Chapter 4She Stole My Wedding, So I Left

I turned to go the moment the words left my mouth.

But Ava stepped in front of me.

"It's only a car, but you came all the way here just to embarrass Ethan. Don't you think that's too much?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Spare me the act. Would Ethan have given you the car if you hadn't asked for it?"

Ava's face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Sophia, you've gone too far!"

Ethan suddenly shoved me. Hard.

I crashed into the coffee table, sending glasses and bottles smashing across the floor.

Broken glass sliced into my arm. Blood poured from the cuts.

Ethan glared at me.

"You signed the car over, and no one said you couldn't still drive it! Ava just wanted to be a bride for one day, but you have to make a huge deal out of everything!"

Then he wrapped his arms around Ava and gently comforted her.

Ava melted against his chest.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. It's my fault for coming between you two. Maybe I should leave the country."

"Don't be ridiculous. How could I let you go abroad all by yourself?"

Then he grabbed me by the hair.

"Sophia, don't think you can drive Ava away. I'm warning you for the last time. Enough is enough!"

His eyes were colder than an enemy.

Strangely, I felt nothing. My heart had already gone numb.

He kicked me behind the knees and forced me to the floor. Then he shoved my head down, making me bow to Ava.

No matter how I struggled, I couldn't break free.

Once. Twice. Three times.

He kept going until he'd slammed my forehead to the floor twenty times.

Blood ran down my face. Eventually, everything went black.

When I woke up, I was back home.

The wounds on my forehead and arm had been bandaged.

Ethan sat by the bed, gazing at me with concern.

"Baby, you're finally awake. Look what you've done to yourself. You got hurt and gave yourself a fever, all over a wedding. Was it really worth it?"

I kept my face blank and nodded.

He sighed in relief and opened his mouth to continue.

Then Ava walked in.

"Ethan, the tests came back fine. We can go ahead with the IVF."

I stared at Ethan.

He cleared his throat and tucked the blanket in around me.

"Baby, calm down. Ava is an orphan. She dreams of having someone she can truly call her own.

"She doesn't trust any other man. I've always been like a brother to her, so of course I have to help."

He said it like donating his sperm to another woman was nothing.

I burst out laughing.

I laughed harder and harder until I couldn't stop.

Ethan's face darkened. He shot to his feet.

"You clearly need more time to calm down. There's no talking to you when you're like this."

He and Ava left hand in hand.

As the door closed behind them, the last bit of love I had for Ethan disappeared with it.

Ethan, there's nothing left between us.

Once they were gone, I got up and finished packing.

Then a package arrived.

I opened it and laughed.

I unfolded what was inside and placed it beside the front door.

Ethan, this is my last gift to you.

There's no need for us to meet again.