliation — the kind that's about to boil over into rage. There were actual tears forming.

I almost had to bite the inside of my cheek.

Ethan was gearing up to say more, but his mother suddenly slammed her fork down on the table with a crack that made everyone flinch.

"Will you stop talking nonsense at the dinner table! I don't smell anything! Nothing at all!"

"Ethan, I know you're tired from work, but don't you dare bring that attitude home and take it out on us."

Ethan looked thrown. He stared at his mother, then at me, visibly confused by the sudden outburst.

Under her warning glare, he backed down. He mumbled something under his breath and went quiet.

"Alright, alright. I'll drop it. Geez, what's gotten into you tonight."

The rest of dinner was eaten in an atmosphere that was equal parts tense and bizarre.

That night, I gathered up the pile of my mother-in-law's clothes that needed washing and carried them to the bathroom.

I'd just dropped them into the basin when footsteps sounded beyond the curtain. Ethan.

He clearly had no idea I was in there. He walked straight in, pulled out his phone, and dialed.

A second later, his voice came through — softer than I'd ever heard him use with me.

"Hey, Sandi — do you need any help with that livestream setup?"

"Don't worry, she won't find out. I won't let anything get in your way."

"I know the competition for the department head position is brutal right now. Once this stream goes well and you get that promotion — your happiness is my happiness."