My Husband's Muse No Thanks, I'm Filing for Divorce

In the seventh year of our marriage, an exclusive interview with Ethan Davis was published on Instagram. The photo showed him standing next to his mentee, Hailey Brooks.

The caption was eyecatching: [Ethan Davis: Great architecture has a soul. And great inspiration comes from the resonance of another soul.] I silently gave it a doubletap.

Ten minutes later, that Instagram post was deleted. It was replaced with a solo photo of Ethan, and the caption was changed to a standard, politically correct industry statement.

Immediately after, Ethan's call came through. In the background, I could hear Hailey explaining through tears and his friends comforting her.

Ethan was absolutely furious. "Chloe, are you out of your mind?" "That was for work!

What is the magazine company going to think because of your like?" "How are people going to look at Hailey now?

Why can't you just let me succeed?" Before I could even reply, he hung up.

Five minutes later, Hailey’s burner Instagram account updated with a cozy photo of her and Ethan, both smiling brightly at the camera.

The caption read: [Behind the spotlight, you are my only inspiration.] Ethan replied in the comments: [My muse] In the past, I would have screenshotted it immediately, marched up to him with the evidence, and demanded an explanation.

But this time, I calmly locked my phone. My heart didn't even skip a beat. Ethan didn’t come home until late at night.

I sat at the dining table, staring blankly at a spread of cold food. Yesterday was our seventh wedding anniversary.

I had booked a Michelinstarred restaurant three months in advance. I even turned down a highpaying translation contract and waited for him there for three hours.

In the end, I only got a text: [There's an emergency at the studio.

Something went wrong with the project, and Hailey can't handle it on her own.] Before I could even reply, his Instagram stories updated.

It was a photo of him and Hailey eating street tacos and drinking beer, laughing happily.

The caption was: [A battlefield for the young, a youth of hustle.] "Did you cook all this?" Ethan took off his coat, tossed it onto the sofa, and sat down at the table.

Looking at the spread of cold food, his eyebrows furrowed. "This looks completely unappetizing." He picked up a plate, about to dump it into the trash.

If it were before, I would have rushed over to stop him. But now, I just said calmly, "Go ahead.

It's cold anyway." He looked a bit surprised, set the plate back down, and perhaps feeling a little guilty, pulled a box out of his briefcase. "For you," he said, waving it in front of me. "Don't you always love Kengo Kuma's work?" "This is a limitededition architectural model he designed.

I had a hard time getting my hands on it." Whenever he felt he had gone too far, he would use a gift to shut me up. But I remembered clearly—the one who loved Kengo Kuma was Hailey.

I loved Tadao Ando. I just took it and gave a faint, "Thanks." Ethan's face darkened.

He slammed the model onto the table and turned toward his study. "I'm going to look over some blueprints. Get some rest." The door slammed shut.

Sitting alone, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. Not long after Ethan went into the study, his phone rang.

After hanging up, he rushed out, putting on his coat. "The power tripped at the studio. Hailey's there alone and she's scared.

I need to go check on her." I looked at him, saying nothing. My silence made him uncomfortable.

He explained impatiently: "It's not easy for a young girl to make it in this city alone.

As her mentor, it's my job to look out for her." "Chloe, can you stop being so petty?" I replied flatly, "Sure, go ahead. Drive safe." Ethan froze.

He didn't expect me to let him go so easily. He stared at me for a few seconds, then hurriedly left.

On the coffee table, his iPad screen was still lit up, showing the blueprints he was just reviewing.

I walked over to turn it off, but a Snapchat message from Hailey popped up on the screen. [Hailey]: Ethan, where are you? I'm so scared. It's pitch black here.

I was about to look away, but the blueprint on the screen caught my eye. It was the design for our dream home—the one Ethan and I had planned together.

Every single detail held our memories and our hopes for the future. We had named it "Chloe's Haven." But now, the file name had been changed to: [Hailey's Harbor Final Draft].

My entire body froze. Just then, the front door opened. Ethan was back. He must have forgotten something.

The moment he walked in and saw me standing by his iPad, he lunged forward and shoved me away. I stumbled backward, my elbow slamming hard against the sharp corner of the table.

A sharp pain shot up my arm.

