When Love Becomes a Battleground

When Ethan hid from me that he'd invested in his ex-girlfriend's movie, a rift opened between us that could never be closed.

We fought bitterly. He asked if it was really that serious.

Holding back tears, I screamed at him:

Ethan, you know perfectly well that Summer and I are bitter enemies. Her mother stole my father and nearly drove my mom to her death. Why are you taking her side too?

At Summer's movie premiere, Ethan sat in the seat of honor as the investor, backing her up.

Suddenly, I didn't want to compete with Summer anymore.

Everything connected to EthanI didn't want any of it.

At Summer's movie premiere, I spotted Ethan's figure.

He sat in the seat of honor, surrounded by people flattering him.

The man's eyes were deep and indifferent. He didn't flaunt himself deliberately in the crowd, yet his entire being carried a subtle air of dominance.

Summer, a new director returning from overseas, wasn't highly regarded in the industry.

But pulling Ethan's investment and having the Sinclair Corporation as her backing meant Summer could establish a firm foothold in the circle.

From an isolated newcomer director to the industry's hot commodity.

Everyone wanted to use her to make connections with Ethan.

With Ethan footing the bill, quite a few industry big shots came to the event to show support.

Even Summer's cast was filled with A-list celebrities.

When the premiere ended, Ethan's assistant handed him a bouquet.

Ethan walked toward Summer with the flowers, the corners of his lips curving upward.

"Congratulations."

Summer's lips curved into a shallow smile, her expression full of smug satisfaction.

I'd seen that triumphant look in Summer's eyes far too many times.

I clenched my fists and left.

If I'd known today's event was Summer's movie premiere, I never would have come.

A voice called out from behind me.

"Chloe, won't you stay for dinner?"

Ethan had seen me. His brow furrowed slightly.

In the two months since our fight, we'd seen each other fewer than three times.

Summer's movie hadn't even been released yet, but it was already making waves.

Marketing accounts everywhere were promoting it.

[Graduated from USC School of Cinematic Arts, landed Sinclair Corporation investment for her very first film. With Sinclair backing her, she has the country's top-tier photography team, and even her cast is all A-listers. Only Summer could pull off such a powerhouse configuration.]

[Rumor has it Sinclair Corporation's CEO's first love was Summer. Summer herself graduated from a top university, and right after graduation she's directing a major film. What kind of female protagonist wish-fulfillment story is this? Who wouldn't want to live her life?]

I'd just left the Harper house when I saw this news, having just learned from Victor that Summer had returned to the country.

That day, Victor used his birthday as an excuse to make me come home for a family dinner.

When I saw Summer, I turned to leave.

Victor said:

"Don't you want your grandmother's illness treated anymore?"

"Sit down and eat."

I stopped and returned to my seat.

Forcing myself to endure the nausea of eating with this family.

Linda was Summer's mother. She was clever, always playing the role of the good stepmother in front of Victor.

She never showed me a harsh face, always telling Summer to defer to me, that I was the real master of this house.

This made Victor feel I was spoiled, making him feel he owed themmother and daughter.

Victor spoke slowly:

"Chloe, you and Summer are sisters."

"You should look out for each other."

"She's back in the country now. Help her out a bit."

I laughed coldly and asked him:

"Why should I?"

"My mom only had me. Where would I get a sister from?"

"A mistress's child doesn't deserve to call herself my sister."

Just those few words made Linda's eyes turn red, looking utterly wronged.

"Chloe, you don't have to help Summer."

"Life hasn't been easy for you either. I know that."

I got up to leave. Linda immediately came to grab me.

I shoved her away. She fell backward, her lower back hitting the entryway.

She hissed in pain.

From her expression, she was genuinely hurt.

Victor stepped forward, his face flushed with anger.

"Apologize."

"She fell on her own. What's that got to do with me?"

He raised his voice even louder.

"Chloe, apologize."

I smiled and asked him:

"One cheater, one homewrecker."

"Eating with you people makes me sick."

Victor raised his hand, a slap coming toward me.

