- il y a 2 jours
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00:00...
00:30but he didn't answer.
00:31I texted him,
00:32but he didn't reply.
00:33Finally,
00:33I found the number
00:34of his childhood friend,
00:35Lila Moore,
00:36and called only for Ethan
00:37to pick up.
00:38Chloe Bennett,
00:39please stop calling
00:40and disturbing.
00:41Lila sprained her ankle
00:42and I have to take care
00:43of her today.
00:43Could you stop calling
00:44to bother her rest?
00:45We'll reschedule
00:46our license appointment.
00:47This is the seventh time
00:49we've rescheduled.
00:50So what?
00:51The court is right there.
00:52It's not going anywhere.
00:56My face was expressionless,
00:58but my heart felt like
00:59it was being torn apart.
01:00Are you sure
01:01you want to do this, dear?
01:04The clerk asked me
01:05sympathetically
01:06if I still wanted to proceed.
01:07I nodded gently.
01:11Yes, I do.
01:14I called my best friend
01:16Zoe Parker's brother
01:17and agreed to his request.
01:18After hanging up,
01:20I told the clerk
01:20to give me a moment.
01:24Just as I was still stunned,
01:25Zane arrived.
01:26As he rode a matte black
01:28Harley-Davidson motorcycle
01:29and stepped inside
01:30wearing his helmet,
01:31he immediately caught
01:32the attention of many people.
01:42on my new thing.
02:00I don't know.
02:02I'm not going to be too anxious.
02:05Do you understand now?
02:07Are you willing to enter into a sham marriage with me
02:09just to deal with the family problems?
02:11I nodded faintly.
02:12Truth be told, it was not merely to evade family pressure to get married.
02:16The core reason for this marriage was to ease my grandfather's worries
02:19before he passed away.
02:20Grandpa Arthur's health had rapidly deteriorated half a year prior.
02:24He stayed in the general hospital every single day,
02:26and every time he saw me, he would keep asking when I planned to marry.
02:30When will you get married?
02:33I want to see you in a wedding dress
02:36and witness you walk down the aisle with my own eyes.
02:41That way, even if I'm gone,
02:44there will still be someone to love and cherish you.
02:48Yes, I'll get married as soon as possible.
02:53That was why I had been pressing Ethan to marry me starting half a year ago.
02:57We'd made intermittent trips to the courthouse seven times,
03:00yet every single attempt ended in failure for one reason or another.
03:04The last time, Lila got her period and suffered severe menstrual cramps,
03:08so he had to rush home to buy her hot cocoa.
03:11The time before that,
03:12Lila locked her car keys inside her vehicle
03:14and couldn't get back home,
03:16so he needed to deliver a spare set of keys.
03:18The occasion prior to that,
03:20Lila grew hungry and craved Quincy's lobster rolls,
03:23forcing him to rush over and queue up for the food.
03:25All seven cancellations were down to Lila,
03:28each time prompting Ethan to abandon me without a second thought.
03:31Ironically, I had given him seven separate chances.
03:34This time around, I was done compromising.
03:37Ethan, I gave you your chances, seven in total.
03:40All preliminary formalities went smoothly when Zane and I applied for our marriage license.
03:46Just as we prepared to take our official wedding photo,
03:49my phone pinged with an incoming message.
03:51It was from Ethan.
03:59Zane shot a glance my way and asked lazily,
04:01Do you want to continue?
04:03I drew a deep breath and replied with an impassive expression.
04:06Yes.
04:07Once all paperwork was finalized,
04:10I said to Zane,
04:11How are you tomorrow?
04:12I have something I'd like you to come with me on.
04:16Please contact me by phone if you need anything.
04:18Who knows, in just a couple of days,
04:20my grandfather might need your help too.
04:25My seven-year romance with Ethan,
04:28four years in college plus three years after graduation,
04:30had ultimately fallen apart.
04:32Meanwhile, I'd gotten married to my best friend's brother
04:35after only meeting him once.
04:37On the ride home,
04:38Ethan messaged me again alongside an attached photo.
04:41The dining table was laden with an abundance of delicious dishes.
