Reborn, I Can Hear My Perfect Husband's Dirty Secrets

After discovering that Ethan Cole was cheating on me with my adopted sister, Cynthia, during my pregnancy, I was determined to get a divorce. But on the way to the courthouse, we got into a horrific car accident. As a massive truck plowed into us, Ethan shielded me with his own body. His internal organs were crushed, and with blood pouring from his mouth, he gasped out a final promise: "Chloe, I’m so sorry for this life. If there is a next life, I swear... I will only love you." Ethan died in my arms. After that, I raised our child alone. I spent my entire life grieving him, holding onto his memory until my last breath. But when I opened my eyes again, I was back in the first year of our marriage. This time, Ethan seemed like a completely changed man. He had cut all ties with Cynthia and sent her far away across the ocean. He even replaced his young female secretary with an elderly lady in her fifties. When I got pregnant again, he took care of me personally, showing me endless tenderness. Everyone envied me for having the "perfect husband." But just as I let my guard down, ready to spend the rest of my life with him... I suddenly heard Ethan's inner thoughts. [Chloe’s prenatal appointment is in the morning, so I’ll schedule Cynthia’s in the afternoon. I must make sure they don't run into each other.] [In this life, she’ll never find out about my affair, will she?] When I heard this voice in my head, Ethan was sorting through my prenatal records. He looked up at me and smiled warmly. "The doctor said your due date is in the next two weeks. Once the baby is born, you won't have to suffer like this anymore." "When that time comes, just focus on your postpartum recovery and get some rest. The nanny and I will handle the baby." Looking at Ethan's gentle eyes, I shook my head. I thought I was just hearing things because of third-trimester stress. But then, Ethan's voice echoed in my head again. [While Chloe is recovering at the retreat, I can spend some quality time with Cynthia. She's only three months pregnant and needs me the most right now. As for tomorrow afternoon... I'll just tell Chloe I have to work late at the office.] Before I could even process this, Ethan walked over, took my hand, and spoke with an apologetic tone. "Honey, after I take you to your morning appointment tomorrow, I won't be able to come home right away." "There’s some urgent business at the office, so I have to work overtime." It matched his thoughts perfectly. Word for word. I froze. A cold shiver crawled up my spine. This wasn't a hallucination. My mind spun into complete chaos. I lowered my head and murmured, "Okay, I got it." Seeing my cold reaction, Ethan pulled me into his arms to comfort me. "Don't be upset, babe. I'll come home early tomorrow night and take you for a walk." [Gosh, she's so high-maintenance. Cynthia is never like this. Luckily, I've hidden it perfectly in this life. Otherwise, Chloe would be throwing a pregnant tantrum and demanding a divorce again. It would ruin both the Cole and Vance families.] I listened in silence, feeling a profound sense of whiplash. I couldn't believe the affectionate man standing in front of me was cheating on me again. I pushed him away, making an excuse. "I'm a bit tired. I want to go to sleep early." Ethan assumed it was just my pregnancy mood swings. He nodded and didn't suspect a thing. After tucking me in, Ethan quietly got up and went to the study. I crept up behind him. Through the wooden door, Ethan’s cheerful, hushed voice drifted straight into my ears. "I’ve kept it completely hidden. She has no idea you never actually left the country and that I've been keeping you here." "Don't worry, baby. I will absolutely accompany you to your checkup tomorrow afternoon." "I love you. Of course, I love you the most. In my heart, our baby is the only one that matters. I’ll buy you a luxury penthouse soon. The apartment you're in now is too far from my office. It's not convenient for me to visit you." ... I couldn't listen to any more. Just as I was about to push the door open and confront him, my hand stopped. A wave of resentment, injustice, and sheer agony washed over me. Why did Ethan have to lie to me in both lifetimes? I did nothing wrong. Why did everyone in my past life tell me to "endure it for the sake of the child"? Why did I have to raise a cheating husband's child with a heart full of false guilt, living a miserable, depressed life until the day I died? Ethan, I hate you. I hate that you aren't suffering the way I am. So, in this life, I am going to tear down your "perfect husband" mask right in front of the Coles, the Vances, and the entire world!I pulled my hand back, blinked away the tears stinging my eyes, and went back to the master bedroom. I closed my eyes, but I didn't sleep a wink all night. The next morning, Ethan accompanied me to my prenatal checkup. He sat right next to me, carefully writing down every single instruction from our private doctor. Even a passing nurse couldn't help but look at us with envy, whispering, "Mrs. Cole, you are so lucky! It’s rare to see a husband so attentive." I only offered a stiff smile. In my ears, Ethan’s inner thoughts kept buzzing. [Cynthia needs to watch out for anemia, too. I need to buy her some of these supplements the doctor mentioned. Chloe’s body is such a