Three years after we broke up, I ran into Ethan cross at the airport. For a split second, he looked dazed. “Nora, do you still blame me? I know I didn’t represent your dad in that case… and after he lost, the heart attack took him…” I shook my head. Back then, I had dropped to my knees and begged him to take my dad’s case. He had agreed. But the day before the trial, he listened to his junior associate. “Ethan, you have to stick to your principles,” she told him. He disappeared without a word, leaving me with a single text message. “Nora, I cannot represent family or close friends. That is my baseline.” Even though it was a routine case he had handled hundreds of times, and he could have won it in his sleep. He still chose to stand by and watch as I scrambled to find a replacement lawyer, ultimately resulting in my dad losing everything. My dad was hospitalized with a massive heart attack. His final words to me were, “Don’t blame Ethan. It wasn’t his duty to help us…” I respected his principles. I understood his ‘baseline.’ But I didn’t want to love him anymore. … Ethan’s eyes suddenly went red. In the middle of the bustling airport terminal, he cried like a helpless child. I felt absolutely nothing. I remembered crying much harder at my father’s funeral. After the burial service, I went straight back to Ethan’s law firm to finalize my resignation paperwork. I pushed open the door to his corner office. Not only did Ethan not offer a single word of comfort, but he glared at me with a face as cold as ice. “Your dad lost the case due to a lack of evidence, and his health was already failing. Don’t bring your personal emotions into the workplace.” “If I had broken my own rules to appear in court for your dad, how would the legal community view me?” “You should be more like Chloe. Be reasonable and respect the ethical boundaries of the law.” At that moment, I stared at the man I had been engaged to, the man I had loved for five years. I felt a chilling numbness spread through my entire body. Suppressing the excruciating, tearing pain in my chest, I didn’t argue. Because the dead cannot argue with the living. But just as I turned around to head to the copy room. I saw a fresh case file lying open on his desk. On the Letter of Engagement, under ‘Defendant,’ a name was printed in bold: Chloe Thorne. I stared dead at that document. The final thread of rationality in my brain snapped completely. I snatched the file and slammed it in front of Ethan. “Didn’t you say you couldn’t represent close friends? What the hell is this?” Ethan’s brows furrowed deeply. He snatched the file back from me, his tone filled with self-righteous annoyance. “How is this the same thing?” “Chloe comes from a single-parent household. Do you have any idea how hard it is for her to make a living in this city all by herself?” My eyes burned as I asked him, “She has it hard? What about me?” “My dad was dying, and you refused to compromise your precious ‘baseline.’ So why are you breaking your rules for her?” Ethan stood up aggressively, looking at me with profound disappointment. “Nora, why are you being so unreasonable right now?” “Aren’t you embarrassed, picking a fight over a junior associate?” Seeing how deathly pale I looked, he paused. His tone softened slightly, but it was still dripping with blatant favoritism. “Chloe has been crying every single day because of this lawsuit. She’s terrified to even leave her apartment.” “As her mentor, am I supposed to just sit back and watch her life get ruined?” “Stop letting your personal feelings blind you. Try to be the bigger person.” I looked at his hypocritical, sanctimonious face. My stomach churned violently. How absolutely laughable. This was the “principle” he proudly paraded around. He could stand by and watch his fiancé of five years lose her father, claiming he was defending his ‘baseline.’ But he would instantly abandon those rules for a few tears from his cute junior associate. His ‘baseline’ was nothing more than an excuse designed exclusively to control me. I took a deep breath, forcing the tears back from my eyes. “Okay. I understand.” I didn’t scream. I didn’t throw a tantrum. Because my father’s body was barely cold, and I didn’t want him to leave this world with me screaming in a law office. I calmly backed out of his office and closed the door. I walked into the restroom, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number. It was Julian, a senior from my law school days. He was now a senior partner at a massive multinational firm and the youngest adjunct professor at the law school. “Julian, that fellowship spot you mentioned at Columbia… can I still apply for it?” His reply was almost instantaneous. “Yes. Send me your portfolio, I’ll push it through for you.” I looked at my reflection