Chapter 3

3 I didn't refuse her "kindness."

In the spacious car, I found a slightly damp lacy thong in the crack between the seats.

"Oh dear~ Why is this still in the car? Ethan, didn't you say you already took care of it?"

Hiding in his arms, she shyly hit his chest.

He apologized, while subtly observing my reaction.

When he saw I wasn’t angry, the discomfort he'd felt in the hospital resurfaced.

"Sarah, you've been looking at your phone since we got in the car," he said, resentfully. "Are you chatting with your cousin, or someone I don't know?"

After booking my flight, I turned off my phone screen, "Just browsing news."

His displeasure intensified.

He grabbed my phone.

He demanded my password.

"My birthday."

Nine years of marriage.

He tried the simple six-digit code repeatedly, unable to unlock my phone.

We arrived in silence.

He immediately helped Jenny to the master bedroom, then instructed the cook to prepare her favorite food.

Downstairs, he saw me heading to the guest room.

He told the cook, "Make two more dishes Mrs. Smith usually eats. Set three place settings for dinner."

In the guest room, I found all my clothes had been cut.

Fortunately, my passport and documents were untouched.

As I gathered my things, Jenny blocked the door.

Holding a black bottle, she sneered, "Sarah, you're quite patient. You became a laughingstock, yet you still cling to Ethan.”

"Of course, your grandmother died last month, without that support, you need to hold onto Ethan’s lifeline."

She recalled something amusing, "Sarah, you cried and begged Ethan to take you to the hospital by helicopter to see your grandmother. Do you know why he refused? Because he promised to take me to the beach to watch the sunset. Look at this kissing picture on my screen; that's when we took it."

I slapped her phone away and grabbed her neck.

The bottle fell; I smelled gasoline.

In the struggle, Jenny accidentally lit the gasoline.

Smoke filled the air, flames erupted.

I collapsed, overwhelmed by smoke.

I heard Ethan, “Sarah!”

Followed by the maids' shouts, "Sir, it's too dangerous! Wait for security to bring a fire extinguisher…"

"Get out of the way! Sarah's inside!"

He ignored the danger and rushed in. He didn't expect Jenny to be there too.

"Ethan, help…"

Before she finished, he picked her up, ignoring me, and left.