Letting Go of My Toxic Husband

Before we got married, Ethan confessed to me that he had an exwife and a daughter. "I promised Olivia that I would go on a vacation with her and Lily once a year." "But don't worry, the rest of the time, I'm all yours." I understood that a little girl needs her father's presence growing up, so I agreed.

But I didn't expect that the time he spent traveling with his exwife and daughter would get longer and longer. The first year, their trip lasted a week.

The second year, it was two weeks. The third year, it was an entire month. I tried calling him, but his daughter picked up and screamed at me: "You bitch!

You ruined my family!" Shortly after, I received a package from his daughter containing a dead cat. I was so terrified that I tumbled down the stairs.

I suffered a severe hemorrhage and miscarried on the spot.

I called Ethan to tell him what happened, but he only blamed me over the phone: "Summer, how could you accuse Lily like that?" "Go get your tubes tied tomorrow.

I promised Lily that she would be my only child in this lifetime." It turned out that even after three years of marriage, he had never planned to have a child with me.

Since that was the case, I decided to give him back to his daughter. On the third night after my surgery, Ethan and the others unexpectedly returned early.

I was sitting at the dining table, sipping the nutritious soup Maria, our housekeeper, had brewed for me. His exwife, Olivia, gave him a sarcastic smirk. "I told you she was lying.

Look at her, she's perfectly fine." "She totally ruined our trip." "You have to make it up to me.

Let's go to Switzerland for skiing next Wednesday." Ethan replied casually, "Alright." I instinctively glanced at the calendar on the wall.

That day was our fourth wedding anniversary. Ethan had promised he would spend it with me this time. It seemed he was going to break his promise again.

Olivia gave Ethan a look, as if urging him to do something.

Ethan sighed and turned to me, his voice flat. "Summer, did you get the tubal ligation done?" That was the very first thing he said to me after stepping through the door.

Even the way he addressed me had changed. Once, Olivia had come to pick up Lily and overheard him calling me "baby." She threw a massive tantrum on the spot.

With a hurt and angry expression, she had screamed: "Ethan, if you want to show off your love with your little trophy wife, could you do it at a better time?" "Being so intimate in front of my daughter, are you trying to make her feel like her mother is a failure?!

Have you ever considered my feelings?!" From then on, as long as she was around, Ethan only called me by my name.

I spoke calmly: "No, and there's no need for it anymore." That hemorrhage surgery hadn't just taken away my twomonthold fetus. It had also cost me my uterus.

Olivia's face fell instantly, and Ethan frowned. His eyes caught a box sitting on the chair.

Inside was a hyperrealistic 3D doll with a bloody, horrific face. "Why did you bring something like this into the house?

Weren't you always terrified of these things?" I looked at Lily, who had been dead silent since entering the door, constantly stealing anxious glances at my stomach.

I said expressionless, "You should ask your daughter." Lily nervously looked up at Olivia. Olivia immediately pointed a finger at my face and snapped: "Summer, have you no shame?

A grown woman throwing dirt on a child?!" "My daughter is only six years old. Where would she even get something like this?

Don't think I don't know what you're planning!" She suddenly grabbed my bag, dumping everything onto the table with a loud clatter.

Olivia picked up a bottle of folic acid and hurled it at my feet.

Then she turned to interrogate Ethan: "Is this the 'sweet, sensible girl' you talked about, who is so good to Lily?" "She frames Lily for making her miscarry, pretends to obey you about the sterilization, but has actually been secretly taking folic acid to prepare for pregnancy!" "She just wants to give birth to a son, kick my daughter out of the house, and steal her inheritance!

If you dare let her bastard child compete with Lily, I will kill myself right in front of you!" Ethan pinched his brows in frustration. "I never thought about it that way.

Just talk normally. What kind of example are you setting, yelling like this in front of the kid?" He didn't blame her for violating my boundaries.

He didn't blame her for insulting me. Instead, he habitually patted her back to soothe her. "Go home first.

I will handle this." Olivia snorted coldly. "Of course I'm leaving, and I'm taking Lily with me." "Lest someone bullies my daughter while I'm not around.

Karma will get her!" She angrily grabbed Lily, who kept looking back at me as they went to pack their bags. The living room fell into a dead silence.

Ethan rubbed his temples wearily. "Summer, you went too far this time. Lily is Olivia's whole world.

Even if you're jealous, you shouldn't target a child." "I need an explanation about the folic acid."

"So, were you really trying to get pregnant behind my back?" When he said this, the oppressive weight in his eyes was all too familiar.

It was the same look of reprimand he gave when an employee made a mistake. I asked back: "What if I was?

