“What kind of crap are you pulling now?”
Ethan grabbed my wrist, stopping me from
leaving.
I tried to break free, but I couldn’t.
My head was buzzing, I couldn’t hear what
anyone was saying, and then, blackness.
Next thing I knew, I was staring at a white
ceiling. The smell of antiseptic burned my
nostrils.
“Just low blood sugar. Olivia, stop faking it.
Who are you trying to fool?”
<
Ethan lit a cigarette, looking annoyed.
The smoke made me cough.
I was close to tears.
“I’m not!” My voice was hoarse.
“Now that you’re awake, let’s go get this
divorce done.”
Ethan stubbed out his cigarette, crushing it
like he wanted to crush me.
Lily draped her jacket over his shoulders.
“Ethan, calm down. It’s not good for you.”
“Ethan.” That’s what I used to call him.
L
I ripped the IV out of my arm, blood trickling
down.
Ethan frowned. “Olivia, what the hell are you
doing?”
“Nothing!”
Three years in prison had turned me into a
shell. I didn’t have the energy to do anything.
I just wanted to be left alone.
“Save the pathetic act. I can’t stand looking
at you.”
Ethan stood up. Lily glanced at me and
followed him out.
A doctor a handsome guy in a white coat
came to my side.
Sam, Ethan’s buddy.
He gave me a knowing look.
“Is it worth it? Ruining yourself over a man?”
He probably thought I was jealous of Lily, that
I’d ended up in prison because of that.
I wanted to scream that it wasn’t me, I didn’t
do it.
But it wouldn’t matter. No one would believe
- me.
If Ethan wanted a divorce so bad, then fine.
Coming out of the courthouse, Ethan threw
<
the divorce papers at me.
I numbly picked them up.
The red booklet was so bright.
“Ethan, did you ever love me?”
I finally asked.
He froze, like he’d heard a bad joke.
“Love you? You think you deserved it, Olivia?”
No, I guess I didn’t.
But I wanted to hear it from him.
Even if it was a lie, it would be better than
this slow torture.
<
Lily linked her arm with Ethan’s, staking her
claim.
“Honey, let’s go.”
Ethan glanced at me, his face filled with
disgust, and walked away.
I wandered back to the Cole mansion in a
daze to gather my things.
But there wasn’t much to gather.
I’d chased Ethan for a long time, but we
hadn’t been together long before Lily got
stabbed.
I hadn’t been living there very long.
Larabbed a few clothes Then If
<
I grabbed a few clothes. Then I found a ring
in the dresser.
The one Ethan had given me when Lily left
the country.
I had a crush on Ethan since college and
pursued him.
Back then, he was in love with Lily.
Her father and Ethan’s dad were close, and
when Lily’s father passed, he left her in their
care.
They were childhood sweethearts.
After the Coles took her in, Lily, who was
normally stuck up, was not interested in
Ethan
L
Maybe on the day Lily left for Europe, Ethan
thought she would never be interested in him,
so he said yes to marrying me.
It was a simple ring.
I was overjoyed. I treasured it.
It didn’t fit back then, but now, my fingers
were skinny, just skin and bones, so it slid
right on.
So ironic.
But I didn’t want it anymore.
There was a kidney donation agreement in
the drawer, too.
<
I lifted the hem of my shirt, revealing a jagged
scar, like a twisted centipede.
It reminded me that my love for Ethan had
been a joke.
Yes, I had given Ethan a kidney, but he didn’t
know that.