hassle; she can't even absorb nutrients properly.] [Should I book Cynthia's postpartum recovery suite in advance? I won't let my assistant handle it this time. I'll go choose it with her myself.] [Ugh, when is Chloe finally going to pop? It’s so annoying having to drag myself to these appointments with her every single time.] I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to suppress my rage. It wasn't until Ethan gently tapped my shoulder that I snapped out of it. "Babe, let's go. We're all done." "You were dozing off just now. Did the baby keep you up again last night? Go home and get some rest. By the time you wake up, I'll be back from my overtime." Ethan thoughtfully helped me into the car and watched it drive off with a lingering gaze before turning away. Once his figure vanished from the rearview mirror, I looked at the driver. "Uncle Joe, make a U-turn at the next intersection." "We're going back to the hospital." I returned to the hospital and waited. At exactly one in the afternoon, I spotted Ethan and Cynthia in the OB-GYN department. They had booked a different private doctor and were wearing hats and masks to avoid being recognized. Ethan's hand was resting gently on Cynthia’s belly. Both of them looked radiating with happiness. Cynthia giggled and teased him, "You sneaked out to be with me. Won't that boring wife of yours get mad?" Ethan didn't defend me. Instead, he chimed right in. "Are you kidding? That idiot is completely clueless." "Once the baby is born, I’ll transfer 5% of my company shares to you and the child. I only promised her 2%. You're my real treasure." Cynthia blushed and playfully punched Ethan's chest. Her voice was smug and flirtatious. "Oh, please. Who was the one who called me shameless and told me to get out of the Vance family for Chloe’s sake back then? Who dragged me to the airport and warned me never to bully her again?" Ethan chuckled. He caught her fist and kissed it gently. "If I hadn't done that, do you think the Vance family would have let you off the hook?" "Cynthia, I did all that to protect you. You're the only one I would ever go to such lengths for." "Alright, don't be mad. Let me take you to Louis Vuitton to buy a couple of bags to cheer you up." The two of them walked away, whispering sweet nothings. I leaned against the wall at the corner, holding my belly. My hands and feet were ice-cold. Even though I was mentally prepared, seeing it with my own eyes made me sob uncontrollably. After a long time, I wiped my tears, stood up, and walked straight into the chief director's office. Initially, the director tried to cover for Ethan, claiming I must have seen wrong. His eyes darted around nervously. That was until I slammed a photo of the two of them holding hands in the hallway onto his desk. The director began to stammer, "Mrs. Cole, this... this violates our privacy policy..." I cut him off. "Director, you should know that besides being Mrs. Cole, my last name is Vance." "As in, the Vance Empire. If you keep hiding this, I can't guarantee you'll keep your job by tomorrow." Terrified, the director trembled as he handed me a copy of Cynthia's medical records. I pulled out the prenatal report. Right under the family signature section, the name "Ethan Cole" was written in bold, aggressive strokes. It pierced my eyes. As I flipped the page, a paternity test report slid out. In black and white, it proved that the child in Cynthia's womb was indeed Ethan’s. "I trust you know what to say and what not to say, Director. I don't need to remind you, do I?" Holding the folder, I walked out of the hospital. I took out my phone and sent Ethan a text message: [Babe, my friend said she saw Cynthia at the Louis Vuitton counter just now.] [Is she back in the country?]The very next second, Ethan’s call came through. His breathing was heavy, his tone a mix of panic and caution. "Chloe, your friend saw Cynthia? Was she alone? Did she take any photos?" "Which friend was it?" [That's impossible. I took Cynthia straight to the VIP private room. How could anyone see her?] I sneered in my heart but kept my voice utterly clueless. "Just that art curator friend of mine. She passed by the LV counter this afternoon and caught a glimpse of someone who looked exactly like Cynthia. She said there was a man with her who looked a lot like you." "But she didn't take any photos, so she wasn't entirely sure." Hearing this, Ethan let out a silent sigh of relief. [Thank God there are no photos. I can spin this however I want.] [Tsk, how annoying. I guess I can't have dinner with Cynthia tonight. I need to get home fast.] He immediately denied it. "Your friend must have been mistaken. I kicked Cynthia out of the country myself. She wouldn't dare come back without my permission. You're just stressed from the pregnancy and letting your imagination run wild. Don't listen to her." "Anyway, I'm heading home right now to keep you company. Want some curry from that Thai place? I'll pick it up on my way." Ethan hung up in a hurry. Moments later, the private investigator I hired sent me a few photos and a text: [Mr. Cole has left.] [Cynthia was left alone at the restaurant. She threw a massive tantrum and smashed everything in sight.] I glanced at the messages, smiled with satisfaction, and deleted them. When Ethan got home, he comforted me and repeatedly assured me that my friend was seeing