A Countdown on Camera

Ethan cut off my card.

He even told everyone not to hire me.

As a mafia Don, his word was law, and suddenly I was all alone.

He thought he could make me beg like I used to.

However, I did not.

I took the last of my cash and hit the fanciest club in town.

This was my second-to-last wish… to dance the night away.

Ethan never liked loud places like this.

As such, I had always played the part of the perfect wife, so much so that I had never even stepped foot in a bar.

However, tonight, I was going to catch up on the seven years of fun I had missed out on.

I slipped into a bright red dress with thin straps.

I put on makeup that made me look bold and beautiful.

The music was so loud it almost hurt, but I danced like crazy anyway.

The drinks made me forget the pain, and I let loose, ignoring everything around me.

Then I saw him upstairs in a VIP area…

Ethan.

He was with Winter, laughing and drinking with friends.

She was cuddled up in his arms, looking so happy.

Ethan, he was touching her waist and whispering things to her with a kind expression I had never seen.

I stopped dancing. Through the flashing lights, I watched them, my heart aching so bad I could not breathe.

I realized Ethan could be kind, just not to me.

Suddenly, he looked down and saw me.

Our eyes locked.

He looked upset, pushed Winter aside, and came down quickly.

People moved out of his way.

He grabbed me and pulled me out of the crowd. "Nina, have you lost your mind?

"What are you trying to show off dressed like that?"

Outside the bar, he pushed me against a wall, and it hurt.

I was dizzy from the drinks.

I leaned against the wall and laughed. "Don, it's a bar. Should I dress like a nun instead?

"And if I want to show off, it's for me, not you."

Ethan was speechless from what I said, looking at me with an expression full of disgust.

"Look at yourself! You're no different from those who sell their dreams for money.

"You're just messing up your life to make me mad?"

I grabbed his tie, my breath heavy with the smell of alcohol.

"Ethan, you're not that important. I'm doing this because it makes me happy.

"You have nothing to do with it."

Ethan pushed my hand away with a look of disgust. "Nina, you're gross.

"If you like this place so much, stay here as long as you want.

"If you even think about coming home tonight, I'll make sure you regret it."

With those words, he turned and walked away.

I called out to him, "Ethan!"

He stopped but did not look back.

"What? Changed your mind? Want to ask for my help?"

I slid down the wall, sitting on the cold ground.

I could not hold back the sick feeling in my stomach anymore.

"Bleh—"

Blood came out, turning the ground in front of me red.

Ethan heard the noise and glanced back.

In the faint light, he saw me on the ground, looking like I was throwing up.

He just snorted. "Drink yourself to death. It's what you deserve."

Then he got into his car and drove off, leaving a trail of dust.

I was left alone, in the chilly alley, feeling the world spin as I got sick.

In the live stream, everyone watching got scared.

[Host! You're spitting up blood!]

[Someone call 911, quick!]

[Who's that guy? So mean. He didn't even look back.]

I wiped the blood from my mouth and waved it off.

"It's nothing... just an old problem…

"I'm not going to die..."

Not yet, at least.