All Chapters of No Second Chances, Ex-husband: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

LAUREN'S POV “Who is she, Ethan?” I asked again, louder this time, my voice shaking. Ethan’s eyes darted to the side like he was thinking of what to say. “What are you talking about?” he said finally, blinking like I’d just accused him of something crazy. I pointed at his collar. “The lipstick. It’s not mine, Ethan. So again, who is she?” He looked down slowly, like he was just noticing it for the first time. There it was. That soft pink smudge stood out against his white shirt like a slap to my face. “Oh,” he said, brushing at it. “That? It’s nothing. One of the girls at the office… she tripped or something and bumped into me. Maybe it got there then.” I stared at him. “She tripped? Onto your collar?” He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “It was just a stupid accident, Lauren. Don’t start making something out of nothing.” “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid,” I snapped. He sighed like he was already tired of the conversation. “Here we go again. You always do this. You always

LAUREN’S POV Ethan looked up, his smile dropping fast. He frowned, like he was annoyed. Like I was the one doing something wrong. “What are you doing here, Lauren?” he asked, standing up slowly. He didn’t even look surprised to see me. No smile, no warmth, just those cold, annoyed brown eyes. I held up the USB, my hands trembling. “You left this,” I said, forcing the words out of my mouth. “I told Rosa to bring it,” he said sharply. “Not you. You shouldn't have bothered coming." That was the first thing he said. Not thank you. Not are you okay? Not even a quick lie to pretend he cared about my feelings. No, he was mad that I came instead of the maid. I blinked, staring at him. “That’s what you’re upset about?” He said nothing. Just stood there, his jaw tight. Before I could say another word, the lady sitting beside him spoke. “Ethan… who is she?” Her voice was smooth, soft, almost mocking. I turned to look at her. She crossed her legs slowly, like she was in no rush. Her nai

LAUREN'S POVBeep. Beep. Beep. That was the first sound I heard as I slowly began to regain consciousness. For a moment, I didn’t recognize it. I didn’t recognize anything. My mind was foggy, floating somewhere between confusion and panic. I had no idea where I was, and my body felt heavy, like it had been dipped in cement. As my eyelids fluttered open, a flood of bright white light stung my eyes. I winced and turned my face to the side instinctively. That’s when the smell hit me — antiseptic, sharp and sterile, mixed with a faint trace of something metallic. The beeping beside me became more consistent now, matching the rhythm of my unsteady heart. Then it hit me. I was in a hospital. The moment that realization clicked, I sat up quickly — but instantly regretted it. A sharp, splitting pain surged through my head, forcing a gasp from my lips. My hands flew to my temples as I leaned forward, trying to ride out the wave of pain. It felt like my skull was being cracked open from th