After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 115

Ethan frowned. “Susan’s just the housekeeper. You’re the woman of the house. Of course it should be you running things, not her.”

“I can’t take charge here, not unless Natalie is never allowed to set foot in this house again.”

She hoped he’d get what she meant, but when Ethan just kept frowning, Isabella laid it all out for him. “Every time Natalie drops by and says a few words, you shoot down everything I’ve done. No matter how hard I try, it never matters. So no, I don’t want to be in charge. I’m done putting my heart into this place just for Natalie to tear it down with a single comment.”

Ethan didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then he finally asked, “Am I really that unreasonable? You’re my wife. If you’re right, I’ll take your side.”

Isabella let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, maybe you’re fair most of the time. But when it comes to Natalie, you lose all sense of fairness. All you have is favoritism—the worst kind. You say you’d stand up for me if I’m right, but let me ask you, what about the gifts you gave me? Natalie took them all. Did you ever say a word? Out of all the wedding gifts you gave me, the only things left are the townhouse in my name and the car I drive. Natalie took everything else. Was she right to do that?”

She looked him straight in the eye. “Are you really that clueless, or are you just pretending not to see?”

Ethan answered without thinking. “They’re your family. It’s not a big deal if they kept some of your wedding gifts. The Lane family raised you, paid for your education. Without them, who knows what your life would be like? Maybe your dad’s relatives would have sent you to an orphanage. You should be grateful. Letting them keep those gifts is just a way to repay them. And as for the other presents, didn’t Natalie only take them after you agreed? You could have said no. Since you didn’t, it’s like you gave them to her.”

Isabella didn’t want to go on. She knew, deep down, that she could never count on him to take her side.

“You’re busy. I won’t get in your way. I’ll head out now.” She stood up. “What time’s the event tonight? Just give me a time so I can get ready.”

“Thanks, but that’s not necessary.”

Ethan pressed his lips together. In the end, he let it go.

Isabella left, and this time Ethan didn’t stop her.

Not long after she was gone, Ethan got a report. It was the background check he’d ordered on Isabella. He’d felt like she was changing, so he had someone look into her. But the report didn’t find anything unusual. Isabella was still Isabella. The change he sensed in her had started after their wedding night, probably after he’d told her the truth about their marriage. Maybe that was what had shifted something inside her.