Chapter 10
Ethan slammed the phone down, furious, and looked at me with eyes full of anger and disbelief.
I spoke quietly, “I told you, I’m married now.
“It’s to your enemy, Ethan.”
“What? Did you do this just to get back at me?!” He was fuming.
“So, you’re his… what? His girlfriend?!”
I did not say a word.
I thought back to when I was Zach’s pretend girlfriend.
The first time I went to a party with Zach, he paid me double to drink for him.
I got so drunk that I woke up the next day feeling sore all over.
Zach was lying next to me, shirtless. He touched my shoulder.
“Ethan was right. You’re so sexy, with such beautiful skin and a soft waist.”
I wanted to slap him, but he grabbed my wrist.
“I’m better than Ethan in one way. I’m good in bed, and I’m not afraid to admit it.
“Be my girlfriend, and I’ll look after you.”
Thinking about that, and then looking at Ethan pacing around the room, when he had never even admitted we were together, just seemed silly.
“Are you that desperate? How can you let him treat you that way?” Ethan asked.
I only had one thing to say: “It’s none of your business.”
Ethan was really mad, saying mean things to me.
He had not changed a bit, even after ten years.
I ignored Ethan and knocked on the door next to mine.
“Chloe, please make your boyfriend stop.”
Silence.
I went back to bed, but then Zach called me. “Come downstairs,” he said.
I hurried to the balcony and saw a fancy blue car in the driveaway. Zach was there in an expensive gray coat, leaning on the car and smoking.
He was too far away for me to see his face, but I could make out the smoke curling around him.
Over the phone, he said it again.
“Come down, Summer.”
I felt cold all over. “When did you get here?”
“Right when you and Ethan were fighting. I knew you’d need me.”
I did not say anything.
1/2
“Don’t go back to that cold little room, Summer,” he said. “Come back to me.”
His voice was even softer then.
“You know I’m the one who really loves you.”
Zach always did this-hurt me, then acted sweet. It was his way of trying to control me.
I closed the curtains and went back inside.
I did not sleep well at all.
Actually, I had snuck out of the big Whitmore house.
Two months ago, late at night, Zach came home and hugged me like he always did.
Within his arms, I said without any warmth. “Let’s get a divorce, Zach.”
He did not say anything back.
I suffered a lot for saying that.
He kept me in his big house and tied me up in his Red Room, making me miserable all the time.
He wanted me to forget about the divorce.
In the middle of winter, I took cold showers until I had to go to the hospital.
While he was busy at the office during the day, I snuck back home to celebrate Thanksgiving.
+25 Bonus
