At 2 AM, my boyfriend, Ethan Carter, rushed into my sister Chloe’s bedroom, shirtless. He scooped our crying, hungry nephew, Leo, into his arms. With his other hand, he casually pinched Chloe’s cheek. “How many times do I have to tell you? I’ll soothe Leo at night. Stop trying to do everything yourself.” Then he turned to look at me, the warmth on his face instantly freezing over. “And you, Vivian. You know Chloe is still recovering. Why aren’t you helping with Leo? Go make him a bottle of formula, now!” My fingers gripped the doorframe tightly. I couldn’t say a single word. Chloe playfully slapped his chest. “I’m engorged in the middle of the night, Ethan. If I don’t feed him, are you going to massage my breasts when I get mastitis?” “I am your girlfriend’s older sister, after all! Watch out, or I won’t let Vivian marry you!” Ethan didn’t back down. He reached out to tickle her waist, though his eyes remained on me. “Vivian, what are you standing there for? Go make some warm chicken soup for Chloe to rebuild her strength.” Chloe laughed and shrunk into his chest. Baby Leo was squeezed between them, babbling happily. They looked exactly like a happy family of three. Since he wanted so badly to be my sister’s husband, I decided to find myself a new one.
I took out my phone, scrolled to a chat history I hadn’t opened in a long time, and sent a message: “You once said if I wasn’t married by thirty, you’d marry me. Does that still stand?” The reply came instantly: “Always. Anytime.” I quietly put down the baby bottle Ethan had shoved into my hands and turned to leave. Behind me, Chloe let out a soft gasp. “Oh stop it, I’m leaking! Hand Leo to me quickly!” Ethan, looking annoyed yet fond, gently swatted Chloe’s hip. “How many times do I have to tell you? No breastfeeding! Your body is already weak. If you don’t listen, I’ll really have to punish you!” Chloe covered her chest in mock embarrassment. Ethan didn’t even look at me. He sat beside her, carefully patting the baby to feed him. He didn’t seem to care at all that he was still shirtless. Without turning his head, he ordered me: “Vivian, hurry up and make Leo’s formula, then get the soup simmering.” “Make sure it’s perfect, or this little greedy cat here will find another excuse not to drink it.” Chloe blushed, playfully pulling his ear. “Ethan, I think I need to teach you some manners today!” Ethan’s eyes were full of tenderness as he reached out to tickle her waist again. The two of them carried on, laughing and fooling around, with Leo giggling in the middle. Finally, he noticed I was still standing in the doorway. His face darkened instantly. “Why are you still standing there like a statue? Can’t you see Leo is crying his eyes out?” I stared at them silently for two seconds. He was holding Leo, Chloe was leaning against his shoulder, and the three of them were huddled close. It was a perfectly harmonious picture. I turned around and walked out, opening the front door. A handsome face appeared in the hallway. Julian Vance was leaning against the wall, looking at me with a half-smile. “Wow. Did you get kicked out of your own place in the middle of the night again?” “Come on in. Let me play the hero today.” I followed him into his apartment. “If I remember correctly, this is the ninth time you’ve walked out, right?” I didn’t say anything. I took the mug of hot tea he handed me and stared at the rising steam. My mind was filled with everything that had happened over the last three months. When my sister got divorced and had nowhere to go with her baby, my heart softened. I let her move in. But within a month, I became the outsider in my own home. On our anniversary, a date I had been looking forward to for a week, Ethan sent me a text: “Leo has a fever. I’m taking Chloe and him to the ER. Might not make it back tonight.” I sat in the restaurant alone, staring at the candle for two hours. When I got home, I saw Ethan crouching on the living room floor, clapping his hands. “Say Dada, say Dada.” Leo opened his little mouth and mumbled, “Da… Da…” Ethan smiled so wide his eyes crinkled, and he lifted the baby high above his head. I stood at the doorway, not even having changed out of my shoes yet. Chloe saw me and smiled warmly. “Vivian, I’ve tested him for you. Ethan is definitely a family man. He’s going to be great with kids in the future.” She winked at me as she spoke. I twitched my lips but didn’t reply. Chloe probably noticed my unhappiness. Her face stiffened, and she suddenly picked up Leo and started packing her bags. “Fine. I guess we are in the way here. We’ll leave.” Ethan immediately stopped her. “Where are you going alone with a baby? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there?” Chloe cried, saying she didn’t need his help. “I’m your sister’s boyfriend. It’s my duty to protect you and the baby. Just stay here. Don’t go anywhere.” Over and over again, this happened. The warmth in my heart turned lukewarm, then cool, and today— It had gone completely cold. Snapping out of my memories, I spoke softly: “Let’s get married.” Julian trembled. The hot tea splashed onto his hand, making him hiss in pain. But he didn’t even care about his hand. He stared at me blankly, as if he had misheard. “…Are you serious?” “Yes.” He set his mug on the table and nodded vigorously. “Okay. We’ll go to City Hall the day after tomorrow.”
