Seeing Blood

Ethan West and I were together for seven years. Because of one promise, I gave up the thrill of being a gold-medal race car driver to become a housewife, tied to the mundane rhythm of pots and pans.

Yet, Ethan never changed. His gentle care and thoughtfulness remained constant over the years, and I believed he loved me.

Until the day I saw him, madly holding another woman, kissing her as if the world would end.

It was then I learned the truth: I was Ethan's wife, but Tara was the unattainable princess he had always longed for.

If I did not witness the scene, perhaps it would hold more significance.

I did not have time to feel hurt, but my hands could not stop working. Without concrete evidence, a divorce case would be hard to win.

After all, no one would ever believe that Ethan West could cheat.

After ensuring every facial expression and action was captured in painstaking detail, I turned and left.

Lakeview City was a sprawling metropolis where everyone lived on their own path.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I realized I had long forgotten what my life as Lana Branch used to look like.

It had been mercilessly severed by her.

When I first met Ethan, he was charming and dashing. To the world, he was the perfect man. He did not smoke or drink, owing a pair of soulful eyes but living like a Stoic.

Our mutual friends used to joke that everyone's jaws dropped when they found out Ethan and I were together. They said Ethan and I were from completely different worlds.

Flipping through the photos in my hands, I bit my lip as if punishing myself, the taste of blood flooding my tongue. For the first time, I felt how terrifyingly empty this house was.

The truth is, I had known about Tara Moon for a while now.

Not long after Ethan and I began dating seven years ago, we were inseparable, just like any other couple in love. He was gentle and always patient with my fiery temper.

I was young and bold, passionate like a flame. He often teased me, saying my name was gentle like a flower, but my spirit was a wild horse.

Feigning anger, I would kick at him and retort, "So what? Does taming me give you some kind of thrill?"

Looking at me, he replied in a deep voice, "It's not about taming you, Lana. You belong to yourself. No one can take away your thoughts, not even me."

I knew Ethan was the kind of man people adored. What I had not expected was how easily he could read my heart, pulling me deeper until I was beyond saving.

I found out about Tara through a photo taken during Ethan's school days. He was in his uniform, holding a beautiful and delicate girl in his arms.

They looked perfect together.

When I confronted him with it, he barely glanced at the photo. He was calm and unbothered as he replied, "It was just some foolishness from when I was young."

If that reckless youth had returned, what was I supposed to be?

When Ethan returned that evening, he held a box of chestnut cake in his hand.

Unlike usual, I did not go to take his coat or ask about his day. I offered no warmth or care.

He looked at me and asked why I had not turned on the lights. His soft, melodic voice, like the hum of a cello, used to make my heart flutter.

I would usually pretend to be annoyed and playfully bicker with him, but just hearing him speak made me feel sick.

I asked him where he was that day.

His dark gaze seemed to pierce through me, as though he could see every thought in my mind. Ironically, it was his eyes that had drawn me to him in the first place.

"I had a meeting," he said, as if I were a child easily fooled.

I wanted to laugh, but I could not.

"Well, that's fine. Oh, by the way, I have plans tonight, so I won't be home. I thought I'd let you know."

His body stilled, his voice dropping to a disapproving tone. "Where are you going, Lana?"

Feigning confusion, I replied, "My best friend invited me out since she's off work today. You've met her, haven't you?"

The way I said it so casually caught him off guard. He hesitated before smiling in response.

"I'm just worried about you. Don't stay out too late, okay? Come back soon."

I watched as he smiled faintly. His eyes were fixed on mine, and for a moment, I could not quite read him.

Perhaps I had never understood him at all.