Ethan Miller playfully punched her back. “Get lost—who’s whose dad?”
I stood awkwardly to the side.
Only then did Ethan remember to introduce me: “My wife, Sophia Harris.”
Chloe Carter grinned and reached out her hand to me. “Hi, Sophia! Don’t mind us—we’ve been like this since childhood.”
I forced a smile and shook her hand.
Ethan added quickly, “Chloe’s always been a tomboy, loud and careless. We’re really close, but don’t read into it.”
I nodded, trying to adjust to their intimacy. But Chloe kept showing up more and more often.
She would drag Ethan out under the excuse of a “bro hangout,” and even insisted on throwing a bachelor party the night before our wedding.
Every time, Ethan would emphasize, “We’re just buddies.”
But today, Chloe’s words had doused me in cold reality.
Thinking of that, nausea rose in my stomach. I shoved Ethan away, refusing to hug him like before.
The next morning, barking woke me.
I went downstairs and found the side room in chaos.
The table where I had set memorial photos and candles for my parents was overturned.
Their photos were tossed on the floor, trampled with dirty footprints.
Offerings scattered everywhere, while Chloe’s dog gnawed at them.
My blood froze.
All reason vanished.
Like a madwoman, I grabbed a vase and hurled it at the dog.
The porcelain shattered. The dog yelped in pain.
Chloe’s face instantly changed.
She rushed over, scooped up the dog, tears brimming. “Sophia, can’t you even tolerate a dog?!”
I ignored her and slapped her hard across the face.
Ethan came down the stairs just in time to see it.
He rushed forward and shoved me away.
“Sophia! Enough already! How long are you going to bully her?!”
Shaking, I forced out words:
“Can’t you see? My parents’ memorial photos are lying on the floor!”
Ethan only cast a glance, then said coldly:
“That’s still no reason to hit her.”
Chloe chimed in, pitifully:
“Sophia, I know you hate me, but the dog is innocent. It only wanted some food and accidentally knocked things over. Why did you have to be so cruel?”
“Maybe it’s because I’ve been staying here and bothering you. Fine, I’ll leave.”
Ethan’s rage exploded. He yanked me forward and shoved me before Chloe.
“Apologize!”
I sneered, bent down, and picked up the photo from the ground.
My indifference only enraged Ethan further.
He kicked me hard in the lower back. I tumbled down the stairs.
Agonizing pain ripped through my abdomen.
Terrified, I clutched my stomach.
“The baby… my baby, Eth—”
Before I could finish, Chloe flung herself into Ethan’s arms, sobbing.
“Ethan, our baby’s hurt! It’s so little…”
Without a second thought, Ethan scooped up the dog and rushed outside, not once looking back.
I curled on the floor, heart shattering into pieces.
In a haze, I dialed a number. Someone rushed over and took me to the hospital.
Before surgery, the nurse dialed Ethan’s phone for me.
But the voice that came through was Chloe’s.
“I bet you regret marrying Sophia Harris.”