04:45Sure enough, upon arriving home,
04:48the table was in a messy state
04:49with every last scrap of food completely eaten up.
04:52Standing nearby,
04:54Lila put on an innocent, pitiful look and spoke to me.
04:57Sorry, sister.
04:58It was all because I was too hungry
05:00and couldn't resist eating first.
05:03Even slow-witted as I was,
05:05I could tell she was deliberately provoking me.
05:08Blood rushed to my head in an instant.
05:10My hands clenched into tight fists
05:12with sharp fingernails digging deep into my palms.
05:15Lila and Ethan had been childhood sweethearts
05:17ever since they were little.
05:18That explained why Lila always occupied
05:21the top priority spot in Ethan's eyes.
05:23In the beginning,
05:24our relationship from meeting to falling in love
05:26had progressed seamlessly.
05:28We rarely argued.
05:30On the rare occasions we did,
05:32Ethan was always the first to back down and comfort me.
05:35He would take full responsibility instantly,
05:37even when the fault wasn't mine.
05:39My best friend Zoe had envied me repeatedly
05:41for landing a man who doted on me as much as Ethan did.
05:45But that envy came to an abrupt halt half a year ago.
05:48Ever since Lila entered the picture,
05:50his affectionate treatment toward me
05:52had shifted entirely.
05:53Chloe, why are you just coming back now?
05:56I remember I reminded you a long time ago.
05:59I was delayed by something on the way,
06:01so I'm back late.
06:02What could be so important that you missed me time?
06:08No problem.
06:09The company asked me to travel to New York on business
06:12and to pack my luggage upon return.
06:15I had no intention of telling him
06:16about my recent marriage.
06:18Now that I'd resolved to leave him,
06:20Ethan was nothing more than a stranger
06:21from that moment onward.
06:23But the second I pushed open the bedroom door,
06:25I was stunned by what met my eyes.
06:27The neatly made bed I'd tidied before leaving
06:29was all rumpled,
06:31and the closet had been ransacked in disarray.
06:33I could overlook all of that,
06:34but the handcrafted Cape Cod lighthouse ornament
06:37my grandfather gifted me,
06:38sitting on the nightstand,
06:40had snapped clean in half.
06:41Tiny shards scattered all across the floor.
06:43I could no longer hold back
06:45and called out Ethan's name sharply.
06:47Who has been in this bedroom?
06:48Who knocked over my things?
06:52It's just a handmade item.
06:53I'll ask someone to put it back together for you later.
06:56I froze for a split second.
06:58That indifferent tone
06:59sounded exactly as if I meant nothing to him at all.
07:02From that single sentence,
07:04I knew for certain Lila was the one
07:05who'd wrecked the ornament.
07:07Only she warranted such blind,
07:09unreserved protection from Ethan.
07:11Was broken by Lila, right?
07:14My calm single line was like tossing a lip match
07:16into Ethan's keg of gunpowder.
07:18Do you have evidence to prove
07:20that it was Lila who broke it?
07:21Maybe it just fell down on its own
07:23because it was not properly installed.
07:24Don't just open your mouth
07:25and falsely accuse others.
07:27Before you say it was Lila,
07:28you should at least present some evidence
07:30or I'll sue you for slander.
07:31I nearly bit through the soft flesh inside my mouth,
07:34the thick metallic tang of blood flooding my tongue.
07:37He really would go to any lengths to shield her.
07:39One casual remark from me
07:41and I was already facing a defamation charge.
07:44But Ethan hadn't always been this way
07:46half a year prior.
07:47I fell head over heels for him on a rainy night.
07:50I was involved in a car crash
07:52and he sprinted all the way to the accident site
07:54without so much as an umbrella.
07:56That refined, well-mannered man
07:58cast aside all restraint that night,
08:00shouting by the roadside
08:01and getting into a physical fight
08:02with the driver who'd hit my vehicle.
08:04What had happened to turn him into this person?
08:07I chose not to escalate the fight further.
08:10Just as Ethan claimed,
08:11I possessed zero evidence
08:12to prove Lila had broken the lighthouse.
08:15I crouched carefully on the floor
08:16to gather the broken fragments
08:18and collected the two separated halves
08:20of the lighthouse figurine.
