Chapter 4

The next day, Ethan came to take me home from the hospital.

He drove me to a small, isolated two-story villa in the suburbs. There were no neighbors nearby; it was clearly a hastily bought property.

I turned to him. "Why aren't we going back to the main estate?"

A flicker of guilt crossed Ethan's face, but he quickly smiled.

"The main mansion is too big, Serena. Living there alone made me miss you too much. This place is cozy and perfect for us."

I sneered inwardly.

Cozy indeed. The grand Sterling estate in Long Island was big enough to house Chloe, but apparently too small to fit me.

Instead of arguing, I suddenly grabbed Ethan by his collar, forcing him to look me in the eye. "Where is Albert?"

Ethan's pupils contracted, and I could hear his heartbeat quicken.

After a tense silence, he gently took my hands off his collar and gave me a reassuring smile.

"You're still as fiery as ever. I guess that's why I love you so much."

"Albert was devastated when you had the accident. He's getting old, and I was worried his health would fail under the stress, so I sent him back to his hometown in Florida to retire."

"I know he's like a father to you, so I gave him a very generous pension. He's living comfortably. Once you're fully recovered, I'll take you to visit him, okay?"

His eyes were filled with nothing but tenderness. I let go of him and turned away, my expression freezing into pure ice.

"Serena, you must be bored. Why don't I take you shopping to get some new clothes?" Ethan suggested, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from Albert.

I nodded. That was fine. It saved me from having to resist the urge to kill him right then and there.

At the luxury boutique, Ethan began picking out outfits for me with practiced ease.

I looked at the pastel, ruffled dresses he chose and frowned. "I hate wearing dresses like this. Did you forget?"

Ethan froze, then quickly called a sales associate over to assist me.

After that, he stopped pushing his tastes on me and sat patiently on the sofa, watching me try on outfit after outfit. He showered me with compliments on every single piece, acting like the perfect, doting husband.

But I knew the truth. This was the first time Ethan had ever taken me shopping.

In the past, he was always "too busy" climbing the corporate ladder to waste time on such trivial things. The only reason he was so patient now was because he had been trained by another woman.

Too bad that woman wasn't me.

When I finally changed back into my own clothes and stepped out, Ethan was nowhere to be seen. A couple of sales associates were whispering behind the counter.

"Wait, the Sterling heir brought another woman today? Who is she?"

"Probably a mistress. Gosh, he always acts so devoted to his new wife on Instagram, but he's already cheating behind her back."

"Rich men are all the same. I feel so bad for his wife. She's so sweet and stunning."

I walked over and kicked a tall glass floor lamp next to the counter. The glass shattered right in front of them, sending them screaming in terror.

I looked down at them coldly. "Put it on Ethan Sterling's tab."

When Ethan finally returned, the staff looked pale as ghosts, while I stood there looking perfectly calm.

Ethan didn't notice the tension. He walked up to me, looking slightly flustered.

"Serena, mall security just called saying my car is blocking the lane. I need to run down to the garage. Can you shop by yourself for a bit?"

"I'll be right back, I promise."

Without even waiting for my reply, he rushed off.

I waited until he was out of sight, then quietly followed him down to the underground parking lot.

In the dim garage, a Cadillac SUV with a custom license plate was gently rocking. If you stood close enough, you could hear the muffled, breathless giggles of a woman inside.

I approached silently, hiding in the shadows, as the woman's voice turned into a whimper.

"Ethan, are you cheating on me? The girls at the boutique said they saw you buying clothes for another woman!"

"Of course not, baby. Don't overthink it. Serena just woke up and had nothing to wear, so I had to buy her some basics. It means nothing."

It was Ethan's voice, and the woman with him was undoubtedly Chloe.

My knuckles cracked as I clenched my fists. Hearing Chloe call me the "other woman" made my blood boil.

"Do you still love Serena? It's okay if you do... as long as I can stay by your side, I'd even get down on my knees and beg for her forgiveness. I'd do anything for you!"

Her sobbing voice made Ethan coo in comfort.

"Don't talk like that. I don't love Serena. I only feel guilty. Once she's settled, I'll make sure she quietly disappears from our lives."

"You're the only one I love, baby. And you're the only one who can give me a child."

Chloe giggled through her tears. "Of course. Serena had that massive hemorrhage during her miscarriage two years ago. She's completely barren now, even if she wanted to try. Hmph!"

Ethan chuckled. "Exactly. So you have to give me plenty of babies to make up for it."

"Oh, stop it!"

As their moans grew louder, I turned away and quietly walked back upstairs.

A heavy, crushing weight settled on my chest.

I had a child. A baby that I never even got to know existed before it was taken from me.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. A text from my brother flashed on the screen:

We caught the last traitor in our syndicate.

He confessed. Chloe Miller was able to mobilize our men because she actually shares our bloodline. Her father was our uncle's illegitimate son.