My Husband Chose His Bestie On My Surgery Day, So I Divorced Him

On the day of my ectopic pregnancy surgery, my husband told me to relax. He promised he’d be waiting right outside the operating room.

But when I woke up in the recovery ward, he was nowhere to be found. Then, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan: Chloe has a fever. I’m at her place taking care of her.

I’ll come to the hospital later. I dialed his number immediately.

But the moment the call connected, a girl’s voice drifted through the receiver. "Babe, can you hand me my underwear from the couch?" I froze.

Every single time I needed my husband, his childhood bestie would find some ridiculous excuse to drag him away. Sometimes it was a stomach ache. Sometimes it was a sprained ankle.

Between her and me, she was always Ethan's first choice. I hung up and called my lawyer. Five years of marriage. It was time to end this.

Right after I finished discussing the divorce details with my lawyer, Ethan’s FaceTime call came through. The background looked like a hotel room.

He was wearing a loose bathrobe, showing off his toned chest, with a faint look of worry on his face.

It was as if he wasn't the same man who was playing house with another woman just minutes ago. "How are you feeling?" his voice was cold, lacking any real warmth. "I’m fine.

Just minor surgery," I replied, my heart freezing as I watched his tense expression instantly relax. "Chloe had a terrible fever.

She’s all alone and has no one to look after her, so I was worried..." "So you worry about her, but you don’t care whether I live or die on the operating table?

Ethan, who is actually your wife?" I cut him off, my voice sharp with anger. Ethan startled. On the screen, Chloe appeared.

She looked pale—probably wearing tons of white powder—and weakly tugged at his sleeve. "Nora, please don't get mad. Ethan and I are just friends.

He only has eyes for you." I stared at her pathetic act and sneered, "Chloe, do you even believe your own lies?" The anesthesia was wearing off, and a sharp pain flared in my lower abdomen.

But it was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. I took a deep breath. "Do 'just friends' ask each other to hand them their underwear?

Chloe, do you think I'm stupid?" "Nora, Ethan was the only one here! Who else was I supposed to ask? We are really just friends.

Isn't it normal for friends to help each other out?" "Nora, that's enough!" Ethan snapped, his patience exhausted. "Can you stop being so paranoid all the time?" "Paranoia?" I looked at the disgust in his eyes and let out a bitter laugh. "Every single thing you’ve done justifies my doubt." "I was in surgery, and you were with another woman.

It’s not just once or twice. Every single time I need you, you are by Chloe's side!" Chloe’s eyes instantly welled with tears.

She looked incredibly wronged. "Nora, I know you blame me. But I don't have any family left in this world. I only have Ethan. Please don't be mad.

If you need him, I'll tell him to go back right now." As she spoke, she made a show of pushing Ethan away. "Go check on Nora.

I can take care of myself." I saw right through her cheap acting.

Yet, Ethan looked at her with pure heartbreak and turned his anger back on me. "Forget it, I don't need him," I scoffed. "A trashy man and a fake bitch—you two are literally made for each other.

Why would I want a hollow shell to come visit me anyway?" Ethan’s face turned red with fury. "Nora! Stop throwing these childish tantrums! Chloe is actually sick.

Can't you be a little more understanding? Besides, it’s just a minor ectopic pregnancy surgery. You didn't die.

Why are you being so dramatic?" With that, he turned his head to comfort Chloe, telling her not to take my words to heart.

That was when I noticed they were wearing matching couple’s pajamas. Chloe shot a triumphant smirk at the camera while wrapping her arms around Ethan’s waist, sobbing softly.

The sight of them made me physically sick. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into the hospital sheets. My heart felt like it had stopped beating.

We had known each other for eight years. We dated for three and had been married for five. From our innocent college days to the altar, and now to this betrayal.

I had given everything for Ethan, only to receive his utter disgust in return.

I never thought we would end up like this. "Ethan, do you even remember eight years ago?" Ethan looked down, refusing to meet my eyes on the screen. He kept quiet.

So, he did have a conscience to feel guilty. Eight years ago, the Hayes family went completely bankrupt.

