The Only One He Loves novel Chapter 6

I called Ryan immediately after seeing the comments. "Have you lost your mind?"

"I told you, I won't divorce you," he said stubbornly. "Emma, isn't this what you wanted? Being publicly known as an award-winning actor's wife? It's yours now."

I laughed bitterly. "Ryan, stop pretending you know me."

"Then what do you want?"

I smiled coldly. "Say whatever you want."

After hanging up, I photographed the divorce papers and court summons, then quote-tweeted Ryan's post: [Sign the papers or see you in court. Choose.] Then I turned off my phone.

I drew the blinds, counting days until our court date.

But Ryan showed up that night with a locksmith, playing the "husband card" to get in.

He walked in carrying pink roses and a designer dress. "Emma, happy fifth anniversary."

If Ryan hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have remembered. Before, I used to plan his surprises months in advance.

To avoid being materialistic, I'd made his gifts by hand each year. A belt the first year, a wallet the second, a tie the third, a shirt the fourth.

Except for briefly using the belt and wallet, he'd trashed everything else without a glance. What were his words back then?

I threw the dress in the trash. "What an ugly piece of trash. Ryan, stop showing me this garbage."

He stared at the lavender fabric in the bin, stunned. "Emma, you used to love my gifts."

I remembered the time Ryan randomly gave me a necklace. I wore it to a premiere, glowing with pride, until I overheard Olivia's snide comment: "Emma, that necklace looks familiar. Oh right, it's the one from my donation pile."

No one knew how small I felt in that moment.

Ryan had sided with her: "Emma, know your place. Even in Cartier, you'd look like a knockoff."

'Knockoff' – that word had burned like acid.

But I'd loved Ryan so much that even knowing it was Olivia's castoff, I treasured it because he'd put it on me. I nearly framed it. Now his words only reminded me what I was worth.