Fooling Love

Chapter 1

The day my husband’s plane crashed into the ocean, I completely lost it and tried to kill myself. They pulled me out just in time, only then did I realize it was April Fool’s Day.

Before I blacked out, I heard his mistress’s teasing voice.

“Ethan, your wife is really head over heels for you. She’d go nuts if she knew you were playing her!”

He chuckled.

“Nuts? Sarah’s been sweeter than a lamb since the baby came. Just don’t tell her about this, it’s the last test to see how much she loves me.”

Everyone laughed, promising to keep it a secret.

I lay on the stretcher, unable to cry anymore.

Ethan didn’t know this was my last chance for him too.

From then on, my love for him was zero.

1

I woke up in the hospital, a peeled apple on my bedside table.

Before, when I was sick, Ethan wouldn’t even show his face, he’d just send an assistant with a bunch of supplements.

Seeing my apathetic expression, he offered a piece of apple to my lips.

“Happy I didn’t die?”

I turned my head, noticing a faint love bite on his neck. My voice was calm.

“Ethan, let’s divorce.”

His hand paused, he popped the apple into his mouth, crunching loudly. His eyes held a smirk.

Right in front of me, he made a phone call.

Soon, his assistant brought in little Tommy.

Tommy had grown taller in the few months we’d been apart.

But, he still wasn’t close to me.

After Tommy was born, I was barely out of my postpartum period when Ethan’s father took him away. I only saw him on holidays at his family home.

I knew why Ethan brought Tommy.

Whenever he messed up, and I was upset, he’d send Tommy to appease me.

I couldn’t remember how many times this happened.

But now, this card was no longer my weakness.

Seeing Tommy, rounder and bigger, I didn’t smile.

Tommy frowned, just like a mini-Ethan, even his tone of voice when he addressed me was the same.

“Sarah, you’re so boring and uptight. Dad, I don’t want to be here, I want to go back and play Legos with Linda…”

Linda?

No wonder he never called me Mom; he already had another woman to fill that role.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

Tommy shut up and snuggled into my arms.

“Daddy yelled at me!”

Usually, I’d defend Tommy, but this time I pushed him away.

“Go tell Linda.”

Both their faces, like molds from the same form, froze.

I continued.

“Ethan, I’m serious about the divorce. I’m not joking.”

A flash of anger crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by a mocking smile.

“Sarah, you’re playing hard to get a little too hard. If you really anger me, you won’t see your son again.”

No wonder he didn’t react to the divorce earlier, he thought I was playing games.

I remembered last year, when his affair with a minor actress made headlines, and I threatened to divorce him.

He locked me in a room, and I didn’t see Tommy for six months.

I learned my lesson.

It was then that I realized I no longer loved him.

“Ethan, I’ll move out of the house after I’m discharged.”

I spoke again, seriously, looking directly into his eyes.

Sensing I wasn’t playing games, his face turned grim.

“Divorce depends on whether you have the ability.”

After he left with Tommy, I picked up my phone and texted the unfamiliar number.

“I’ve made up my mind, I’ll leave after the dance competition in a week.”

After leaving the hospital, I went back to the family home to pack my bags and went to the dance studio.

Since I’d made my decision, I didn’t want any more entanglement with Ethan.

When I arrived, everyone’s eyes were full of unspoken meaning.

2

A colleague pulled me aside, worried.

“Sarah, how did you upset Mrs. Landers? She stole your competition spot and got the director to fire you.”

Mrs. Landers?

I followed her gaze to the figure on stage.

Vivian, decked out in jewelry, had a bit of that mistress vibe.

I almost forgot, she always introduced herself as “Mrs. Landers” at the studio.

She was accepting everyone’s envious looks when she suddenly saw me.

“Sarah, I’m so sorry, but maybe my dance skills are more suitable for the competition, so the director gave the only spot to me.”

I didn’t care about her antics before, but this competition was important to me, I wouldn’t let her have it.

“Vivian, what’s your dance level? Is it the level you dance for men? Also, dare you tell everyone your real identity?”