His face was contorted with rage as he quickly locked the iPad screen. "Who allowed you to touch my things?" "Chloe, do you have any concept of boundaries?" "Is my work something you can just snoop through?" After snapping at me, he finally noticed me clutching my elbow.

He scoffed impatiently, "Why are you so clumsy?

Can't even stand straight?" He paused, then added, "Fine, let's get you to the hospital to get it checked out." I let out a cold laugh in my mind.

If he hadn't shoved me, how would I have fallen? But I was too exhausted to argue. The pain was getting worse, and I needed to see a doctor.

I followed him out and got into the passenger seat of his car.

The passenger side was decorated with pink accessories, a tiny succulent sat in the cup holder, and a polaroid of Hailey was clipped to the sun visor.

Even the air freshener had been swapped for a sweet, floralfruity scent that I absolutely hated. Ethan explained, "Hailey gets motion sickness.

These things help her feel better." "She's basically just a kid, she likes all this cute stuff.

Don't take it personally." I pulled myself together and buckled my seatbelt. "Aren't you going to take those down?" Ethan finally couldn't help but ask.

I stared straight ahead. "Why would I? It's not my car." I didn't care anymore. If I didn't even care about Ethan himself, why would I care about his car?

Halfway there, Ethan's phone rang. He put on his Bluetooth earpiece. On the other end, Hailey's voice whimpered: "Ethan, the power is back on, but I haven't had dinner yet.

I'm so hungry." Ethan's voice immediately softened. "What do you want to eat?

I'll bring you something." After hanging up, he immediately took a turn at the next intersection, changing direction. "Hailey has low blood sugar.

She'll faint if she doesn't eat," he explained to me as an afterthought. "I'll just drop off some food for her first.

It'll be quick." Watching the city lights pass by, I said calmly, "It's fine. Just pull over here.

I'll take an Uber to the hospital myself." Ethan slammed on the brakes, pulling the car over to the curb. "Chloe, do you have to be like this?" he gritted his teeth. "I'm just delivering food.

I'll be right back to take you to the ER. Can't you be a little understanding?" I didn't say a word. I unbuckled my seatbelt and prepared to get out.

He threw a chocolate bar into my lap, his tone dismissive. "Eat this first. I'll be right back." I waited by the side of the road for an hour, but Ethan never returned.

I didn't wait any longer. I called an Uber and went to the nearest hospital. After Xrays and a diagnosis, it turned out to be a hairline fracture.

As the doctor wrapped my arm in a cast, I looked at it and felt a sudden urge to laugh. By the time I got back to the apartment, it was already 3:00 AM.

Ethan was sitting on the living room sofa, waiting for me with a dark face. "Where were you? Why didn't you answer my calls?" he demanded.

I shrugged. "My phone died." He noticed the cast on my arm, and then hurriedly picked up a jewelry box from the table and handed it to me. "What did the doctor say?

Is it bad?" he asked, opening the box. "I remembered you really liked this designer bracelet, so I bought it for you." I glanced at it.

The style of the bracelet was almost identical to the one Hailey wore.

I turned and walked toward the bedroom. "I don't like it anymore," I said flatly. "Give it to someone who does." While I had been waiting for his call earlier, I had scrolled past Hailey's new Instagram post. [Working late tonight.

At least I have warm food and an even warmer person with me.] The photo showed a lavish spread of latenight food, and in the frame was a man's hand—wearing the watch I had gifted Ethan for our wedding anniversary.

Seeing my cold attitude, Ethan's face darkened.

He followed me into the bedroom and grabbed my uninjured arm. "Chloe, what the hell is your problem?" he sneered. "Hailey is like a little sister to me.

Why do you have to keep attacking her?" As if remembering something, he looked at me with pure disdain. "Didn't you use the exact same 'college junior' excuse to get close to me back then?" "Since when did you start hating the competition?" "Acting like a jealous teenager over a young girl... don't you find yourself pathetic?"

His words made me tremble with anger.

I yanked my arm away and replied calmly, "Whatever you do for her has nothing to do with me." My reaction only seemed to infuriate him more. "If this isn't jealousy, then what is?

Since when did you become so cold?" He looked at me with disgust. "I'm going out of town for a business trip for a few days.

Stay home and think about what you've done!" "Call me when you've cleared your head." With that, he slammed the door and left. Instead of feeling upset, I felt a wave of relief.

