Too Late to Beg, Ex-Husband Chapter 02

Too Late to Beg, Ex-Husband Chapter 02 The Wedding Ring

Cynthia glanced at Victoria, then said, “I was worried after you spent all day taking care of me, so I waited at the café downstairs in case you needed anything.”

“What could you possibly have helped me with?” Ethan asked.

Cynthia’s expression stiffened.

Victoria came to Cynthia’s defense. “Ethan, watch your tone. She only stayed because she was worried about you,” she said with disapproval.

“Her condition is more concerning than mine,” Ethan said. “Don’t do that again. If anything happens to the baby, how will explain it to Sean?”

Sean Walker was Cynthia’s husband. He had been away on business for the past two days.

Cynthia had felt unwell the previous day, so she called Ethan and asked him to accompany her to the hospital.

Cynthia lowered her eyes. “I understand. I’m sorry for causing trouble, Ethan.”

Ethan glanced at her without answering and headed for the entryway. “I’m leaving”

Victoria called after him, “Aren’t you taking Cynthia home?”

Without turning, Ethan replied, “Sean called. He’ll be home in half an hour and will pick her up.”

When Ethan returned home, Stella was sitting on the couch, watching television and eating takeout.

He lowered the volume and examined the food spread before her. Most of it qualified as junk food.

He looked at her and said, “Why come home for this when a healthy dinner was waiting at the estate?”

Without looking at him, Stella said, “That is not my home.”

Knowing she was angry, Ethan said, “You know Mom. Her words are harsh, but she means well.”

“I’ve known her for twenty years. I’ve seen plenty of harshness and not a trace of good intentions.” Stella retorted.

Ethan chuckled. “Were you hoping she’d show you her softer side?”

Stella set down her fork with a sharp clatter and stared at him. “Is that supposed to be funny, Ethan?” she snapped.

The air between them froze on the spot.

In the silence, even the low television chatter sounded clear.

Ethan reached for the remote and shut it off.

Stella asked, “Why did you turn off my show?”

“You never used to watch this mindless nonsense,” he said.

What is wrong with mindless fun? Why can’t people laugh and live that way? Does everyone need some grand purpose or mening?” Stella asked.

Stella’s words came in a rush, while Ethan listened in silence.

He knew her anger came from years of feeling wronged.

For years, Victoria had looked down on Stella’s work, calling it pointless and worthless.

Ethan was always urging her to pursue a graduate degree and spend more time studying.

But academics had never suited Stella. Reading put her to sleep. She only loved painting, pouring everything she could not say onto the canvas.

“Being alive has value all by itself,” Stella said.

Ethan only watched her, saying nothing.

Stella found the whole exchange pointless and almost laughed.

He always watched her with the same calm, indulgent look, as if she were a child throwing a tantrum and everything she said was immature.

Little by little, Stella had learned to swallow every word.

She rose to leave, but Ethan caught her wrist again.

Stella snapped, “What are you doing? Let go.”

Ethan’s voice sharpened. “I didn’t get angry when you told the reporters we were getting divorced, yet you’re the one snapping at me?”

Stella turned back with a cold laugh.

“Then ask yourself why I said it. Next time you take Cynthia to a prenatal appointment, avoid the cameras. Reporters won’t confront you; so they corner me instead,” she said.

Only then did Ethan catch sight of the handprint blazing across Stella’s cheek.

Her cheek was red and slightly swollen.

His entire expression hardened in an instant. “Who did this to you, Stella?”

She had kept the right side of her face toward him, so he had only just seen the mark on her left cheek.

Stella lifted her chin. “What do you think?”

No one in Seaview City but Victoria would dare strike Ethan’s wife.

He seemed to understand. His face darkened as he pulled her close.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you,” he said. “You should have told me earlier.”

The tears Stella had held back for so long were about to spill.

She had not cried when Victoria hit her, when Cynthia quietly provoked her, or when she returned home alone and hungry One apology from Ethan nearly broke her.

Stella hated herself for giving in every time, even after more than a decade of Ethan hurting her and then offering a little kindness.

But she had no other choice. Right now, all she wanted was the freedom to cry.

Her life already felt like one mistake after another. Surely her tears did not have to be another.

Refusing to let him see her break, Stella turned her face away and hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Ethan took out the first-aid kit and applied ointment to her cheek.

His chest tightened as her tears kept falling, and he bent to kiss them away.

Stella tried to retreat, but he held her chin still.

When he finally stopped, her breathing had grown uneven.

Ethan said, “I’m sorry. The Southella mine had no signal, so calls meant walking far. I rushed back yesterday morning. Sean and Cynthia called. I took her to the hospital and planned to come home.”

Then the unexpected news came, so he rushed back and spent the night dealing with it.

Stella sat quietly on the couch, unsure what to say.

She was not angry because Ethan had been too busy with work to pay attention to her, nor was she angry because he had gone with Cynthia.

If she was honest, Stella could not even name the true source of her anger.

Their three years of marriage had always felt this way. She was often hurt and angry, yet whenever she examined those feelings, she found no reason others considered valid.

Ethan’s parents disliked her, and the Evans family never missed a chance to make cutting remarks.

But she had no right to be angry.