At Ethan Brooks’s family dinner, his half-sister suddenly stood up with a toast.

“I’m pregnant. It’s my brother’s child. Thank you, Lily, for being so generous, giving me, someone who never believed in marriage, the chance to be a mother.”

Robert Brooks and Margaret Brooks both lit up with joy.

Before they could speak, I shot to my feet and splashed a glass of wine over Chloe Miller’s head.

“Say that again?”

Seeing my expression, Ethan hurriedly tried to smooth things over and pull me back.

“Lily, don’t be mad. Chloe’s just fooling around, joking.”

“Right, Chloe? Aren’t you going to apologize to your sister-in-law?”

Chloe’s eyes brimmed with tears, her body trembling.

“Yes, I was just joking. Don’t be mad, Lily…”

But I could see clearly—she wasn’t joking.

Robert and Margaret hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from me, and quickly tried to explain.

“Don’t be upset, Lily. Chloe’s been spoiled since she was little. It’s all my fault. Back when we’d bring her home, I’d always tease her that she was Ethan’s child bride. She heard it so often she started taking it as a joke.”

Robert lit a cigarette, glanced at Chloe, then quickly stubbed it out and forced a smile.

“Yeah, when they were kids, they even shared a bed, grew up like that. They’ve been making these jokes for over ten years. Ethan got married suddenly, so Chloe hasn’t adjusted yet.”

“She just likes livening up the dinner table. Don’t take it to heart!”

Ethan didn’t take it seriously, chuckling lightly.

“When we were kids, Chloe used to play house and insisted I be the groom. She even called my parents ‘Mom and Dad.’ I told her back then to knock it off, but she never listened. Now look—Lily’s misunderstanding you because of it.”

“Chloe, no more of these jokes. Talking about not believing in marriage—what do you know about that at your age?”

He rested his hand casually on the table, but still slid a tissue toward Chloe.

“I know I was wrong, Lily. I’ll never say it again. It’s just hard for me to adjust to my brother being married. I promise it won’t happen again.”

My nails dug deep into my palm as my gaze dropped.

Through the gap of her purse, I saw the edge of a document stamped with the hospital’s red seal.

She was definitely not joking.

“Is that so? Well, I also have a surprise for everyone.”

“I’m pregnant too.”

I smiled faintly, but the smile never reached my eyes.

Ethan froze, disbelief written all over his face.

“What? That’s impossible.”

“When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”

I blinked innocently.

“Why should I tell you? The child isn’t yours.”

“I met a kind man. He knew I’d been married two years without a child, so he helped me out. Young men are strong—one try and it worked.”

“Ethan, next time come with me to thank him. We can’t let his effort go to waste.”

Ethan snapped, furious, standing up and splashing wine across my face.

“Lily Carter, do you even know what you’re saying?”

“You’re telling me you cheated on me?”

Robert and Margaret looked on anxiously, waiting for my answer.

Wine dripped down my hair, seeping into my collar, but my laugh only grew sharper.

“What? Chloe can joke to liven up the dinner, but I can’t?”

“She got help from someone she calls family, I got help from a stranger. Isn’t that even more deserving of gratitude?”

Ethan gripped my wrist hard.

“You’re sure this is a joke? Let’s go to the hospital right now and find out.”

He pulled me toward the door in a rush, but I stopped cold, my face like ice.

See? When the fire touches him, suddenly it’s no laughing matter.

Turns out, even he can’t tolerate betrayal.

Margaret clutched her chest, fumbling for her medicine.

“You nearly scared me to death, Lily. You really don’t know when to keep quiet.”

I looked her dead in the eye.

“Didn’t Chloe say the same things? I thought that was the Brooks family tradition at dinner.”

Robert instantly stiffened.

“Chloe’s just a girl—she’s your sister-in-law! You’re the elder! What kind of example is that?”

“You really want to kill us with anger?”

Ethan finally calmed down.

“Lily Carter, apologize to my parents and to Chloe!”

I stared at him coldly.

“No. I don’t think I did anything wrong.”

“When Chloe said it, none of you reacted. I thought you liked this kind of talk.”

Scanning their faces, I couldn’t stand another second. I turned to leave, but Ethan yanked me back.

“Lily, this is the Brooks family dinner! Try leaving and see what happens!”

“Chloe is my sister—how can you stoop to her level?”

Right. Chloe was his sister.

That’s why she could wear my wedding gown at my own ceremony, brushed off as childish mischief.

That’s why she could lie openly on our marital bed, excused as some ridiculous family tradition.

Because she was the sister, I always had to give in.

She could call me an old hag in jest—I had to endure.

She could mock me for my age—I had to swallow it.

Two years of marriage, and I’d lost count of how many times I’d tolerated her.

Not anymore.

I said coldly, “Ethan Brooks, we’re done.”