She was originally a small-time internet celebrity, only getting into this high-end studio because of Ethan.

She used to be meek in front of me, but now she dared to step on me.

Vivian blushed, speechless, tears welling up in her eyes.

Then, an arm snaked around her waist.

Ethan looked at me, his eyes full of pressure.

“And what’s your identity?”

My lips moved, bitterness rising in my throat.

His mother died because of me.

After nine years of marriage, even giving birth to his son wasn’t enough to offset that debt.

When he was drunk, he once choked me and said:

“Sarah, you married into the family to atone, not to enjoy life, don’t forget your place!”

Seeing my daze, Ethan leaned in, whispering.

“Sarah, if you want to keep your job, move back home.”

I finally understood, he was Vivian’s boss.

He gave my competition spot to Vivian, and threatened the studio owner to fire me.

He was forcing me to submit, to take back my divorce statement.

Seeing that I didn’t react, Ethan sneered.

“Now you have wings, you want to escape my control? Then I’ll break your wings and see how you fly?”

He made a phone call.

My best friend texted me.

“Sarah, I think I offended someone. I was just promoted last month, and my supervisor just called me to his office, saying he’s going to fire me…”

My lips were tight as I packed my things.

Leaving, I heard Vivian’s taunts.

“Sarah, aren’t you just like me, relying on men? I thought you were so strong-willed.”

I paused, holding my suitcase, not to be outdone.

“Did you forget? I’m still married to him…”

Suddenly, Ethan grabbed my arm.

“Sarah, who gave you the guts to bully Vivian in front of me? And, I warned you, have you forgotten everything I said?”

My heart felt a sudden sting.

Throughout our marriage, he never publicly acknowledged me.

People only knew he was married, and he wasn’t short of beautiful women.

Since I couldn’t participate in the competition, I didn’t need to wait a week.

With that thought, I felt a little better.

Before returning home, I went to a lawyer’s office and printed a divorce agreement.

I sent another text to that number.

“No need to wait a week. I’ll leave in two days.”

3

Back at the house, I sat on the sofa in a daze.

Ethan was home earlier than usual.

He stood in the hallway, meeting my gaze.

It was like seeing the past me.

After work, I’d sit in the living room, waiting until late at night for my husband to come home.

I’d smile, take his coat and shoes.

“Honey, are you tired? I learned a new massage technique, want me to…”

For years, besides teaching dance, I revolved around him.

The cycle repeated, but I never got a kind word from him.

Now that I’ve distanced myself, seeing the past objectively, I realized how foolish I’d been.

Seeing my lack of reaction, Ethan frowned.

“What are you thinking about? Running away?”

I chuckled.

“If I wanted to run away, what would you do?”

He walked towards me, pushing me onto the sofa, skillfully changing the subject.

“You don’t like your son, then let’s have a daughter, daughters are more obedient, they can keep you company, you’ll have an easier time at home.”

When I married into the family, the maids saw Ethan’s indifference, and because I was quiet, they didn’t take me seriously, leaving all the hard work to me.

I loved Ethan deeply, never complaining.

He saw my plight but looked on coldly.

My thoughts returned to the present, my nightgown was pulled off.

His kiss landed on my body.

Fierce and domineering, with a punitive undertone.

No matter how he touched me, I was unresponsive.

Apparently, when you don’t love someone, your body doesn’t react.

Ethan found it uninteresting and got off me.

“Sarah, I know your body, you shouldn’t react this way.”

He pinched my chin, scrutinizing me.

“Tell me, have you been with other men?”

Ethan loved women, but he was a clean freak; he didn’t allow the women he slept with to be with other men.

A security guard at the studio liked to watch me dance; Ethan saw him and had the studio owner fire him. Ethan even sent him to jail for harassment.

I bit my lip, laughing bitterly.

“Yes, just like you think, I’ve slept with every man in the studio, are you going to send them all to jail?”

Ethan narrowed his eyes, his voice husky.

“Is that so?”

Suddenly, he picked me up and carried me to the bathroom.

