Chapter 2

"So, what now, Ethan?" I asked, my voice surprisingly steady.

He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I once found endearing. Now it just looked shifty.

"We need to be practical," he said. "Chloe needs support. The baby..."

"You want me to just... step aside?"

"I was thinking," he said, avoiding my gaze again, "maybe you could take a trip. Give us some space to figure things out. For the company's image, a messy divorce right now..."

He trailed off, but the implication was clear. My feelings were secondary to Innovatech's reputation.

Chloe watched us, a predator enjoying the show.

"You're worried about the company's image?" I repeated, incredulous. "After this?"

"Sarah, don't be like that," he said, his tone shifting to annoyance. "You're being emotional. This isn't just about us anymore. There are shareholders, employees."

Gaslighting. He was actually trying to make me the unreasonable one.

"I'm going to San Francisco next week," Ethan announced suddenly, looking at Chloe. "The Tech Innovator Awards. Chloe's coming with me."

He said it like a dare.

Chloe's smile widened. "He wants to show me off."

My stomach churned. The awards gala was a huge event. Being seen there with her was a public declaration.

"You wouldn't," I whispered.

"It's important for Innovatech," he said, his jaw tight. "And for me. People need to see stability, continuity."

He was already rewriting our history, erasing me.

He then turned to Chloe. "I'll take you to the city. We can get you settled."

He didn't even ask if I was okay. He just left, with her.

The next few days were a blur of pain. Olivia, my best friend, tried to distract me, but the betrayal was a constant thrum beneath my skin.

Then Olivia showed me her phone. A tech blog.

Headline: "Innovatech CEO Ethan Hayes Debuts New Love and Imminent Heir at San Francisco Gala?"

The photos were sickening. Ethan, beaming, his arm around Chloe, her hand possessively on his. They looked like a power couple.

The article mentioned Innovatech had leased a lavish apartment for Chloe in the city. And more.

I drove to the Innovatech building, my hands shaking on the wheel.

The receptionist, flustered, tried to stop me. I pushed past her.

Ethan's office was on the top floor. Next to his, a new door, frosted glass. No nameplate yet.

I pushed it open.

It was a luxurious office, almost as big as Ethan's. And Chloe was there, sitting behind a large desk, a smug look on her face.

"Surprise," she said. "Ethan thought I needed a place to... consult."

The room was filled with flowers, expensive gifts. Photos of her and Ethan were already on the desk.

My photos, our photos, were nowhere in Ethan's office when I glanced in. Replaced.

"He set this up for you?" I asked, my voice hollow.

"Of course," Chloe said, preening. "He takes care of me. And his child."

She stood, her belly more prominent now. She ran a hand over it.

"This is what he wants, Sarah. A future. Something you couldn't give him."

The cruelty was deliberate, precise.

Rage, cold and sharp, cut through the numbness.

This wasn't just a betrayal. This was a calculated erasure.