After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 1011

He was the one who messed up. Everything was his fault.

He never should have played with Isabella’s heart, pretending to care about her just to take advantage of her feelings. All those arguments she had with Natalie, all that jealousy—she acted like that because she was in love with him.

But during the three years they were married, the only thing he really gave her was money, enough so she never had to worry about bills or food. Other than that, all he brought her was pain.

When she finally asked for a divorce, he completely lost it. In a fit of anger, he kicked her out with nothing, not even a cent to her name.

He had let Isabella down so badly.

He remembered telling himself he’d send her some money once he calmed down, maybe try to make it up to her a little. But that chance disappeared forever. She was gone.

She would never get his apology, never see a penny, never know he regretted everything.

Was Natalie the one who ruined everything in the end? Why would she do it?

He had been better to Natalie than he ever was to Isabella, especially after the divorce. What reason could Natalie have to hurt Isabella?

“Ethan, you were drinking again last night, weren't you? You still smell like it,” Natalie said.

Ethan just kept quiet.

She looked closer, frowning. “Why are you staring at me like that? You’re acting weird today.”

Natalie could tell something was off. Their eyes met. His were distant and freezing cold, his face serious in a way she’d never seen.

Natalie stopped and stared back, caught off guard.

He finally spoke, his voice deep and heavy. “Natalie, just eat. When you’re done, I’ll ask you something.”

“The housekeeper already gave me some,” she replied.

The housekeeper had been the one to send Ethan the video. She was nervous, her mind racing with questions. Would Ethan tell Natalie to turn herself in, or protect her and then get rid of all the witnesses?

Luckily, the housekeeper had saved an extra copy of the surveillance tape. She even wrote a letter, sending it to her own husband just in case. After the incident, she had secretly checked the security cameras and saved the evidence, worried that Natalie would silence them and the truth would vanish. Sure enough, as soon as Natalie came home from the hospital that day, all the footage disappeared.

“Can you give us a minute?” Ethan told the housekeeper. “I want to talk to Natalie alone.”

The housekeeper nodded and left, stealing a last glance at Ethan. His face was impossible to read. No one could guess what he was about to do.

Once they were alone, Ethan turned to Natalie. “Natalie, the day Isabella and I split up, when she moved out, you messaged Sophia, didn’t you?”

Natalie nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, I asked her. You two kept talking about divorce, and I wanted to know if it was for real.”