I pushed open the door to my apartment. Ethan and Chloe were still messing around. “You’re basically a guy in my eyes. Who would even want you?” Chloe joked. She puffed out her chest. “Are you blind? I’m a 36E. You can’t see that?” Ethan looked her up and down, purposely scoffing. “Are those even real?” Chloe pounced on him, hitting him playfully while he laughed and dodged. “Of course they’re real!” Squeezed between them, Leo let out a burst of giggles. I watched them quietly. Eventually, they realized something was wrong. The laughter gradually died down. Chloe let go of him and smoothed her hair. Ethan also sobered up and cleared his throat. I turned and walked back into my room. The moment the door closed, I heard their whispered voices outside. “Shoot, is Vivian mad?” “Don’t worry about her. She’ll get over it in a bit.” I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. After what felt like forever, the door opened. Ethan walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. “Vivian, it’s not easy for your sister to raise a baby alone. You need to be more mature. Don’t make things harder for her.” I rolled over to face him. “So, you mean I should come home from working overtime in the middle of the night and still babysit for her?” “Don’t you think I’m tired too?” He scoffed. “If you’re that tired, just quit your job. It’s not like I can’t support you.” “Besides, it’s better if you stay home to help with Leo.” I opened my mouth, but suddenly, I had nothing left to say. A few days later, Ethan had a college reunion. Right after we sat down, Chloe showed up with Leo in her arms. “Vivian, I’m so sorry…” “Leo kept crying for Ethan. He grew up without a father, so he probably views Ethan as his dad…” As soon as Leo saw Ethan, he reached out his tiny hands. “Dada! Dada, hold!” Ethan smiled, taking the baby and cradling him expertly in his arms. He glared at Chloe. “Why did you bring the baby out all by yourself? You should’ve called me so I could pick you guys up. What if you hurt your back again?” Chloe lowered her head, whispering, “I didn’t want to ruin your night…” Ethan reached out with his free hand to pat her shoulder. “Don’t be silly.” Seeing this, Ethan’s old classmates started teasing him. “Wow, Ethan! Living the dream, huh?” “Two beautiful women by your side. Not bad, man!” Chloe giggled, covering her mouth. “Oh, stop. He’s just being a gentleman.” One classmate leaned in and asked, “So, Chloe, do you like guys like Ethan?” Chloe stole a glance at Ethan and smiled. “Him? Please. He’s lazy and a glutton. The only thing he’s good at is taking care of the baby.” Ethan acted offended. “Only good at that? Leo only sleeps when I put him down. Can you do that?” “I was just giving you a chance to show off!” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Oh, thank you so much then.” Ethan joked back, making her laugh. They kept bantering back and forth, completely ignoring everyone else. I picked up my glass and downed the drink. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” I stood up and walked out. At the end of the hallway, near the corner. I heard those familiar voices. “You’ve been working too hard taking care of Leo. Your lips are so dry they’re cracking.” “Hold still. Let me put some balm on for you.” My footsteps froze. Around the corner, Chloe’s lipstick was completely smudged. Ethan was wiping his own lips with a lingering look.