Would you still force me to get my tubes tied?" Ethan's tone instantly sharpened, and he blurted out: "Not right now!" Realizing his attitude was too harsh, he pulled me onto his lap and coaxed: "Olivia said Lily became very insecure after the divorce.

If we have a child now, it will affect her mental health." "So, while you're not pregnant yet, get the tubal ligation done first." "When Lily grows up and can take over the company, if you still want a baby, I can take you to reverse it, or we can do IVF.

Olivia should be at peace by then, too." Lily was six years old. I would have to wait twelve years. And that was assuming Olivia would even agree back then.

Ethan gently kissed the side of my face. I used to be deeply enchanted by his gentleness, which was hidden beneath his noble, cold exterior.

But at this moment, my heart felt absolutely nothing. I pushed him away, stood up, and smiled mockingly. "Is it going to be like this for the rest of my life?

Do I always have to yield to your exwife and daughter?" Ethan froze, annoyance flaring in his eyes. "When you married me, didn't you know I was divorced with a daughter?

What's the point of nitpicking about this now?" "When Olivia and I split up, it was partly my fault. It's not easy being a single mother.

I can't just leave her to fend for herself." I found it laughable. Even though Olivia had custody, Lily spent most of her time living here.

After all, Olivia was Ethan's first love, and they had been married for several years.

Despite divorcing due to incompatible personalities, Ethan always carried a sense of guilt toward her and let her have her way. I was the one who took care of Lily while working.

What exactly was "not easy" about Olivia's life?

Seeing that we were getting nowhere, Ethan grabbed a box of stomach medicine from the firstaid kit and walked toward the children's room.

His voice was indifferent. "Calm down first. I'm going to check on Olivia.

Her stomach flares up whenever she gets angry." Maria, standing nearby, sighed softly. "After all these years, Mr.

Carter still remembers that only that specific brand of stomach medicine works best for Ms.

Mitchell." "It's an imported brand with allEnglish instructions, and the print is so small. I didn't even know it was stomach medicine before." "But Mr.

Carter remembers it better than anyone. Even after they divorced, he made sure to keep it stocked at home.

He must still care about her a lot, right?" I was the one who bought everything for the house; Ethan rarely got involved in such trivial things.

Only that stomach medicine was something he specifically demanded to buy. I hadn't thought much of it before. It turned out this was the reason.

Realizing she had said too much, Maria quickly apologized. "Mrs. Carter, please don't mind me.

I was just talking nonsense." "I didn't mean to keep quiet about your miscarriage earlier. It's just that Mr. Carter cares so much about Ms.

Mitchell's feelings, I didn't dare cross her in front of him..." "Since Mr. Carter married you, he must love you..." I stared silently at the messy table.

Actually, besides the bottle of folic acid, there were two other medicine boxes.

The packaging clearly bore the bold label: "Medication for Depression Patients." And folic acid, besides being used for pregnancy prep, is also used as a supportive treatment for depression.

But Ethan turned a blind eye to them. Or perhaps he saw them but simply didn't care.

As I passed the children's room, I heard Olivia and Ethan talking inside. "I told you, stepmothers never truly care about their stepkids. How long has she been in this house?

She's already learned to frame a child." "I heard her fighting with you. Is this the sweet girl you fell for?

When did your taste become so trashy?" Ethan's tone was somewhat cold: "It wasn't really about love.

You kept dumping Lily on me back then, but I was too busy." "Summer was gentle, familyoriented, and knew her boundaries.

Plus, she was Lily's preschool teacher, so she knew how to care for children. She was the perfect candidate.

If I knew she'd cause this kind of drama, I would have rather stayed single." So I was just "suitable." A sarcastic smile curled on my lips as I walked straight to the master bedroom.

To be honest, when I was diagnosed with mild depression, I was surprised myself. I only knew that I hadn't been happy for a long time.

My chest always felt as if a heavy stone were pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe. But when the doctor asked me when it started, I couldn't answer.

Was it when Ethan promised to make up our honeymoon but left me alone at an international airport again to go on a family trip with Olivia instead?

Or was it when he heard I wanted a baby and handed me a box of birth control pills the next day, telling me to wait? It didn't matter anymore.

Since no one cared about my feelings, I had to learn to love myself. I sent a message to my lawyer on WhatsApp: "Could you please draft a divorce agreement for me?

Thank you." Putting down my phone, the bedroom door was gently pushed open. Lily stepped in cautiously. She looked at my stomach and whispered: "I secretly asked Maria just now.

She said the baby in your tummy is gone, and you bled a lot." "But I only wanted it to disappear. Mom said... I didn't know you would fall down the stairs.

Really." "Summer, can we still be best friends who share secrets? I have another secret. If you want to hear it, I can stay."

