On Our Fifth Anniversary My Husband Begged Me Not to Leave Chapter 02

On Our Fifth Anniversary My Husband Begged Me Not to Leave Chapter 02

I’d barely hung up when I heard the restaurant manager’s voice near the entrance.

“Dr. Hayes, your reserved table is all ready. Right this way.”

The title “Dr. Hayes” was a trigger I could never ignore. Instinctively, I looked up.

It really was Ethan.

And beside him—Maren Walsh.

The two of them walked in side by side. Ethan had already changed out of his white coat. His black shirt was rolled up to his elbows, and there was a tiredness settled around his eyes. Maren walked close at his side, tilting her head to murmur something to him.

Whatever she said—Ethan actually laughed.

I stared blankly at the scene, a needle-like pain stabbing through my chest.

In the past, when he came home, I always loved chatting with him about everything under the sun, desperate to share every interesting thing I’d seen that day. But he was always so disinterested. Forget a smile—he barely even gave me a response. I could only tell myself he was just too exhausted from work and had no energy left for me.

Now I finally understood. He was capable of smiling even when he was tired. He just couldn’t do it for me.

“Stella?”

Maren spotted me first. She hurried over, her face fixed with that perfectly measured smile.

“What are you doing here all alone?”

I didn’t answer. She didn’t seem to care.

Instead, she took the initiative to explain. “There was a massive pile-up today. So many injuries. Dr. Hayes and I have been working non-stop since this afternoon. We just finished the last surgery, and we’re both absolutely starving. He suddenly remembered this place has your favorite pan-seared cod. He insisted on bringing me here—said we could eat and then pack some up to bring back to you.”

She turned her head toward Ethan with a bright, winsome smile.

“He really, truly loves you. No matter what he’s doing, he’s always thinking of you. I’m so envious. I wish someone would love me like that.”

Really loves me?

A man who really loved me would forget our wedding anniversary?

A man who really loved me would bring another woman to a romantic restaurant late at night?

A man who really loved me would rush three hundred miles to moonlight an operation for someone else’s aunt—yet refuse to fight for my father’s last sliver of hope?

At that thought, I raised my eyes to Maren and said flatly, “Whether he loves me or not—that doesn’t seem to be any of your business.”

The smile on Maren’s face slowly disintegrated. Her eyes instantly reddened.

“I’m sorry… Did I say something wrong? I really was only trying to be nice…”

Her voice trailed off, getting smaller and smaller.

And then the tears fell.

As if she’d suffered some unimaginable grievance.

When the truth was, I hadn’t said a single harsh word.

Ethan instinctively stepped in front of Maren, blocking her from my line of sight.

That protective gesture stabbed at my eyes until they burned.

“Stella, you know perfectly well she meant no harm. Why do you have to speak to her like that?” His voice dropped, cold and hard. “There were so many casualties today. Everyone was working like crazy to save lives. As head nurse, she’s been on her feet all day—she hasn’t even had a chance to eat. Don’t be so unreasonable.”

The people around us chimed in, one after another.

“Doctors and nurses really do work so hard.”

“He just got off the operating table and was still thinking about bringing his wife food. Isn’t that already good enough?”

“Some people are way too controlling these days. That ‘main wife’ energy is honestly terrifying.”

One sentence after another. Everyone was on their side.

As if I was some kind of irredeemable villain.

I felt utterly exhausted. They were all so righteous and aboveboard—I didn’t even have room to defend myself.

Not wanting to entangle myself any further, I grabbed my purse and turned to leave.

But as I passed Ethan, he seized my wrist in a crushing grip. I winced.

“Let go.”

Ethan’s face was dark. “You need to apologize to Maren first.”

I thought I must have misheard. “Excuse me?”

“What you just said humiliated her. Apologize to her.”

I looked at Maren. She stood behind Ethan, eyes red and pitiful like a frightened little rabbit, while Ethan shielded her from me as though I were some kind of monster.

I actually laughed. “Ethan, tell me then—what exactly did I say that was wrong? Does our marriage, between you and me, have anything to do with her, a coworker?”

I bit down hard on the word “coworker.”

Ethan faltered. He couldn’t find an answer.

I seized the moment to yank my hand free and strode toward the exit without looking back.

Behind me, Ethan’s voice rang out, seething with suppressed rage. “Stella! Don’t you dare walk out of here without apologizing!”

My steps didn’t slow. I didn’t even turn my head. I walked straight out the restaurant doors.

The cool night breeze hit my face, scattering all my pent-up anger and resentment.

And suddenly, I understood. All it took was one step—and nothing could hold me captive anymore.

When I got home, I printed out the divorce agreement.

By next Saturday, everything would finally be over.