He stopped his hand at the last moment.

"Chloe, you've really been corrupted."

I'd experienced this scene countless times already.

I was too tired to say another word to Victor.

I changed my shoes and left.

While driving, I heard a marketing account video playing on the car audio.

When I heard the investor was Ethan, I froze.

When Ethan got home from his business engagement, I asked him:

"You invested in Summer's movie?"

Ethan nodded.

"Yes."

I held back all my emotions.

"Ethan, can you pull out?"

"Don't invest."

Ethan's brow furrowed slightly.

"Why?"

I said:

"I don't like her. And she's your ex-girlfriend."

The corners of Ethan's lips curved upward slightly.

"Chloe, can you stop being so childish?"

"I can't disrupt my plans because of your personal feelings."

He always planned everything so calmly and rationally.

According to the marketing accounts, he couldn't forget Summer.

"Ethan, but she's your ex-girlfriend."

Ethan's eyes were deep and dark as he looked at me.

His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice low.

"I invested in her not because she's my ex-girlfriend."

"It's because I'm optimistic about this subject matter. Sinclair has recently been venturing into the entertainment industry. This is just testing the waters."

Back then, Summer had given up marrying Ethan to go abroad.

But Ethan's overly calm demeanor triggered something in me. Why was he like Victor? Why did he favor Summer too?

I said:

"Ethan, if you invest in her, we should separate."

Ethan's expression darkened, his voice turning cold.

"Before we got married, you knew she was my ex-girlfriend."

"You also knew I almost married her."

That one sentence made tears well up without warning.

"Over one investment, is it really that serious?"

Why wouldn't it be serious?

Why wouldn't he stand on my side?

He was my husband. Why was he helping Summer bully me too?

I forced myself to hold back the tears.

I locked eyes with Ethan for a long time before looking away.

From that day on, I reassessed our relationship.

I started frequently traveling for work and working overtime, just to avoid him.

I never expected to run into him at a venue like Summer's premiere.

Later, after thinking about it for a long time, I realized I was upset because I loved Ethan, which was why I minded him investing in Summer.

Summer extended an invitation to me.

She and Ethan stood side by side. The lighting was somewhat dim.

The silhouettes of the man and woman looked intimate.

Especially for a man and woman who used to be lovers.

They were just like the marketing accounts saidwell-matched, perfectly in sync.

I glanced at Ethan, calmly looked away, and declined Summer.

"No need."

Several people surrounded Ethan, wanting to use Summer to make connections with him.

I left the venue.

Friends at Summer's wrap party posted photos to their social media celebrating.

I even spotted Victor's figure.

He'd gone to support Summer too.

The marketing accounts worked fast. Videos were immediately edited and posted.

Victor speaking at the banquet:

"I hope everyone will support my daughter Summer."

"This is her first film."

Applause from below.

The marketing account's caption read:

[Summer isn't just excellent herselfher ex-boyfriend is from the capital's elite. Even her family background is hardcore. Her dad is the founder of StarTech. Summer even takes her mother's surname and is an only child. Who wouldn't want to be Summer?]

Seeing this content, I only felt it was ironic.

When I was fourteen, Summer and I were best friends.

I often brought her home to play.

She always said she envied me.

Whatever I had, I generously asked my mom to get for her too.

My parents had been fighting frequently since I was little.

They'd avoid me when they fought.

But I could sense any slight change in the emotional state between my parents.

They were incompatible.

Until I was sixteen, Victor cheated with Linda.

It started when they met at a parent-teacher conference and developed feelings for each other.

Linda introduced herself.

"Hello, Mr. Harper. I'm Summer's parent."

That's how they met.

My mom finally let go and divorced him. She developed severe depression. After a failed suicide attempt, she came to terms with it.

After the divorce, my grandmother accompanied my mom abroad for treatment.

I cried and said I wanted to go with my mom.

"Mom, it's all my fault."

"I'll never play with Summer again, never bring her home."

"Please don't abandon me, okay?"

