Ethan looked irritated.
“Claire is my wife. Why would it be strange for me to want a child with her?”
Vanessa’s fingers tightened around her glass.
“I need to speak with you privately.”
She never got the chance.
The ballroom doors suddenly opened.
Ryan Cooper stormed inside.
He went straight toward Ethan.
Within seconds, the room erupted.
Guests shouted.
People rushed forward.
Ryan’s voice cut through everything.
“I asked you to help her, not get involved with her!”
The entire ballroom went silent.
Vanessa rushed forward.
“We broke up a long time ago! You don’t have the right to interfere!”
Ethan turned toward the crowd.
Then he found me.
That was when I saw fear in his eyes.
“Claire, let me explain.”
I looked at him.
For several seconds, I felt almost nothing.
Not anger.
Not heartbreak.
Just clarity.
The man who had once been willing to challenge his family for me now looked like someone I had never truly known.
I picked up my purse.
And left.
Later, Ethan called repeatedly.
I never answered.
He sent flowers.
I returned them.
He asked mutual friends to convince me to speak to him.
I told them not to interfere.
Eventually, I learned more about how everything had started.
