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One Paintbrush Ended Our Marriage

One Paintbrush Ended Our Marriage

Short Story · Romance
By:  Brandy BranchCompleted
Language: English
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Synopsis

Tragic Love

Bias

Mistress

Scumbag

Winning Back the Wife

Cheating

At my daughter Lily's first birthday, she reached for a paintbrush. The entire room went silent. Everyone looked at me carefully. My best friend, Nora, was afraid I might lose control and upset the baby, so she quickly picked Lily up and tried to calm me. "Jenna, today is Lily's first birthday. "Please don't get angry. "You were still bleeding months after the birth, and your body hasn't recovered. "And Ethan already blocked Summer Bell. "He hasn't gone back to that studio either. "He really does want to make this marriage work. "Stop hurting yourself over this, okay?" I closed my eyes. I remembered Lily's christening the year before, when Ethan stood in front of Summer and looked at me with open disgust. Even after six months of careful attention and constant attempts to make it up to me, I had never forgotten that day. I smiled faintly. When I opened my eyes again, my face had gone soft. I took Lily into my arms and gently touched her little cheek. "I'm not going to hurt myself anymore. "And I won't let any outsider damage what I have with my daughter. "From now on, she and I only have each other." When I looked up, I met Ethan's dark expression.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ethan Cole was holding Lily's little coat.

We had taken her back to my hometown when she was six months old.

One of the older relatives told him about an old custom: if parents went door to door collecting scraps of fabric from many households and sewed them into the lining of a child's winter coat, a blessing coat, it would bring the child health and a long life.

My hand was still injured then.

I couldn't do delicate needlework.

I lowered my eyes, disappointed.

Then I shook my head at him.

"It's okay.

"Even without the coat, I'll protect Lily and make sure she grows up safe."

That night, Ethan drove out through the snow.

He bought an entire carload of gifts and visited house after house, exchanging them for small pieces of cloth.

The CEO of Cole Group sat in a dim country room and stitched the lining by hand, one piece at a time.

Back then, I still believed our marriage might be saved.

Now Ethan silently helped Lily into the little coat.

He really was different from before.

When I first met him, Ethan was notorious for never staying with one woman for long.

On one business trip alone, his assistant returned with three suitcases of skincare products meant for different girlfriends.

But now he knew to test Lily's milk against the inside of his wrist.

He curled her tiny fingers carefully when dressing her.

Once, when she developed a low fever, neither I nor Gail, her nanny, noticed right away.

Ethan did.

He ended an online meeting immediately and drove her to the hospital himself.

These were the things I once prayed for.

Now that I had them, I didn't want them anymore.

After Lily was dressed, I stepped back, leaving half an arm's length between us.

Ethan frowned.

His voice was low.

"Jenna, how long are you going to keep punishing me?

"Are we going to spend the rest of our lives doing this to each other?"

I lowered my eyes.

"I'm not trying to punish you."

His brows tightened.

He couldn't understand how the woman who once tore herself apart just to keep him had suddenly become so calm.

"If you're angry, say it.

"Yell at me.

"Blame me.

"Keeping everything inside will make you sick."

I shook my head, and I didn't understand him either.

"I'm not angry.

"I'm not holding anything in.

"I was too impulsive before.

"I won't make scenes anymore.

"And I won't go after Summer or hurt her again.

"You don't have to worry."

Ethan's eyes were bloodshot.

"Jenna, you weren't like this before.

"Are you still punishing me for what happened six months ago?"