Seeing me, Chloe froze for a second. Then, she immediately grabbed my hand and complained: “Vivian, thank god you’re here. You need to talk to your boyfriend. He is so petty! I just teased him a bit and he started lecturing me. Is it a crime to be a mother?” As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears. I said nothing. Back in the private dining room, everyone started playing drinking games. Chloe got super into it, but she kept losing. Soon, it was her turn to take a penalty shot. Just as she was about to grab the glass, Ethan slammed his hand over hers. “Chloe is still breastfeeding. She can’t drink. I’ll drink for her.” My best friend, Harper, slammed her fork down onto the plate. “Ethan Carter, in what capacity are you drinking for her?” The atmosphere instantly froze. Chloe bit her lip, her eyes turning red as she looked at Ethan with a pitiful expression. Ethan remained silent for a few seconds, then pushed the glass in front of me. “I was going to drink for your sister, but since some people want to make a scene, you drink it.” I picked up the glass and drank it all. Glass after glass followed. Chloe kept playing. She was terrible at the game but insisted on playing, losing round after round. Every time she lost, she would let out a whiny “Oh no!” and turn her eyes to Ethan. And Ethan would just push the alcohol in front of me. “Drink.” I lost count of how many glasses I had. My stomach felt like it was on fire, burning from my throat down to my gut. The lights in the room began to blur, and people’s faces spun. Their laughter sounded muffled, like they were underwater. I slumped onto the table, digging my nails into my palms to stay conscious. “No more… I really can’t drink anymore…” Ethan frowned. “It’s only been a few drinks. Don’t be a party pooper.” Another cold liquid forced its way down my throat. My stomach convulsed violently. A metallic, sweet taste rushed up. I covered my mouth, but I couldn’t stop it. Bright red blood seeped through my fingers, dripping onto the white tablecloth, blooming like morbid flowers. “Oh my god! She’s coughing up blood!” “Quick! Get her to the hospital!” Right at that moment, Chloe suddenly clutched her chest, groaning in pain. “My mastitis is flaring up… it hurts so bad…” Ethan pushed through the crowd, bent down, and scooped Chloe up in his arms. He walked out with giant strides. He didn’t even look back at me once. The car we had bought together carried the three of them away, disappearing into the night. Everyone else had been drinking, so no one could drive. It took two hours for an Uber to arrive. By the time I was brought to the hospital, I was already unconscious. The diagnosis: acute alcohol poisoning and stomach bleeding. The nurse went through my phone, found my emergency contact, and called him repeatedly. Finally, the call went through. Ethan’s irritated voice blasted through the speaker: “Are you done yet? Chloe has a 101-degree fever! Do you have any idea how dangerous mastitis is?” “If you have time to throw a tantrum, go home and take care of Leo. The nanny’s shift is over!” “Sir, your girlfriend has acute alcohol poisoning and a stomach bleed. We need a family member to sign—” “What kind of game is she playing now? She sees her sister get sick, so now she has to be sick too? I don’t have time for her drama!” Beep— Beep— Beep— The other patients and their families in the ER stared at me. Their eyes were filled with pity and sympathy. The next morning, the ward door was pushed open. Ethan walked in and grabbed my arm roughly. “Let’s go. Go apologize to Chloe. She was worrying about you even with a high fever, and here you are, playing the victim.” He pulled me so hard the IV needle almost ripped out of my skin. “Let go of her!” The nurse rushed over and pulled me back. “The patient needs rest!” Ethan sneered. “Stop acting! Get out of bed and come apologize!” I closed my eyes and gathered every ounce of strength I had left to say: “Let’s break up.” Ethan froze. Then, he let out a cold laugh and slammed the door. “What kind of nonsense is this? Don’t use that to threaten me.” A moment later, the door was pushed open again. Chloe was dragging Ethan in by his ear. “Vivian, are you mad at him?”
