Forty-Eight Hours Until I Disappear From His Life Chapter 03

Forty-Eight Hours Until I Disappear From His Life Chapter 03

That night, Sloane added me to a group chat.

It was called “How Long Before Claire Cracks?”

There were more than twenty people in it, all of them Ethan’s friends.

The moment I joined, messages flooded the screen.

[I bet she apologizes before midnight.]

[Midnight? That’s way too generous. A girl from her background wouldn’t dare lose a meal ticket like Ethan.]

[I bet she ends up outside Whitmore Capital begging him to take her back.]

[Loser buys late-night takeout for a month.]

Sloane sent a voice message.

“You’re all giving her way too much credit.”

“She’s probably sitting at home right now waiting for Ethan to come back.”

“Packing, canceling the wedding, returning gifts. It’s the standard make-him-chase-you routine.”

“Someone who actually wanted to leave wouldn’t make this much noise. She wants everyone to know because she’s waiting for Ethan to go after her and smooth things over.”

Someone asked why she was so sure.

Sloane laughed.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I used to play this game myself.”

“A broke woman landing a man like Ethan Whitmore is basically winning the lottery.”

“You think someone wins the lottery, tears up the ticket, and walks away without cashing it? What kind of idiot does that?”

The group chat filled with laughing emojis.

Ethan was in the chat too.

He never said a word, but he never stopped them either.

I left the group.

Less than ten seconds later, Sloane added me back.

[Don’t run off yet.]

[Weren’t you breaking up with him? Let us see how long you can keep up the act.]

[Why don’t you bet too? What time do you think you’ll go back and beg Ethan?]

I left again.

Half an hour later, an unknown number called me.

“Are you Ethan Whitmore’s girlfriend?”

“Mr. Whitmore was in a car accident. He’s in the hospital being treated right now.”

They had pulled the exact same stunt three years earlier.

That day, I had been taking my PE exam.

The second I heard Ethan had been in a crash, I left without even finishing the test and raced to the hospital.

When I pushed open the hospital room door, I found a table covered in takeout and drinks instead.

They laughed and said I was only that frantic because I was terrified something had happened to my meal ticket.

The second time, my mother had been hospitalized.

They lied again and told me something had happened to Ethan.

I left my feverish mother in a neighbor’s care and spent five hours getting back to New York.

It was another test.

They watched me cry and praised how convincing my performance was.

This time, I answered calmly.

“If someone needs to sign anything, call his family.”

“We’re broken up.”

The other end went silent for a moment before laughter exploded through the phone.

Sloane took the phone.

“Look at you. You finally figured out it was another test.”

“But don’t think acting cold is going to scare Ethan.”

I hung up.

Early the next morning, I hauled my suitcases to the airport.

Before I went through security, a coworker called me.

“Mr. Whitmore’s assistant just asked whether you really quit your job.”

I stopped walking.

“What did you tell him?”

“I didn’t even get a chance. Some woman next to him said you were trying to pressure him into proposing.”

“Then Mr. Whitmore hung up.”

I didn’t have to ask who the woman was.

At 8:40, the boarding announcement began.

I looked back at the entrance once.

Ethan wasn’t there.

My phone buzzed.

Sloane had sent me a video.

Ethan was sitting at the private club with a drink in front of him.

The same group was still waiting for me to cave.

Sloane’s voice came from somewhere off camera.

“Relax. She’s not going anywhere.”

“She’s probably hiding somewhere near the airport right now, waiting for you to come running after her.”

“The second you show up, she’ll use the threat of a breakup to control you forever.”

Ethan looked up.

“What if she really leaves?”

Sloane didn’t hesitate.

“If she actually has the guts to leave, I’ll apologize to her in front of everyone.”

The video ended there.

I locked my phone and headed for the gate.

I didn’t need her apology. She could choke on it.