Chapter 2

I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the stained ceiling, which mirrored my life, worn down and unrecognizable after these five years.

For five days in the hospital, Ethan never visited me once.

He took Clara to the beach and threw a birthday party for her pet cat.

At that party, he invited every big name in Seavelt.

When I saw the news hit the headlines, I wasn't as upset as I expected.

In five years of marriage, he never celebrated my birthday.

The gifts he gave Clara were dreams I didn't dare hope for.

I mentioned it to him once, but he just said, "You're so dramatic."

The hospital gossip grew louder.

"The unloved one's the mistress. She doesn't even have the sense to step aside. Pathetic."

"Ethan and Clara got pregnant in a month. You've been with him five years, no kid. Guess who's the problem?"

"Who knows why she can't have kids? Maybe she messed around too much and ruined herself."

The words stung, but I knew this was Ethan's way of forcing me to grovel.

He used these tactics before, tormenting me whenever I got upset with him.

This time, I didn't care.

I thought he'd keep ignoring me, but on the day of my discharge, he showed up.

He pushed open the hospital room door, his face unusually soft, and picked up my packed bag for me.

Since deciding to leave, I bought a train ticket, found a new place, and lined up a job.

I snatched the bag from him. "Give me my stuff. Why are you here instead of with Clara?"

Normally, my sarcasm would make him drop the bag, insult me, and storm out.

But not this time.

He took my hand, his voice gentler than ever. "Still mad? Is it worth it? Lily, let's have a kid."

The words hit me so suddenly I froze.

He continued, "Want me to celebrate your birthday? Isn't it coming up? I'll make it up to you tonight. Or want flowers? Gifts? I'll take you shopping now."

I forced a smile. "My birthday's six months away, and I'm allergic to pollen. Didn't you know?"

Ethan paused.

"I said we're getting divorced." I tried to grab my bag, but he wouldn't let go.

In the struggle, my hand brushed his suit pocket, and a paper fell out.

It read in bold letters, "Fetus at risk for congenital heart disease."

It was Clara's prenatal report.

I stared at him, my eyes welling up.

Was this why he suddenly tried to win me over?

In seconds, Ethan's bodyguards pinned me in place.

His face hardened. "Lily, you won't take the easy way, so you get the hard way, huh? Take her to the Caldwell house. No one lets her out without my say."

My body was still weak, no match for two burly guards.

At the Caldwell house, Ethan locked me in the bedroom.

Clara had been back a month, and every trace of me was gone from this place.

The pomegranate tree I spent two years nurturing in the yard was chopped down because Clara didn't like it.

I was allergic to pollen, so the house never had flowers.

Now, the living room, kitchen, and bedroom were filled with Clara's favorite lilies.