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He Chose His First Love over My Father’s Funeral. I Chose Life Without Him
Novelix
Completed
"Three days after my father died, my husband, Ethan Lockwood, finally tore himself away from his round-the-world trip with his first love and came home. I'd handled my father's cremation and funeral arrangements alone. When Ethan came back, I ignored him. He followed me as I greeted the friends and family who'd come to pay their respects. Several times, he opened his mouth as if to speak, but I pretended not to notice. After the service, he finally took my hand. ""We need to talk."" I looked at him. He was frowning. ""I booked a flight back three days ago. But Luna had an episode. I couldn't just abandon a cancer patient."" I thought about all the photos Luna had been sending me of their vacation together over the past three months. I was furious. ""Then answer me this. Why did you pull my father's neurosurgeon, Dr. Patel, off his case to treat Luna's mother?"" His face froze. ""How did you—"" Of course I knew. Luna had told me herself the day my father died. He pressed his lips together. ""I promise you, I'll arrange for your father to be buried at Woodlawn. I'll get him the best plot. Is that all right?"" I pulled my hand back. ""No, thank you,"" I said coldly. Our future together had ended the moment he'd taken away the specialist who could have saved my father."
Chapters (3)
第1章
Three days after my father died, my husband, Ethan Lockwood, finally tore himself away from his round-the-world trip with his first love and came home.
I'd handled my father's cremation and funeral arrangements alone. When Ethan came back, I ignored him.
He followed me as I greeted the friends and family who'd come to pay their respects.
Several times, he opened his mouth as if to speak, but I pretended not to notice.
After the service, he finally took my hand.
"We need to talk."
I looked at him. He was frowning.
"I booked a flight back three days ago. But Luna had an episode. I couldn't just abandon a cancer patient."
I thought about all the photos Luna had been sending me of their vacation together over the past three months. I was furious.
"Then answer me this. Why did you pull my father's neurosurgeon, Dr. Patel, off his case to treat Luna's mother?"
His face froze. "How did you—"
Of course I knew. Luna had told me herself the day my father died.
He pressed his lips together. "I promise you, I'll arrange for your father to be buried at Woodlawn. I'll get him the best plot. Is that all right?"
I pulled my hand back.
"No, thank you," I said coldly.
Our future together had ended the moment he'd taken away the specialist who could have saved my father.
…
He stiffened and loosened his tie.
"I didn't think it would end like this."
"When I made the call, Luna's mother was in worse shape than your father. That's the only reason—"
"And now?" I cut him off, my voice shaking.
"Then tell me. Who died? Her mother or my father?"
He said nothing, but he was starting to look impatient.
"I said I'd make it up to you. Luna's a cancer patient. She begged me. How was I supposed to turn her down?"
He leaned closer and looked me in the eye.
"Chloe. Can't you cut me a little slack?"
Looking at him, I couldn't see the man who'd loved me seven years ago anymore.
He couldn't bear to say no to Luna, but he could sacrifice my father's life and leave me to handle the funeral alone.
I took a step back.
"Fine. I get it. You can leave now."
His frown deepened. "And you?"
After a few seconds, I answered.
"I'm staying here with my father tonight. You're not family. There's no reason for you to be here."
Without a word, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the car as I struggled against him.
"What are you doing—"
The locks clicked. "You've been running on fumes for three days. You'll collapse. You're going home to sleep."
By the time the car started moving, I'd stopped fighting. After three days, I was exhausted.
On the drive home, his phone kept lighting up on the center console. It was Luna.
"You're not going to pick up? Luna seems frantic."
He gripped the steering wheel tightly. Then he answered the call right in front of me.
"It's okay. Don't blame yourself. Her father's death wasn't your fault. You don't owe anyone an apology."
His voice was gentle as he patiently comforted his first love. It was as though I wasn't sitting beside him, his wife, who'd just lost her father because of him.
I swallowed hard and fought back tears.
He hadn't offered me a single word of comfort since leaving the chapel.
They talked the whole way home. I turned toward the window, remembering the honeymoon he'd finally rescheduled for us three months earlier.
The night before we were supposed to leave, I'd been too happy to sleep.
Then at JFK, the agent at the check-in counter told me there was no reservation in my name.
"That can't be right. Could you check again?"
She did. "I'm sorry, ma'am. The ticket was canceled a week ago."
I was still standing there, dazed, when Ethan appeared. Luna followed him, looking pale and frail.
He put a hand on my shoulder. He spoke gently, but his words hurt.
"Luna's always wanted to go. We made a promise back in high school. I can't break it. Wait for me at home, Chloe."
I watched them walk through security and disappear.
The terminal was bright and crowded, but I'd never felt so alone.
When I snapped out of the memory, we were already home.
I looked up at the brownstone I'd lived in for seven years. Nothing in me stirred.
In three days, I'd leave him and this marriage behind.
第2章
Back inside, Ethan went to shower in the guest bath.
When I came out of ours, I saw his phone on the bed, unlocked and face-up.
I wasn't going to look, but as I passed, I caught the preview of a new message from Luna. I stopped and opened his messages.
My conversation was pinned at the top, but he'd muted notifications from me.
Right below it was Luna's name, with a red heart beside it.
I gave a bitter smile.
Ethan, I'm such an idiot. I left my bras and panties in your suitcase.
Your wife isn't going to see them and freak out, is she?
I walked over to the suitcase in the corner and opened it. Half of it was filled with Luna's lace underwear and silk nightgowns.
