Chapter 3: My Heart Split Open

Ethan was startled when he saw me, then his brows furrowed instantly.

Aiden's eyes lit up. "Mommy! You're eating here too?"

My throat tightened. I forced a smile.

"Then Mommy should eat with us! Daddy even ordered a cake for Aunt Bianca!"

Bianca glanced at me, a flash of jealousy and hatred crossing her eyes.

"Aiden, don't be silly. Mommy is eating with her friend."

Bianca hid the darkness in her gaze and walked over to me.

"Selene, what a coincidence."

I looked at her and said nothing.

But Bianca put on a troubled expression. "Please don't misunderstand. Ethan and Aiden just came to celebrate with me. I told them it wasn't necessary, but Ethan insisted..."

"Speaking of which, he really is someone who values the little things. When we were together, he prepared gifts and surprises for every holiday."

"You must know what that feels like, right? After all, you've been married for several years. I'm sure Ethan does the same for you."

I almost laughed. The difference between being loved and not was painfully clear. Ethan had never once prepared a surprise for me.

Leaving was the right call.

I gave a thin smile. "That was years ago, Bianca. You keep bringing up the past—is it because now, aside from being sick and pitiful, you have nothing else that would make him go out of his way for you?"

Bianca hadn't expected that. Her face crumpled into an expression of wounded innocence, as if she'd been deeply wronged.

"Selene, how could you say that... Are you... still upset that I won the gold medal?"

At the mention of that, I clenched my fists.

Miles Chase, standing nearby, cut in with a disapproving tone. "Come on, Mrs. Locke. Bianca isn't well. It's only natural that Ethan looks after her. And Bianca earned that award fair and square. You're a housewife, so..."

He didn't get to finish before Jasmine snapped.

"What do you mean, housewife? Do you even know who Selene was before she got married? She—"

I stopped her with a shake of my head.

There was no point explaining anything to these people.

"Honestly, Miles is blunt but he's not wrong," one of Bianca's friends chimed in with a smirk. "When a woman becomes a stay-at-home wife, she loses touch with the real world. Spending all day in the kitchen, chasing after kids—what kind of perspective or ability could she possibly develop?"

"Bianca is different. She's still creating while fighting her illness, and she won a major award on top of that. She's the true picture of what an independent woman looks like today."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Ethan, her tone dripping with flattery. "Mr. Locke, wouldn't you agree? A woman with Bianca's talent and strength is truly something to admire."

"As for someone who just stays home living off her husband... let's be honest, she's just lucky to carry the Locke name. Without that, she probably couldn't even afford to walk through the doors of this restaurant."

The table fell silent.

I looked at Ethan.

I waited for him to push back. To frown. To show even the smallest sign of disapproval.

But there was nothing.

Ethan simply kept cutting the steak on his plate and set it in front of Bianca.

Just as I expected. He didn't care one bit that I was being humiliated.

I let out a cold laugh and turned to Bianca.

"It seems your idea of value and ability is remarkably small," I said, each word deliberate and measured.

"Do you think managing a household so a husband can focus on his career isn't a contribution? Or do you think the only thing that qualifies as being an 'independent woman' is standing on a stage holding someone else's design draft while soaking up the applause?"

"Y-you're talking nonsense!" Bianca panicked. "That was my own design."

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, someone here already knows the truth."

I was done with her. I walked over to Ethan.

"Ethan, Aiden has already eaten a whole crab. Crab is cold in nature. His body can't handle that much. If you still consider him your son, stop letting him eat whatever he wants."

Ethan was already irritated by what I'd said. His expression went cold. But before he could speak, Aiden lashed out.

"No! I want to eat crab!"

"Mommy, you're so annoying! Daddy works so hard. Aunt Bianca just won a big award. We're out celebrating and you're ruining everything! You can't do anything. You don't understand anything. All you ever do is kill the mood!"

Those eyes, so much like Ethan's, were full of contempt.

My heart felt like someone had reached in and squeezed it.

I looked at him and suddenly thought back to when he was born. So tiny, so soft, like a little kitten in my arms.

I stayed up night after night, terrified he'd get a fever, terrified he was in pain.

When he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, I cried through the entire night.

From that day on, my life had only two purposes.

To take care of him. And to pray for his health.

And now he was telling me I couldn't do anything.

That all I ever did was ruin the mood.

Jasmine finally understood why I was getting divorced.

Anyone would, at this point.

She was about to say something when Bianca walked over holding a glass of wine.

"Selene, don't be upset. Aiden is young—he doesn't know any better." Her voice was soft. "Let me toast you. Think of it as an apology on his behalf."

But a second later, she deliberately threw herself backward.

The glass shattered on the floor.

As Bianca fell, her palm came down right on the broken shards.

"Bianca!" Ethan's face dropped. He rushed over instantly.

Bianca lifted her tear-filled eyes. "Selene, you... how could you push me?"

"Bianca, this restaurant has security cameras. Don't you think it's a little sad, pulling such a cheap trick to set me up?"

I opened my mouth to defend myself. But before Bianca could even finish, Ethan cut in.

"Selene."

He looked up, and in those usually cold eyes was a fury I had never seen before.

"I thought you were just spoiled. I didn't know you could be this cruel. Let me be clear—if anything happens to Bianca, you will answer for it."

With that, he scooped Bianca up in his arms and walked out.

I watched him go. Watched the look of triumph on Bianca's face. Something in my chest went cold and then broke apart.

He didn't even glance at the security footage before deciding I was guilty.

This was the man I had loved and waited for, for seven years.

Aiden ran after them. As he passed me, he shoved me hard.

"Mommy is horrible! Just go die! I don't want you anymore!"

Then he was gone too.

I stood there. It was like all the sound had dropped out of the world.

Only Aiden's words kept ringing in my ears.

Just go die.

Ha...

I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, everything in my gaze was calm and clear.

I took out my phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this the Jewelry Design Competition committee? I'd like to report Bianca White for plagiarism."