I had never asked Lily to call me mom. Because a mother is irreplaceable to anyone.

Fearing she would become withdrawn due to her parents' divorce, I always cared for and loved her as a friend.

She had curled up in my arms many times, sharing secrets she refused to tell Ethan or Olivia. And she was the first to know I was pregnant, and that I was terrified of horror dolls.

Three days ago, she had called me: "Summer, I sent you a gift. It's in the package locker at the entrance of our gated community." "Are you going downstairs now? Open it then.

Yeah, right now." Until the moment I tumbled down the stairs in terror, I had never suspected she had ulterior motives. I spoke coldly: "No need.

I don't want to see you right now, and I don't make friends with people who hurt me." Lily's eyes welled up with tears instantly. She suddenly yelled stubbornly: "Mom was right!

You don't like me at all! You're only nice to me to please Dad!" "Once you have your own baby, you'll like me even less!" With that, she turned and ran out. I frowned.

A thought seemed to flash through my mind. Before I could catch it, Maria walked in anxiously. "Lily and her mother have left.

She looked so sad." "Just now she kept asking me if you were in pain... Maybe she knows she did wrong and wanted to apologize..." I didn't say anything.

I didn't want people to think I was bullying a child. But I truly couldn't bring myself to smile at her right now.

Because of our unpleasant conversation, Ethan chose to work in his study. I had yet to recover from the postsurgery anemia and weakness.

The incision on my abdomen where my uterus had been removed throbbed with pain. I drifted off to sleep, feeling lightheaded. In the middle of the night, I suddenly ran a high fever.

In my daze, someone was gently calling my name. When I opened my eyes, Ethan was looking at me with deep concern. "Summer, you have a really high fever. Do you have a cold?

Come on, let me take you to the hospital." The next second, his phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed Olivia. Ethan frowned but chose to answer it anyway.

For some reason, he glanced at me and put it on speakerphone for the first time. "Ethan, the moon lamp you custommade for Lily suddenly won't turn on. It might be broken.

She has night blindness, and I sleep so heavily at night." "Without the night light, I'm afraid she'll trip and hurt herself if she gets up in the middle of the night.

Come over and fix it now." Ethan remained silent for a few seconds. "Alright." I held his hand. "Ethan, I've always been the one in charge of Lily's medical checkups.

She has never had night blindness." Olivia heard me over the phone and immediately sneered: "What a joke! Lily is my flesh and blood.

I know her ten thousand times better than you do!" "Ethan, we had a deal when we divorced.

Just because we're separated doesn't mean you can skimp on your love for our daughter." "Are you going to dump everything on me now just because you're afraid your little trophy wife will get jealous?

Do you even care about the hardship I went through giving birth to your child?!" She hung up angrily. Ethan sighed and slowly pulled his hand from my grip. "Summer, be reasonable.

Don't make things difficult for me at a time like this." "Olivia has a point. She definitely knows her daughter better than you, a stepmother.

Maybe you should reflect on whether you've been paying enough attention to Lily's health." "I'll wake Maria up and have her take you to the hospital." I stared at him blankly.

Throughout Lily's childhood, every time she fell ill, I was the one who stayed up all night by her bed, barely eating or drinking.

Even when buying snacks for her, I would meticulously check the ingredients list to ensure there was nothing harmful. And this was considered "not paying enough attention"?

Suppressing the intense grievance in my heart, I said softly: "Ethan, let's get a divorce." He froze, his smile turning thin and cold. "Summer, you're not the first person to threaten me with divorce, and I never fall for that." Indeed.

When Olivia had a massive fight with him and demanded a divorce, Ethan had agreed on the spot. But at least she had his child and his lingering affection. I had nothing.

Taking my silence as regret, he spoke coldly before leaving: "Take a few days off from the preschool. I'll arrange a doctor for you.

Once your fever is gone, go get your tubes tied." I spent the night hooked to an IV drip at the hospital, and my fever finally subsided.

The doctor said the incision was slightly inflamed and warned me to be extremely careful with my movements.

I had to avoid tearing the stitches, which could cause severe complications. Ethan never showed up that night.

The next morning, I sent Maria home to rest since she had watched over me all night. I planned to collect the divorce papers from my lawyer after my IV drip was finished.

Suddenly, Maria received a call from Ethan. It turned out when Olivia went to wake Lily up for breakfast, she found Lily missing.

She hadn't been found yet, so Ethan wanted Maria to check the house quickly. As soon as Maria left, my phone rang. It was Lily's smartwatch number.

As soon as I picked up, her crying voice came through: "Summer, help me..."

The call was abruptly disconnected. When I dialed back, no one answered. My heart sank.