08:21Brother Ethan,
08:23please don't quarrel with your sister.
08:25It wasn't my doing,
08:26but if you want to blame me,
08:27sister, go ahead.
08:28No one has ever liked me since I was a dild,
08:31so it's only natural
08:32that you don't like me either.
08:35I did it.
08:36So what?
08:38Rage surged through my head
08:40and I shoved Lila away.
08:42Yet before my hands made contact with her body,
08:44she tumbled onto the floor
08:46with effortless ease.
08:47Her gauze-wrapped, injured foot
08:48smacked precisely against the nightstand.
08:51The next second,
08:52Lila burst into tearful sobs.
08:55Sister, I just want to help you.
09:00Before I could process what was happening,
09:03Ethan grabbed fistfuls of my long hair roughly.
09:05He glared at me with a ferocious expression
09:07and piercing eyes
09:08as if he wanted to kill me.
09:10Even if you don't like Lila,
09:12there's no need to hurt her like this.
09:14Besides, she's still ill right now.
09:15With my hair painfully pulled,
09:17I was forced to crane my neck upward
09:19to stare at them.
09:19I didn't touch her at all.
09:21I didn't touch her at all.
09:28You're still lying even now?
09:30Chloe, do you think I'm blind?
09:32I was right behind you
09:33and I saw it with my own eyes!
09:35First you framed Lila
09:36and now you've pushed her down.
09:37How come I never knew before
09:38that you're such a heartless and cruel woman?
09:40You're simply vicious.
09:41My breath caught in my throat,
09:43leaving me unable to utter
09:44a single word of rebuttal.
09:46Nothing I said would convince Ethan at this point
09:48regardless of my explanation.
09:50No excuses now, Chloe.
09:52You're truly a venomous woman.
09:54Ethan stared at me with evident disappointment.
09:57Contrarily, I felt immense relief.
10:00Any last shred of hope I'd clung to for him
10:02was finally gone for good.
10:05How dare you compete against me.
10:08Lila, lifted into Ethan's arms,
10:10shot me a triumphant glance
10:11and mouthed a silent phrase I read clearly.
10:16I staggered to my feet,
10:18catching sight of my burning red cheek
10:19marked by the slap reflected in the dressing table mirror.
10:22The handprint remained sharply defined.
10:24It was plain to see how furious Ethan had been
10:27and how much force he'd used to strike me.
10:29I let out a bitter laugh
10:31and wiped away blood trickling slowly
10:33from the corner of my mouth.
10:34That single slap shattered every last fantasy
10:37I'd once held onto.
10:38I took advantage of his absence
10:40to gather all my clothing
10:41and pack them into a suitcase.
10:43I took every belonging I could carry
10:45and tossed all leftover junk
10:47straight into the trash bin.
10:48Before leaving,
10:50I contacted a real estate agent
10:51and listed the apartment online for sale.
10:54This property belonged solely to me.
10:56My grandfather had purchased
10:58the South Boston apartment
10:59using his pension fund.
11:00I'd originally planned to use it
11:02as my marital home.
11:03Now there was no reason to keep it.
11:05Anything tainted and spoiled disgusted me.
11:09I planned to spend all my remaining time
11:12by my grandfather's side
11:13for his final days.
11:15On our way to the hospital,
11:16Zane and I pre-planned lines
11:18to fool my grandfather.
11:19I'd brought Ethan to visit Grandpa previously,
11:22so Grandpa knew Ethan
11:23was supposed to be my fiancé.
11:24To spare Grandpa unnecessary worry,
11:26I'd asked Zane to pretend to be Ethan
11:28and hide our real marital arrangement.
11:30I never anticipated he and Grandpa
11:33would hit it off so well.
11:34They chatted about life
11:35from Grandpa's younger years
11:36all the way to modern
11:37artificial intelligence technology.
11:40Grandpa was visibly reluctant
11:41to see us leave
11:42when our visit wrapped up.
11:44He held my hand
11:45and patted the back of my palm gently.
11:47It's much more reliable than Ethan's.
11:52Grandpa, did you get it wrong?
