Chapter 1
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|Ava|
What would you do if the man you loved since you were fifteen—the man you married, trusted, and gave your everything to—was sleeping with someone else?
Would you scream? Cry? Break things? Or maybe, think of something darker like ending everything, or hurting the people who hurt you?
I thought of all of it. All the pain, all the anger, all the madness. But in the end… I chose to stay silent. I chose to wait. To see if he would come back to me. If he would love me again.
Sleep was impossible. I lay there, wide awake, staring at his peaceful face. He looked so calm, so gentle in his sleep. How could the same lips that whispered love to me kiss another woman? How could the same arms that held me tight touch someone else?
Ethan.
The man I loved.
The man I gave up my family for.
The man I supported through every storm for the last seven years.
And now? He had betrayed me.
Tears gathered in my eyes again. I didn't even wipe them. What was the point?
He stirred beside me, blinked his sleepy eyes open, and scrunched up his face. "What are you doing at morning looking at my face like a freaking crazy?" he said, his voice deep and full of resentment.
He got up from sleep immediately as he disappeared into the bathroom and didn't have any time to look at me.
I stayed in bed for a minute; I couldn't forget what I saw. I thought it was the stress of work and new projects, but I was wrong.
I had gone to his office at night to surprise him for his birthday since he was working so hard for his new project. I brought his favorite cake. I even wore the dress he once said made me look like the most beautiful woman in the world.
But the surprise was mine.
He was fucking her.
Natalia.
His secretary.
He didn't see me; Of course, they were so busy fucking each other that they even forget to close the office door.
I had stood there, frozen, watching my husband my Ethan fucking his secretary. Hearing her laugh. Hearing him call her "baby." I had run from there like I was the one caught cheating.
And now he was here, looking straight into my eyes with so much hate and anguish. After he came from bathroom and saw me still on bed his face become bitter.
"What's for breakfast?" he asked, walking toward the mirror like he was asking maid. "You remember I have that important client meeting today, right?"
I blinked, suddenly realizing I had forgotten about it completely. My mind was mess.
"Oh! Sorry, I'll get on it now. It just slipped my mind," I replied quickly.
Forcing a smile as I tied my hair into a messy bun and rushed to the kitchen but I left the room I heard him whispering, "I don't know for how long I need to endure this stupid face at the very fast morning."
As I cut the vegetables and cracked the eggs, my hands moved on their own. My mind was somewhere else—stuck in that office, stuck with the image of Ethan and Natalia.
I wanted to ask him, scream at him, and throw the plate at the wall and say, "How could you?"
But I didn't.
Instead, I kept chopping, cooking, and thinking.
Why did he do this to me?
Was I not enough?
Did I become boring?
Did he fall out of love?
Was it just a mistake?
Or… was she better?
He walked into the kitchen, hair still damp from his shower, suit perfectly pressed. He looked good—too good. Like the Ethan I used to know. The one I fell in love with before everything fell apart.
I had made breakfast, hoping maybe today would feel different. Hoping maybe we'd talk, even if just for a minute.
He sat down, picked up his fork, and started eating without even looking at me. No "good morning," no smile—nothing.
I stood there, watching him eat in silence. Like a stranger in my own home. Like a maid waiting for orders.
I swallowed my pride and asked, softly, "Will you be late again today?"
He didn't even pause. Just kept chewing.
Then he scoffed. "Do you think I crack million-dollar deals by sitting around and having lunch with my wife all day? I actually work, Ava. I don't have the luxury of lying around at home."
My throat tightened. I looked down at my hands, trying not to let the words sink in.
He laughed a little, cruel and sharp. "Honestly, what do you even do the whole day? Sit here, cook a meal, sweep the floor, and act like you're the victim?"
I said nothing. I didn't know what to say. His words stung, but worse was the way he said them—like I was nothing.
"You think your little kitchen chores are hard?" he went on. "If roles were reversed, and you stepped into my office even for five minutes, you'd probably cry."
I blinked fast, holding back the tears. His words cut deep, but I stayed quiet.
Did he speak like this with Natalia too? Was he this cold to her? Or was he charming, loving… different?
"I'll be home late tonight, and if you want me to at home early then sign the DIVORCE paper. I will come home with wine bottle." he said, grabbing his coffee.
When he left my my heart dropped.
was it dinner with her?
"Then ...." I whispered. "I'll keep some food ready."
"Yeah," he muttered sarcastically. "At least that's something you can do."
And with that, he walked out the door.
No goodbye. No glance back. Just silence.
And I stood there in the quiet kitchen, holding onto my apron like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
And I just stood there… in the quiet kitchen… staring at the door he left through.
Still silent.
Still waiting.
Still hoping… maybe one day, he would come back to me—not just my body, not just our home—but to me… the woman who had loved him when he had nothing.
But deep inside, I knew something was broken.
And no matter how much I stayed quiet…
It might never be whole again.
.....
|Ethan|
As I drove away from home, Staying home now feels like a prison. It suffocates me. I tried not to think too much. Ava smiled at me like she always did like what the fuck? Her normal attitude feels so such a burden like noting happened between us.
It made something twist inside me when I remember the moment —but I pushed it away.
A few minutes later, I saw Natalia standing at the corner where we always met. My heart picked up a little. She looked stunning, as always. I pulled over and unlocked the door.
"Hey, baby," she said with a playful smile as she got in. Without another word, she leaned over and kissed me—deep, slow, hungry.
Our mouths met like magnets, her hands moving up to my chest. I let my tongue slide into hers, and she responded just as eagerly. The familiar thrill rushed through me.
But when her hand started to slide down toward my belt, I stopped her.
"Not now," I said, breathless. "I've got a big meeting today. If I close this deal, it'll take the company to the next level. I can't mess this up."
She pouted a little, her fingers teasing the top buttons of her blouse. "You never let me have any fun before work," she said with a wink.
I smirked, trying to stay focused. "After the meeting, I'll make it up to you. You'll be begging me to stop, and I won't."
She gave me a sultry look that made it hard to think straight, but I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. I've worked too hard for this. I can't let these mess things up.
Natalia leaned back, crossing her legs slowly. "Don't take too long," she whispered. "I've been thinking about you all night."
"So am I "- I wishpered.
Natalia made me feel wanted in a different way. She made me feel powerful, young, like I could escape the stress and pressure of life.
Still, I knew we couldn't walk into the office together. People were already beginning to whisper. One wrong move, and everything could fall apart, my reputation is something should protected.
"We'll go in separately," I said. "Wait five minutes before you follow. You know the drill."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Mr. Professional."
But then she leaned closer, her voice softer. "You like the risk, don't you?"
"Maybe I like the risk," I said, watching her with a grin.
She threw me a sly smile over her shoulder as she stepped out of the car.
I gave her a playful smack on the ass, and she didn't even flinch—just walked away, hips swinging like she knew exactly what she was doing.
.....
To be continued