Back Off, You Cheating Ex Wife!

Chapter 4

Ethan's chest tightened, and he opened his mouth, already prepared to apologize for leaving him back then and to beg for forgiveness.

But the voice on the other end of the phone suddenly erupted.

"Ethan? Thank God, man!" David gasped, laughing in disbelief, "You finally came to your senses. I've waited seven years for this moment. A full seven years!"

"Ethan, you are the best student in our class. The best student in the entire program. A once-in-a-decade genius. When you left the medical field, it was like watching a Stradivarius go up in flames. I was heartbroken, brother. Devastated. At least you're back now," David said reassuringly.

Ethan's throat tightened. He could hardly believe that all these years, David not only bore no resentment toward him but had been waiting for his return.

"Thank you, David." His voice was deeper than expected. It felt like something was breaking behind his sternum—gratitude, shame, and a strange sense of being needed. "Is there still a place for me in the organization?"

"There's always been. Oh God, it's always been there." David's voice lowered, becoming serious.

"Listen, the situation between the factions has escalated. Armed clashes have broken out near the border. We are on a rescue mission, heading to a small town near the front lines. They are in desperate need of doctors. But no one is willing to go because it's extremely dangerous there, and there's no internet, no mobile signal, nothing at all.”

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"Put me on the list," Ethan said simply and firmly.

A moment of silence. Then came a low laugh, half admiration, half disbelief.

"You haven't changed a bit, have you? Just like always, walking straight into the line of fire." David sighed, then paused, his tone seeming to change slightly. "Wait, what about Vivian? She loves you so much. If you're going to a dangerous war zone, shouldn't you discuss it with her first?

My wife loves me very much?

Ethan clenched his jaw, his teeth aching.

"Don't worry, Vivian. Everything at my home is...taken care of," he said coldly.

David didn't notice Ethan's tone; he just let out a long sigh.

"Alright. I'll send you the meeting point and deployment time tonight. Ethan, just be with your family tonight. Stay with her. You won't see anyone else for a long time."

The call ended.

Ethan stood in the darkness, staring at the brightly lit house behind him, the one he had lived in with Vivian for five years—now shared by Jack and Vivian.

He had no feelings for her anymore and didn’t care if he never saw her again.

But that being said, he was an orphan. No parents somewhere with the light on waiting for him. And Vivian, despite her coldness, had witnessed more of his life than anyone else.

If he were to die on the battlefield tomorrow, then he needed to let Vivian know the reason for his death.

It's not to make Vivian feel pain, but he hopes at least someone will remember him.

Ethan turned around and returned to the front door, but strangely, it was as if the power had gone out; the light had become very dim.

Only from the direction of the dining room could he see flickering candlelight and hear cheerful laughter. He moved toward the door and slightly opened it.

Then he saw a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

The candlelight flickered on the dining table like flowing gold.

"Thank you for arranging this welcome dinner for me, Vivian," Jack said, leaning back in the chair that Ethan had once occupied. His smile was gentle and kind. "Don't be sad about Ethan anymore; he's not worth your trouble."

Vivian sighed, elegantly swirling her wine glass. "I know. I just can't believe he would embarrass me like that in front of you."

Jack tilted his head, lowered his voice, and feigned concern as he said softly, "Do you think he really might not come back this time?"

Vivian smiled with pride and certainty. "Of course he will come back. Ethan is an orphan, Jack. Orphans crave warmth like junkies crave a fix."

"I'm not proud of taking advantage of this, but to be honest, he's really easy to please." A gleam of pride sparkled in her eyes. "Over the years, all I had to do was show a little care, a little love, and he was completely enchanted by me, never truly resisting."

She took a sip and gently placed the cup on the ground, making a crisp clinking sound. "He was just throwing a tantrum. When he realizes that jealousy is his fault, not mine, he will come back obediently. If I asked, he would even kneel down and beg for mercy.

A faint smile crossed Jack's face. "You're amazing."

Ethan's heartbeat was deafening. His hands were tightly clenched into fists at his sides, and the intense pain surged through his entire body like a tidal wave.

This kind of betrayal was not new; he had long known how she viewed him. But hearing her lay everything out like a cold strategy, his heart still ached as if pierced by a sharp knife!

He struggled to suppress the pain and anger, forcefully pushing open the door, the floor creaking beneath his feet.

Vivian looked up, but she wasn't surprised. She exchanged a knowing glance with Jack. Both of them smiled, as if they had won a bet. They both thought Ethan had come back to beg for mercy.

"Ethan, you're back!"

She pointed to the empty chair in the corner like it was an afterthought, the one crammed into the corner. No plate, no wine glass, just a wooden chair facing the man who took everything away.

"Sit down." Her voice was very gentle. "Let's talk like adults."

Ethan looked at the table, at the arrangement of the dining table, and at Jack sitting in the host's chair with Vivian beside him, both bathed in candlelight, as if this house had always belonged to them.

He saw its true nature at a glance: a guest chair. A stranger's chair. In his own home.