Chapter 2

Ethan froze.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he averted his gaze from mine.

He gave no answer.

I looked past them and saw the massive cardboard box sitting right in the center of Unit 205's living room.

A corner of the box was already torn open, revealing a sleek, brand-new stainless steel finish.

Meanwhile, in my kitchen sink across the hall, freezing cold water was still running over the dishes.

My voice came out as faint as a sigh.

"So, you weren't being careless after all."

Ethan parted his lips, but nothing came out.

Chloe's voice was dripping sweet.

"I just hate doing the dishes. It ruins my hands."

"Ethan felt bad for me. Susan, don't overthink it. We're all family here."

"Tomorrow is Christmas. Why don't you come over for dinner? I mean, I don't have many smart appliances here..."

She dragged out her words intentionally.

Her eyes flicked toward my freezing, purplish hands.

"But at least I have plenty of hot water."

With a dull snap, the skin over my knuckles cracked open in several places.

Pus and blood oozed out together.

My eyes widened in utter disbelief.

"What? You have a water heater here?"

Chloe replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, of course."

I lost every shred of composure, completely breaking down as I hurled the phone at Ethan's guilty face.

The screen flashed with that glaring delivery update.

It felt as if rotten, bitter fruit were shoved down my throat.

"Ethan! After your brother died in that water heater explosion, you were the one who swore you'd never let a single smart appliance into our home!"

"You said it was a trauma, a scar, a constant alarm reminding your family of the loved one you lost forever!"

"And I believed you!"

"So even with this huge belly, I washed the dishes in ice-cold water all winter long! When my hands cracked from the cold, I put on gloves and kept washing!"

"When I had gestational hypertension and the doctor ordered me on strict bed rest, I still dragged myself up to clean up after the whole damn family!"

"I thought I was helping you heal your wounds!"

My chest heaved violently, my voice trembling to pieces.

"And what is this now?"

"Turns out your trauma was cured a long time ago. You just didn't want to install a water heater for me. You just didn't want me using a dishwasher."

"Because I'm not Chloe, so I wasn't worth breaking your rules for. Isn't that right?"

Ethan's expression twisted into something monstrous.

"Stop your damn nonsense! You don't know a thing about what happened to my brother—"

"You're right, I don't!"

I finally screamed, tears bursting out like a broken dam.

"I don't understand how you could sleep with his widow on the very anniversary of his death!"

"I don't understand how you could swear before his memorial picture that you'd never touch smart appliances, while turning right around to buy Chloe the newest high-end dishwasher!"

"And I sure as hell don't understand how you could stand there watching me soak my hands in ice water like an idiot, while worrying that another woman's hands might get rough!"

My accusations struck Ethan across the face like a savage slap.

Yet the faint glimmer of guilt in his eyes vanished in an instant.

A searing, twisting agony tore through my abdomen.

I had to double over and lean against the wall for support.

"Susan!"