He Thought I’d Never Leave Chapter 04
Outside, I flagged down a cab.
My phone buzzed the whole way. I didn’t check it. I just shut it off.
I leaned against the window and watched Manhattan slide past frame by frame.
Home was full of the wedding still to come.
Ethan’s paintings still hung on the walls. He’d said we’d take them down when we moved into the new place.
We wouldn’t need to now.
I crouched down and started packing.
When I pulled open the nightstand drawer, I saw the photo album pressed at the bottom.
I flipped to the first page. The day we moved into Tribeca.
I was in a white dress, standing at the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. Ethan had his arm around me, smiling with that flush of triumph he always got.
He’d said, Emily, I’ve finally given you a home.
I didn’t keep turning the pages.
I closed the album and put it back.
Halfway through packing, the door slammed open.
Ethan burst in. His eyes went straight to the suitcase in my hand. He grabbed my wrist.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
I laughed coldly.
“Your mother doesn’t like me. I’m moving out. Making room for you and Claire.”
His face went dark.
“Emily. How long are you going to keep this up?”
“Do you have any idea how many guests are waiting at the venue? You’re telling me now that you’re leaving? You’re really going to burn everything down today, aren’t you?”
I stared at him and said nothing.
He exhaled. His voice softened—but what came out was worse than before.
“Emily. When your father cheated, didn’t your mother still marry him and have you?”
“Your mother could bear it. What is it that you can’t bear?”
Everything in me went rigid.
The air was gone.
“Ethan. Say that again.”
He looked away, irritated.
“Am I wrong? Your mother could put up with your father. Why can’t you put up with—”
“Shut your mouth.”
My voice was trembling.
“My mother put up with it her whole life because she had no choice. No money. No support. And she had to raise me. I watched her wither, day by day. And I swore to myself I would never live like that.”
“I won’t repeat her life—”
“Because I promised her. I promised her I would let myself be happy.”
The door opened again.
Claire was there.
She hadn’t even caught her breath before she’d flung herself at me, gripping my arm.
“Emily, don’t go, this is all my fault, I’ll leave!”
“I’ll disappear. You’ll never have to see me again. I’ll give everything back to you…”
“Claire. What good does saying this do now?”
I tried to pull my arm free. She held tighter.
“You’ve already slept with him. You’ve already had his baby. Do you really expect me to pretend nothing happened and play sisters with you?”
She shook her head wildly. Her nails were digging into my skin.
“No, please… please listen… I really do know I was wrong… please don’t go…”
“Enough! Let go!”
I yanked my arm hard.
She stumbled backward and hit the floor with a heavy thud.
She cried out in pain.
“Ah—!”
“Emily, what the hell is wrong with you!”
Ethan shoved me aside.
He shoved hard. I staggered, and my back slammed into the corner of the table. A sharp, twisting pain shot up my spine.
He didn’t so much as glance back at me. He crouched down and reached for Claire, his eyes full of worry.
“Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”
“My back… it hurts so bad…”
Claire sobbed into his chest.
“It’s okay. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Ethan lifted her up and carried her toward the door. He paused as he passed me.
“Emily. She’s still supposed to be your best friend. You’ve gone too far.”
“The wedding’s off for now. When you’ve come to your senses, we’ll talk about it again.”
The door slammed shut behind him.
I gripped the edge of the table and slowly straightened up. My back throbbed.
My eyes fell on our engagement photo on the wall. I laughed. And somewhere in the middle of laughing, the tears started falling.
I wiped my face, picked up the suitcase, and walked out without looking back.
Downstairs, in the cab, the driver asked where to.
I glanced in the rearview mirror at the building I was leaving.
Then I said, coldly, “The airport.”