Chapter 2

I lowered my eyes and didn't argue.

Chloe wasn't wrong.

In five years of dating, Ethan and I hadn't fought all that often.

But every fight had been because of her.

And every time, I was the one who broke the silence.

The sixth fight was over the smart lock at our apartment. Chloe had access to it.

She had a keycode. A temporary door code. Ethan had even added her to the family list on our Ring doorbell.

Even the Nest Hub in the living room had changed its greeting from "Welcome home, Claire" to "Welcome to your new home, Chloe."

Ethan said Chloe had just moved to Seattle, hadn't locked down a rental yet, and was crashing at ours for a few days.

For convenience. That's why he gave her access.

But he never told me.

Never asked me.

Never checked whether I was okay with it. He just informed me after the fact.

We had a huge blowup.

Watching me lose it, he blurted, "Then let's break up," and walked out with Chloe.

That night, he took her to the small apartment he kept for late work nights.

I only found out because Chloe posted it on Instagram.

This time, I wasn't going to smooth things over.

The next morning, I packed up, moved out of the apartment we shared, and left Seattle.

Which meant Ethan still thought we were just giving each other the silent treatment.

Still thought I'd come here to patch things up.

"You're all reading this wrong."

I looked around the room, my voice clear.

"I really did get married. And I really am here to pick up my husband."

The smile faded from Ethan's mouth.

He looked at me, his face darkening.

"Claire, enough."

"If you're going to make something up, at least make it believable. You put on a ring and suddenly you're married? If you came to see me, just say so. You don't need the story."

Chloe jumped right in.

"Yeah, Claire, no one's going to laugh at you for that."

Ethan's face twisted with irritation.

I knew that look too well.

Every time I pushed him about Chloe, that was the face I got.

Then he'd start a fight over her.

Even now, he was convinced I'd come around and beg like I always had.

Even hearing me say I was married, he didn't believe me.

One of Ethan's friends chimed in with a grin.

"Claire, it's been half a year of silent treatment. Time to make up with Ethan, don't you think? Chloe's right. Nobody's going to laugh. We're used to it by now."

"Claire, you're still upset about the door code thing?"

Chloe blinked at me.

"I knew you were mad, so I had Ethan delete it the very next day. He took me off the Ring app too."

She paused, then added, "Don't worry. I didn't actually move in."

She said it like she'd made some huge sacrifice.

"Claire, don't hold it against me anymore, okay?"

She kept going.

"If it really bothers you that much, I can apologize."

She said the word apology, but nothing in her face looked apologetic.

She'd said the same thing before.

Except every time, Ethan cut in for me.

Said she'd done nothing wrong.

Said I wouldn't hold it against her.

Wouldn't stoop to that.

He never bothered asking if I would. He just answered for me.

Same as now.

Ethan glanced at me and said to Chloe, "You didn't do anything wrong. Why are you apologizing?"

"Ethan, you're being mean."

Chloe pouted.

"I'm just trying to help. If Claire actually breaks up with you over this, she'll blame me."

Ethan sighed. "You didn't do anything. Why would anyone blame you?"

Watching them be openly affectionate, I felt nothing.

In Ethan's mind, Chloe was always right.

She'd done nothing wrong, so she owed no apology.

And I was just the jealous, paranoid girlfriend with a dirty mind.

The old me would've fought him on the spot.

But now I just said, "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."