11:54He is Ethan.
11:57Your Grandpa here isn't senile yet.
12:01I still know whether it's a person or not.
12:04Grandpa doesn't know
12:06if he can hold on
12:07until the day of your wedding banquet.
12:12Grandpa, don't worry.
12:14We'm easing married
12:15and the wedding banquet is being prepared.
12:17You definitely make it.
12:23I knew it.
12:24It's not that kid Ethan
12:26but Zane Parker, right?
12:27That's a great name.
12:30I shot Grandpa
12:31an annoyed, playful glare
12:32before stepping out of the hospital ward.
12:35Zane waited for me in the corridor
12:36appearing to have just gotten
12:38into an argument with someone.
12:40Stepping closer
12:40I saw his opponents
12:41were none other than Ethan and Lila.
12:43What did my girlfriend do wrong?
12:45I apologize to you on her behalf
12:47but as a grown man
12:48how can you bully a woman like this?
12:50Have you no shame?
12:52If you've done something wrong
12:54you should admit it.
12:54If everyone were like you
12:56what we need the law for.
12:56Just because you're a woman
12:58does that mean you can do wrong?
13:00Ethan and Lila
13:01were left speechless
13:02by his retort.
13:03Ethan spotted me
13:04the moment I stepped into view.
13:06A flicker of panic
13:07flashed across his eyes
13:09yet he quickly suppressed it
13:10putting on a casual front
13:11and hurrying over
13:12to grab my arm to speak first.
13:16Chloe, you came just in time.
13:18Just and I, Lisa
13:18accidentally spilled coffee out here
13:20and he'd you and me claim
13:20that this suit was worth
13:21over a thousand.
13:22You think this is extortion?
13:23Don't you have a sister
13:24who's a lawyer?
13:25let's sue him
13:26for extortion.
13:28Lila nodded
13:29matter-of-factly
13:29without an ounce of remorse.
13:31We will sue him
13:32for extortion
13:33and demand compensation
13:34for our mental damage.
13:36Zane looked at me
13:37with an amused grin
13:38and I couldn't help blushing.
13:41Your friend.
13:44I shook my head immediately.
13:46No.
13:48His clothes are worth
13:49over ten thousand
13:50and the lawyer
13:51you mentioned
13:52is his sister.
13:53With that
13:53I strode out
13:54of the hospital
13:55wanting zero
13:56further interaction
13:57with Ethan.
13:58Whatever negotiations
13:59followed between them
14:00were none of my concern.
14:03In the weeks afterward
14:04Zane busied himself
14:06arranging our wedding reception.
14:09Meanwhile
14:09Ethan texted daily
14:11asking when I'd return
14:12from my supposed
14:13business trip.
14:14I've picked a time
14:15and want to invite you
14:16to go get our marriage
14:17certificate.
14:21I'm busy on a business trip.
14:24It was too late.
14:25I no longer needed
14:26that commitment.
14:28The wedding day
14:29arrived quickly.
14:30I stood inside the church venue
14:31dressed in my wedding gown.
14:33A familiar voice
14:34sounded from behind me
14:35tinged with surprise
14:36and unease.
14:39Chloe, aren't you
14:40on a business trip
14:40in New York?
14:42Why are you here
14:43wearing a wedding dress?
14:44Zane walked over
14:45to my side.
14:46I glanced at him
14:47indifferently.
14:48I had no doubt
14:49he'd long since figured out
14:50my messy history
14:51with Ethan.
14:52Isn't that the man
14:53we saw at the hospital
14:54the other day?
14:54Should we go and have a chat?
14:56If you want to watch
14:56a play today
14:58it can be arranged now.
15:00Ethan sprinted up to me
15:01pointing at me
15:02furiously and roaring.
15:03Chloe, I know it's you!
15:05Stop pretending
15:05you don't recognize me!
15:07What is this game
15:08you're playing?
15:08Leading me on
15:09as your boyfriend
15:10then marrying another man?
15:11Leading you on?
15:13Ethan, how dare you
15:14utter such shameless words?
15:15Since you always choose
15:17Lila over me
15:18I'm granting your wish
15:19You can stay by her side
15:21day and night
15:22from now on.
