Chapter 5

Mark' s status in the family soared.

He was the grieving widower, soon to be a father, carrying on his dead wife's legacy.

He was treated like royalty.

Olivia was his devoted handmaiden.

She cooked his favorite meals, made sure he was comfortable, listened to his every word with rapt attention.

Ethan watched this charade with a growing sense of disgust.

The house, his house, no longer felt like his own. It was a shrine to Mark and his impending fatherhood.

Olivia tried to justify her actions to Ethan.

"I'm doing this for everyone, Ethan," she'd say, her voice earnest. "This baby is bringing so much joy, so much healing."

She spoke of sacrifice, of noble acts.

Ethan knew it was all self-serving justification. She was manipulating everyone, including herself.

He started to feign acceptance. He stopped arguing. He nodded along.

"You're right, Olivia," he'd say, his voice devoid of emotion. "It's for the best."

She seemed relieved by his apparent change of heart.

But inside, Ethan was making plans. Secret plans.

He continued his job search, focusing on New York City.

He spoke to the divorce lawyer again, quietly, discreetly.

One evening, Mark was over, as usual.

He and Olivia were looking at baby catalogs, giggling like teenagers.

Ethan was in the kitchen, making himself a cup of tea, trying to be invisible.

Mark sauntered in, a smug look on his face.

"So, Ethan," Mark began, leaning against the counter. "When are you going to do the decent thing?"

"What are you talking about, Mark?" Ethan asked, keeping his back to him.

"The divorce, of course," Mark said, his voice laced with arrogance. "Olivia and I, we're going to be a family. You're just... in the way."

Ethan turned slowly, his eyes cold. "Is that what Olivia wants?"

Mark laughed. "Olivia wants what's best for the baby. And what's best for the baby is me."

He paused, then added, "She told me, you know. That she always loved me more. Even before you two got married. She said marrying you was a mistake."

Ethan felt a jolt, a deeper betrayal. He'd suspected it, but hearing it confirmed...

Olivia had lied about everything. From the very beginning.

Mark smirked, enjoying Ethan' s reaction.

"She said you were safe, predictable. But I was always the exciting one."

Ethan clenched his fists. He wanted to hit Mark, to wipe that smug look off his face.

But he held back. Not yet.

Mark then did something strange.

He took a step back, looked around wildly, and then deliberately stumbled, crying out in pain.

He fell to the floor, clutching his knee.

"My knee! Ethan, you pushed me!" Mark shouted, his voice filled with fake agony.

Ethan stared at him, a sense of dread washing over him.

He recognized this tactic.

It was something Mark used to do when they were kids.

A staged fall, a fake injury, to get Ethan in trouble.

History was repeating itself, in the most grotesque way.