Turning around suddenly, I find myself a stranger

I fought my way up from the streets with him, turning him from a low-life thug into a feared crime boss.

But then he decided my hands were too bloody and fell for a poor college girl who worked as a waitress at a karaoke bar.

The day I left, he knelt in the pouring rain and broke his own hands, begging me not to go.

I was moved. I decided to give him three more chances.

He lit up the entire city with fireworks and gave the girl a huge sum of money to disappear.

But on the way home, we were caught in a shootout. He pushed me in front of him, using me as a human shield to protect her.

When I woke up, the first thing he said to me was, "She's not like you. She's innocent, a blank slate. I was afraid a scene like that would traumatize her."

He kept her by his side as his "assistant," and even let her hang up on my brother's desperate call for help.

My brother was caught in the crossfire and tortured to death by his enemies.

In the morgue, his face was a mask of cold indifference. "It wasn't her fault. And she saved my life once. Let's just let it go this time."

"After your brother's funeral, I promise, I'll send her away."

But I was done waiting.

My brother's funeral lasted for three days. Ethan never showed up.

The only sign of him was a hundred-dollar transfer with the note "condolences."

It was only after the funeral was over and I had returned to our villa that he finally appeared, a court summons in his hand, his face a mask of rage.

"Vera, you're filing for divorce? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Is this because I didn't come to your brother's funeral?"

"I told you, Cora has been sick. The living are more important than the dead..."

"Enough!"

I had been by his side for ten years.

But in that moment, I realized I had never really known the man I shared my bed with.

His face was a storm of emotions, a flicker of panic in his eyes.

"Vera, there's nothing going on between me and Cora. You're the only wife I'll ever have. I'm not divorcing you. Don't even think about it."

He ripped the papers to shreds.

Cora, who had been standing behind him, shot me a look of pure venom. "Ethan, don't get so worked up. You'll upset the baby."

Her voice was full of a cloying concern, but her eyes were a triumphant challenge.

He looked away, avoiding my gaze.

A baby. And he still claimed there was nothing going on?

A bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. "Ethan, since you're already a father, let's just end this."

His face contorted with rage. "Vera, that's enough."

"If you could have children, I wouldn't have had to go to someone else! You can't be so selfish as to expect me to be childless for the rest of my life because of you!"

His words were like a physical blow.

Five years ago, he had been betrayed by one of his own men. They had ambushed us on the day of our wedding photoshoot.

I had thrown myself in front of him, taking several bullets. One of them had lodged in my abdomen, leaving me unable to ever have children.

I knew how much he wanted a family, so I had tried to call off the wedding.

But he had refused. He said that I was more important to him than any child.

And now, he was calling me selfish.

Seeing the look on my face, he must have realized his mistake. He quickly tried to backtrack. "Vera, that's not what I mean. I just mean... you can think of Cora's baby as our own."

"If you're willing, we can be his parents."

I just shook my head. "I'm not willing."

His patience finally snapped. "Vera, don't think that just because I love you, I'll put up with your tantrums forever."

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You will always be my wife. So stop targeting Cora."

"She'll be staying here until the baby is born. The master bedroom is hers now. You can move into the guest room."

Cora just smiled at me. "Don't get the wrong idea, 'sister.' I just want the baby's father to be here to take care of me. I don't trust strangers."

Ethan just glanced at me. "Cora doesn't like to sleep in a bed someone else has used. Have a new one delivered."

"And she's a bit of a germaphobe. The room, especially the bathroom, needs to be completely sanitized. I don't trust anyone else to do it. You'll do it yourself."

Seeing that I wasn't moving, Cora put on her best damsel-in-distress act. "Ethan, I think... I think your wife doesn't like me here. Maybe I should just go. I don't want to cause any trouble for you."

His face darkened. "Vera, are you deliberately trying to defy me today?"

"Don't you forget, I'm the one who arranged for your brother's burial. If you don't want him to be disturbed, then you'll do as I say."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Ethan, he called you 'brother-in-law' for five years. He died because of you. And you have the nerve to use him to threaten me?"

A flicker of guilt crossed his face, but he quickly suppressed it. "As long as you don't test my limits, your brother will rest in peace."

"I'm taking Cora to the other guest room for now. I expect the master bedroom to be ready when we come out."

He put his arm around her waist, and they walked into the room next door.

A few moments later, I heard her soft moans. "Ethan... not now... I'm still pregnant... the doctor said to avoid... for the first three months..."

"Don't you want it, Cora? Look at you... you're so beautiful."

"Mmm... yes..."

I just clenched my fists, then let them go. I took out my phone and replied to a text message.

"I've thought about it. I'll join your security company."

Seeing the "Delivered" notification, a weight lifted from my shoulders.

Ethan, I'm done loving you.

I put my phone away and started to pack.

In the photo on my nightstand, Ethan and I were smiling at each other, our eyes full of a love that was now dead.

Maybe it had been dead for a long time. Maybe it had died the first time he had praised Cora, telling me how much she reminded him of the woman I used to be.

I took the photo from its frame and, without a second thought, lit it on fire.

Just as I finished packing, the door to the other room opened.

Ethan walked out, wearing a sexy thong and a silk robe, the hickeys on his chest and neck on full display.

I had bought him that robe, hoping to spice things up.

But he had just called me a slut and said he wasn't some gigolo to be dressed up in such a vulgar way.

And now, to please her, he had become the very thing he had once despised.

He didn't seem to notice the look on my face. "Vera, Cora is hungry. Go and make her something to eat."

