Chapter 4

Chloe shoved me hard in anger. My lower back slammed into the edge of a dining chair, instantly pulling violently at the fresh stitches in my abdomen.

I doubled over, clutching my stomach in agony.

Chloe scowled, her face full of disgust. "Ethan, grow up. Stop playing the victim."

Behind her, Julian hissed, sucking in a sharp breath.

Chloe turned around instantly, her hands gently cupping his face.

She whipped her head back to glare at me. "What is wrong with you? Were you trying to kill him with that punch?"

She then rushed to grab the first aid kit to tend to Julian's face.

I stumbled over to the sofa and collapsed onto it, clutching my stomach. Blood was already seeping through my white t-shirt, but I could only grit my teeth and endure the throbbing pain.

Julian only got a slap on the face, but of course, my torn stitches couldn't possibly compare to his precious cheek.

Julian offered a weak, gentle smile to comfort Chloe. "It's my fault. If I had known Ethan was coming home today, I never would have begged you to spend my first real birthday in five years with me.

"Chloe, thank you. Let me explain to him. It's fine if he hates me, but I can't let him misunderstand you."

Chloe looked at him with teary eyes. "He has a terrible temper. You're the one who's always kind and thoughtful."

For five years, Chloe only ever remembered my birthday if I practically begged her to.

I took a deep, shaky breath, refusing to watch their pathetic Romeo and Juliet act any longer.

I pulled the divorce papers from my bag and tossed them onto the table. "Chloe, let's get a divorce."

"I want a divorce."

Chloe never expected me to initiate a divorce. She rushed over, her face flushed with fury as she pointed a finger at me.

"Ethan, you want to throw our marriage away over a petty disagreement?"

I couldn't hold back my anger anymore.

"You abandoned me right before my major surgery to play house with him! Is that a minor issue? You brought him into the home I built for you!”

“I put you at the center of my universe, and you degrade yourself by crawling back to this parasitic loser?"

Chloe swung her hand to slap me, but I caught her wrist effortlessly.

"Don't you dare speak about Julian like that! He was always better than you! If you hadn't ruthlessly crushed his company when he was down, would he even be this miserable?”

“I always knew you were jealous of him, but I didn't think you'd be so terrified of his success that you'd try to drive him to suicide!"

"I drove him to suicide? Chloe, do you have a single shred of conscience left?"

Every inch of my body ached. Everything I had sacrificed for her had become a weapon she used to tear me apart.

Julian stepped in and yanked my hand away, standing protectively beside Chloe. They looked like a united front.

"Ethan, don't misunderstand. Chloe and I are purely doctor and patient. She cares deeply for all her patients, which is why she watched over me. You should be proud to have such a selfless wife, not berate her."

Looking at Julian's smug face, a wave of rage consumed me. I shoved him hard. "Get out! Get the hell out of my house! You don't deserve to breathe the air in my home!"

Julian fell backward, knocking over a crystal vase. It shattered, and a shard of glass sliced his wrist, sending blood dripping onto the floor. As I grabbed his collar to hit him again,

Chloe wrapped her arms around my back, pulling me away with all her strength.

She fell to her knees, weeping, shielding Julian behind her body.

"Please, don't hurt him! I'll sign the papers! I'll sign them, just don't make me regret this!"

She was kneeling before me for another man. I shook with pain, unable to tell if the agony in my stomach or the shattering of my heart hurt more.

I steadied my trembling body, picked up the signed divorce papers, and walked out.

As I reached the door, Chloe's voice screamed behind me, "Ethan! If you walk out that door, I won't forgive you even if you beg on your knees!"

Is that so? Good. I couldn't care less.

By the time I pushed through the divorce filing process, my shirt was completely soaked in blood.

Right as my vision began to blur, my phone rang.

"Ethan, get to the hospital right now. Your wife was in a car crash. She had a miscarriage, and we need your signature immediately."