chapter 003

Ethan paced restlessly across the living room, running a hand through his hair before dropping onto the sofa. He leaned forward, covering his face as he tried to understand how everything had gone wrong so quickly.

Arya asking for a divorce wasn't part of Ethan's plan. She had forgiven him every other time he cheated, so he never expected her to take things this far.

His plan had been simple: get her to invest in the company, trick her into signing over her inheritance and assets to him, then get rid of her and start a new life with Chloe. He had everything figured out, but Arya wasn't following the script anymore.

He wasn't about to let her ruin everything he had worked for. If she refused to play her part, he would find another way to ensure she never became a problem for him again.

Chloe watched him, her patience wearing thin. She had never imagined Arya would suddenly cut them off, and the thought of losing the comfortable life she had grown accustomed to was becoming unbearable.

“Ethan, what are we going to do?” she demanded. “Are you really going to let her divorce you just like that? She can't leave us like this. I always thought she was helping me because she liked me, but now she's treating me like I'm nothing. How am I supposed to maintain my lifestyle without her?”

Ethan lowered his hands. “I don't know,” he admitted. “But I have to think of something.”

Before Chloe could respond, his phone vibrated with a new message. He picked it up, expecting an ordinary notification, but his attention sharpened as he read the contents.

Dear Mr. Ethan Grayson, this is to formally notify you that you have been placed on temporary suspension pending an internal investigation. Please contact Human Resources regarding the necessary procedures and await further instructions from management.

“No…” he muttered.

He was still trying to process the message when his phone began ringing. Seeing his mother's name, he answered immediately.

“Mom?”

“Ethan, she canceled it all!” Susan's furious voice rang through the phone.

He sat upright. “What? What are you talking about?”

“The insurance! Arya canceled it. Everything is gone! What am I supposed to do now?” Ethan rubbed his forehead. He already had enough problems without dealing with this.

“Mom, calm down. I'll handle it.”

“You better do something, Ethan! I can't afford my medication without that insurance. You need to fix this immediately!”

“I said I'll handle it!” he snapped. He ended the call and tossed the phone onto the sofa.

Chloe moved closer. “What happened? What did your mother say?”

“Arya canceled my mother's insurance,” he replied bitterly.

“What?” Chloe exclaimed. “She actually did that?”

Ethan hesitated before breaking the next piece of news. “There's something else.”

“What?”

“I've also been suspended from work.” For a moment, Chloe couldn't respond. Then her frustration spilled over.

“All because of you, Ethan! If you hadn't told Arya about the affair, none of this would have happened. We should have waited until the right time to deal with her, but you couldn't wait. Now we're already starting to lose things, and I don't like it.”

Ethan rose from the sofa. “Me? You think this is my fault?”

“I never told Arya about our affair. How she found out is still a mystery to me. So instead of standing here blaming me, why don't you think about what we're going to do?” He took a breath, trying to control his temper.

“I cannot divorce Arya, Chloe. I need her back.” Chloe's anger softened almost immediately. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself against him.

“I'm sorry,” she murmured. “I acted irrationally. I should have thought about what would happen if she stopped helping us.” She pulled back slightly. “But you promised me things, Ethan. You promised me that tiara necklace she got last time. You said you were going to give it to me, and I've been waiting for it.” Ethan remained silent.

“I agree with you. You should get her back.” Her voice grew more agitated as she recalled the humiliation she had suffered earlier.

“I still need money for my trip to Dubai, and I have more shopping to do.” Chloe threw her hands up in frustration. “Do you know how humiliating it was today? I couldn't even pay for the Chanel bag. They kicked me out of the shop like I was some thief!”

“I stood there while everyone looked at me, Ethan. Do you know how humiliating that was?”

Back in college, Chloe had always had her eyes on Ethan, but he had never looked her way. Even when she confessed her feelings to him and Arya, her best friend had encouraged her to pursue him, never imagining how much it would hurt when Ethan chose her instead. Chloe had never gotten over it. Years of watching Arya enjoy the life she had wanted only deepened her resentment. Now, she wanted more than Ethan; she wanted Arya's entire life.

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but the doorbell interrupted them. They both turned toward the entrance.

“Maybe it's Arya,” he murmured.

He hurried to the door, a flicker of hope returning. Perhaps she had reconsidered the divorce. Perhaps he could still persuade her to return home and put an end to the mess she had created. But when he opened the door, his hopes faded.

A deliveryman stood outside. “Mr. Ethan Grayson?”

"Yes," he responded.

The man handed him a brown envelope and a file. “Please sign here, sir.”

Ethan signed the document and accepted the delivery. He had barely stepped back inside when Chloe hurried over and took the envelope from his hand.

“Did Arya change her mind?” she asked eagerly. “I bet this is from her. Let's see what's inside.”

"Chloe, wait—" She had already opened it.

As she pulled out the papers, her excitement vanished. She read the first page, then went completely still.

“Divorce papers…”

The words barely left her lips before the papers slipped from her fingers. Ethan bent down and retrieved them.

“What?”

He scanned the document until he reached the signature page. There, unmistakably, was Arya's signature.

His grip tightened around the papers. “No. She can't do this to me.”

Chloe shifted anxiously beside him. “Ethan…”

“She can't just decide to leave me like this.” He pulled out his phone and called Arya.

There was no answer. He tried again.

“Arya, pick up,” he muttered. “Come on, pick up.” The call went to voicemail. He dialed several more times, growing increasingly agitated.

“Arya, that bitch!” Chloe burst out, and Ethan ignored her and called again. This time, the call failed to connect.

He checked the screen. Her phone was switched off.

“She switched off her phone?” he demanded. “She actually switched it off?”

His frustration finally boiled over. With a furious shout, he hurled the phone against the wall. Chloe recoiled at the crash as the device struck the floor.

“She thinks she's going to walk away from me?” Ethan shouted. “She thinks she can just walk away from this marriage?” He raised the divorce papers, crumpling their edges beneath his fingers.

“Never. I am never going to divorce her.”

He looked down at Arya's signature.

“She can't just erase five years of marriage and walk away whenever she wants.” He shook his head.

“Everything Arya owns is mine.” He searched for his car keys.

“Ethan, what are you doing?” Chloe asked.

“I'll find her.” He spotted the keys and snatched them up.

“I'll track Arya down, bring her back here, and make her understand that this divorce isn't happening.” He headed for the door, but Chloe caught his hand.

“Ethan, where do you think you're going?”

He pulled free abruptly, causing her to stumble backward. She caught herself against the nearby seat.

“I'm going to find Arya,” he snapped. “Then she'll approve my mother's insurance, and she's going to give me half of whatever she owns before I agree to this divorce.”

He reached for the door again. “Ethan, please don't go.” He paused.

Chloe approached him, tears gathering in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close, but the tension in his shoulders remained.

After a moment, she drew back, took his hand, and placed his palm against her stomach. Ethan glanced at their joined hands before looking up.

“Chloe?” She struggled to steady her voice as tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Ethan…” She swallowed before finally forcing the words out.

“I'm pregnant.”