Amelia Carter leaned against the sofa, scrolling through her phone absentmindedly.
The afternoon sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making it a moment that should have been peaceful—until something on Chloe Harper's social media caught her eye.
It was a photo of a prenatal checkup report, with a caption that was simple but piercing: [Feeling so blessed and thankful!]
In the image, the words "six weeks pregnant" stood out, glaringly clear. Amelia's fingers froze momentarily, a strange sensation sweeping through her heart, though she quickly calmed herself.
Chloe was a rising star in the entertainment industry, and news of her pregnancy wasn't exactly shocking. It wasn't like it had anything to do with Amelia personally, even if Chloe and Eric Reeves had once been the subject of heated rumors. That was all ancient history—or so Amelia had hoped.
She gently twisted the wedding ring on her finger, trying to suppress the uneasy feeling stirring inside her.
Just as she was about to put her phone aside, though, a notification popped up for an entertainment article: [Exclusive: Chloe Harper's prenatal checkup, accompanied by a mysterious man!]
Driven by an impulse she couldn't explain, Amelia tapped into the article.
The photos included were clearly taken secretly, angled discreetly but captured with undeniable clarity. Chloe, wearing sunglasses, stood in a hospital hallway—but the tall figure beside her caught Amelia's attention.
Her heart nearly stopped.
The man in the photo—she recognized that tailored gray suit jacket immediately. She had picked it out herself for Eric last month.
It wasn't a design anyone else could own. And the watch, too—that was the one she'd gifted him for his birthday last year.
Accompanying Chloe at her appointment was her own husband, the man she shared a bed with every single night.
It felt as though she'd plunged into icy water, her skin beginning to tingle with cold and her hands trembling.
Amelia picked up her phone with shaking fingers, dialing Eric's number. The ringing cut through the quiet air again and again, each sound tightening her nerves further. Just when she had resigned herself to the likelihood that he wouldn't answer, he picked up.
"What is it?" Eric's voice came through, unmistakably laced with impatience.
Amelia took a deep breath, forcing herself to sound calm. "Where are you?"
"At the office. There's an urgent meeting," he replied smoothly, not missing a beat. "I won't be home for dinner tonight."
A blatant lie.
Amelia closed her eyes, feeling her chest tighten as though an invisible hand was squeezing her heart. She could barely draw breath.
"Really?" she responded softly, her voice trembling before she could stop it. "Then why did I hear that you were at the hospital?"
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. For a moment, there was nothing but an oppressive void, broken only by Eric's sudden and icy response:
"Were you spying on me?"
The accusation, sharp and cutting, sliced through Amelia's last shred of self-control.
He hadn't denied it. He hadn't even attempted an excuse. His first instinct was to question whether she'd been following him.
"That child..." she began, barely able to voice the words. Her throat felt closed, like her emotions were choking her.
"Amelia," Eric interrupted sharply, his tone cold and full of warning. "Remember your place. Don't meddle in things that don't concern you."
And with that, the phone went dead, leaving only the sound of the busy signal echoing in the otherwise empty living room.
Amelia slowly lowered her phone, staring at the space she had spent three years meticulously curating—every piece of furniture, every corner of decor chosen with care. Yet now, they seemed absurd, mocking her.
She thought back to their grand wedding three years ago, remembering Eric's blunt declaration to her at the altar:
"This marriage is for the benefit of our families. I won't love you, and you shouldn't expect otherwise."
Naively, she had believed that time could change things, believed that devotion could be reciprocated.
Looking back now, it was clear she had been nothing but foolish.
Night fell, and for the first time, Amelia didn't wait for Eric to return home by sitting in the living room like she usually did.
She went to bed early, washed up, and lay on her side, facing away from the door as though she were asleep. In the darkness, her eyes were wide open, focused blankly on nothing as the clock continued to tick. It wasn't until one in the morning that she heard the faint sound of the front door opening downstairs.
Eric's steps were uneven as he entered, evident proof he'd been drinking heavily. He stumbled his way upstairs, eventually pushing open the bedroom door and turning on the lights.
"Sleeping already?" His words were slurred, edged with dissatisfaction, as though bothered by her lack of routine.
On most nights, Amelia would wait up regardless of the hour, ready to help him sober up, but tonight she didn't even flinch.
Eyes shut tightly, she remained still as Eric made his way to her side, leaning close. His heavy scent of alcohol engulfed her, and she instinctively frowned with discomfort.
"Pretending, huh?" Eric chuckled under his breath, the warmth of his breath grazing her ear as his hand moved to her waist, starting to wander.
"Don't touch me." Amelia finally broke her silence, her voice cold and firm.
But Eric ignored her, the alcohol fueling his stubbornness. He forced her to turn and face him, his lips trailing from her neck down. She tried to resist, her hands pressed against his chest, but the familiarity of him broke her down, and muscle memory betrayed her resolve.
Three years in this marriage, whether filled with love or not, had carved out habits neither of them could quite forget.
Eric noticed her reactions, his actions growing more urgent, his kisses traveling higher until he claimed her lips—this kiss filled with the aggressive dominance she rarely saw in him. His heat overwhelmed her, and though her heart screamed to push him away, her body dared to lean closer, her hands unconsciously gripping his shoulders.
Just as his fingers slipped under her nightwear, inching toward the finality of their entanglement, Amelia couldn't suppress herself any longer.
"Eric..." she muttered, her voice heavy with emotion and desperation. "Have you ever loved me? Even just a little?"
Eric froze above her, his movements halted entirely.
The atmosphere shifted as clarity replaced the haze in his eyes. Before long, all that was left was the rigid indifference she had come to know so well.
"I made myself clear on our wedding day," he said after a long pause. His tone was devoid of anything resembling warmth. "I won't love you."
The ice in his words was brutal, a sharp slap guarding no mercy. Amelia sat up forcefully, shoving him away in a burst of cold fury. Her strength caught him by surprise, sending him stumbling backward.
"What are you doing?" Eric frowned, his irritation evident.
Curling into a tight ball near the headboard, pain exploded in Amelia's chest, threatening to consume her completely. She fought to keep the tears at bay, her voice steady yet firm.
"Eric, I want a divorce."