He actually suspected me!

“Since you’re dirty, let’s clean you up.”

He threw me into the bathtub, the showerhead aimed at my face, cold water pouring down.

My skin prickled.

I struggled, but I couldn’t push him away.

Stimulated by the cold water, my PTSD flared up.

My mind flashed back to the plane crash that killed my parents when I was thirteen.

I trembled, curled up in the corner.

Ethan thought I was faking again.

“Sarah, don’t forget why you married me, you’re not here to enjoy life, you’re here to atone!”

That sentence again, repeated countless times.

That was his usual mode of interaction with me.

Nine out of ten sentences were malicious.

4

Seeing my dazed state, Ethan panicked and carried me to bed.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you sick…”

“Ethan, you’ve tormented me enough, let’s let each other go!”

Rage overwhelmed me.

I threw the divorce agreement in his face.

Looking at the signature line, he sneered.

“You’re so eager to divorce me, do you have another man?”

I remained silent.

He slammed the door and left.

Tears streamed down my face.

Thank goodness, I’ll be leaving tomorrow.

The next day, Ethan texted me.

“If you want me to sign, come to the Hilton Hotel, room 708. I’ve had the maids prepare an outfit for you.”

It was a cheongsam, making me look slim and elegant.

Pushing open the door, a group of people stared at me.

Vivian’s smile was particularly dazzling.

“Sarah, Mr. Zhou wants someone to dance, I twisted my ankle, so I’ll have to trouble you.”

The men’s eyes fell on me, as if they wanted to devour me.

This was Ethan’s intention in bringing me here, to dance for Vivian.

“Sarah, you want a divorce, right? I’ll grant you that, as long as you dance until he’s satisfied, I’ll sign.”

He said this word by word in my ear.

Then he pushed me in front of Mr. Zhou.

Mr. Zhou put his arm around my waist, eyes glazed.

“They say a woman’s waist is like a willow branch, and today I’ve witnessed it. Don’t worry, I promised Ethan, I’ll just touch you, I won’t do anything else. Dance until I’m satisfied, and I’ll agree to the deal with the Song Group.”

I stared at Ethan in disbelief.

Everyone knew Mr. Zhou was obsessed with waists; he couldn’t resist a woman with a slim waist.

Last time a client sent him a woman with a slim waist, he supposedly sent her to the hospital, her waist was fractured.

I broke free from Mr. Zhou’s embrace, but Ethan grabbed me.

“Sarah, don’t be so dramatic. It’s just a touch, it won’t hurt. This is your bargaining chip.”

So, this was the price of divorce!

The moment the door closed, I fell into despair.

The scent of aphrodisiac filled the air.

A hand grabbed my waist.

I picked up a wine bottle from the table and tried to hit the person behind me, but he grabbed my hand.

The bottle hit my forehead, I fell to the ground, my collar ripped.

I wanted to bite my tongue, and saw my parents and sister.

“Sarah, it’s our fault, we didn’t accompany you when you grew up.”

“Sister, live well.”

Like seeing light in the darkness, I bit Mr. Zhou’s finger.

He winced in pain.

I took the chance to push open the door and run.

Passing a room, the door was ajar.

Ethan pinned Vivian against the wall, kissing her fiercely.

“Ethan, should we check on Sarah? I’m worried about her…”

“What’s there to worry about? I told Mr. Zhou, he won’t touch her. Besides, I want to punish her. She’s been too disobedient lately.”

Just as I was about to push open the door, Mr. Zhou’s bodyguards found me and dragged me back.

Heartbroken, I simply ran into the wall.

Before losing consciousness, I seemed to see my parents and sister smiling at me.

Mom, Dad, sister, Sarah might break her promise.

Sarah’s coming to you.

An hour later, Ethan opened the door to 708.

He was expecting to see me repentant.

His steps halted.

I wasn’t there.

There were broken glass shards on the floor, and blood.

The cleaning staff were whispering.

“That girl was awful, her clothes were ripped, she couldn’t bear the humiliation, and she killed herself by hitting her head against the wall…”