Chloe twisted his ear while winking at me. “He told me everything. He was just in a rush to save me and accidentally left you behind. This idiot doesn’t have a brain. Don’t take it personally.” Ethan tilted his head to ease the pain, groaning “Ow, ow,” but a smile remained on his face. Chloe let go and smacked the back of his head. “What are you standing there for? Apologize to Vivian!” “Why should I? I—” “You what?” Chloe stood with her hands on her hips, her eyebrows raised. “Vivian is your girlfriend! No matter how you look at it, you were in the wrong!” “I’m telling you, Ethan, no matter what, you must put Vivian first. Do you hear me?” Ethan nodded repeatedly under her lecture. “Yes, yes, my little manager. Whatever you say.” Only then did he turn to me, his tone lazy and insincere: “Vivian, if this ever happens again, I promise I’ll save you first. Satisfied now?” After that, he turned back to Chloe, his voice instantly softening. “You should go back and rest. You still have a fever. It’s going to hurt again if you leak.” Chloe wanted to say something else, but he was already holding her shoulders, gently pushing her toward the door. He glanced back at me, his face filled with impatience. “And you, if you’re sick, just lie down and stop causing drama. Getting angry isn’t going to help you recover, you know?” I smiled slightly. “I’m not angry.” “Really?” “Really.” Chloe let out a sigh of relief, a pleased smile spreading across her face. “That’s good. Don’t worry, Vivian, I’ll keep an eye on him for you.” “I met the wrong man in the past and got hurt, so I have experience. I’ll make sure he never treats you badly.” The smile on my face deepened. Ethan casually asked, “What do you want to eat? I’ll have someone deliver it.” “Don’t worry about it.” “I’ll just grab whatever. Go help Chloe. She has the baby and needs you more.” Ethan paused, seemingly surprised by my words. I added, “I’m used to it.” Those words seemed to prick him like a tiny thorn. He froze, staring at me for a few seconds. Then, his expression relaxed. “Good. You’re finally growing up.” “Well, at least you learned a lesson from this.” He had forced me to drink for Chloe, glass after glass. I drank until my stomach bled, throwing up blood, and was left waiting for an Uber for two hours. When I was brought to the hospital, the doctor said if I had been ten minutes later, even God couldn’t have saved me. I almost lost my life. And all I got in return was—You’re finally growing up. “If you can keep acting like this—mature and sensible—I might actually consider finding a good date to propose to you.” “Are you thrilled?” I didn’t say a word. He took my silence as being speechless with joy, nodded in satisfaction, and walked out supporting Chloe. The ward fell silent. I ripped the IV needle out of my hand and began packing my things. Two hours later, in front of City Hall. Julian Vance and I walked down the steps side by side, holding our marriage certificate. We ran straight into Ethan, who was holding Leo, with Chloe clinging to his arm. “Vivian Miller, what are you doing here?” “I only said I’d consider proposing, and you rushed to City Hall? Are you that desperate?” Julian reached out and wrapped his arm around my waist. Chloe’s face fell. “Vivian, what is wrong with you? Marriage is a serious thing!” “You and Ethan have been together for years. How can you throw yourself at another man right in front of him?” “You are embarrassing our family!” Looking at Chloe’s self-righteous face, I smiled. “Oh, so you know that throwing yourself at a man is embarrassing?” “Then what do you call what you’ve been doing with your sister’s boyfriend?” Her face turned bright red instantly. She opened her mouth, but not a single word came out. Ethan’s face darkened. “Vivian, you don’t even respect your own sister. If you marry into my family, are you going to treat my parents like this too?” “I was actually thinking that if you behaved yourself, I’d propose to you soon.” “But now, it looks like we need to put that on hold. Go home and reflect on your actions.” He finished speaking, lifting his chin, waiting to see me panic and beg for his forgiveness. Beside me, Julian pulled out our marriage certificate from his pocket and held it right in front of Ethan’s face. “Who gave you the right to bark at my wife?”
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