After I Gave My Husband Away, He Begged Me to Stay Chapter 05
That night, I packed just two suitcases.
clothes, documents, my laptop.
I left the pots in the kitchen.
I left the half–dead mint plant on the balcony too.
Megan stood in the doorway watching me pack.
“Claire, don’t go.”
“Noah and I can use the guest room. The primary bedroom can still be yours.”
I wound up my laptop charger.
“Isn’t the district visit supposed to verify that the three of you actually live here as a family?”
Her face…
“They’re just checking the residence.”
“Then make it look real.”
“I never meant to take Ethan from you.”
“Mm.”
“You believe me?”
“Whether you meant to take him or not, he still married you.
Her tears started again.
“Why do you have to say it in the harshest possible way?”
“Because the marriage is real.”
I snapped the suitcase shut.
“You wanted a real legal marriage so Noah could qualify for the school.”
“So I’m treating it like one.”
Ethan leaned against the doorframe, his expression tight.
“Where are you going tonight?”
“Ahotel.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“No.”
“Claire, you’re really dragging two suitcases out by yourself this late?”
“Your wife and her son are moving in for the first time tonight.”
I looked at him.
“Don’t be late.”
His jaw tightened.
“Claire, I know you’re angry.”
“But when this is over, you’ll realize nothing between us has changed.”
“Eight years don’t disappear because of one piece of paper.”
I pushed the suitcase handle down, then pulled it back up.
“Ethan.”
“Yeah?”
“Is that what all of you think?”
He did not understand.
“What?”
“That I won’t leave.”
He was quiet for a second.
“Of course you won’t.”
“I didn’t cheat on you. I didn’t betray you. I helped a friend with her kid. That’s all.”
1 unlocked the front door.
“Got it.”
The elevator arrived.
I pulled my suitcases inside.
Before the doors closed, Ethan took a step after ine.
“Come back for dinner tomorrow. My mom invited Ryan. We’ll all sit down and sort out the
wedding.”
“We’ll see.”
The elevator doors slid shut.
In the mirrored wall, I could still see the thin necklace Ethan had given me around my neck.
I took it off and shoved it into my coat pocket.
The convenience store downstairs glowed under fluorescent lights.
I bought a bottle of water, a pack of wipes, and the cheapest toothbrush on the shelf.
The cashier tucked the receipt into the bag.
My phone chimed.
Grant had sent me the unit number for the corporate apartment in San Jose.
[1206. New mattress. Buy whatever else you need and submit the receipts to Facilities.)]
Then another message:
[Don’t stay in a hotel. Come tomorrow.】
I replied:
(I start Monday.)
He didn’t push.
He sent one word.