in the mirror—eyes red, but gaze absolutely resolute. I typed back. “Thank you, Julian. Please book me a flight to New York for next week.” Seven days. That was the countdown to my final departure from this city. To help Chloe prepare her defense, Ethan hadn’t come home in three days. I texted him to let him know I was going to the city clerk’s office today to finalize my dad’s death certificate, asking if he could come with me. He sent back a single, freezing reply: [Busy with the case. Go by yourself.] Looking at those cold, brief words, I felt absolutely no emotion. That afternoon, I went to the HR department to hand over my final exit checklist. As I walked past the breakroom, I stopped in my tracks. Chloe was standing by the espresso machine. She was wearing a pure white sundress, looking the picture of innocent purity. When she saw me, her eyes immediately filled with tears. She walked over, holding a cup of warm water. “Nora, I am so, so sorry for your loss…” She bit her lower lip, her voice so delicate and sweet, dripping with self-blame. “Actually, the night your dad passed away… I’ve felt so terribly guilty about it.” “That night, a pipe burst in my apartment, and the power went out. I’ve been afraid of the dark since I was a kid. I was terrified being alone in the house.” “I panicked and called Ethan. I really just wanted him to help me find a 24-hour plumber.” She looked up at me, her big, innocent doe eyes swimming in unshed tears. “I had no idea he would be so worried that he’d drive over in the middle of the night and stay with me until morning…” Chloe gently tugged at my sleeve, begging through soft sobs. “Nora, please don’t be mad at Ethan. It’s all my fault.” I stared dead into her eyes. My chest felt like it was being brutally ripped open. The pain was so sharp that every breath tasted like copper. This was the truth. While my father was fighting for his life in the ER, dying because he had no lawyer to represent him… While I was calling Ethan like a madwoman, only to be met by an automated voicemail… Ethan had shut off his phone and abandoned his duty, all because Chloe said she was ‘afraid of the dark’. This was the man who kept preaching that “refusing to represent family is my baseline.” This was his so-called “impartiality.” I looked at Chloe’s pathetic, fragile act, seeing right through to the smug, triumphant gloating hiding deep in her eyes. In the past, I would have slapped her across the face. But now, I just clenched my fists, my nails digging violently into my palms. I took a deep breath and quietly slipped my hand into my pocket. I pressed the record button on the digital voice recorder I always carried with me. “A pipe burst?” I looked at her, my voice surprisingly calm. “Is that right?” Chloe clearly didn’t expect me to stay calm. She froze for a second, then cried even harder, dramatically stumbling backward until she collapsed onto the floor. “Nora, I know you hate me! You can hit me, you can curse at me, but please, don’t let me ruin your relationship with Ethan!” Right at that moment, the breakroom door was pushed open. Ethan strode in, holding a stack of freshly printed briefs. Seeing Chloe slumped on the floor, his face changed drastically. He rushed over and helped her up. “Chloe, what happened?” Chloe naturally leaned into his chest, shaking her head frantically, tears streaming down her face. “Ethan, don’t blame Nora, I just lost my balance…” Ethan snapped his head up, glaring at me with absolute disgust. “Nora, what the hell is wrong with you?” “I told you I’ve been swamped lately, and you still come to the office to bully Chloe? Can’t you be reasonable for once in your life?” I didn’t explain. I didn’t tearfully defend myself like I used to. I just looked at him quietly, as if looking at a complete stranger. “Ethan,” my voice was incredibly light, devoid of any warmth. “Don’t worry. I’ll never be unreasonable with you again.” With that, I walked right past them and out the front doors of the law firm. The moment I turned around, I hit the ‘save’ button on the recorder in my pocket. I went back to the apartment we had shared for three years. I packed my clothes from the closet, my skincare products from the bathroom, even the matching couple’s mugs I bought us. Piece by piece, I packed it all into my suitcases and moved out. Every single trace of Nora Vance was thoroughly scrubbed from this house. All that was left was an empty queen-sized bed, and a ghost. There were two days left until my flight to New York. The final countdown. Today was the day of Chloe’s trial. At 8:00 AM, I walked into the courthouse prep room. Ethan, wearing a sharp, tailored suit, was sitting at the table reviewing his opening statement. Chloe sat obediently beside him, adjusting his tie. They looked