She Got My Husband with the Sunrise

Chapter 2

My phone signal flickered in and out.

The one brief moment it stabilized?

I wasted it listening to Ethan's pathetic excuses.

While he watched the sunrise with Olivia, I sat alone in the wilderness until dawn.

Disoriented and half-frozen, I finally saw his text:

"Wait there. I'm coming."

I found a pavilion, dropped him my location, and waited.

The rain stopped.

He never showed.

Some villagers found me, soaked and shivering, and called the police.

By the time I made it to the hospital, I was running a high fever, IV needle in my arm, when I saw Ethan's post:

"This dummy got lost driving home. Had to rescue her."

And right below it, Olivia's comment:

"You're my GPS! Always finding me when I'm lost."

I laughed coldly. Then I liked the post.

One refresh later, it was gone.

Olivia responded with a crying emoji.

When the last IV bag emptied, I took a cab home, ordered takeout with the simple note:

"Leave it at the door."

Then I collapsed on the couch, head spinning.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The knocking split through my skull.

I dragged myself to the door and yanked it open.

"I said leave it outside, "

SLAP.

The hit cracked across my face, sharp and shocking.

"Sophia White! Who do you think you're yelling at? Olivia doesn't owe you anything!"

It was Ethan.

Behind him stood Olivia, eyes puffy and red, holding my takeout like it hurt her.

She looked so fragile, like some helpless little bird, shivering in place.

"You were supposed to wait!" Ethan snapped.

"Olivia and I searched everywhere! Look at her, she's soaked because of you!"

He grabbed my brand-new coat off the hook and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Then Olivia walked in like she owned the place, slipping her feet into bunny-eared slippers.

My slippers.

Or so I thought.

I'd worn them once before Ethan threw a tantrum and snapped,

"Those are Olivia's. Don't touch her things."

He'd bought me a new pair, identical ones, just to keep us from "mixing things up."

"Bunny ears are so cute! Thanks, Ethan!"

Her sugary voice made my skin crawl.

She placed my takeout on the table, cracked open the lid, and started eating.

"That's my food," I said flatly.

Ethan shot me a look.

"It's just takeout. Olivia got drenched looking for you. The least you can do is share."

Then, like it was the most natural thing in the world:

"Make her some ginger milk pudding too. She's delicate, I don't want her getting sick."

Olivia nodded with a pitiful smile, reaching for one of my homemade pastries.

She bit into it and wrinkled her nose.

"Too sweet. Mine are better."

Ethan laughed.

"You always try to copy her recipes but never get it right."

Something snapped inside me.

Head pounding, I snatched the congee bowl and dumped it over Olivia's head.

"There. Warm enough now?"

Ethan shoved me.

I was too weak to brace myself. Feverish and dizzy, I hit the floor hard.

He stepped on my hand without a second thought, grabbed my towel and pajamas, and handed them to Olivia.

"Go shower."

The bathroom door closed behind her.

Then Ethan turned to me.