My Cop Boyfriend Killed My Father

Chapter 3

I froze, unable to believe my own ears.

"What did you say?"

Ethan didn't say a word. He just stared at me with a calm, unwavering gaze.

In that moment, all the questions I wanted to ask died in my throat. I turned and fled in utter humiliation.

Back at the apartment, I stood in the entryway and looked around.

We had bought this place together. The down payment was 300,000 dollars, which was every penny we had saved at the time.

When we first moved in, Ethan took a long leave of absence just to help me clean and decorate, turning the empty space into a home.

At the time, he had told me, "We're going to get married and spend the rest of our lives together. Having only your name on the deed is more than enough."

But now, Ethan wanted to break up.

My eyes burned, and my nose tingled with the threat of tears.

I had never been one to cry easily, but now I couldn't help but crouch down, wrapping my arms around myself as the tears finally spilled over.

Just then, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from the front door.

I turned around and met Ethan's heavy gaze.

"Ethan..." I whispered.

He merely sighed, pulling me up and guiding me to the sofa. He sat me down and gently wiped my tears away.

His calloused fingertips were rough against my skin, but his touch was incredibly tender.

For a split second, I allowed myself to believe that the breakup was just a bad dream, and that he was still the same Ethan who loved me with all his heart.

I grabbed his sleeve, gripping the fabric tightly. "Ethan, I just had a nightmare that you broke up with me!"

Ethan's hand froze, and he slowly pulled his sleeve out of my grasp. "It wasn't a dream."

My fingers clutched at empty air, and my heart plummeted once again.

Taking a step back, Ethan said, "I came back to pack. I'm moving out today."

With that, he turned and walked into the bedroom.

As I sat on the sofa, the weight of his words finally registered. Without even putting on slippers, I ran barefoot into the bedroom.

A black suitcase lay open on the floor, already packed with many of his clothes. The massive wardrobe that covered the entire wall was now mostly empty.

Ethan was still packing. I rushed over and grabbed his hands to stop him. "You said this was our home! You said we were getting married and spending the rest of our lives together! Why can't we just talk things through? Why are you suddenly breaking up with me?"

I was babbling incoherently, driven by a single, desperate urge: to make him stay.

But he simply pried my hands away. "Clara, let's just end this cleanly."

He zipped the suitcase shut and walked out.

The harsh, scraping sound of the suitcase wheels rolling across the hardwood floor felt like it was grinding right over my heart, leaving me breathless with pain.

I didn't know what to say to make him stay. I could only trail behind him like a shadow, desperately hoping he would suddenly turn around, wrap his arms around me, and tease me like he used to: "Just kidding! Pretty good acting, right? I should be an actor."

But Ethan didn't. He walked straight out of the building toward a BMW parked by the curb.

At that moment, Grace stepped out of the car.

She startled slightly when she saw me, but quickly recovered with a smile. "You don't need to see him off, Clara. I'll take good care of the Captain."

The casual intimacy in her voice was like a physical thorn plunging straight into my lungs, making it impossible to breathe.

I couldn't control my emotions any longer. "In what capacity are you taking care of him?"

Grace stiffened, a look of embarrassment crossing her face.

But I didn't feel like I had won. Swallowing the bitter taste in my mouth, I stepped up to Ethan. "Are you really leaving with her? What exactly is going on between you two?"

Ethan glanced at Grace before looking back at me. "What do you think?"

My hands clenched into fists. I looked back and forth between them, but the dark suspicion lurking in my mind was too painful to utter aloud.

While I struggled for words, Ethan spoke up. "Clara, apologize to Grace."