Chapter 1

Because Ethan once told me, “I’ll take care of you,” I—an A-list actress at the height of my career—was forced to become a full-time housewife.

In the third year of our marriage, I went through an embryo transfer alone at the hospital. That same day, he was sitting in a theater watching another woman perform onstage.

When we divorced, he was certain I would regret it.

But at the awards ceremony where I won Best Actress, he knelt before me with a bouquet of roses and said he wanted to pursue me all over again.

The man beside me asked:

“Mr. Cole, are you trying to win back my girlfriend? Because I’m afraid I can’t allow that.”

Today was the day of my embryo transfer, and I came to the hospital alone.

The doctor couldn’t help asking, “It’s such an important moment. Why isn’t your husband here with you?”

I gave a bitter smile. “He’s busy with work.”

The doctor sighed. “Having a baby is a matter for two people. How could he let you face this alone?”

Of course I wished Ethan had come with me.

But he’d said his schedule was packed. He had already signed contracts with other people, and breaking them would cost him a fortune.

After the procedure, I felt a sharp, needle-like pain in my lower abdomen.

I sat outside the examination room and sent Ethan a message.

【Honey, the transfer is done. We’re going to have a baby soon. I’m so excited!】

I left the chat and opened Instagram. After searching for “Ethan Cole,” I found a new post in his fan community.

【I went to see a dance performance and unexpectedly spotted my idol, Ethan Cole, in the audience! We even took a photo together. I’m so happy! Today was a successful day of fangirling!】

Attached were two pictures. One showed the fan with Ethan. The other was a photo of the performance ticket.

I was confused.

He couldn’t spare even two hours to come to the hospital with me, yet he had time to watch a dance performance?

I searched the name of the show printed on the ticket and discovered that the lead dancer was Chloe Lane.

She was a professional dancer who had won first place on a televised dance competition the year before.

Ethan had performed at an awards show once, with Chloe as one of the backup dancers. I’d seen her during rehearsals.

Something seemed to clench inside my chest.

I searched for Chloe’s Instagram account.

Her newest post had been uploaded ten minutes earlier.

【He said the way I shine onstage completely captivates him!】

The photo had been taken from the audience.

I scrolled down.

【He said this dish is called “Two Hearts Holding Hands.”】

The thing that had been clenching inside my chest sank completely.

That was the dish I had invented for our first wedding anniversary.

I had come up with the name myself.

Ethan had begged me to teach him how to make it. He’d promised that he would cook it for me in the future—and only for me.

Now he had made it for another woman.

I kept scrolling.

The posts about him began a year and a half ago.

As I looked through hundreds of sweet memories the two of them had shared, my finger trembled against the screen. My vision gradually blurred.

I looked up and stared blankly around me.

The person on my left was fanning herself with a little promotional fan.

The person on my right held a palm-sized electric fan.

Maybe the breeze from both sides was too strong. Goose bumps rose across my skin.