“Ashley’s our best friend. It’s normal for her to
have a key to our place…”
He stopped suddenly, grabbing the glass of
soy milk from Ashley’s hand.
“Ashley, you can’t drink soy milk! How can
L
you still not remember after all these years?”
Ashley giggled, her voice coy.
“It’s true. Luckily you’re here to remind me.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, like they
were lovers who had spent years together.
I didn’t want to watch them anymore, and
was about to leave when Ashley called out.
“Chloe, I remember you know photography.
Can you take the photos for me today?
I don’t trust the new guy.”
I hadn’t touched a camera since my dad
passed.
<
Whenever I held a camera, I remembered my
dad teaching me, his weakened, unwilling look
at the time of his death.
I couldn’t bring myself to press the shutter
again.
Ethan knew that. He’d locked all my cameras
away, told me not to push myself, that he’d
be there for me until I wanted to pick one up
again.
But he didn’t wait for me to answer. He just
pushed me into the backseat of the car.
“Chloe, you know Ashley gets carsick. We’ll
just have to deal with your sitting in the
back.”
He’d forgotten: I also got carsick.
く
I had barely touched my breakfast and I
almost hurled the whole way there.
When we arrived, Ethan carefully lifted
Ashley’s skirt, bending over to walk into the
studio with her.
I leaned against the car, gasping for fresh air.
“Chloe, the shoot’s about to start. Be good
and take the photos, okay? This is important
for Ashley and Blackwood Media.”
Ethan yanked me inside. I stumbled, almost
falling.
Five years after leaving my camera, the
feeling was foreign and frightening. My hands
shook.
<
I fought back the grief, pressed the shutter
again and again.
During a mid–shoot break, it was just Ashley
and I in the room. She smirked as she flipped
through the photos.
“Chloe, you really are a loser, just like your
dad. You can’t do anything right.”
“Like father, like daughter.”
My nails dug into my palms. I shook, feeling
my anger rising.
“Slap!”
Pain exploded across my face.
Ashley waved her hand, looking down at me,
く
her face full of contempt.
“Chloe, you really have no shame. After
getting dumped, you ran straight to Ethan.
What do you even have to offer? Let me tell
you: your ex and Ethan are both mine.”
“You’re not good enough.”
My head spun.
Ashley suddenly grabbed my hand, slapped
herself in the face with it, and gently fell to
the ground.
She covered her face, and her eyes brimmed
with tears.
It was like she was a totally different person.
<
“Chloe, I didn’t mean that you weren’t taking
good pictures. I just wanted you to try a
different angle, and then take a few more, but
it’s okay if you don’t want to.”
The door opened and Ethan rushed in,
dropping a glass. He ran over to Ashley and
pushed me away. He crouched down,
checking to see how she was.
“Ethan, I’m fine. Don’t blame Chloe, she didn’t
mean to do it. It was my fault, I just lost my
balance.”
“Ashley, you’re too nice. You don’t have to
defend her. I saw everything!”
Ethan helped Ashley up, being as careful as if
she was a glass doll.
<
He held her close, glaring at me.
It was the first time he’d ever been this mad
in our five years of marriage.
“Chloe, apologize to Ashley! I’ve been too
nice to you for the past five years. I’ve spoiled
you and it’s made you into a nasty shrew!”
“You know how important her face is to
Ashley!”
Ethan was furious with me, but he didn’t
seem to notice my red cheek.
I raised my head and looked at him calmly.
“Ashley should be the one apologizing. She brought up my dad. Ethan, don’t you have
anything to apologize for regarding my dad’s
<
Ethan’s eyes flickered with surprise.
“If it weren’t for me, Dad would’ve died even
sooner. Chloe, I promised Dad I’d take care of
you forever, but that’s only if you don’t hurt
Ashley.”
I smirked. I shouldn’t have expected anything
from him.
Everything turned black, and I fell backward.
When I opened my eyes again, I could smell
disinfectant. A nurse was taking out my IV.
“Congratulations, you’re pregnant. Your body
is weak, so you need to try not to be
stressed. Eat well.”
instinctively touched my stomach. For five
<
years I’d wanted a child with Ethan.
I never thought he would come at this
moment.
My phone buzzed. It was a message from
Ethan.
[The doctor said you’ll be fine if you get some
rest.]
[I’ll take you home when you apologize to
Ashley.]
I smiled, feeling weak, and turned off my
phone.
“Ms. Chloe, the doctor has ordered a test.
Please come with me.”
<
veu
al lie
1 Tollowed the nurse, but we stopped at the
stairwell. I was confused when Ashley’s voice
sounded behind me.
“I heard you’re pregnant? I underestimated
you, Chloe. Do you know why you two haven’t
had a child in the past five years?”
I turned around, looking into Ashley’s smug
eyes.
“Because I told Ethan I didn’t want you to
have children.”
“The vitamins he’s been giving you every day
are actually birth control pills.”
Ashley cocked her head, studying my face,
trying to see pain and despair.
<
But I just said, “I see.”
I brushed past her, but as I reached for the
door, I felt a force from behind.
I was pushed down the stairs.
I felt searing pain everywhere. Weakly, I
looked down at the pool of blood under my
stomach.
I was having a miscarriage.
I left the hospital and put the divorce papers
on the bed.
I walked out of the hospital and got in a taxi
to the airport.
A second before I got on the plane, a
<
message from Ethan popped up on my phone.
[Chloe, I can’t believe you haven’t changed.
You still caused Ashley trouble. Do as I say,
apologize, and don’t make me force you.]
I ripped out the SIM card and threw it in a
trash can. I got on the plane.
Ethan, who was watching the sunset on the
mountain with Ashley, suddenly heard his
phone ringing.
