Chapter 4

The next evening, for the first time ever, Ethan left his executive office early.

He wore the dark, custom-tailored suit that I had painstakingly ironed for him two nights ago, ignoring my racing heart.

He adjusted his cufflinks in the elevator mirror, a smile playing on his lips as he drove toward the high-end jewelry boutique downtown.

"Mr. Vance, the custom diamond ring you ordered last month is ready."

Wearing white gloves, the store manager respectfully presented him with a sleek velvet box.

Ethan opened it. Resting inside was a flawlessly cut pink diamond.

"Your girlfriend is going to be thrilled with this fifth-anniversary gift."

The manager added with a polite smile.

Ethan stared at the ring, a confident smirk touching his lips.

He walked out of the store, got into his car, and instinctively dialed my number to see if I was still mad.

Once again, the only response was: "The user you have dialed is currently unavailable."

The smile faded slightly from his face, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"Still acting up."

Grumbling under his breath, he started the engine, intending to drive straight to my office and corner me.

Right then, Chloe’s caller ID flashed on his screen.

The moment Ethan pressed answer, a deafening crash of shattering glass echoed through the speaker.

Following it was Chloe's stifled, agonizing cry and sharp gasps for air.

"Ethan... help me."

Ethan's face went pale. He sat bolt upright.

"Chloe? What’s wrong? What happened!"

"I... I accidentally knocked over the boiling kettle. My legs... they're covered in blisters."

Her voice grew fainter, sounding incredibly vulnerable yet trying to remain brave.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I forgot today is your fifth anniversary. Go find Nora."

"I can call 911 myself. It's really fine."

Ethan glanced at the velvet ring box on the passenger seat and blurted out:

"Don't move! Burns are serious. Stay right there, I'm coming with first-aid ointment right now!"

"But Nora will be furious."

Chloe sobbed softly on the other end.

"Ethan, I don't want to be the reason you two fight."

"She didn't come home last night. If you don't spend tonight with her..."

This calculated, fragile show of selflessness instantly obliterated the last shred of Ethan's logic.

He spun the steering wheel wildly, making an illegal U-turn across the double yellow lines.

The car sped like an arrow toward Chloe's neighborhood.

"I'll explain it to her! She's not that petty!"

"This is an emergency. She knows how to prioritize."

My soul sat in the backseat, watching his tense profile.

I watched him, once again, abandon me without a second thought, all because of another woman's delicate "thoughtfulness."

He actually believed his endless favoritism was a sign of "trusting my maturity."

Stopping at a red light, he grabbed his phone and shot me a quick message on Snapchat:

"Chloe got badly burned by boiling water. She's alone and severely hurt."

"I'm going to help patch her up first, then I'll meet you at the restaurant."

"Give me half an hour. I'll make it up to you with the ring tonight."

He hit send and tossed the phone back onto the console.

He was absolutely certain that as long as he had this multi-million-dollar ring...

...it wouldn't matter how late he was, or whom he was late for.

I would be sitting in the corner of that restaurant, waiting for him without a single complaint.