Just then, she walked out, wearing a see-through nightgown. "Oh, 'sister,' I'm so sorry. We... we had a bit of a workout. I'm famished."

"Oh, I forgot. You probably haven't had a 'workout' like that in a long time. You've probably forgotten what it feels like."

"Cora, that's enough," he said, his voice a low warning, but there was a hint of amusement in it.

She just pouted. "Fine. I have to be considerate of the poor, lonely wife. I'm sorry, 'sister.' Please don't take it to heart. I promise I won't tell anyone."

He just shot her a playful glare, then turned to me. "Cora doesn't have a filter. Don't take her seriously."

"And Vera, I'm a normal man. You have to understand some things. Just know that you're the one I really love."

I just took a deep breath and walked downstairs.

This last meal... it would be our last supper.

But she wouldn't even let me cook in peace.

When he wasn't looking, she came into the kitchen, a smug look on her face. "Vera, you're really pathetic. We have a child together, and you're still clinging to him."

"Oh, and by the way, when your brother called for help, Ethan was on top of me. He was just too busy to be bothered. So, he was the one who really hung up on him."

"But with a pathetic sister like you, your brother is probably better off dead."

The next thing I knew, my hand was connecting with her face, again and again. "You bitch! You bitch!"

Her words had shattered my last shred of control.

She was a murderer, and I was going to kill her.

She was stunned at first, but then she started to fight back.

I hadn't eaten in days, and the old bullet wounds in my abdomen were still not fully healed.

I was quickly overpowered.

She seemed to know my weak spot. Every kick was aimed at my old wounds.

A dull, throbbing pain spread through me. I could feel the old wounds reopening, my insides turning to mush.

Ethan heard the commotion and rushed in. When he saw the blood soaking through my clothes, a flicker of concern crossed his face.

But before he could even get to me, she started to wail. "Ethan! I just wanted to see if she needed help, and she just attacked me! My face hurts so much!"

His attention immediately shifted to her. "It's all red. Does it hurt? Let me put some ointment on it."

She hesitated for a moment. "But what about her..."

"She started it. She deserves it."

"Vera, you'd better apologize to Cora. Or you're not eating tonight."

As he walked past me, he shot me a look of pure disgust, as if I were a piece of trash on the bottom of his shoe.

A mouthful of blood came up, and in that moment, all the love I had ever felt for him turned to ash.

It took all my strength to pull myself up. I searched the entire villa, but I couldn't find a single first-aid kit.

The housekeeper told me that Ethan had taken all three of them to Cora's room.

I had no choice but to re-wrap the bloody bandages myself.

When I went back downstairs, the dining table was set with an exquisite takeout meal for two. He was feeding her.

I remembered a time when I was sick and had asked him to get me a glass of water, and he had called me a drama queen.

And now, for her, he was playing the devoted nurse.

So this was the difference between love and not love.

Seeing my pale face, he frowned, but his voice was still cold. "It's all your fault. Now Cora has to eat takeout."

"Apologize to her. Now. And maybe I'll forget about this. Otherwise, you can get the hell out of my house."

She, in between bites of steak, put on her best magnanimous act. "Ethan, don't be so hard on her. It's okay if I'm a little inconvenienced, as long as it makes her feel better."

"The ring on your finger is so beautiful, 'sister.' I wish I could try it on."

He just smiled, a fond, indulgent look on his face. "What's so great about something someone else has worn? After dinner, I'll take you to buy a new one, a better one."

But she just pouted. "But I like that one. Of course, if you're not willing to part with it, it's okay."

He immediately started to coo at her. "It's just a ring. What's there to be unwilling about? If you wanted the stars, I'd find a way to get them for you."

"Vera, take off the ring and give it to Cora."

The pain in my body was so intense I could barely stand. "Ethan," I said, my voice a hoarse whisper, "this is our wedding ring."

He just rolled his eyes, as if I were a petulant child. "Stop being so dramatic. It's just a ring. Consider it your apology."

He walked over, ripped the ring from my finger, and gently placed it on hers. "Your skin is so fair, Cora. It looks beautiful on you."

She intertwined her fingers with his, and the two rings clinked together. "Ethan, we look like a real married couple now, don't we? And when the baby is born, we'll be a happy little family."

Watching them, the last spark of light in my eyes died.

This ring... he had designed it himself. He had said that no matter what happened, we would never take it off.

And now, he was the one who had broken his own promise.

But without love, a promise is just an empty word.

I turned and went back to my room.

A few minutes later, she walked in without even knocking. "Vera, I'll give you one last piece of advice. Pack your things and get out. Don't be an eyesore."

"After all, Ethan and I are the real married couple."

She pulled a brand-new marriage certificate from her pocket.

In the photo, Ethan was smiling, a look of pure, unadulterated happiness on his face.

My mind went blank. "That's... that's impossible. We..."

She just sneered. "Impossible? You really think any man would want to be with a barren hen like you?"

"Your marriage certificate... it was a fake from the very beginning. And you actually tried to file for divorce? That's hilarious."

"A fake..."

So that's why he had insisted on registering our marriage while I was in the hospital.

He had never intended to marry me at all.

How absurd. How laughable.

In that moment, even the physical pain went numb.

She had gotten what she wanted. She put the certificate away and went back to her room with him.

Soon, the sounds of their lovemaking filled the air again.

After a long time, I picked up the suitcase I had already packed and walked out of the villa without a second glance.

I looked at the one-way ticket on my phone and smiled.

It was better this way. Less complicated.

But Ethan... this was the last time.

We would never see each other again.