He Gave My Wedding Dress To Another Woman Chapter 03

He Gave My Wedding Dress To Another Woman Chapter 03

“You want evidence?”

Ethan let out a short, ugly laugh. “Professor Hughes sent Haley’s report back and ripped it apart.”

“You were the only one in his office. If you didn’t plant that idea in his head, who did?”

The accusation was so ridiculous I almost laughed.

“I supervised that report myself. There’s no way it got rejected because of the work itself. You’re really going to stand there and tell me you had nothing to do with it?”

“Tomorrow, you’re going to Professor Hughes, and you’re going to fix this. Make sure that report gets approved.” He wasn’t asking.

I exhaled slowly, fighting to keep my voice level. “We’ve been together four years, Ethan. You still don’t know me at all?”

Everyone in the department knew I wasn’t the type to go behind someone’s back. I was the one who stayed late helping other people fix their work.

Reports got kicked back all the time — it was part of the process. Ethan’s own report had taken seven rounds of revisions before Professor Hughes signed off. Since when was that anyone’s fault but the writer’s?

And somehow, all of that rage had landed on me.

Ethan went quiet. When he finally spoke, his jaw tightened. “People change.”

“Yeah.” My gaze dropped to the clothes he was wearing — clothes that weren’t his. “I noticed.”

“Chloe.” He flinched like I’d hit a nerve.

“Is that what this is? I’ve been letting things slide, and now you think you can talk to me like that?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. The study door shut behind him, and the sound echoed through the apartment.

Back in the fall semester of our junior year, Ethan got careless one night, and I got pregnant.

I wanted to keep the baby.

He said it would ruin everything — his research, our futures. He held my hand, looked me in the eyes, and begged me to end the pregnancy. Then he made promises to make it easier to ask.

“I’m sorry. This is on me. I know what I’m putting you through.”

“It won’t happen again. Ever.”

“From now on, you come first. Always. I won’t let anyone hurt you — I won’t even let you be sad. I swear.”

That was then. Today alone, he’d broken every single one.

The promises were a joke. And I was the punchline for believing them.

My phone lit up. Professor Hughes.

[Your flight leaves tomorrow night. You can still hit City Hall during the day — timing works out.]

[What has Ethan decided? Is he in?]

The shredded application form was still scattered across the floor. I stared at it for a long moment before typing back. [I’ll try talking to him again.]

Ethan was gone before I woke up the next morning. He hadn’t touched the breakfast I’d made.

Haley’s post went up shortly after.

[the best kind of morning starts with feeding your favorite person cake.]

She’d attached a photo. The man’s face was cropped out, but I knew that birthmark on the right side of his neck. I’d kissed it a thousand times.

So much for the boundaries he’d sworn he’d never cross.

Later that day.

I dropped off my application with Professor Hughes and took the long way back past the lab. Through the crack in the door, I saw them — Ethan standing behind Haley, arms around her, his hands over hers on the equipment, guiding her through each step.

When he’d said he was teaching her hands-on, I’d pictured them sitting across a table. Not this.

That evening.

I was packing my suitcase when Haley posted again.

[perfect night under the stars.]

[even better with the right company. do you have someone?]

The photo underneath showed two silhouettes, hands raised together, fingers shaped into a heart against the sky.

She wasn’t even pretending anymore. Every post was aimed straight at me.

I didn’t confront her. I just tapped the like button and went back to packing. By the time I zipped my suitcase shut, the post was gone.

The DMs started pouring in.

[people are saying the guy in haley’s pic was ethan]

[chloe seriously, watch out. ethan and haley have been way too close lately]

I sent the same reply to all of them. [He’s a grown man. I can’t exactly put a leash on him.]

Midnight. Ethan crawled into bed reeking of whiskey, and beneath it — that same detergent. Haley’s detergent. He pulled me against him before I could roll away.

My stomach turned.

Every part of me wanted to shove him off.

But his arms only tightened.

“Chloe.” His voice was soft, almost drowsy. “Make me your scrambled eggs and toast in the morning?”

I stopped fighting. I lay there, stiff in his arms, and waited for morning.

The next morning, Ethan opened the closet and pulled out a dress — the one I’d picked for the courthouse. For our wedding day.

“Chloe.” He held it up like it was nothing. “Haley needs something for a portrait session today. Mind if she borrows this?”