Three Year To Love (Emma Johnson and Ethan Carter)

Chapter 1

“Ms. Johnson, you’ve been pregnant for a month now…”

Emma Johnson staggered out of St. Mary’s Hospital, the doctor’s words echoing in her mind. What should have been a joyous occasion left her feeling hollow and unable to smile.

Three years ago, because Ethan Carter’s true love couldn’t conceive, Mr. Carter Sr. forced Ethan to marry Emma to ensure the continuation of the Carter family line. There was another reason behind this arrangement: her grandfather and Mr. Carter Sr. were war buddies, with her grandfather having saved his life years ago. With both of her parents and grandfather gone, Mr. Carter Sr. wanted to ensure she would be taken care of.

Emma agreed because she loved Ethan; she had loved him for many years…

But she never expected that on their wedding day, Ethan would tell her that their marriage had a three-year deadline, and once the time was up, regardless of whether or not they had children, he would divorce her.

Over these three years, she tried her best to be a gentle and caring wife, excelling both in the bedroom and outside of it. Yet, despite her efforts, she had failed to warm his cold heart.

As she returned home, Emma saw Ethan standing by the window, an aura of harshness and seriousness surrounding him, exuding a vibe that kept others at bay. When he heard her approaching, he turned to face her; his stunningly handsome face bore an expression of utter indifference. In that moment their eyes met, Emma could feel her heart racing.

Despite knowing he didn’t love her, her heart still quickened for him, no matter the time or place.

“The three-year deadline is up. It’s time to sign,” he said coldly.

Following his gaze, Emma spotted the divorce papers on the table, and her expression faded, becoming despondent.

She walked over, picked up the divorce agreement, and clutched it tightly. Thinking about the child growing inside her, she felt the urge to take a gamble one last time.

“Ethan—”

Vibrating loudly, his phone interrupted her. Ethan glanced at the caller ID and, without hesitation, answered the call in front of Emma.

A soft voice chimed in, “Ethan, have you divorced Ms. Johnson yet?”

Casting a cold glance at Emma, he replied, “I’m in the process.”

“Great! Will you come over tonight?” the sweet voice asked eagerly.

Ethan looked at Emma’s dimming expression but didn’t confirm. “I’ll see how it goes,” was his vague response.

“Alright, I understand. Then you get back to your work,” the woman said, her tone still hopeful.

As soon as Emma recognized Olivia Brooks’s voice, bitterness surged in her throat, filling her mouth with a bitter taste. Olivia was the woman Ethan always dreamed of marrying; how could she ever compete with that?

In a desperate attempt to mask her pain, Emma lowered her gaze to the divorce papers. Moments later, she placed the documents down and took a deep breath, pushing back the bitterness in her heart. “I can’t sign this divorce agreement.”

Ethan’s brows furrowed immediately, his gaze chilling. “Are the terms unsatisfactory?”

In his mind, Emma was never a greedy person. Had he misjudged her?

Shaking her head, Emma forced a wry smile, one tinged with sadness. “No, it’s not that. I’ve lived as Mrs. Carter for three years, and I’ve been well taken care of. My grandfather was also good to me. Therefore, I can’t take any of this property or money.”

Her pride and love for Ethan didn’t allow her to accept those things. She had married him out of love, not for his status; even if it was one-sided, she didn’t want her years of love to be tainted by material things.