Chapter 2
903 Words
I moved into a small apartment right near the hospital.
Logically, I knew this level of casual contact wouldn't spread any virus. At least, that was what I told myself.
But after working as a Doctors Without Borders physician for so many years, I had stared down more than my share of filth and rot. It left me with an unshakable obsession with cleanliness that stuck with me.
So the second I realized that Ethan had probably been cheating on me this whole time, I actually breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God I had been swamped with work these past six months. I barely went home at all, and I never had to spend much time around either of them.
Letting Aria move into our house all those years ago just because I felt sorry for her? That was hands down the worst decision I ever made.
The next day, I had just finished my full-body checkup when my phone rang. It was Ethan.
"Mia, it's family dinner tonight," he said. "Mom and Dad really want to see you. Will you... come?"
I heard the shaky, careful edge in his voice and couldn't help a sharp, bitter snort.
That was all it took for him to panic.
"Mia, are you still mad about what happened yesterday?" he rushed on. "I swear, I..."
I cut him off mid-sentence.
"Don't worry," I said. "I'll be there."
He froze for a beat.
"Mia, you're not angry anymore?" he asked.
I just hung up on him right there.
His promises were worth less than dirt. I couldn't be bothered to sit through another one.
The only reason I said yes was to keep his parents from getting their hearts broken. That was it.
That night, I pulled up to the restaurant he had sent me to. I had just lifted my hand to push open the door of the private dining room when laughter and chatter drifted out from inside.
"Aria!" a woman's voice exclaimed. "You didn't have to bring a gift just to come over. What a sweet girl you are!"
"That's right!" a man's voice chimed in. "We're just happy you're here! Come here, let me look at you. Have you lost weight lately, honey?"
Aria sounded flustered by their warm welcome.
"Thank you so much for caring, Mr. and Mrs. Wright!" she said. "Ethan bought all these. I'm just passing them along, that's all!"
The cheerful laughter seeped right through the thin wood of the door and wrapped around my ears. Listening to them, I felt they were the real family here. I was just the stranger crashing the party.
I huffed a self-deprecating laugh and turned to walk away. But my arm brushed the wind chime hanging by the door by accident, sending it tingling and jingling.
The chatter inside cut off instantly. The door swung open.
"Mia..."
Ethan said my name softly, his awkward smile looking forced and out of place.
When his parents spotted me, their faces lit up right away.
"Oh, Mia!" his mother said. "You have time to come today? Things aren't too busy at the hospital anymore?"
"Come on, come sit!" his father added. "Ethan ordered your favorite grilled salmon just for you today!"
My face stayed blank as I stared at the table, where every dish showed clear signs of having been picked at already.
Aria sat right between his parents, twisting her fingers in her lap as she stared up at me all wide-eyed and nervous.
"I'm sorry, Mia," she said. "I just got so hungry earlier, and Ethan's parents said we didn't have to wait for you, so we started eating without you..."
By the end of that sentence, her eyes were already glistening with tears, as if she had just been dealt the most unfair, terrible wrong in the world.
I twitched the corner of my mouth.
"It's fine," I said. "I was just passing through. You guys carry on. I have to get back to the hospital for my shift."
I spun on my heel to leave, but Ethan snatched my wrist before I could take a step.
"Mia, are you still throwing a tantrum over this?" he demanded.
I had called him out in front of his family, and it embarrassed him, so irritation sharpened his voice.
"My parents barely get to see us both together," he said. "Stop being so unreasonable!"
I wrenched my hand violently out of his grip.
"Unreasonable?" I shot back. "You cheating with Aria is reasonable? You letting everyone call me the homewrecker is reasonable? Ethan, how did I never see what a shameless bastard you are before?!"
A sharp c***k rang out as Ethan's palm landed hard against my cheek.
"Mia!" he roared. "How dare you say this crap in front of my parents?!"
I clamped a hand to my stinging cheek and stared back at him, thick with scorn.
"What's the matter?" I asked. "You can do it but you can't admit it? I'm leaving anyway to make room for your little nanny. What difference does it make if your parents find out now or later?"
Ethan froze dead in his tracks.
"Mia, what do you mean?" he stammered. "Are you trying to divorce me?"
His face flushed bright red, then drained to an ashen gray. He stayed silent for a long second, then roared:
"No way!" he shouted. "I won't agree to this!"
- Writer
