Chapter 3

When Ethan saw me, he did not let go of Claire.

Instead, he held her hand even tighter.

“Ava, if you don’t fix your temper, the woman standing beside me in the future may not be you.”

Throughout the dinner, he kept Claire at his side.

Presenting the birthday gift, offering the toast, cutting the cake—even when it was time for the family photo, Ethan still brought Claire with him.

In previous years, he had prepared my speech in advance and held my hand while I practiced.

When we took photos, he would straighten my dress and remind the photographer not to use flash because my eyes were sensitive.

But tonight, Claire stood beside him in the central position.

The photographer hesitated.

“Should we wait for Mrs. Kingsley?”

Ethan did not look back.

“No need.”

The shutter clicked.

For the first time, the Kingsley family photo did not include me.

But it included Claire.

I sat alone in the corner. There was only a cup of cold tea in front of me, and the last dessert had been given to Claire by a server.

I asked a maid for a pair of soft flats.

She looked embarrassed.

“We’re short-staffed tonight. You can look for them yourself.”

Yet only a few steps away, two maids were helping Claire arrange her dress.

The burn on my arm throbbed faintly.

I asked the house manager for the first-aid kit. He glanced at Ethan and answered perfunctorily, “I’m not sure where it is. Please bear with it, Mrs. Kingsley.”

When Ethan cared about me, no one dared neglect me.

Now that he did not, no one treated me as someone who mattered.

Ethan was draping a coat over Claire’s shoulders. Seeing me standing still, he frowned.

“Who are you sulking for now? Without the title Mrs. Kingsley, all your delicacy is just trouble.”

My heart clenched hard.

Then, strangely, it eased.

I did not want that title anymore anyway.

A maid came to tell me Margaret was awake.

I turned and went upstairs.

Margaret beckoned to me.

I sat by her bed and said softly, “Grandma, I’m divorcing Ethan.”

“My flight leaves tomorrow night. Before I go, I came to say goodbye.”

She was silent for a long time. She did not ask questions. She only held my cold hand.

“If you’ve made up your mind, then go. Don’t keep wronging yourself.”

The bedroom door suddenly opened.

Ethan stood outside, brows locked.

“What flight? Where are you going?”

I did not want unnecessary complications.

“Just going away with a friend to clear my head.”

He clearly did not believe me and was about to press further, but when I stood, my vision went black.

Ethan caught me. The instant he touched my burning skin, his expression changed.

“You have a fever?”

The burn from the morning had already swollen and started to ooze.

His breathing sank. He lifted me into his arms and walked out.

“We’re going to the hospital.”

When he opened the car door, I realized Claire was sitting in the passenger seat.

As the car reached the hillside road, heavy rain began to fall.

Claire glanced at her phone and said anxiously, “Mr. Kingsley, my cat is terrified of thunder. Please pull over. I’ll get home myself.”

“In this rain? How would you get back?”

Ethan immediately stopped the car and turned to look at me.

“You get out first and call a rideshare to the hospital. I’ll take her home.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“This is a hillside road. I still have a fever.”

“It’s just a fever. You’re too spoiled.” His tone was impatient. “A frightened cat can go into shock. You won’t. Don’t make a scene.”

So my safety was worth less than Claire’s cat.

I did not argue again.

I opened the door and got out.

The car soon vanished into the curtain of rain.

I could not get a ride. I could only walk down the hill through the storm.

Cold rain poured into my wound, and the pain made my whole body shake.

The moment I stepped into the hospital, my vision went black.

I lost consciousness completely.

When I woke again, it was the next morning.

The doctor said my wound was severely infected and my fever had been close to one hundred and four degrees.

The IV was only halfway done when the hospital room door was suddenly slammed open.

Ethan stormed in and yanked me up from the bed.

The needle shifted instantly. Blood ran down the back of my hand, but he did not notice. His eyes were red with anger as he demanded:

“Did you complain to Grandma and make her fire Claire?”

“She’s missing now!”

He gripped my wrist so hard it hurt.

“Ava, where did you send her?”