CHAPTER FOUR:

I scrub my skin until it burns.

Still, I can’t get rid of the feeling of Ethan’s betrayal crawling all over me. The bathroom is silent except for the sound of running water and my uneven breathing. Steam fogs the mirrors while my hands shake violently beneath the stream.

I squeeze my eyes shut hard.

God.

I feel sick all over again.

Behind me, the bathroom door opens carefully.

“Amelia.”

Ethan’s voice immediately hardens something inside me.

I turn the shower off quickly before grabbing a towel and wrapping it tightly around myself. “Get out.”

He stands near the doorway, looking exhausted, like he’s the victim here.

His eyes move over my face slowly before he says quietly, “Can we please talk without fighting?”

A bitter laugh escapes me.

“You cheated on me, Ethan. What exactly do you expect a conversation after that to sound like?”

His jaw tightens. “I already told you, it wasn’t serious.”

The words hit me like a slap.

Not serious.

As if betrayal somehow hurts less depending on emotional depth.

I walk past him toward the sink. “You know what’s funny? I actually think that makes this worse.”

“Amelia….”

“If she meant nothing, then you destroyed our marriage for nothing.”

Silence fills the bathroom as I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes look swollen, tired and Older somehow.

I barely recognize myself anymore.

Ethan steps closer behind me carefully. “I made a mistake.”

I laugh quietly. “No. A mistake is forgetting an anniversary dinner.” I turn toward him slowly. “Sleeping with another woman repeatedly is a choice.”

Pain flashes across his face. Good for once, I want him to hurt too.

His eyes lower briefly to the necklace still sitting on the bathroom counter. The diamond necklace he gave me during our second anniversary.

The same necklace another woman wore in bed while mocking me.

Something ugly twists in my chest.

# Chapter Three

### The Man Everyone Feared

I scrub my skin until it burns.

Still, I can’t get rid of the feeling of Ethan’s betrayal crawling all over me.

The bathroom is silent except for the sound of running water and my uneven breathing. Steam fogs the mirrors while my hands shake violently beneath the stream.

That picture keeps replaying in my head.

That woman in bed.

Wearing my necklace.

Smiling like she won.

I squeeze my eyes shut hard.

God.

I feel sick all over again.

Behind me, the bathroom door opens carefully.

“Amelia.”

Ethan’s voice immediately hardens something inside me.

I turn the shower off quickly before grabbing a towel and wrapping it tightly around myself. “Get out.”

He stands near the doorway, looking exhausted.

Like he’s the victim here.

His eyes move over my face slowly before he says quietly, “Can we please talk without fighting?”

A bitter laugh escapes me.

“You cheated on me, Ethan. What exactly do you expect this conversation to sound like?”

His jaw tightens. “I already told you, it wasn’t serious.”

The words hit me like a slap.

Not serious.

As if betrayal somehow hurts less depending on emotional depth.

I walk past him toward the sink. “You know what’s funny? I actually think that makes this worse.”

“Amelia—”

“If she meant nothing, then you destroyed our marriage for nothing.”

Silence fills the bathroom.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes look swollen.

Tired.

Older somehow.

I barely recognize myself anymore.

Ethan steps closer behind me carefully. “I made a mistake.”

I laugh quietly. “No. A mistake is forgetting an anniversary dinner.” I turn toward him slowly. “Sleeping with another woman repeatedly is a choice.”

Pain flashes across his face.

Good.

For once, I want him to hurt too.

His eyes lower briefly to the necklace still sitting on the bathroom counter.

The diamond necklace he gave me during our second anniversary.

The same necklace another woman wore in bed while mocking me. Something ugly twists in my chest, without thinking, I grab it.

Ethan notices immediately. “Amelia….”

I throw it straight into the trash bin.

His expression changes instantly. “What are you doing?”

“Getting rid of garbage.”

His face hardens slightly. “That necklace cost…”

“I don’t care how much it cost!”

My voice cracks violently through the bathroom.

“You let another woman wear something that belonged to me!” I shout. “Do you understand how disgusting that is?”

Ethan runs a frustrated hand through his hair. “I told you she asked for it and I didn’t think…..”

“That’s the problem!” Tears burn my eyes instantly. “You never think about me!”

The silence afterward feels suffocating, because it’s true. Somewhere along the line, Ethan stopped protecting my feelings, stopped valuing them, stopped valuing me.

He looks at me for a long moment before stepping closer again. “Come here.”

I physically recoil.

The movement happens so fast neither of us expects it but the second he reaches for me, disgust climbs violently up my spine.

I can still picture him touching her, kissing her, holding her.

My stomach turns.

Ethan notices immediately and he looks genuinely shaken.

“You don’t want me touching you anymore?”

The hurt in his voice almost makes me laugh.

Almost.

“You lost that right.”

His jaw tightens hard enough for a muscle to tick.

Then suddenly, he grabs my wrist….not violently but firmly enough to stop me from walking away.

“Ethan,” I say coldly.

His eyes search mine desperately. “I’m trying to fix this.”

“You can’t.”

His breathing deepens slightly.

For a second, I almost see anger flicker beneath his calm expression.

Possession.

Like he can’t stand the idea of losing control over me.

Finally, he lets go slowly.

“We have my grandmother’s birthday banquet tomorrow,” he says stiffly. “Don’t embarrass the family.”

I stare at him in disbelief. That’s what matters right now? Public appearance? Family reputation?

God, I really married a stranger.

“I’ll be there,” I say flatly. “After that, send the signed divorce papers to my lawyer.”

Then I walk past him without another glance.