15:23The sight of Ethan
15:24dragged back memories
15:25of my ridiculous
15:26seven years spent loving him.
15:28Ethan tried to argue further
15:29yet security guards
15:31summoned by Zane
15:31dragged him away forcibly.
15:33He screamed my name
15:34all the while
15:34rambling nonsense
15:35about wanting to marry me.
15:37Zane clicked his tongue.
15:38I didn't expect you
15:39to leave him speechless.
15:40I shot him a cold glare.
15:41Don't mention him again.
15:42The last thing I wanted
15:43was for anyone to link
15:44my name with Ethan's
15:45ever again.
15:46With the disruption removed
15:48our wedding ceremony resumed.
15:50Grandpa was too unwell
15:51to attend in person
15:52but Zoe held up
15:53a high definition laptop
15:54for a live video feed
15:56so Grandpa could watch
15:57every wedding moment.
15:58Unfortunately
15:59Grandpa's health
16:00deteriorated rapidly
16:01as the ceremony went on.
16:03I left the church
16:04mid-wedding
16:04still wearing my bridal gown
16:06after receiving
16:06an urgent hospital call
16:08informing me Grandpa
16:08was on his deathbed.
16:09He'd clung on to life
16:11solely to witness my wedding
16:12and now
16:13his final wish fulfilled.
16:15His breathing grew
16:16shallow and faint.
16:17I sprinted toward the hospital
16:19only to get blocked
16:20by Ethan downstairs.
16:21He grabbed my wrist
16:22with bloodshot eyes.
16:23When you can I dude!
16:24Chloe you cannot marry that man.
16:26He's obviously no good for you.
16:29Let go of me!
16:30I have an emergency
16:31to attend to!
16:32We'll discuss us later!
16:34Luckily
16:34Zane arrived promptly
16:35to hold Ethan back for me.
16:37Zoe pressed the elevator button
16:38and I rode up
16:39to the third floor.
16:40I arrived too late.
16:42Grandpa lay covered
16:42under a white sheet
16:43having already passed away.
16:45The doctor shook his head at me.
16:46I'm sorry you missed
16:47your chance to say goodbye
16:48but your grandfather
16:49departed extremely happily.
16:51It's rare for our medical staff
16:52to see patients
16:53pass away with a smile.
16:57I'd lost my last opportunity
16:58to see Grandpa alive.
17:00I reached out numbly
17:01to touch his cold hand.
17:02Zoe wrapped her arms around me
17:04and whispered comforting words.
17:05Don't grieve too hard Chloe.
17:06You fulfilled his final wish.
17:08and the doctor confirmed
17:10he died happy.
17:11I wiped endless tears
17:12from my eyes
17:13and stroked Grandpa's face
17:14gently through the fabric
17:15of the sheet.
17:16Yes
17:16Grandpa must be overjoyed.
17:19A light drizzle
17:20fell on the day
17:21of Grandpa's funeral.
17:23Zoe held an umbrella
17:24over me
17:24while Zane oversaw
17:25the burial
17:26of Grandpa's ashes.
17:29Don't be too sad.
17:30I nodded my head.
17:31Grandpa had departed
17:32without a single regret
17:33even satisfied
17:34with the hastily chosen
17:35husband I'd found.
17:36I glanced upward at Zane
17:37sprinkling the last mound
17:38of soil over the grave
17:40amid raindrops.
17:41Unable to deny
17:41my heartfelt gratitude
17:43I owed everything
17:44to the brother and sister
17:45who'd stood beside me
17:46through my darkest hours.
17:47Zane
17:48thank you for helping me
17:49fill Grandpa's last wish.
17:51We can file for divorce
17:52paperwork tomorrow.
17:53What's the rush?
17:55Your troubles are settled
17:56but mine aren't.
17:57Leave our marriage
17:58as is for now.
17:59I'll reach out to you
18:00in a few days.
18:01He left immediately
18:02after speaking.
18:02I looked toward Zoe
18:04in confusion
18:04noticing her evasive gaze.
18:07My dad's been
18:08pressuring Zane
18:08into marriage
18:09and he can't find
18:10anyone suitable.