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11 Chapters
Chapter 1
Ethan Cole was holding Lily's little coat.We had taken her back to my hometown when she was six months old.One of the older relatives told him about an old custom: if parents went door to door collecting scraps of fabric from many households and sewed them into the lining of a child's winter coat, a blessing coat, it would bring the child health and a long life.My hand was still injured then.I couldn't do delicate needlework.I lowered my eyes, disappointed.Then I shook my head at him."It's okay."Even without the coat, I'll protect Lily and make sure she grows up safe."That night, Ethan drove out through the snow.He bought an entire carload of gifts and visited house after house, exchanging them for small pieces of cloth.The CEO of Cole Group sat in a dim country room and stitched the lining by hand, one piece at a time.Back then, I still believed our marriage might be saved.Now Ethan silently helped Lily into the little coat.He really was different from befo
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Chapter 2
Six months already felt like another lifetime.The day my water broke, Ethan was away on business.I was baking cookies at home.I had made a little cookie version of Ethan, a little one of me, and a tiny baby between us.Halfway through, my water broke.I called Ethan again and again.His phone was busy every time.By the time I reached the hospital, the baby was almost here.Before they took me into delivery, I gripped Nora's hand."Call Ethan."I want him there when I come out."She nodded through tears.I spent three hours in labor.He didn't come. Not that day, and not once during the week I spent recovering in the hospital.When I finally tried walking again, dizziness nearly knocked me over.I threw up in the bathroom and had to lean against the door afterward just to breathe.That was when I heard Diane, my mother-in-law, out in the hallway, scolding Ethan over the phone."What kind of husband are you?"Your wife nearly died giving birth to your child."What
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Chapter 3
There was no comfort in his face, no worry, only irritation.Ethan frowned."Jenna, Summer worked hard on this exhibition."She put months into it."Don't make a scene here."I stared at him.Tears came before I could stop them.For one second, the anger in his expression weakened.Then he grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside.He opened the car door and pushed me into the back seat.When I tried to get past him, he took my phone."Ethan, have you lost your mind?"Don't tell me that while I nearly died giving birth, you were here helping your mistress put on an art show.""Watch your mouth."He shoved me back into the seat.Then slammed the door and locked the car.My head struck the door.Pain twisted through my lower abdomen.The world tilted.I forced myself upright and pulled at the handle."Ethan."Let me out.""Two hours."He looked at his watch."Summer's exhibition ends in two hours."After that, I'll drive you home."His eyes were cold."Jenna, unl
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Chapter 4
After I left the hospital, Ethan really did settle down.For two months, he stayed home with me.I stopped worrying about all the other women who used to orbit him.I knew I might never have another child.But every time I looked at Lily, I told myself the three of us were still a family.Then came Lily's christening.The Cole family treated it like a major occasion.That was the day I saw Summer Bell again.She wore a white dress, elegant and composed.Her arm was linked through Ethan's as she handed me a carefully wrapped gift."Congratulations on your daughter."Ethan sent me pictures of her."I used them as reference and added a little imagination."I hope you like it."I looked down.The framed portrait was beautifully painted.But the baby in it didn't look like me.She looked like a child Ethan and Summer might have had together.Summer had even added the same tiny beauty mark near the baby's brow that she had herself.For the first time, Ethan picked Lily up
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Chapter 5
That was Ethan's final sentence on our marriage."My mother will take care of Lily."I won't let my daughter grow up to become like you."Then he placed a thick divorce agreement on the table.His signature was already on the last page.The paper had begun to yellow at the edges.He had prepared it long before that day.He had only been waiting for the right moment."I won't sign."I tore the agreement apart.Ethan watched without expression.He picked up Lily, took Summer with him, and walked out.Then he locked the room from the outside."I'll transfer this house into your name."Stay here and think."When you're ready to sign, we'll go finalize it."His voice came through the door."Jenna, we were married once."Don't make me drag this out because you refuse to let go."Lily's crying moved farther and farther away.I collapsed against the door.I begged.No one answered.I don't know how long passed before I smelled smoke.Then came a dull sound.Gray smoke
