Chapter 3

3

It hadn't always been this bad.

Ashley was Ethan's childhood friend. We started dating in college, and even then she'd always been around, constantly calling and texting Ethan.

I knew she liked him, but Ethan reassured me. He showed me all their messages, gave me all his passwords, brought me to every hangout.

At our wedding, Ashley had watched Ethan with undisguised longing, tears in her eyes. I'd been half-expecting her to object.

But she hadn't.

Soon after, she moved abroad, married a guy from overseas, and gradually drifted out of contact with Ethan.

Until she and her husband split up. She came back, divorced, with two young kids.

Newly back, Ashley was struggling to adjust. She reached out to the only person she knew in the city: Ethan.

Childhood friendship, sympathy for a single mom.

And maybe even a twinge of guilt. Ethan felt responsible for Ashley's impulsive marriage, blaming our whirlwind romance.

So, he helped her. Again and again.

And I tolerated it. Again and again.

I got jealous. I complained.

He'd stroke my hair, pull me close. "If I hadn't rejected Ashley, she wouldn't have run off and married that guy. I have to take some responsibility."

"Zach's so little, I can't just leave them to fend for themselves."

"You're so understanding, Anna. Just until they get settled, okay? Then I'll back off."

So, when Ashley couldn't cook and called, Ethan would leave me with a table full of food he'd just made to go cook for her and her kids. He couldn't cook before, but now, for them, he was practically a chef.

"Just order takeout for them! I made all this food!"

"Takeout's full of junk. Kids need healthy food."

So, when Ashley's TV broke and she called, Ethan would abandon our movie night �C the one he'd been looking forward to �C to go fix it. He knew nothing about fixing TVs, but now, for them, he could probably qualify as a handyman.

"Call a repairman! You've been wanting to see this movie forever."

"It's fine. I can't just leave them alone with some strange guy in the house. They're all alone."

Once, things were getting intimate between us, when Ashley frantically called. "Ethan, Zach's really sick, throwing up everywhere. Can you come over?"

I wrapped my arms around Ethan's neck, trying to kiss him. "Tell them to call 911."

He turned his head away, already scrambling for his clothes. "I'm going. Just wait for me."

"Zach's sick, I have to make sure he's okay. Don't be like this, Anna. He's just a kid."

Later, I found out Zach had gotten food poisoning from the street food, ice cream, and fried chicken Ashley had let him gorge on.

Ethan held me, complaining about Ashley, but his voice was full of affection.

"Honestly, Ashley's clueless. Zach and her would be lost without me. She wouldn't survive. Not like you, Anna. You're so capable and independent."

His feelings for her had shifted. From pity and guilt, to outright favoritism.

I kept track of every time he abandoned me for them.

Today was number 75.

I thought about that leftover seafood congee, and nausea rose in my throat again.

Lately, I'd been feeling breathless, nauseous, and constantly tired. I didn't know what was wrong with me.

Ethan hadn't come to check on me after I stormed off to the bedroom. I pushed the door open. The thermos was in the trash, alongside the gift. Ethan was gone.

I picked up the trash can. Underneath, barely visible, was the anniversary gift I'd gotten him.

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes.

It was that obvious, and he hadn't seen it.

I called Ethan a few times. No answer. I went to the hospital alone. After a battery of tests, the doctor smiled at me.

"Congratulations! You're pregnant!"

Pregnant?

We'd been trying for a while, but of all times, why now?

I stared at the test results, then dialed Ethan's number.

"Ethan, I need to talk to you."

It was noisy on his end, filled with children's chatter. He raised his voice. "I'm at the mall with Zach. Can it wait until we get back?"

He hung up before I could respond.