sickeningly like a perfect power couple. Hearing the door open, Ethan looked up. “What are you doing here?” His tone was dripping with impatience and arrogance, as if he was certain I was using this childish tactic to get his attention. I ignored his mockery. I pulled a manila envelope from my bag and set it on the table in front of him. “I need you to sign this document.” Seeing the envelope, a flash of panic crossed Chloe’s eyes. She was clearly terrified I had brought evidence that would ruin her case. She instantly put on an act, pretending her hands were shaking from nerves. Her hand “slipped,” and she knocked over the glass of water on the table. More than half the water spilled directly onto the envelope, blurring the printed words on the cover. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!” Seeing this, Ethan’s expression softened instantly. He grabbed Chloe’s hand, tenderly wiping the water from her skin. “It’s okay, don’t panic. I’m here. We’re going to win this case.” After soothing Chloe, he whipped his head toward me, his eyes turning cold and severe. “Nora, look what you did!” “The trial is about to start, and you’re intentionally bringing this drama here to mess with my head, aren’t you?” “If you have a shred of professionalism left in you, take your garbage and get out!” I looked at him fuming, and pushed the water-damaged envelope slightly closer to him. “Sign it, and I’ll leave immediately,” I said firmly. Ethan stared at my emotionless face, seemingly enraged by my stubbornness. Desperate to get rid of me so he could go back to comforting his precious junior associate. Without even glancing at the cover page, he flipped straight to the signature line on the last page. He pulled out his fountain pen and angrily signed his name. “Signed. Now get out.” He tossed the document back to me without another glance. I picked up the file and carefully checked his signature. Without a single ounce of hesitation or regret, I turned and walked out of the prep room. The moment I stepped out of the courthouse doors, the morning sun stung my eyes. I looked down at the document in my hands. It wasn’t a case transfer form. It wasn’t standard firm paperwork. It was a Divorce Settlement and Separation Agreement. (Though not legally married yet, we owned shared assets and business interests). I pulled out my phone and dialed Julian’s number. “Julian, I’m heading to the airport now.” Julian’s cool, refined voice came through the speaker. “Good. I’m waiting for you at the terminal. Safe travels.” I flagged down a taxi. “JFK International, please.” Outside the window, the scenery of the city flew past, fading into the background. Meanwhile, inside the courtroom. Ethan was putting his brilliant legal mind to work, absolutely decimating the prosecution. Relying on his impeccable expertise, he won the case flawlessly. Afterward, Ethan stood in the hallway adjusting his suit jacket, an arrogant, victorious smirk on his face. He believed he had executed a perfect, flawless defense. He won the case. He saved Chloe. What he didn’t know was that he had already lost me forever. At 4:00 PM, Ethan walked out of the courthouse with the swagger of a conqueror. He went straight to a high-end jewelry store downtown and bought an obscenely expensive diamond necklace. It was a necklace I had stared at in a window once, but couldn’t bring myself to buy. Winning the case had put him in an excellent mood. He even convinced himself that my cold, resolute attitude at the courthouse that morning was just me being jealous and throwing a tantrum. “Once she sees this necklace, she’ll get over it,” he chuckled to himself, driving back to our apartment. At 6:00 PM, he opened the front door. He expected to be greeted by the warm glow of the living room lights and the smell of dinner cooking. Instead, the apartment was pitch black, suffocatingly silent. “Nora?” A sudden, violent wave of unease crashed into Ethan’s chest. He sprinted into the bedroom and ripped open the closet doors. My half of the closet was completely empty. My toothbrush and skincare products were gone from the bathroom counter. Every single trace of my existence in this house had been meticulously erased. All that was left was a cold, empty bed. Panic set in. The jewelry box dropped from his hand with a sharp clack. He ran around the apartment like a headless chicken. Finally, he stopped in front of the dining room table. Sitting perfectly in the center was a manila envelope. It was the exact same envelope from the courthouse, the one with the water-damaged corner. Ethan’s hands began to shake uncontrollably. He walked over and pulled the document out. The moment he read the bold letters on the cover page, his face drastically changed, his breathing hitched. Separation and