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Chapter 6
"I tore up the first agreement."Please prepare another one."Ethan's hand trembled.Soup spilled onto the sheet.He hurried to wipe it.Even after he dried the spot, the stain remained."Leave it."A nurse can change the sheet later."My throat was still rough from the smoke.I couldn't get out of bed yet.I wanted a mirror.Instead, I touched the bandage near my temple.There would probably be a scar.My injured hand had also been wrapped again.It still hurt.I could barely use it."My fault."Ethan sounded gentle."I wasn't holding the spoon properly."He tried again."You used to say you wanted to taste something I cooked."I got up early and had Rosa teach me."At least try it."I opened my mouth.The chestnuts were soft.The soup was cooked perfectly.It tasted good.But everything in my mouth still felt bitter.I started to mention the divorce agreement.Ethan interrupted before I could finish."That fire terrified me."Everyone else had gotten ou
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Chapter 7
While I was in the hospital, Lily stayed at home with Gail.By the time I was discharged, she had already grown a little.Her big round eyes studied me as if she barely recognized me."Mommy probably isn't pretty anymore, huh?"Did I scare you?"I held her close.She stared at me with bright eyes.She didn't cry.Ethan packed my things and asked Rosa to make the food I liked."There's a new nursery upstairs."Come see it."I carried Lily up.There was no trace left of Summer's design.Even the color palette had been changed to soft lavender, my favorite.Lily loved her new crib.A little mobile hung above it.She watched it happily.The workmanship was clumsy.Rosa appeared behind me."Mr. Cole made that himself."He said he was worried about store-bought materials."He spent a long time in the study following tutorials."Then she added gently, "Mrs. Cole, he's really different now."I smiled bitterly.He was.But he had changed too late.I no longer wanted wh
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Chapter 8
He started explaining immediately."Jenna, this isn't what it looks like."I ended things with her."I told you I'm going to stay with you and Lily.""It's okay."I cut him off.My voice was calm.My face too."I'm not angry."I'm not going to make a scene."That frightened him more than rage ever had.He hurried toward me and wrapped both hands around my wrist, as if I might disappear if he let go."Jenna, what's wrong with you?"Believe me."There really wasn't anything just now.""I believe you."I let him hold my hand.The burn scars across the back of it were impossible to miss.My expression never changed.For once, Ethan was the one who looked unstable.His eyes fell to the scars.He released me like he'd been burned himself.Then suddenly pulled me close.His voice shook."Jenna, I was wrong."I really was."Punish me however you want."Just don't shut me out."You weren't like this before."He looked almost desperate.I smiled faintly."Didn't yo
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Chapter 9
I turned my eyes away.Guilt flashed across Nora's face."Jenna..."You didn't see anything just now, right?"I shook my head."I was playing a game on my phone."What did you see?""Nothing."She forced a bright smile."I was just thinking about how long it's been since we shopped together."Today, we're buying everything."And I'm finding you a beautiful dress."She kept her promise.We bought far too much.My hair had gone dull from months of neglect, so she took me to the salon she trusted most and pulled out her VIP card before I could protest.After that, we went to a cosmetics counter.While applying foundation, the makeup artist noticed the burn mark at my temple."We just got a new concealer that's very good for this."Would you like to try it?"I looked at myself in the mirror, then nodded.When my makeup was finished, Nora handed me a red dress."Jenna, your skin is so fair."Red always looked incredible on you."You used to love bright colors."Try i
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Chapter 10
When I passed the study, something made me go inside.I opened Ethan's computer.The digital copy of the divorce agreement was still there.I printed it.Then I used his fountain pen to sign my name.When I returned to the bedroom, Ethan was sitting on the bed waiting.He patted the space beside him."Come on."I paused it for you."Now you won't miss anything."Years ago, we used to watch cartoons together.Once, I asked him to pause an episode while I went to the bathroom.When I came back, he'd already finished it."Why didn't you wait for me?"I asked, hurt.His face had been cold."Why should I?"My time matters too."He had never slowed down for me, never shown me the softness I wanted.And I had loved him stubbornly for years anyway.Now I stood in the doorway and looked at him with perfect calm."Ethan."I want to go back to my hometown for the holidays.""Okay."He agreed immediately.He probably didn't remember how many times he had refused before.B
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