Chapter 5

[Honestly, we have you to thank for it. Remember when I was rejected at that movie audition and wanted to get plastic surgery? You took me to Ethan's clinic for a consultation.]

[You two were on the verge of breaking up back then. I felt so bad for him. He was this brilliant, handsome man being taken for granted by someone as ordinary as you. I comforted him, and after a while, he agreed to see me privately.]

I stared at the screen, my mind racing back to that time.

Ethan was always so busy.

So busy he forgot my birthday, forgot our anniversary, and blew off the vacation we had planned for months.

I had cried and screamed at him, "I understand you're busy! But couldn't you have told me earlier that you couldn't make it?"

"Why did you let me get so excited, only to cancel on me at the very last second?"

"Am I not even worth a two-minute phone call to explain?"

Ethan's response was always silence.

That time was no different. In a fit of rage, I threw the flowers he brought in his face and demanded a break up.

I blocked his number.

Then, Chloe came to me crying, saying she was deeply insecure about her face and wanted to get some work done. She asked if I knew any reliable plastic surgeons.

The only person I could think of was Ethan, who was already making a name for himself in the industry.

Stupidly, I brought Chloe to his clinic.

Ethan was completely professional during the consultation, outlining a few procedures for her. But I distinctly remembered Chloe complaining about his "terrible, rigid aesthetic" the entire ride home.

That night, Ethan came to my apartment to beg for my forgiveness.

He also warned me to stay away from Chloe.

He didn't give me a reason. Furious, I threw his flowers at him again, accusing him of trying to ruin my only friendship.

Because of my defense, he began interacting with Chloe out of spite.

In the end, I was the only clown in their game.

I didn't sleep at all that night. I packed every single thing belonging to Ethan into boxes and stacked them outside my door.

When I heard a loud knock on the door the next morning, I thought it was the junk removal service.

But when I opened it, I was met with Ethan's furious, pale face.

"When did you find out about the baby?"

He grabbed my collar tightly, his cold voice trembling with a hint of panic.

I was stunned. "What baby?"

"Where did you hide Chloe and my child? Claire, how can you be so vicious? If you want something, just say it to my face! Why do you have to play these disgusting, underhanded games?!"

A loud ringing echoed in my ears, and my vision went blurry.

The man who had promised me we would live a child-free life had a baby with someone else.