Asset Dissolution Agreement. He flipped to the last page. There, staring back at him, was the signature he had blindly scrawled that morning without even looking. “No… impossible.” Ethan’s eyes went bloodshot. He stared at the signature like it was going to burn a hole through the paper. Right then, he noticed a digital voice recorder sitting underneath the envelope. The red playback light was blinking aggressively. With trembling hands, Ethan picked it up and hit ‘Play’. Chloe’s sickeningly sweet voice immediately filled the empty room. “A pipe burst in my apartment, and the power went out. I’ve been afraid of the dark since I was a kid.” “I panicked and called Ethan. I had no idea he would be so worried that he’d shut off his phone and drive over in the middle of the night to stay with me until morning…” “Sigh, what can I say? The second I cry, he just melts. He can’t stand to see me suffer even a little bit…” All the blood drained from Ethan’s face the second he heard the recording. His eyes bulged, a loud ringing exploding in his ears. A pipe burst? Afraid of the dark? That night, Chloe had cried hysterically on the phone. He thought she was in severe physical danger, which was why he frantically shut off his phone and rushed over. It was just because she was… afraid of the dark? For that utterly ridiculous, fabricated reason, he abandoned my dying father. He abandoned his responsibility as a future son-in-law. He even used his “professional baseline” as a noble disguise to cover up his own cold-blooded betrayal. A crushing wave of terror and remorse began to swallow his sanity. But that wasn’t the fatal blow. The second half of the recording was an intercepted phone call. Chloe’s voice turned sharp, calculating, and viciously smug. “Afraid of the dark? Please, I was faking it. I broke the pipe myself. I just didn’t want him going to court to help Nora’s family.” “You have no idea. Ethan is such a fucking idiot. As long as I squeeze out a few tears and act pathetic, he’d gladly let his own father-in-law die.” “Who does that little startup bitch think she is? The loophole in the contract was a trap I set on purpose.” “And Ethan still obediently cleaned up my mess and made me look innocent, didn’t he? He’s just a useful idiot wrapped around my finger!” The voice recorder slipped from Ethan’s hand and smashed onto the hardwood floor. He staggered backward. His knees gave out, and he collapsed onto the cold floor. His prideful rationality. His self-righteous impartiality. The “fragile, innocent junior associate” he risked his entire career to protect. In this exact moment, it all turned into a grotesque, humiliating joke. He thought he was the embodiment of justice. When in reality, he was just a clueless pawn, played like a fiddle by a manipulative sociopath with fake tears. He scrambled off the floor and bolted out the door like a madman. He jumped into his car, ran four red lights, and tore down the highway toward the airport. At 7:30 PM, the international terminal was bustling with travelers. There was exactly half an hour left before my flight to New York took off. Julian was pushing my luggage cart, and we were walking toward the TSA security checkpoint. “Nora!” A hoarse, desperate scream tore through the crowd behind me. I turned around. Ethan, soaked in sweat, was sprinting frantically through the terminal. He lunged forward and grabbed the handle of my suitcase. I looked at the pathetic, disheveled man standing in front of me. There was absolutely no emotion in my eyes. It was like looking at a completely irrelevant stranger. “Let go.” My voice was incredibly light, carrying a bone-chilling frost. Hearing that devoid-of-warmth tone, Ethan’s heart violently contracted. Without a second thought, he dropped to his knees. In the middle of the crowded airport, he fell heavily onto the marble floor. He gripped the hem of my coat with a death grip. “Nora, I was wrong. I swear to God, I know I was wrong!” Tears streamed down his face, his voice ripping apart. “I didn’t know she was faking it! She played me!” “Please don’t leave. Please, just give me one more chance, I’m begging you!” He reached out to grab my hand, but I pulled away in absolute disgust. I looked down at him from above. There wasn’t even a trace of hatred left in my eyes. Only the stillness of dead water. “Ethan, you didn’t not know.” “You just didn’t care about the truth.” “You only cared about the ego trip of playing the savior.” My words were like a rusted blade, twisting ruthlessly in his chest. “Your baseline, your principles… they were always just excuses to control me.” “And now that you realize you were played for a fool, now that your fragile ego is bruised, suddenly you’re chasing after me?”
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