My mom patiently explained to me.

"Mom isn't abandoning you. Can you be good and stay in the country?"

Before leaving, my mom told me.

"I'll be back soon."

Gradually, I understood my mom's intention.

Since she couldn't have Victor's love, not a penny of what belonged to me could be spent by Summer and her mother.

Before they divorced, they signed a divorce agreement.

I would go to Victor, on the condition that he write a will stating all his company and real estate would go to me.

Victor laughed coldly.

"Chloe is my only daughter. Even if you don't say it, my assets will be hers."

My mom said:

"Who knows?"

Summer and I lived under the same roof. We could never be friends again.

At school, I wouldn't even acknowledge her.

At eighteen, after finishing the college entrance exams.

Linda and I got into an argument. She wanted to redecorate the house my mother had designed. I wouldn't let her.

She stood at the top of the stairs. During the argument, she fell down.

The housekeeper had just cleaned the floor with dish soap that day. The floor was slippery.

Linda had a miscarriage.

Linda was a dance teacher. This fallshe lost the baby, and more dangerously, she came this close to being paralyzed from the waist down.

The housekeeper said I'd pushed Linda.

Victor came back from the hospital, his eyes cold as frost.

"Chloe, I've spoiled you too much all these years."

"Your mom and I divorced. I felt I wronged you."

"How can your heart be so malicious?"

He slapped me. I stood there stunned.

Everything went silent with a buzzing sound.

"I didn't push her. Ask the housekeeper if you don't believe me."

The housekeeper looked at me timidly.

"The housekeeper said you pushed her."

I knew I'd been framed.

All of them against me alonehow could I fight back?

The next day was the college entrance exam. I didn't dare be sad or have any extra emotions.

After the exam, I decided to study abroad.

I didn't tell my mom about any of this. I was afraid she'd worry.

Four years later, I returned to the country to work.

When I landed at the airport, I ran into Ethan.

My period had stained my white dress, and I hadn't noticed.

The man's tall figure blocked my path without warning.

I was somewhat confused.

He had pale skin, defined brow bones, and a tall, noble bearing.

His thin lips parted slightly.

"You got your period. Your dress is stained."

He handed me a piece of clothing.

"You can wear this for now."

When I was searching everywhere for a vending machine to buy sanitary pads, I ran into him again.

He said:

"I bought these for my girlfriend. She just boarded her flight."

I accepted them and thanked him.

After joining a company in the capital, I encountered him at work.

He was our company's business partner.

I learned his surname was Sinclair.

I had to admit, his actions at the airport made my heart flutter.

But he had a girlfriend. Maybe his thoughtful gesture was cultivated by his girlfriend.

During our six-month collaboration, I didn't pay much attention.

Until I learned from a colleague that he didn't have a girlfriend.

I asked excitedly for more details.

"He really doesn't have a girlfriend?"

My colleague said:

"Yeah, I heard they broke up."

"It was his first love too. His girlfriend went abroad about six months ago and they broke up."

Calculating the time, it was probably around when I met him at the airport.

I started pursuing Ethan.

Three months later, he finally agreed to my pursuit.

Six months after that, we got our marriage certificate.

I didn't tell Victor, only my mom and grandmother.

When Victor learned I'd married him, he said furiously:

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

"You know about Mr. Sinclair and Summer's relationship. Why do you always love stealing her things?"

That's when I learned that a year ago at the airport when I met Ethan, the girlfriend he mentioned was Summer.

I should have cut my losses right then.

Looking at the photos edited by marketing accounts, there were even pictures from when they dated in college.

At that moment, I suddenly felt tired.

I'd competed with Summer for so many years. She could always effortlessly obtain what I wanted.

Ethan's first love being her became a thorn in my heart.

I wouldn't allow love to have flaws.

But allowing love to have flaws was the beginning of me falling out of love with Ethan.

I knew it was just the past, but Ethan's every action told me I was a joke.

They were each other's first love, people who loved each other in their youth.

Everything connected to EthanI didn't want any of it anymore.