Chapter 6
895 Words
"Take her back."
Ethan slipped his phone into his pocket, opened the car door, and stepped out.
Stella watched him walk toward a black luxury SUV parked at the curb.
A slender woman's arm reached out from inside, wrapped around his waist, and pulled him into the vehicle.
So that must be his lover.
It didn't surprise her.
A man like Ethan would never lack women chasing after him.
*****
Once she returned to the apartment, Stella spent some time exploring every room.
She found her suitcase, but both her phone and laptop were gone.
She'd asked to buy replacements on the way over.
Ethan had refused without hesitation.
There wasn't a single device in the apartment she could use to contact the outside world.
Even the kitchen had no sharp knives.
Apparently, he thought she might try to kill herself.
Standing alone in the living room, Stella muttered under her breath,
"As if I'd give him that satisfaction."
If she truly wanted to die, there were countless ways to do it.
After searching the apartment twice but to no avail, she finally gave up.
She grabbed a change of clothes, filled the bathtub with hot water, and soaked for a long time.
Afterward, she took an expensive bottle of red wine from the wine cabinet.
She drank nearly a third of it before crawling into bed and falling asleep.
She was jolted awake when the mattress suddenly dipped beside her.
Half asleep, she squinted at the dark figure sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Who's there?"
A low, mocking laugh answered her.
"Guess."
Stella blinked away the haze.
It was Ethan.
The sharp smell of alcohol hit her immediately.
For a second, she thought it was coming from herself.
After all, she'd been drinking before bed.
"You had a few drinks."
Ethan leaned closer, his face only inches from hers, breathing in the scent lingering on her skin.
Stella instinctively backed away.
"A man as rich as you can't possibly care about one bottle of wine."
He chuckled.
"Every bottle in that cabinet costs well over 100,000 dollars."
She shot him a glare.
"Then you'd better let me go while your losses are still manageable."
Her eyes flashed.
"Otherwise, next time, it'll be more than just your wine."
Before Ethan could answer, she caught another scent beneath the alcohol.
Women's perfume.
Her mind instantly flashed back to the woman she'd seen wrapping her arms around his waist earlier.
She shoved him hard.
"Get off me."
Her voice filled with disgust.
"Weren't you with your girlfriend? Why didn't you stay with her instead of coming back here? Don't touch me!"
Ethan froze.
Taking advantage of the moment, Stella quickly scooted farther away.
He suddenly laughed.
"You jealous?"
His eyes lingered on her.
"I guess that's understandable. You're my legal wife."
"In your dreams."
She looked at him with open contempt.
"I'm not jealous." She covered her nose. "You reek."
Ethan's expression darkened.
He pulled her hand away.
"Whether you like it or not... I am your husband."
He pointed toward the nightstand.
"There's medicine in the drawer. Take one tablet according to the directions."
Without another word, he walked into the bathroom.
The shower started running.
The moment he disappeared, Stella yanked open the drawer.
Inside was a box of emergency contraceptive pills.
Without hesitation, she swallowed one dry.
Less than 10 minutes later, Ethan came back out wearing a silk robe.
As he tied the sash around his waist, he spoke without looking at her.
"Our marriage will never be made public. I already have someone I love. So know your place."
Stella stared at him for 2 seconds before letting out a sarcastic laugh.
"Are you insane?"
She folded her arms.
"If you love someone else, then why didn't you marry her?"
Ethan finished tying his robe.
His voice turned icy.
"Because she's kind. She's innocent. She's nothing like you."
His eyes settled on Stella's face.
"I'd never drag her into this mess."
For a brief moment, his gaze lingered.
Not on Stella. Through her. As though he were looking at someone else entirely.
His voice softened almost imperceptibly.
"You look a lot like her."
The words slipped out before he seemed to realize it.
His brows tightened.
Without another glance, he turned and walked into the next room.
Only after she was certain he'd left did Stella quietly make her way to the bathroom.
She never turned on the lights.
Standing in the darkness, she scrubbed her skin again and again until it burned bright red.
Finally, she stopped.
Looking up at the ceiling, she whispered,
"James... Mommy will be home soon."
The moment she said her son's name, tears welled in her eyes.
Back in Northwood, her four-year-old child was waiting for her.
Ethan knew nothing about him.
No matter what happened...
She had to get back.
*****
At dawn the next morning, a sharp doorbell jolted Stella awake.
She sat upright instantly.
The sound was coming from the front door.
Her heart leaped.
This was her chance.
Ignoring the soreness in her legs, she jumped out of bed barefoot and rushed toward the living room.
But Ethan was faster.
He was already standing at the front door, watching the video intercom.
A slow smile spread across his face. "Looks like your boyfriend actually came looking for you... Mrs. Reid."
- Writer
