Willow’s nails were bare in the security
footage as she wheeled me away.
“Ethan? What was that noise?”
“Did you see Sarah at the hospital?”
Willow paused. “No, you know I hate the
smell of medicine. What happened to Sarah?”
“She’s dead. This afternoon.‘
35
<
A glass shattered on the other end. Willow’s
breath hitched.
“Oh my god… Sarah…”
Her exaggerated gasp reminded Ethan of her
reaction at the gala.
He couldn’t ask more questions. Every answer
confirmed his stupidity.
He hung up. The assistant nervously asked:
“Should we arrange for the funeral…?”
“Get out! Anyone who mentions Sarah’s
death will join her!”
Then, in a hoarse voice:
“Investigate. Find everything about Willow
Hayes‘ activities in the last six months!”
“And Sarah’s recent medical records. I need
everything.”
He touched my swollen eyes, his own
<
brimming.
“Sarah, why didn’t you tell me?”
Tears fell, on my swollen cheek.
“I’m sorry, you hate messes, and I’ve made a
mess of your face.”
He wiped it, trying to clean her.
- 6.
Willow came home, happy, with a sonogram.
“Ethan, look! Our baby, it already has
features!”
He looked at her, his expression complex.
He saw the date: seven weeks. His jaw
trembled.
While celebrating Willow’s return, he’d had a
child with me.
But it was too late. If it had been sooner…
“Ethan, I know Sarah was important to you,
<
but our child is important too.”
Ethan’s eyes turned cold.
“Knowing I’m grieving, you use this child to
win my favor? Don’t you feel bad?”
“I… I’m sad for her too, Ethan, how can you
think this of me?!”
“Sarah is your ex–wife, but I’m your
legitimate wife. You treat me like this for her?
Isn’t that excessive?”
Willow’s behavior was strange, filled with
jealousy.
Ethan felt a chill.
He grabbed her hand, examining her nails; her nails were immaculate. “Didn’t you get a manicure recently? Where is it?”
33
“I… it was annoying, I removed it. “Annoying, or you never had one.“
