In the car, I closed my eyes and rested, not saying a word.
Ethan didn't try to console me, probably thinking I'd get over it soon, just like before.
When we got home, I walked in to find Lily wearing a nightgown, holding a spatula, coming out of the kitchen.
"You're back! Dinner is almost ready," she said with a smile, grabbing a tissue to wipe the sweat off her nose, then reaching up to dab the sweat off Ethan's forehead like a perfect wife.
It seemed they had been living together while I was in the hospital.
"Lily gets scared being home alone, so I..." Ethan started to explain.
In the past, I would have exploded in a fight with Ethan, but now I just nodded slightly, ignoring his excuses, and wheeled myself straight to the bedroom.
Behind me, I heard Lily's sweet, pitiful voice. "Ethan, is Emma mad again?"
She always played the victim, looking so delicate and mistreated.
"It's fine, she'll calm down soon," Ethan reassured her patiently, spouting his usual lines.
I smirked and shut myself in the bedroom.
The first thing I saw was a photo of Ethan and me, taken when we had just started dating.
We were sitting on a lawn at sunset, laughing and sharing dreams of the future.
All of that had crumbled the moment Lily stepped into our lives.
"Dinner's ready," Ethan called out.
I ignored him and started packing my things. When I emerged, suitcase in hand, Lily and Ethan were sitting together at the dining table.
"Emma.
"What's this about?"
Ethan looked puzzled.
"I'm moving out," I said, not bothering to look at him.
"Stop being ridiculous, Emma."
Ethan stood up quickly and blocked my path. He frowned and scolded slightly, "Lily is just staying here for a while. Nothing happened between us."
"Whatever you two have going on, it's none of my business," I replied coolly.
I was the one being abandoned, yet Ethan's tone made it sound like I was the unreasonable one.
How absurd!
Just as Ethan opened his mouth to argue, Lily started coughing dramatically.
"It's all my fault... I shouldn't have come... I made Emma misunderstand..."
Lily's eyes were filled with tears, her body trembling, eventually collapsing to the floor, clutching her head as if she was having an episode.
"It's not your fault. Emma isn't really leaving..."
Ethan hurried over to comfort her, his eyes full of worry.
In the past, I had only put on a show, hoping Ethan would realize the seriousness of the situation.
But it had backfired.