His parents couldn’t handle the blow and jumped from the rooftop of their company building.

And Chloe, who had always claimed Ethan was her only family, vanished overnight without a trace. Back then, I was the only one who stood by him.

I helped him finish his degree and used all my savings to support his startup. I helped him rise from the ashes.

Later, as Ethan's company grew and he became a successful CEO, Chloe suddenly returned. At first, Ethan ignored her.

Until she produced a medical report from abroad, claiming she had left because she was terminally ill.

She said she didn't want to drag him down and wanted to spare him the pain of watching her die. What a ridiculous excuse. Yet, Ethan believed every word.

After that day, Ethan visited Chloe more and more, and came home less and less. I started calling him constantly. Every time, his answer was the same: I’m busy at the office.

I'm in a meeting. But he didn't know his heavy, nervous breathing had already given him away. When I asked him to FaceTime, he’d claim the signal was bad and hang up in a panic.

When I called back, his phone would be switched off. Back then, I thought he was just temporarily confused. Eight years of history couldn't just vanish.

I wanted to talk to him, to give him one last chance. But my patience only made him bolder, leading to one betrayal after another.

Thinking of this, I hardened my heart. "Ethan, if I don't see you in my room tonight, we are getting a divorce." Ethan snapped his head up, panic flitting across his face.

In all our years of marriage, this was the first time I had ever brought up divorce. He realized I was serious. "Nora, don't joke about divorce. I'll come back right now.

Don't be mad." I watched him get up to leave, then hung up the FaceTime call. My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe.

I lay back on the bed, slowly calming down, and eventually drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, the room was empty. Ethan was nowhere to be seen.

I stared at the ceiling and mocked myself. What was I still hoping for? Just then, the door pushed open. It was Ethan. He was holding a takeout container.

He walked in quickly and set it on the table. "I figured you hadn't eaten breakfast, so I went out to buy some food." I sat up, my bitter mood softening slightly.

Did he actually come back last night? Enduring the soreness from the surgery, I sat up.

But when he opened the containers, the smile on my face completely froze. "This is all spicy food. I just had surgery, Ethan. I can't eat this." Ethan’s hand froze midair. "Oh...

I actually bought this for Chloe.

She had a fever yesterday and lost her appetite, so she wanted something spicy." He didn't even look at me, completely ignoring the fact that I was the actual patient here. "Ethan, it smells so good!

My stomach is literally growling." Before she even entered, her voice filled the room. Chloe walked in, looking perfectly fine. She didn't offer me a single word of concern.

Instead, she acted like she owned the place. "Let's eat together, Nora. Ethan bought extra." As she walked past my bed, she intentionally tucked her hair behind her ear.

That was when I noticed the ring on her finger. It was the exact same design as the engagement ring Ethan had proposed to me with.

I watched them fuss over the food, flirting right in front of me as if I were invisible. Anger flared in my chest, but this time, I didn't even have the energy to scream at them.

Once everything was set up, Ethan finally looked at me. "Nora, don't overthink this.

I was worried Chloe might get another fever with no one around, so I brought her along." "I paid for this private room, and you brought trash inside?

Aren't you worried about the smell?" I snapped. Because I hadn't eaten, the outburst triggered a violent coughing fit.

Instead of showing concern, Ethan flared up. "Nora, watch your mouth!" "Chloe is sick! How many times do I have to tell you? Can't you show some compassion?

Do you have to make everything so ugly?" "You're literally in a hospital bed and still causing drama. You act like a total shrew.

Look at Chloe—she's so much more mature than you!" I laughed out of sheer anger. A wave of sharp pain hit my abdomen, making me break into a cold sweat.

But I forced myself to stand up, walked over, and slapped his face. It wasn't a heavy blow, but it felt incredibly satisfying.

Ethan stared at me in disbelief, his eyes burning with fury. He shoved me hard. Lacking strength, I tumbled onto the floor. "Nora! Who gave you the audacity to lay a hand on me?

Who do you think you are?"

Seeing this, Chloe immediately wrapped her arms around Ethan’s arm, whining, "Nora, even if you’re mad, you can't hit Ethan!