He froze, unable to react. Robert and Margaret panicked too.

Chloe quickly hurried over, grabbing my arm with feigned sweetness.

“Lily, I know you don’t mean it. You’ve only been married two years, still in the honeymoon stage. Why talk about divorce?”

“It’s my fault. I know I was wrong. I won’t say those things again, okay?”

“It’s just that after so many years, I can’t stop leaning on my brother. I lost my sense of boundaries.”

She tugged me with one hand and pulled Ethan closer with the other.

“Ethan, go comfort Lily! Don’t let her really divorce you. What if she’s pregnant for real one day? You’ll regret it!”

“What, do you really want me to be a child bride? I don’t even want to get married!”

She kept shooting looks at Ethan.

And the next moment, Ethan gave in.

“Fine, Lily, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have spoken harshly or doubted you.”

“Don’t make a scene. Do it for me, okay?”

“My parents are watching.”

I stared at his anxious, perfunctory face—and laughed.

Even when apologizing, he needed Chloe to prompt him.

“See? That’s why I want a divorce.”

“Ethan, I’ve had enough.”

I shook him off and got into the car, not looking back.

He didn’t chase me. Instead, he posted photos on social media of the family dinner—without me.

The four of them, all smiles. After I left, Chloe slipped right into my seat beside Ethan.

When they clinked glasses, she deliberately brushed his hand. Their eyes met, the flirtatious tension stabbing at my heart.

The only comments came from Robert and Margaret:

“We’ll always be one family, never apart.”

At 1 a.m., Ethan came home.

I was lying in bed, awake but unwilling to open my eyes.

I’d given him countless chances.

Even I found it pathetic.

Maybe that’s just how women are—harsh words on the lips, but always giving the man another step down.

I even thought, if only in that moment he had left Chloe and come after me.

If he promised to keep his distance from his sister, maybe we could have gone on.

But it didn’t happen.

Ethan braced his hands on the edge of the bed, leaning closer to my ear.

“Lily? I know you’re awake. You didn’t eat much at dinner. Mom and Dad asked me to bring you some food. Get up and eat?”

When I didn’t answer, he sighed deeply.

“They really do see you as family. Otherwise, they wouldn’t go to the trouble.”

“They’re old. Whatever issues you have, can’t you just talk them through?”

Under the blanket, my fists clenched tight.

I forced myself to breathe evenly.

I was waiting.

Waiting for an apology.

But he still didn’t understand.

The conflict wasn’t between me and his parents.

It was between the two of us.

I waited a long, long time.

Waited until he lay down beside me, until the mattress sank under his weight.

Waited until his breathing steadied, until he fell asleep.

Still no apology.

Tears fell as I stared at his back.

Maybe it really was time to end it.

At dawn, he got up as usual, washed, dressed, and left for work.

Before leaving, he kissed my forehead.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

His calm voice made it seem as though nothing had happened the night before.

I watched his departing figure, swallowing back the words I couldn’t say.

The truth was, I hadn’t lied.

I really was pregnant.

For the next two days, we lived in cold silence.

He went out, I stayed home.

He came home, I left the room.

He still ordered takeout from the same place, never remembering to note “no onions or ginger.”

If I didn’t say anything, he’d never even notice I was angry.

On the third night, he got a call and rushed out, forgetting to even shut down his laptop.

In the dark, the glowing screen drew me in. I sat down at the desk almost against my will.

His messenger was still open, synced with his phone.

Only one pinned contact.

Saved as “Little Princess.”

And me—his wife—buried under a flood of work group messages, impossible to find.

I clicked into the chat. Ten minutes earlier, Chloe had called him.

Then came a photo of her hospital report. She’d slipped and was having pregnancy complications.

“Ethan, will the baby be okay?”

“It’s my first time being pregnant. I don’t know what to do. Can you come be with me?”

“It’s my fault. If only I’d been more careful.”

Ethan’s replies were overflowing with patience and tenderness.

“It’s okay. I’m on my way. Don’t worry.”

“You’ve always been reckless. Now you’re going to be a mom, you still don’t know how to take care of yourself. Be careful, even when I’m not around.”

Chloe sent back a crying cat emoji.

“You’re scolding me. I’ll tell the baby you’re a bad dad!”

“Good thing I never got married. What if my husband was like you? That would be awful!”

“I can’t change my habits. Maybe you should just move in and watch me?”

Ethan’s response was full of indulgence.

“Alright, alright, Princess. Whatever you say. You’re the most important now.”

“When I proposed and you turned me down, was this why? You really don’t trust me? If it were you, I’d treasure you above anyone.”

“Chloe, you’re different to me. Always have been.”

A tear splashed onto the keyboard, blurring the words on the screen.

My phone buzzed—it was a message from Ethan.