After My Husband Cheated, I Fell for My Younger Trainer Chapter 07
Lily asked to meet me on a Wednesday afternoon.
She sent the message from Ethan’s phone.
[Erin, let’s talk.]
She had used my husband’s phone and called me by my first name, a deliberate little display of how close
she wanted me to believe they were. I nearly laughed.
I sent her the address of a café.
By the time I arrived, Lily was already waiting at a table by the window.
She wore a white dress, her long hair falling over her shoulders, her eyes red-rimmed.
The moment I sat down, she lowered her gaze.
“Erin, I’m sorry.”
I ordered a hot latte.
“Save the apology. Get to the point.”
She pressed her lips together, and tears quickly spilled down her cheeks.
“I know you hate me, but I really do love Ethan.”
I lifted my cup and blew across the steam.
“How much?”
My gaze dropped to the gold bracelet around her wrist. Lily’s expression shifted slightly.
“Erin, you don’t have to humiliate me like this.”
“I’m not humiliating you.”
I set down my cup, my voice almost gentle.
“I’m only reminding you that a large part of Ethan’s success was built on my family’s help.”
Her fingers twisted into the fabric of her dress.
“He’s talented. He would’ve succeeded even without your family.”
I smiled.
“Then stick around and find out”
Her tears came faster.
“Erin, I know you’re bitter, but you can’t force love. There’s nothing left between the two of you, so why can’t
you let him go?”
I had heard that argument too many times.
Looking at Lily, I almost felt sorry for her.
She honestly believed what she was stealing was love.
“Lily, how old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
“Twenty-three. Young, pretty, and just starting your career.”
A flicker of pride flashed in her eyes.
“And that makes you think you’ve won.”
She said nothing. She did not need to.
I pulled up the list of Ethan’s recently stalled projects on my phone and slid it across the table.
“Do you know what these are?”
She glanced at the screen, clearly confused.
“These projects were a major reason he had been able to advance over the past two years.”
Then I pulled up the property records, our prenuptial agreement, and the title documents.
“I’m guessing that brilliant man you love never told you any of this.”
Lily slowly went pale.
I took my phone back.
“If you truly love him for who he is, then I wish you both the best.”
I stood and picked up my bag.
“But if what you love is the status and resources he has now, walk away while you still can.”
She called after me before I could leave.
“Erin, you’re only pretending to be calm because you’re afraid he’ll leave you first”
I stopped and turned back.
“You’ve got it backward.”
She stared at me.
I met her eyes. “I’m the one who doesn’t want him anymore.”
When I walked out of the café, Kyle’s car was parked by the curb.
He rolled down the window and waved.
“Erin, over here.”
I climbed into the passenger seat, and he handed me a vanilla latte.
“It’s warm. Light on the sugar.”
I wrapped both hands around the cup and let the warmth seep into my fingers.
“Why are you here?”
“I was worried that woman might give you trouble.”
I smiled.
“She can’t do anything to me.”
Kyle’s expression softened.
“I still wanted to pick you up.”
Partway through the drive, Ethan called.
The moment I answered, Ethan snapped, “Erin, what did you say to her?”
So Lily had run straight to him to complain.
I leaned back in my seat.
“The truth.”
“Do you have any idea how hard she’s been crying?”
I hummed softly.
“Then go comfort her.”
There was silence on the other end for two seconds
When Ethan spoke again, his voice was lower.
“What did you mean when you said you didn’t want me anymore?”
I looked out the window as streetlights passed one after another.
“Exactly what I said.”
His breathing turned heavy.
“Erin, are you really divorcing me?”
Kyle suddenly leaned closer and deliberately lowered his voice.
“Erin, who is it? Do you need me to take the call?”
The other end went completely silent.
I laughed and ended the call.
Kyle kept his eyes on the road, but the corner of his mouth had lifted.
“Was that a little too much?”
I took a sip of my latte.
“Yes.”
He glanced at me.
“Did you like it?”
I caught the expectation in his eyes, and my heart skipped.
“Just drive.”
That night, Ethan lay alone in the master bedroom, scrolling through my social media posts.
The latest one was a photo of the latte.
The caption was only one line.
[I needed something sweet today.]
Kyle was the first to like it, and he left a comment:
[No iced drinks.]
Ethan stared at those words for a long time.
Only then did he realize he did not even know when I had stopped drinking iced drinks.