He woke up so early just to see you." She glared down at me on the floor, then turned to touch Ethan’s cheek, looking heartbroken.

She gently blew on his face and whispered, "Does it hurt? Nora is so heartless.

Look how red your cheek is." Ethan put his arm around her waist. "I'm fine," he said, then kicked my foot with his shoe, his face twisted in disgust. "Stop playing dead.

Get up." "Who are you putting on this tragic act for? You're making it look like I'm the one who beat you up!" I clenched my fists, suppressing the nausea rising in my throat.

Having no strength to stand, I dragged myself to the nightstand, reached under the pillow, and pulled out two copies of the divorce papers. "I've already signed them." Ethan stared at the papers, grabbed them from my hand, and flipped through them.

His face turned incredibly dark. "Nora, what makes you think you have the right to divorce me?" He threw the papers onto the floor and stomped on them with his expensive leather shoes. "Over some trivial bullshit, you're throwing a neverending tantrum!" "I'm not throwing a tantrum.

I want a divorce," I said weakly, leaning against the bed.

Ethan kicked the trash can in anger, venting his frustration. "Nora, I've supported you for years, and you want to divorce me?

Don't come crying to me when you're broke!" Chloe tried to comfort him, but it didn't work. "You're doing all this just because of Chloe, aren't you?

Let me tell you right now, Chloe is sweet and understanding. She is a hundred times better than you!" "Ethan Hayes!" I screamed with all the strength left in my lungs.

The pain in my abdomen was getting worse, but I ignored it, staring at him with utter disappointment. "Eight years. We've been together for eight years.

You know exactly how much I've done for you!" "When you wanted to start a business, I gave you my money.

When you said your family needed someone to manage the house, I quit my job and took care of you for five years without a single complaint. I did everything for you!

And what did you treat me as?" My voice cracked, and tears finally streamed down my face. Ethan stood frozen, his face pale. He couldn't find a single word to argue.

But Chloe snapped at me, "Nora, you can't say that.

Did Ethan contribute nothing to this marriage?" "The hospital room you're staying in right now, the food you eat—isn't it all paid for with his money?" "Don't be so greedy.

Learn to be grateful!" After lecturing me, she turned to Ethan. "Ethan, Nora doesn't mean it. She's just emotional.

Don't say things you'll regret." She was playing both sides perfectly. But she couldn't hide the smugness in her eyes. "Nora, if you ask me, this whole thing..." "Shut up!

Stop disgusting me," I snapped. Leaning against the bed, I forced myself up and slapped her right across the face, cutting her off.

Chloe clutched her cheek, shocked and crying out in pain. "Chloe!" Ethan pulled her into his arms, checking her face. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" "Ethan, it hurts so much...

Did I say something wrong?" Her tears fell like rain. "I just wanted you two to make up. I don't know why Nora hates me so much." Ethan glared at me.

He had shown no mercy when he kicked me, yet he was so gentle with Chloe. How laughable. My husband was holding another woman in front of my hospital bed, calling me a crazy bitch.

I should have cut him off the very first time he chose Chloe. I had wasted so many years on this man. It wasn't worth it.

I picked up the dirty divorce papers from the floor, wiped off the dust, and held them out to him again. "If you love her so much, sign this.

I'll waive my right to alimony." "In your dreams!" Ethan grabbed the papers and tore them to shreds. "Nora, let me tell you.

If we divorce, it will be on my terms, not yours!" "Know your place." I looked at the shredded paper on the floor. "I'll have my lawyer draft another copy.

If you still refuse, I'll take you to court." I was completely calm. I had never been more certain of anything in my life. "Take me to court?!" Ethan’s veins bulged on his forehead.

He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. This time, he didn't hold back at all.

My weak body spun back, and my temple crashed against the sharp corner of the nightstand.

A sudden, agonizing pain ripped through my lower abdomen, like flesheating ants devouring me from the inside. I couldn't even straighten my back.

My vision blurred, and before I blacked out, I heard Chloe's panicked scream. "Ethan! She's bleeding... there's so much blood!"