Before Our Divorce I Discovered My Husband Had Loved Me All Along Chapter 03

Before Our Divorce I Discovered My Husband Had Loved Me All Along Chapter 03

“Maya.” Ethan stood at the bedroom door, strapping on his watch. “Aren’t you going to be late?”

Eight-thirty.

I scrambled out of bed. I had chess with Grandpa at nine.

I was never late. Except once in high school.

That Monday, a pile-up jammed every road. I got off the bus and sprinted to the gate, gasping, with one minute left.

Ethan strolled up, chewing a bagel. He stopped a step short of the entrance, crouched, and slowly retied his shoe. Like he was waiting for something.

He could’ve made it. But he got caught with me.

Then I saw Avery jogging toward us. And I understood, he was waiting for her.

At the door, I glanced back. Ethan sat at the table, sipping coffee and scanning the paper.

I suddenly wanted him to drive me.

“Ethan—I’m running late. Are you busy?”

“Meetings start this afternoon.” He looked up from the news. “My driver can take you.”

I paused. “Okay… thanks.”

“Thanks” showed up a lot between us. For hanging each other’s laundry, for brewing coffee for two. Polite to the bone.

Thanks to the driver, I made it.

Grandpa was already in the garden pavilion at Sunny Meadows, beaming.

We’d met at a chess corner in the park. He was a terrible sport—reclaimed moves, talked through every play.

Eventually nobody would play him. And nobody wanted to play a young girl either. So we became unlikely friends.

I didn’t know he was Ethan’s grandfather back then. He only mentioned a rebellious grandson who couldn’t get his act together. Until one day Ethan came to pick him up.

“Maya.” Grandpa waved a hand in front of my face. “What’s wrong? You’re off today.”

I looked down at the board—I was losing badly. I forced a smile, “You’re too good, Grandpa.”

He saw right through me. “Fighting with Ethan?”

I shook my head. We never fought. We didn’t even argue.

“That boy’s emotionally dense. I’ll talk to him.”

Dense—that word on Ethan was almost funny.

In high school, he was every girl’s daydream. Good family, gorgeous, and every move dripped with that old-school charm. And he was a hopeless romantic.

He gave apples to the whole school on Christmas Eve just to slip one to Avery. He skipped study hall on New Year’s Eve to shoot fireworks outside her window.

I got an apple. I saw the fireworks. All thanks to her.

My thoughts tangled. Then it hit me—the reason for my restlessness since last night.

I was scared.