Chapter 4

Hearing Ethan use my helpless, lonely reality to blackmail me, my heart went completely numb.

In the past, I worked at a clinic during the day and washed dishes at restaurants at night.

My hands were covered in thick calluses, and every single dollar I earned went toward finding a specialist for his mental illness.

My parents had begged me to walk away, crying because they hated seeing me ruin my health for him.

But I was blinded by love. I refused to let go.

Seeing my stubbornness, my parents had given me their life savings to help support us.

During those days, Ethan was genuinely sweet.

When I came home late from work, he would wait up with a hot bowl of soup, carefully blowing on it before feeding me.

When my cramps got so bad I couldn't move, he would stay up all night, keeping his warm hands on my stomach.

Later, I flew abroad to consult with a brain specialist for him.

Midway through the trip, I received a phone call. My parents had been in a fatal car accident.

I flew back like a madwoman,

Only to find two white sheets covering their bodies in the morgue.

I collapsed on the floor, completely shattered. It was Ethan who held me tightly, rubbing my back as he cried with me.

"For the rest of my life, I will protect you for them," he had sworn.

He said he didn't want a dime of my money.

He bought them the best plots in a beautiful cemetery and accompanied me there every year.

Back then, I truly believed my sacrifice had paid off.

But now, knowing I had no family left,

He chose to stab me in my deepest wound.

I clutched my hospital gown, swallowing the bitter tears.

Just as I was about to scream the truth at him,

Ethan calmly pulled out his phone. The screen showed a notification for the cemetery plot renewal fees.

He looked down at me.

"Your parents' cemetery lease expires next month. They need me to pay the renewal fee."

"If you don't apologize to Chloe today, I will cancel the lease. I will have their urns dug up and thrown into the sewer."

That single sentence shattered my remaining strength.

My parents were all I had left. I couldn't let them be desecrated after death.

The suffocating pain choked my throat.

I slowly lowered my head.

"I’m sorry."

Those two words took every ounce of energy I had left.

Ethan immediately smiled, pulling me into his arms.

His warm breath tickled my ear as he whispered:

"That’s my good girl. Just behave, and we can go back to how we used to be."

His embrace was warm, but it made my stomach turn with disgust.

Chloe, leaning against his other side, spoke up in a sweet, mocking voice:

"Speaking of which, I haven't visited your parents in a long time, Hazel. Let’s go to the cemetery together."

"They were always so nice to me. I want to pay my respects."

I snapped my head up, immediately rejecting her.

"No! I’ll go by myself."

Just the thought of the woman who bullied me standing in front of my parents' graves, pretending to mourn, made me want to throw up. It was a desecration.

Ethan’s grip around my waist tightened.

His gentle tone vanished, replaced by a cold glare.

"Chloe is just trying to be nice. Don't give her that attitude."

Marcus and the other guys quickly chimed in, telling me not to be ungrateful.

They praised Chloe for being so big-hearted and forgiving.

Chloe lowered her eyes, playing the hurt victim again,

Tugging at Ethan’s sleeve as if she didn't want to cause trouble.

I leaned against Ethan,

Watching the strangers walk by the hospital lobby.

My heart was completely dead.