I froze. It was one more reason to stop caring about him.
The phone buzzed again.
I'm pulling up outside your building. Come down when you see this.
I don't want your wife catching me and accusing me of ruining your marriage.
I locked the screen, walked onto the balcony, and looked down. Sure enough, the car was idling at the curb.
It was Ethan's car: the vintage Mercedes his late mother had left him. He never let me touch it and had told me it was in the shop after a fender bender.
Apparently, he'd given it to Luna instead.
The late-autumn wind off the Hudson cut right through me.
When Ethan walked in, he frowned at the open suitcase.
"Chloe. I don't appreciate people going through my things."
People.
I paused with the moisturizer in my hand and gave him a thin smile.
"Afraid I'd see what's inside?"
He snapped the suitcase shut and lowered his voice.
"Don't be childish. Luna had too much luggage. She's keeping some of it with me for now."
"Mm."
I didn't push. We both knew what was going on between them. Anyone could see it.
He checked his phone. His whole face softened when he saw her message.
He waited until after midnight to go down to her. After calling my name softly twice, he slipped out of bed and headed downstairs, apparently satisfied I was asleep.
I opened my eyes in the dark, pushed back the covers, and went to the window.
I saw him crossing the street. Luna ran into his arms and nestled against him, pouting about something.
He didn't push her away. He held her tightly.
A few minutes later, Luna posted on Instagram.
The one I love most — still willing to look at the stars with me, after all these years.
Below the caption was a photo of them in the car with the sunroof open, their heads tipped back.
I stared at it for a long moment.
Then I lay back down and scheduled an appointment with a divorce attorney for the day after the funeral.
None of us slept that night.
Ethan didn't come back upstairs until the sky was turning gray.
At seven, when I came out of the bedroom, he already had breakfast on the counter.
"I made everything you like. We'll go to the service together."
I looked at the food and spoke flatly.
"I'm allergic to shellfish. Luna's the one who likes shrimp dumplings. I never have."
He stopped pouring my coffee, apparently realizing his mistake.
While he fumbled for the right lie, I was already picking up my car keys and walking out the door.
Today was the funeral service, followed by the burial. The funeral director had made it clear we needed to be on time.
Ethan caught up to me and slid into the passenger seat. His phone rang.
"A car accident?"
His voice rose, and he went rigid.
"I'll be right there."
He hung up and turned to me.
"Luna's been in an accident. I have to go. The burial's at noon — I'll make it back, I swear."
I stared at the steering wheel and asked him one last time.
"Do you have to go?"
His lips pressed together. "Chloe. Don't put me in this position."
I let go of the steering wheel. I was done asking him to stay.
"Fine. Go."
He got out. I drove off without looking back.
But when I pulled up to the funeral home, I found an uninvited guest already waiting.
第3章
Luna's mother, Diane Hayes, stood at the chapel entrance, looking perfectly healthy, with a white lily in her hand.
She lowered her head and reached to place the flower beside my father's urn.
I stared at her, filled with hatred.
"Get away from him!"
I snatched the lily from her hand and flung it to the floor.
"Who told you you could come here?"
She looked hurt and apologetic.
"I'm so sorry. I had no idea Luna had told Ethan I was sick. And I certainly never imagined he'd take your father's doctor off his case to treat me."
I was furious. Neither she nor her daughter would leave me alone.
"So what, then? You came to gloat? To make sure I know you survived while my father didn't? You're just as shameless as your daughter."
Diane stared at me, her face reddening. She clearly hadn't expected me to call her out.
"Mom!"
Luna came through the door, pale and unsteady, and hurried to support her mother.
It took a long moment for Diane to catch her breath.
Luna turned to me, eyes rimmed red.
"Chloe. My mother came in good faith to pay her respects. Don't you think you're being cruel? She's old enough to be your mother. How can you talk to her like that?"
Ethan stood behind her, scowling at me.
"Chloe. Apologize."
I looked up, stunned.
"What did you say?"
He stood facing me, with an arm around each woman.
"Luna heard today was your father's funeral. She hurt her arm in the accident and she still begged me to bring her so she could say goodbye. And this is how you repay her kindness?"
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
"Kindness?"
I took a breath, disgusted with all three of them.
"I don't need it. Get out. All of you."
Luna's tears spilled instantly. "Fine. I shouldn't have come. Mom, let's go."
Mother and daughter leaned on each other and walked out.
Ethan gave me a long, disappointed look and shook his head.
"When did you turn so vicious?"
Then he followed them, pulling Luna against his chest and wiping her tears with his thumb.
"Shh. Don't cry. You'll only make yourself feel worse. Chloe's just like that. Ignore her."
I watched the three of them walk away.
Only then did I let myself cry. Tears fell onto the lily at my feet, and I wiped my face with the back of my hand.
After the service, I went with the procession to the cemetery and laid my father to rest beside my mother. I lit candles and placed white roses at their graves.
"At least you two have each other again."
I traced my fingers over their photos. "Mom, Dad. I'm really on my own now."
Footsteps approached behind me.
Ethan had brought bourbon. He poured a little onto the ground at my father's grave.
"Rest in peace, sir."
He crouched beside me.
"I'm not going to argue with you at your father's grave. Luna and her mother have gone back to the hospital. Later, let's take them some flowers and go apologize."
In the quiet of the cemetery, I finally gave up on him.
I shut my eyes.
"No."
He started to speak, but I cut him off, my voice perfectly steady.
"When this is over, in three days, we're getting divorced."