Good. Finally, some peace and quiet. I had the best sleep of my life. The next day, I went to a meeting with a client for a translation project. The meeting went incredibly well.

They were extremely pleased with my draft and signed the contract on the spot.

Afterward, the project manager smiled and said, "Chloe, I haven't seen you looking this vibrant in a long time. Any good news?" I smiled back and nodded. "Yes, actually.

I'm getting a divorce." She blinked in surprise, then patted my shoulder. "Well, that is indeed something to celebrate." "Let me know if you need anything.

I know a few excellent divorce lawyers." I invited her to dinner to celebrate. That evening, I arrived at the restaurant on time.

But the moment I walked in, I ran into the last person I wanted to see. Ethan looked at me with pleasant surprise. "Chloe?

How did you know I was here?" He grabbed my hand intimately and pulled me toward his table. "Perfect timing. I'm having dinner with some major real estate developers.

Come help me chat them up and keep the drinks flowing." He practically dragged me into a private dining room filled with smoke and loud chatter.

Halfway through the dinner, the door swung open.

Hailey, wearing a pristine white sundress, walked in holding a birthday cake. "Happy birthday, Ethan!" Her smile froze the second she saw me.

But she quickly masked it, walking over to grab my arm. "Oh, I didn't know Chloe was here too!

This is great, we're throwing a birthday bash for Ethan!" "And celebrating him winning that massive project!" I pulled my arm out of her grip.

Hailey put on a hurt expression. "I'm sorry, Chloe. Did I hurt your arm?" "Yes.

I don't like being touched by people, especially you," I said, my voice loud enough for the entire room to hear. "A gradeA pickme girl, no matter how sweet she acts, is still just trash." The moment the words left my mouth, Hailey burst into tears, looking utterly defenseless.

Ethan immediately shielded her behind him, glaring at me. "Chloe! Have you had enough? Today is my birthday!

Can't you act like an adult for once?" "Why do you keep targeting Hailey?

What did she ever do to you?" Sensing the tension, the other guests quickly stepped in to defuse the situation, raising their glasses to toast.

Hailey hid behind Ethan, and Ethan drank every single shot for her. Seeing this, the crowd turned their targets toward me.

Seeing me stand there motionless, Ethan demanded coldly, "Hailey has already humbled herself to apologize. Everyone is trying to give you an out.

What more do you want?" Hailey added in a whimpering, innocent voice, "Yes, Chloe. Ethan and I are really just friends. Please don't misunderstand." "Yeah, Chloe, just have a drink.

Don't ruin the mood for everyone," others chimed in. I picked up the wine glass in front of me. Under everyone's expectant gazes, I stood up.

Then, I threw the full glass of red wine straight into Ethan and Hailey's faces. With a sharp swing, I slammed the glass onto the floor.

With a loud shatter, the entire room fell dead silent.

I looked at them, a smirk playing on my lips. "If you two are going to cheat on me, at least have the decency not to do it in front of my face." With that, I turned on my heel and walked out.

I had barely made it out of the restaurant when Ethan ran after me. He grabbed my wrist, his face flushed with fury. "Nothing is going on between Hailey and me!

Why won't you believe me?" His voice carried a desperate plea. "You went too far today!

How am I supposed to face my clients now?" "Can't you just understand my position for once?" I yanked my hand back and slapped him hard across the face.

Hailey, who had followed him out, gasped in horror and rushed to support him.

Looking at his stunned expression, I actually laughed. "You," I pointed at him, then at Hailey, "and you.

I wish you two a long and miserable life together." I looked at them with pure disgust. "Do you honestly think everyone is blind to what you've been doing?" "You're grown adults, yet you don't even know what shame means." I stared at Ethan. "And you... didn't you always hate when women make a scene?

Didn't you say it was embarrassing?" "Look at you now. What a perfect hypocrite." Ethan's face turned from red to a dark, angry purple.

I turned to leave. "Chloe!" Ethan threatened from behind. "You've officially crossed the line!

If you keep this up, we're getting a divorce!" I looked back, flashing him a bright smile. "Great. I'll have my lawyer draw up the papers as soon as possible.

Make sure you sign them." I saw a flash of panic cross his face. Ethan never expected me to agree so easily. For years, I had held onto the warmth he once gave me.

But now I realized that this marriage was a mistake from the very beginning.