18:11Chloe, help him out
18:12by staying married
18:13to fool our family.
18:14Something felt off
18:15about her explanation
18:16yet I couldn't pinpoint
18:17the problem right away.
18:19Still, Zane had done
18:20so much for me
18:21I couldn't turn my back
18:22on him after his kindness.
18:24Upon exiting
18:24the cemetery grounds
18:25I found Ethan
18:26waiting by the gate.
18:29Chloe
18:30Ethan's grandpa
18:31where he's buried
18:31I should have
18:32paid respects to grandpa.
18:33I had no desire
18:34to converse with him
18:35yet out of respect
18:36for grandpa
18:36I declined politely.
18:38Thank you Mr. Carter
18:39but I'll pass.
18:40Given your relationship
18:40with my grandfather
18:41there's no need
18:42for you to pay respects
18:42at the grave.
18:44I apologize to you.
18:46I didn't know anything
18:48about grandpa's condition
18:49that day.
18:50I just loved you
18:51too deeply
18:52and wanted to win you back
18:53so I stopped you
18:54in the hospital lobby.
18:55Chloe, forgive me.
18:57This time we will
18:58definitely get married
18:59and God will bless us.
19:01You see
19:02I've accompanied you
19:03to visit your grandfather
19:04several times before
19:05and your grandfather
19:06really likes me
19:07when grandpa
19:08is no longer around.
19:09I will be the one
19:10to protect you.
19:12I wondered when exactly
19:13he'd developed
19:14such shameless thick skin.
19:15Ethan had once
19:16carried quiet dignity
19:17and self-respect
19:18never overly arrogant.
19:20Now his presence
19:21filled me with revulsion.
19:23Before I could reply
19:24a black Bentley
19:25pulled up beside us.
19:26Zane climbed out
19:27and pulled me firmly
19:28into his embrace.
19:30My wife doesn't need
19:31you to protect
19:32and grandpa doesn't
19:33like you.
19:34The one he likes
19:35is me.
19:36He acted exactly
19:36like a jealous man
19:37eager to claim
19:38exclusive ownership
19:39of his partner.
19:40Ethan's features
19:41contorted with rage.
19:43His eyes glued to Zane's arm
19:45wrapped around my waist.
19:46Chloe, these wealthy men
19:47only play around for fun.
19:48Don't let him trick you.
19:50He put on an overly
19:51affectionate expression.
19:53Chloe, my sociot.
19:54I'm different.
19:56Seven years of up
19:57and downs together
19:58make you irreplaceable
19:59in my heart.
20:00No matter how you change
20:01my love for you
20:03will never waver.
20:04His empty declarations
20:05churned my stomach
20:06with disgust.
20:07Recalling the day
20:08he'd brutally snatched
20:09fistfuls of my hair
20:10sent a phantom ache
20:11across my scalp.
20:12I sneered at him openly.
20:15Is loving me dragging my hair
20:16and striking me
20:17without hesitation?
20:18Is loving me
20:19slapping my face hard?
20:21Ethan, your version of love
20:22terrifies me.
20:23I want absolutely
20:24no part of it.
20:26My cutting remark
20:27drained the color
20:28from Ethan's face.
20:29Memories of his cruel deeds
20:31flooded his mind.
20:32He stumbled backward
20:33two paces
20:33and nearly toppled
20:34onto the ground.
20:35I almost laughed aloud.
20:37Had he developed
20:37selective amnesia
20:38that required me
20:39to remind him
20:40of his own terrible actions?
20:41How else could he spout
20:42such shameless falsehoods?
20:44Final notice.
20:45I'm selling this apartment.
20:47Move out with Lila promptly
20:48or I'll call law enforcement
20:50to remove you.
20:51Ethan stared at me
20:52in stunned disbelief
20:53for a long moment.
20:54You're selling our home?
20:55I refuse to allow it.
20:57This was meant to be
20:57our marital property.
20:58Where will I live
20:59if you sell it?
20:59Your living arrangements
21:00are none of my concern.
21:01You're a complete stranger
21:02to me now.
