Chapter 2
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“Hahaha, you can’t, but I can. I missed out on him for three years. If it weren’t for you, this vixen, for those three years his heart would have been
only mine!”
Chloe cried a river, unleashing all her grievances upon me.
I watched her quietly, waiting for her to stop talking.
Then I chuckled softly, my voice calm.
“Chloe Davies, if you’re sick, go get treatment. Your illness wasn’t caused by me, so why are you here looking for attention?”
“It’s not my fault you don’t value your own life. If you think life can keep a man, then you should’ve held onto him better, don’t let him be like gum
stuck to your shoe, impossible to shake off.”
“You love Ethan Carter? I wish you all the best. Please, just take him away and stop being an eyesore around me, okay?”
Every word I said left Chloe Davies speechless.
This was completely different from what she had expected.
She thought it would be a tough battle today, but it felt like punching a pillow.
Chloe Davies’s depression was self–inflicted.
Years ago, she had disregarded Ethan Carter’s pleas and insisted on moving abroad with a wealthy man.
But she was never satisfied; things easily obtained quickly became boring.
She began to miss Ethan Carter, to feel self–reproach, and self–pity.
Eventually, she tortured herself into sickness.
Because she believed that only by having a sick body could she earn Ethan Carter’s forgiveness.
Later, she succeeded. She divorced, and he agreed to marry her.
Everything seemed to be back on track, but it felt like everything had changed.
She had won, yet somehow she had lost.
But how could someone who had painstakingly built all this allow herself to fail?
She began to furiously smash everything around her.
Scarlet wine splattered across the floor.
It gurgled as it spread.
Just as she was about to throw something at me, Alex pulled me tightly into his embrace, shielding me.
At the same moment, Ethan Carter arrived and grabbed Chloe.
Chloe, seeing him, cried even louder.
“Ethan, why don’t you want me anymore?”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital! Ethan, please take me home! I’m your wife, I want to be with you!”
This time, Ethan Carter didn’t hesitate; he decisively refused.
Chloe Davies, our game is over. You know I can’t marry you.”
“I’ve fallen for Jenna Miller. Can we please stop this charade?”
Ethan Carter stared at me, hoping to see a hint of emotion on my face.
But delayed affection is still garbage.
And I couldn’t even spare him a glance.
At that moment, Alex leaned weakly against my shoulder.
Chapter 2
*Alex, are you okay?”
“Where does it hurt? Here? Or here?”
I frantically checked Alex’s back.
A large red patch made it hard to tell if it was blood or wine.
I trembled, wishing I could rip off his clothes right there and check his wounds.
Seeing me so concerned about another man, Ethan Carter’s carefully maintained composure of days instantly shattered.
He disregarded everything and pulled me up.
“Jenna Miller, are you deaf? I said I love you!”
After three years, this was probably Ethan Carter’s declaration of love.
He had never expressed his love for me, and I hadn’t forced it.
Now that he blurted it out, I didn’t want to accept it.
I forcefully shook off his hand.
“Yes, I’m deaf to you. Your words are too filthy; I don’t want to hear a single one.”
“Take this deranged woman and get out! If you want to go crazy, do it at home, don’t defile my property here!”
Ethan Carter didn’t back down. His stubborn, unrelenting nature was truly annoying.
He laughed maniacally, even kneeling down on the shards of broken glass.
“Moon, I beg you, just say you love me, please.”
In that moment, I thought Ethan Carter and Chloe Davies were a perfect match.
One driven mad by love..
The other driven wild by love.
But that was just their self–pitying drama; what did it have to do with me?
The man I loved had vanished that night.
And I wouldn’t give him an ounce of my love anymore.
I didn’t want to waste another word on those two.
I helped Alex up and walked past them.
Just as I was about to reach the door, Ethan suddenly pulled a lighter from his pocket.
He lit it without hesitation.
Flames instantly shot up, fueled by the spilled alcohol.
Ethan Carter yelled at me like a madman.
“Moon, I’m going to die now too! Are you going to save him or save me?”
I never thought Ethan Carter would stoop to threatening his own life.
As the flames spread, Chloe Davies shrieked and ran out.
I screamed at him.
“Ethan Carter, what the hell are you doing?! Get out of there!”
The man cried, not moving an inch.
“Moon, please save me! Save me!”
foe, who had collapsed in fear tunged at my sleeve, pleading.
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Chapter 2
Even Chloe, who had collapsed in fear, tugged at my sleeve, pleading.
“Jenna Miller, save Ethan! I won’t fight you or argue with you anymore, just save him, please!”
Suddenly, I was trapped on a moral high ground.
Without thinking, I grabbed a fire extinguisher and prepared to rush in.
But a group of people pulled me back.
The neighbors, cursing, rushed in with fire extinguishers.
“Which son of a gun started this fire?! Do they have a death wish?!”
“The radio keeps telling us to be careful with fire! Are they deaf?!”
“So desperate for love you’ll lose your life?! Bah, pathetic!”
Five minutes later, Ethan Carter was forcefully pulled out by the crowd.
He struggled, calling out my name as I walked away.
Jenna Miller, why?!”
Alex was taken to a nearby clinic. Fortunately, his injuries weren’t serious.
I helped him out, and Ethan Carter was waiting at the door for me.
His face and hands were blackened, his hair disheveled, his clothes singed.
Who would have thought a well–dressed, dignified man could look like this?
He stood there, pathetic and humble, yet I felt not a shred of sympathy.
In that moment, without a word, I slapped him across the face.
Ethan Carter staggered, almost falling.
“Ethan Carter, your life means nothing to me.
“You are truly despicable. Just leave. You’re not welcome here.”
Ethan’s voice was hoarse, his eyes red.
“Moon, you really don’t like..”
Before he could finish, I immediately cut him off.
“No, I don’t, and I never will again.”
He had already confirmed this question countless times within himself.
My liking for Ethan Carter was gone, and it wouldn’t return now.
Ethan’s tears streamed down his face, sobbing uncontrollably.
“But Moon, I still like you. What am I supposed to do now that I still like you?”
“I thought with Chloe back, I wouldn’t need you anymore. But I was wrong. I need you. I can’t live without you.”
“Moon, please, love me just one more time, even just once.”
I turned my head, not wanting to see his irritating expression anymore.
“Ethan Carter, I’m asking you too, please don’t love me anymore, okay?”
“Did you love me? In these three years, did you ever love me?”
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“You only loved my wine. You only loved that I could make you feel like Chloe Davies. Because Chloe changed, she’s not the person you used to love. She can’t give you that thrill anymore, so you used me as a substitute. If one day I couldn’t give you that feeling of love, I believe you would replace me just as easily.”
“Ethan Carter, wake up. Stop lying to yourself.”
Einan Carter, wake up. Stop lying to yourself.”
With that, I helped Alex away without looking back.
When the winery was repaired, Alex and I hosted a party for our neighbors.
First, to thank them for their help.
Second, to make a complete farewell to the past.
Cheers and laughter filled the air.
My life slowly settled into a peaceful routine.
Growing grapes, harvesting grapes, making wine became my entire world.
A month later, I received a package from Ethan Carter.
He had sent back the last bottle of Memory’s Embrace, untouched.
I didn’t open it. I simply tossed it into the trash can.
On my way home, the church bells chimed.
Farmers returning from the fields walked home with the setting sun.
And I, with light steps, hurried towards the person waiting for me at the door.
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