"Forgot, did you?"
"Then do you remember when things started falling apart between you and her?"
I looked at him calmly. "Do you remember what you said to me when I confronted you after your disgusting mistake that night?"
The living room went silent. The faint scent of vetiver in the air dragged both of us back in time.
Lila was a college student Ethan met on a business trip to a rural town two years ago. Her parents were trying to marry her off to the village chief’s son and she cried all the way to the university, begging someone to help. The desperation in her eyes had left a mark on Ethan.
So the billionaire president brought her back, placed her in a top-tier university near our home, bought her a house, gave her a luxury car and handed her a black card for pocket money.
Gradually, Ethan and Lila grew closer and closer—while he drifted further from me and even from our son.
Then one night, after working late, Ethan returned to the wrong house.
When I found out, he dropped to his knees and kept yanking my hand to slap him.
"I’m sorry, Annelise. Blame me. I drank too much that night. I forced her..."
"I swear it was just that once. I won’t see her again. When she graduates, I’ll stop funding her."
Then Lila got pregnant.
I smirked. "Ethan, tell me—if you only slept with her once a year ago, how is she eight months pregnant now?"
"Did medicine advance without me knowing? Can ovulation be delayed by two to four months now?"
"Enough!"
Ethan’s face twisted with anger.
"I’ll explain everything later."
"Where’s Charlie? Why didn’t you bring him back? It’s just diarrhea. Did he really need to stay in the hospital this long?"
The mention of my son sent my heart into a freefall.
I took the folded death certificate and divorce agreement from my bag, dropped onto the foyer bench, completely drained.
"He’s being cremated in three days."
"Take some time off to come with me—and finalize the divorce."
Ethan took the papers and stared at me.
Then, to my disbelief, he actually smiled.
"What timing."
He let the documents slip from his hands. They fluttered to the floor.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t expect diarrhea to be fatal."
"I know you’re sad, but Lila is giving birth in three days."
"She’s thoughtful and grateful. We’ve agreed she’ll hand the baby over to you to raise. You can continue as Mrs. Fletcher. There’s just one condition: Lila wants to visit the child often."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Ethan Fletcher! Are you even human?!"
My voice rose so loud that it startled Lila awake from the bedroom.
Ethan frowned, annoyed.
"Keep your voice down. Lila’s resting with the baby."
There was a soft clatter.
Ethan turned his head, his eyes cold.
"Feel better now?"
"Next time, don’t joke like that. Who says someone’s dead just like that? Dragging Charlie into your drama? Aren’t you afraid he’ll learn your bad habits?"
So that was it. He didn’t believe the death certificate.
Exhausted, I picked up the divorce agreement, walked to the coffee table and watched him sign it in one cold stroke.