21:03Vacate perpollentarily
21:04before I involve police
21:05and create an ugly scene.
21:06I ignored his further protests
21:08and climbed into
21:09Zane's departing vehicle.
21:10Ethan chased the moving car
21:12screaming frantically.
21:13Chloe, we can still get married.
21:15You can't kick me out.
21:16Zane remained in a foul mood
21:18for the entire drive.
21:20Exhausted from days
21:21of emotional turmoil,
21:22I leaned against the car seat
21:24and fell fast asleep.
21:25I woke up inside
21:26a small apartment.
21:27Unable to keep living in hotels
21:29while Ethan and Lila
21:30occupied my old home,
21:31Zoe had arranged for me
21:32to move into Zane's residence.
21:34All my luggage
21:35had already been transported here.
21:37Zoe sat on a nearby sofa,
21:38typing furiously on her laptop
21:40with an angry expression,
21:41unsure what messages
21:42she was firing off online.
21:45Zoe, what are you doing?
21:46Fright at my sudden question.
21:48She slammed the laptop
21:49shut quickly and answered,
21:51Nothing much,
21:51just watching online shows
21:52and leaving casual comments.
21:54I eyed her suspiciously,
21:56but chose not to press further.
21:58Strange incidents started cropping up
21:59over the next few days.
22:01Every time I stepped outside,
22:02passers-by pointed fingers
22:04and whispered gossip about me.
22:08My supervisor called me
22:10into his office
22:10during work hours,
22:12dropping subtle hints
22:13about the online controversy.
22:14After leaving his office,
22:16I searched TikTok and Twitter
22:17to uncover the full truth
22:19someone had launched
22:19a vicious online smear campaign
22:21against me.
22:22I instantly recognised
22:24the account as Ethan's.
22:25Its profile picture featured
22:26a man in an expensive tailored suit
22:28with no face visible,
22:30yet I'd bought that exact suit
22:31as Ethan's 30th birthday gift.
22:33I pieced together
22:34his motives easily.
22:35Unable to accept
22:36being evicted from the apartment,
22:37Ethan painted himself
22:38as an innocent victim online.
22:40He spread lies
22:41claiming I was a gold digger
22:42who abandoned our
22:43seven-year relationship
22:44for a rich husband's fortune,
22:46stole our shared marital apartment
22:47and plotted to drive him homeless.
22:49Hordes of internet trolls
22:50swarmed social media
22:52to harass and cyber-bullying me
22:53shortly after.
22:54Strangers recognised me
22:55on my walk home
22:56and chatted maliciously.
22:58That's the woman right there,
22:59dumped her seven-year boyfriend
23:00without a second thought,
23:01cold-hearted to the court.
23:03Marrying into wealth
23:03is the ultimate win.
23:04Romance feeds the soul
23:06but not the wallet.
23:07I'd pick money too.
23:08Gold digger poster child.
23:10Women like her ruin social morality.
23:12Out of nowhere,
23:13a black cashmere overcoat
23:14draped over my shoulders.
23:16Zayn's stern face
23:17radiated icy anger.
23:21Mind your own business.
23:23Slander is illegal.
23:24One more word
23:25and my lawyer will send
23:26a cease and desist letter.
23:27The onlookers scattered immediately
23:29and Zayn escorted me
23:30safely back to the apartment.
23:32I heard Zoe cursing
23:33and clacking away on her keyboard
23:34before even opening the front door.
23:36These trolls only dare
23:38to show off online!
23:39She closed the laptop
23:40and pretended innocence
23:41upon seeing me walk in.
23:43Don't pretend.
23:44I already know everything.
23:47What?
23:48You knew all along?
23:51It's all Ethan's doing.
23:53He's jealous you married my brother
23:54and wants to ruin you.
23:56I wasn't as fragile as she assumed,
23:58yet her care warmed my heart.
24:00Though certain Ethan
24:01orchestrated the harassment,
24:02I had no immediate solution
24:04to fix the online chaos.
24:05My single attempt
24:06to defend myself online
24:08triggered thousands
24:08more hateful comments,
24:10leading my company
24:11to suspend my job
24:12for a week
24:12pending damage control.
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