Too Late For His Empty Regret

ect man who promised me forever. After our son w

ped up on my phone: Ethan Bla

eater. He was a monster who mocked m

ildbirth... It's too muc

that left me crippled, and then bankrupted my

ke his own hand to protect me, the

uel stranger who looked at

ed me for everything, the lov

nd called a number I h

d as ice. "It's Audrey. I need

pte

rey

gram message. Ethan Blake is cheating. I have proof. My breath seized in

he scent of coffee and his familiar cologne drifted into the bedroom. He looked so

nge juice in his hand. "Morning, my love," he said, his voice a warm ca

ho had carved a space in my heart since we were kids. He couldn'

We were ten, playing in his family' s sprawling Hamptons estate,

, breaking his own hand just to keep me safe. He didn' t care about the pain. He only care

k, felt like a dream. He' d spun me around, his laughter echoing, telli

wers, the one who held my hand through every fear and every triumph. He was there when I graduate

hts reading baby books, who squeezed my hand through every contraction, his fac

cruel, sick joke. Someone

stomach dropped. Check his

hered through me. I stared at the message, a tremor

ments stiff, robot-like. His gym bag lay on the floor, forgotten after h

ms. My vision blurred. The world spun. The scent of Ethan' s cologne

plush carpet, the anonymous messages flashing in my mind. T

w." A second later, the request was accepted. Another message popped up. Go to The Velvet Wh

to see it, to confirm this night

uded corner, my heart pounding, my eyes scanning the room. Then I saw him. Ethan. He was laughing

y that made my stomach churn. I watched them, my breath catching in my throat, as he leaned in, h

about Ethan's "long hours" at the office. The woman who had complimented my

gainst my mouth, trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to es

. Ethan raised his hand, silencing them. He leaned closer to Kendall, his voice

"Postpartum body. All that trauma from childbirth. It's too much." He shuddered dramatically,

was dissolving. The man I loved, the man who promised me forever, was

didn't know how I got home. I just found myself kneeling by my

, had dreamt of. He had called him his greatest blessing. It was all a lie

umb, his grip surprisingly strong. A jolt went through me. My son. My beautiful

ber. My fingers hovered over the send button. No

the nightlight. My love for Ethan had died tonight, choked by his cruelty

. Then, I wrote a message to the anonym