All Chapters of One Paintbrush Ended Our Marriage: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

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

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

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

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

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