Remembering that my phone was linked to her smartwatch's realtime GPS tracker, I immediately ripped out the IV needle and ran out.

I found Lily near the lake in a park close to the hospital. A woman was holding her up by her collar, dangling her in the air, screaming: "Your mother is a psycho!

I just got a new hairstyle for work, and she accused me of trying to seduce your father!" "Firing me wasn't enough; she even withheld my severance pay!

Because of that, I couldn't afford my mother's medical bills, and she died right in front of my eyes!" "She took my family away, so I'm going to throw her daughter into the lake and drown her!" Lily's face was white with terror, and she couldn't even cry out.

I rushed forward, holding up my phone. "Put the child down!" "I've recorded everything on SnapChat.

If I hand this to the police, you'll lose much more than just a job!" In reality, my phone was dead, but I was bluffing. Fortunately, the woman believed me.

Startled by my sudden appearance, she snapped out of her blind rage. She cursed at me for sticking my nose where it didn't belong, dropped Lily, and fled.

Lily hugged my legs, sobbing hysterically: "Summer, she pinched me. It hurts so much..." I rolled up her sleeve, and indeed, there were several bruises on her arm.

After all, she was a child I had raised for years; my heart still softened. "Lily, how could you run off by yourself?

It's so dangerous!" She wiped her tears, aggrieved. "I thought you didn't want to be my friend anymore...

I didn't think you'd come..." "But you're still my student, and for now, my stepdaughter.

If you're in danger, of course I'll come." "I remember your mother is on your emergency contact list. Did you call her?" Lily shook her head and whispered: "She lied to me.

I don't want to call her." "And I didn't run off. Dad said you were sick and in the hospital, and I wanted to see you.

Mom wouldn't let me, but I still wanted to apologize to you." "Mom's friend works here and brought me a few times.

She's the one who told Mom you were pregnant." "But I didn't know which ward you were in, and then I met that lady.

She said she'd take me to find you..." I instantly caught the key information. "So, your mother knew I was pregnant all along?" "Lily, what was the secret you wanted to tell me yesterday?

Did you really want to send me that horror doll?" Before she could answer, a figure rushed over.

Seeing the bruises on Lily's arm, Olivia slapped me hard across the face, sending me crashing to the ground. "You bitch!

Framing my daughter wasn't enough, now you kidnap her and abuse her?!" "Are you trying to sell her off to make room for your future bastard child?

I'll beat you to death!" My body was incredibly weak, and I was no match for Olivia in her rabid fury. She clawed and thrashed at me like a madwoman.

Lily wailed in terror: "Mom, stop! Don't hit Summer!" Seeing blood trickling from my lip, Ethan frowned and pulled Olivia back. "That's enough! You're terrifying our daughter!

Take her to the hospital for a checkup right now!" Olivia, still unsatisfied, kicked me hard in the stomach. "Don't you dare touch my daughter again, or I'll end you!" She scooped Lily up and stormed off.

Ethan initially wanted to help me up, but when he saw the resentful look in Olivia's eyes, he pulled his hand back.

Because of that kick, I felt the incision on my abdomen rip wide open. Then came an excruciating, boneshattering pain. Blood gushed out, soaking my white shirt.

I cried out helplessly: "Ethan, my surgical wound tore open.

Can you please take me to the hospital, too?" Olivia's eyes instantly flared red as she glared at him. "I was wearing heels, not carrying a knife!

She's just playing victim out of jealousy, using red ink to put on a show!

If she's capable of kidnapping a child, what's a little dramatic act to her?!" "Ethan, don't forget your promise to me. There are still over ten days left of our autumn trip.

I've decided we start right now." "For these ten days, you must only accompany us.

If you dare choose her today, I will jump into the lake with Lily right now, so we won't get in your way!" I weakly rasped: "I didn't..." "Enough!" Ethan looked at me with deep disappointment. "Summer, when you targeted Lily, did you ever think about how much pain Olivia would go through?

Using these tactics out of jealousy is truly disgusting." "You'd better pray Lily is fine. Stay away from my daughter from now on." They got into the car.

Lily cried and banged on the window, seemingly wanting to get out, but Olivia dragged her back. The car sped away, leaving me behind. And I completely lost consciousness... ...

Half an hour later, after an examination, the doctor said Lily was perfectly fine. Ethan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He recalled the way Olivia had beaten me, and my shirt drenched in crimson. An inexplicable anxiety gripped his heart. Was that... really red ink?

The next second, Maria appeared, her face pale as she grabbed his arm in a panic. "Mr. Carter, thank God you're here." "Mrs.

Carter's postsurgery wound is severely torn, and she's lost too much blood. She's being resuscitated on the fourth floor right now..."