Chapter Three
791 Words
As Elizabeth lowered the phone slowly. Her hands were trembling slightly. Not because of fear but because ending things with Richard felt like ripping apart a part of herself away by force.
She took a deep breath and entered the apartment building. The place was small, too small compared to the luxury she had lived in for years. But it was peaceful. No cold silence, no judgmental stares from servants, no waiting all night for a husband who never came home.
For the first time in years, she could breathe freely, walk freely, think freely and do things in her way.
Inside Smith Corporation.
The atmosphere on the executive floor was terrifying. Nobody dared speak loudly. Richard Smith was in a terrible mood.
His assistant stood nervously beside the desk.
“We still can’t track Madam’s current location.”
Richard rarely lost composure, but ever since Elizabeth left, something about him felt increasingly unstable.
His phone buzzed again. It was Selena.
This time he answered impatiently. “What?”
“Richard!” Selena’s cheerful voice entered immediately. “Lunch together?”
“I’m working,” he replied coldly.
“Awn, come on. You promised we’d spend time together after the divorce.”
Those words irritated him, especially the way she said divorce so casually.
Selena continued laughing softly.
“Now nobody can stop us from being together. I'm your wife now.”
“Later,” he said coldly before ending the call.
He was frustrated. The more he loved Selena, the more irritating she became to him. As he thought about this, his mind drifted back to Elizabeth.
Images of her flashed through his mind. Elizabeth was standing quietly in the rain. Elizabeth signing the papers before her calmly and she said, “Don’t look for me again.”
Meanwhile, inside the apartment she had just secured. Elizabeth sat inside the apartment staring at the hospital report. Her fingers slowly touched her stomach. She was filled with mixed emotions. Fear, pain, love. She didn’t know whether to cry or smile.
A knock suddenly sounded on the door.
Elizabeth froze. Nobody should know she was here. She walked toward the entrance and opened it carefully.
“Ethan?”
Ethan Cole stood outside holding grocery bags. He had a warm smile and gentle eyes. He was wearing a casual black shirt rolled to his elbows.
He was completely different from Richard. He was soft and loving.
“You disappeared without telling anyone,” Ethan said softly.
“How did you find me?”
“You forgot I’m good at tracking people.”
He lifted the grocery bags lightly. “And your friend Mia panicked after your phone went off all night.”
Ethan entered the nearly empty apartment. He looked through the room.
“You’re really not going back?”
Elizabeth looked away.
“No.”
Ethan studied her silently for a moment, his gaze landed on the hospital report still resting on the table.
“Elizabeth…” His expression changed instantly.
She tried closing the report, but it was too late. He had already seen it
“Pregnancy report,” he exclaimed.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Ethan stared at her in disbelief.
“Does Richard know?”
“No.”
“And you’re planning to keep it that way?”
Elizabeth remained quiet.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair heavily. “You can’t hide something this huge forever.”
“You think he’ll care?” she asked him.
He doesn't know. Everyone knew Richard Smith was emotionally impossible to read.
Elizabeth walked toward the window slowly. “The child deserves peace, and Richard only brings storms,” she said quietly.
That evening, Selena sat elegantly across Richard at a luxury restaurant downtown. She had spent years trying to become the future Mrs. Smith. Now the position was finally open with the support of Richard's mother.
“Richard?”
“Hm?” Richard looked distracted.
“You’ve barely listened to anything I’ve said.”
Richard took a sip of wine silently.
Selena studied him carefully and asked.
“Are you thinking about Elizabeth? I mean… it’s understandable after such a long marriage.”
“It’s over.” His answer was firm, but it lacked conviction .
Selena reached for his hand gently.
“You made the right choice.”
Richard looked at her fingers touching him. He remembered Elizabeth as her fingers touched his hand.
Elizabeth never interrupted him during meetings. She never demanded attention not to talk about causing a scene. Even when hurting, she endured quietly.
He pulled his hand away calmly.
“I have another meeting.”
“But we just arrived.”
“Enjoy dinner,” he said as he stood up.
He walked away, leaving Selena.
- Writer