things. I nodded, acting as if I believed every word. That night, Ethan sneaked back into the study once he thought I was asleep. He cooed over the phone to a furious Cynthia. "Don't be mad, sweetie. I'll buy you a new sports car, okay? Just forgive me. I'm doing this for our future. If Chloe finds out, things will get incredibly messy." "Yes, yes, don't worry. My birthday is the day after tomorrow, and I will absolutely make time for you. Even if I have to pick a fight and blow up at that idiot, I'll spend the night with you." "Besides, didn't the doctor say we can be intimate now? I miss you so much..." The sickening sweet talk went on until midnight. The next morning at the breakfast table, Ethan spoke up hesitantly. "Chloe, tomorrow is my birthday." "I wanted to spend it with you and the baby, but there's a major crisis at the branch office. I have to fly out personally. Tomorrow..." I immediately took his hand, acting like the most understanding wife in the world. "It's fine. I can manage at home." "It's just hard on you, having to work even on your birthday." Ethan didn't expect me to be so easygoing. The corner of his mouth twitched with excitement. "It's all for you and the baby. It's worth it!" [Awesome! I'll book the penthouse suite at the Grand Summit Restaurant and have a wild night with Cynthia.] [I've been holding back for so long. I can finally enjoy myself.] I watched him leave for work with a bright smile. As soon as his car was out of sight, I dialed Ethan's mother's number. "Hi, Mom. Tomorrow is Ethan’s birthday. I’m planning a huge surprise party for him at the Grand Summit Restaurant. Can you and Dad make it? Great! And please help me keep it a secret from Ethan." I called my parents, Ethan’s parents, and every close relative and friend I could think of. I begged them all to keep it a secret. I was going to give Ethan a birthday party he would never forget.On his birthday, Ethan was exceptionally hyped. As soon as he finished washing up, he dashed into the walk-in closet. He picked his best casual designer suit and even sprayed his favorite cologne. Sensing my quiet gaze from the bed, Ethan realized he was showing too much excitement. He froze for a second. He turned around and gave me an awkward smile to cover it up. "It's my birthday, so I'm just feeling a bit festive. Wanted to dress up a little." [I need to chill out. Chloe isn't getting suspicious, is she?] I neither agreed nor disagreed. I walked over, stood on my tiptoes, and gently straightened his tie. "You should definitely enjoy yourself today." "Go on. Drive safe." Seeing that I was acting completely normal, Ethan’s face relaxed. He leaned down and kissed my lips. "Wait for me to come back, babe." [What an idiot. So easy to fool.] By evening, our driver picked up Ethan’s parents and drove us to the Grand Summit Restaurant. In the back seat, Brenda Cole held my hand tightly, smiling warmly. "Chloe, marrying you is the best thing that ever happened to Ethan." "He’s been so good to you all these years, and you've been so devoted to him. As his parents, nothing makes us happier." "Now that our grandchild is almost here, your lives will be filled with peace and joy." Then, Brenda’s tone shifted into disgust. "Thank goodness he didn't end up with that trash Cynthia. I hated that girl since she was a kid." "She was always bad news, getting Ethan into fights and smoking. If I hadn't stepped in when they were exchange students in high school, she would have dragged him into drugs!" From the front passenger seat, Marcus Cole grunted in agreement. "At least Ethan woke up in time. If he ever associates with a woman like her again, I'll break his legs!" He waved his hand, letting out a long sigh. "Forget it. Today is Ethan’s birthday. Let's not bring up that piece of trash." I smiled and agreed, but my heart was cold as ice. I led Ethan’s parents into the pre-booked luxury suite. My parents arrived shortly after, and other close friends and relatives filed in with gifts. Time ticked by. Half an hour later, my phone vibrated. A text from my private investigator arrived: [Mr. Cole and Cynthia have left the dining area. They couldn't even wait for the elevator and started making out inside.] I immediately signaled everyone to quiet down. We turned off the lights and hid in the dark with the cake and party poppers. Footsteps approached the door. Everyone held their breath in anticipation. In the darkness, someone whispered, "That's weird. It sounds like more than one person’s footsteps." Someone else quickly whispered back, "Shh, probably his assistant. Mr. Cole is famously loyal to his wife." Silence fell again. Ethan and Cynthia were practically glued to each other, kissing passionately. With a clumsy hand, Ethan swiped the key card to open the suite door. They stumbled inside, already half-undressed. The sound of their heavy breathing and sloppy kisses echoed sharply in the pitch-black room. They didn't even bother to turn on the lights. Ethan and Cynthia were so desperate, they wanted to get down to business right there in the dark. I had no intention of letting everyone watch a live adult show. I reached out and flipped the light switch. "Click!" The room instantly flooded with bright light. Ethan squinted in irritation, cursing under his breath. "F"ck, why did the lights suddenly—" But as he looked up, he froze completely.