LOGIN“Damn it!”Ethan slammed his fist against the steering wheel again. The horn blared loudly, sharp and jarring, as his hand hit it by accident—but he didn’t care if anyone else was disturbed.He drove faster than usual, impatience evident in every movement. More than once, he cursed under his breath at other drivers—anyone who seemed too slow or even slightly in his way.By the time he reached the house, his steps were heavy as he stormed inside. The front door swung open harder than usual, bouncing once before shutting with a loud thud.The calm in the living room shattered instantly.Valencia, who had been sitting on the sofa, turned quickly. “Ethan?” She frowned at the look on his face. “What happened?”Anna, seated not far from her, also looked up. Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, startled by his sudden arrival.Ethan didn’t answer right away.He shrugged off his coat with a rough motion and tossed it onto the nearest chair. His jaw was tight, his breathing uneven. Ther
Ethan pulled the document from his coat and placed it on the table. “Don’t pretend you don’t know, Auri. Explain this.”Auri glanced at it briefly.The divorce filing.Just as Ms. Collins had said—Ethan had received it.“My intention is already clear. What else do you want to know?” she replied shortly.Ethan let out a short laugh. “So this is your decision?”Auri looked straight at him. “Yes.”No hesitation. No long explanation.And that made something inside Ethan snap again.“You didn’t even discuss this with me?” he demanded.Auri exhaled softly. “What for?”The question made him pause—but not out of surprise.This time, it stung.“Auri,” he said, his voice lower now, but far more pressing, “this isn’t something trivial.”“I know.”&l
The glass door of Nocturne Florist swung open with a forceful push, the bell above it ringing sharply—too sharp for what had been a calm afternoon.“Auri!”Ethan’s voice echoed through the shop, sharp and charged with emotion.Several customers turned at once. A woman who had been smelling a rose startled so badly she dropped it. A couple near the tulip display exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unsettled by the sudden intrusion. Even a mother with her child quickly pulled the little one closer, instinctively stepping away.“Where is Auri?!” Ethan’s voice rang out again, louder this time.The warm, peaceful atmosphere of the shop instantly shifted into something tense. Whispers began to ripple through the room.“Who is he?”“Why is he yelling?”“This is a flower shop, not a place for a scene…”Behind the counter, Gia looked up in shock. T
The meeting room door shut firmly behind him.Ethan didn’t care about any of it.As far as he was concerned, he was doing exactly what needed to be done. Every decision he made, every policy he enforced, he believed he could stand by all of it.Or at least… that’s what he kept telling himself.He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. The city stretched out beneath him, busy as ever—cars moving in steady streams, people rushing from one place to another, life continuing without pause.But he wasn’t really seeing any of it.His gaze was distant. Empty.A week.It had been a full week since he went to his wife’s flower shop. Even though it ended with him being thrown out, Ethan had still believed—at least a little—that she would reach out.A message. A call. Anything.But nothing came. Not a single word from Auri. Not even the smallest sign that she was still
A week has passed.That morning, Nocturne Florist was once again filled with the fresh, soothing scent of flowers. Sunlight streamed through the glass display windows, casting a soft glow over the neatly arranged bouquets on the worktable. Everything looked calm—almost like any other day.But for Auri, nothing felt the same.Now and then, her routine was broken by regular check-ups for her pregnancy. Thankfully, there was nothing to worry about. In fact, according to Dr. Austin, her condition was excellent. The baby was developing well, and Auri’s emotional state had grown steadier.With proper nutrition and the way, she carefully took care of herself, her pregnancy no longer felt as exhausting as it had in the first trimester. Even her work at the flower shop didn’t burden her—though Gia still didn’t hesitate to scold her whenever Auri pushed herself too far.Like now.Auri stood by the table, adjusting the ste
Her voice remained calm—but there was something fractured beneath it.“I was never truly kicked out,” she continued. “No one ever said it outright.”Auri met Ms. Collins’s gaze.“But slowly… I was pushed aside.”Ms. Collins stayed silent, allowing her to continue.“I was still living there. Still in that house. But every important thing… no longer involved me.”Auri took a deep breath. “And the most painful part…” She paused briefly. “I actually started to think maybe I was the one at fault.”The words came out softly, like a confession she had been holding in for far too long.“I tried to understand. I tried to be patient. I tried to see everything from Ethan’s perspective.” She exhaled, frustration seeping through. “But it was all pointless.”“What made you realize that?” Ms
“Where did she go?” Ethan muttered under his breath.He had tried calling Auri again, but not a single call had been answered. Even the last time he dialed her number, all he heard was the cold, impersonal tone of voicemail.Since Auri left, the house felt different. Quiet. Not the peaceful kind of
Anna’s voice.Auri’s brows immediately drew together. She had no intention of opening the door, but the knock came again softer this time, almost hesitant.With a long breath, she opened the door halfway. “What is it?” Anna stood there with a gentle smile. He
Auri let out a slow breath. “Good grief. You’re right beside her—why don’t you ask her? Or is she afraid to tell you?”“Auri!”“Don’t yell at me!” Auri shot back, her voice sharp with restrained anger. “How dare you r
Ethan turned sharply. “Mom?”But Valencia didn’t look at him. Her eyes remained fixed on Auri. “To be honest, I’ve felt for a long time that the two of you weren’t suitable for each other.”There was a brief pause before she continued. &ldqu







