All Chapters of A Free Relationship: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Tension filled the air in an instant.Ethan stared at Seth in disbelief, while Seth merely stood there, unbothered. Felicia held onto Ethan's arm tightly as she feared that he might lash out again.Meanwhile, Jeremy looked the worst. His face was bruised, the corner of his mouth split, and his glasses shattered into pieces, scattering on the ground.Maisie was starting to sober up. She felt a pang of guilt and softly asked Jeremy, "Are you okay?""Quit it." Seth pulled her back and nodded toward Ethan, who looked ready to pounce at any moment.Then, he turned to Jeremy. "You should go. Get yourself to a hospital."Jeremy slowly got up, using a nearby pillar for support. He glanced at Ethan, then at Maisie. "Maisie, if you and Ethan are really over—""Get lost!"This time, it was Seth's turn to get angry.Ethan shoved Felicia aside, causing her to stumble several steps back and nearly fall over. But he didn't care. He stormed up to Seth, his eyes burning with fury. "Seth, are y

Seth had actually moved out. Maisie slept for days, recovering from the emotional torment caused by Ethan and Felicia, along with the physical exhaustion from sleeping with Seth repetitively. Eventually, she began to feel like herself again. She wasn't fond of takeout, and there was a small supermarket nearby. So, she went on a shopping spree and stocked Seth's otherwise empty fridge, which had held nothing but a few cans of beer. His apartment was large, occupying over 1,000 square feet. However, as he lived alone, only the master bedroom showed signs of use. The study and gym were well-furnished, but the treadmill was covered in dust.Maisie had nothing to do, so she cleaned the place from top to bottom for three days. While cooking her own meals and enjoying the spotless space, she finally felt like she was back to normal. During the period of conflict with Ethan, she had felt like a completely different person as her mind had been weighed down with resentment. She hadn't l

Seth had felt pathetic. He had promised himself that he'd give up if this didn't work. But then, he had heard sounds from the room next door at the hotel.The rough breathing of a man, along with the soft moans of a woman.He had succeeded.Perhaps it had been the alcohol or the pressure from work. More likely, it had been the woman Seth had hired—seductive, skilled, and impossible for Ethan to resist.Either way, Ethan had cheated.The two of them had carried on through the night, while Seth had lain awake in his room, staring at the ceiling.…The next morning, Ethan had called, crying, "Seth, do you have time? I could really use a drink."At the bar, Ethan had silently downed glass after glass of alcohol. Seth had tried to stop him. "Take it easy. Your health matters."But Ethan had been on the edge. "Just let me drink."Seth had known why, so he hadn't intervened again. In the end, he had taken Ethan home when he had been completely wasted.Maisie had been worried sick.

Maisie soon found a place to stay and moved out with Coco. However, in her haste, the new apartment had its shortcomings.It was a newly rented unit in a somewhat desolate area, and it lacked convenient amenities. But Coco was happy as there was a large grassy area downstairs where she could play.Maisie bought a stroller and took her out for walks every day. Coco's health was declining, and even walking a few steps left her panting heavily.After a trip to the vet, the doctor advised her to prepare for the worst because Coco's condition could worsen at any time. So, Maisie devoted as much time as possible to being with her and tried to make her last days as joyful as they could be.On the weekend, Bret Walkman, her former class representative, called to invite her and Ethan to celebrate his newborn son's first birthday. Maisie didn't tell Ethan and took a cab to the event alone.The celebration was held at a restaurant in the city center. She was slightly delayed because of Coco'

Maisie paused for a moment before realizing the implication behind Ethan's question. She reached out to grab his arm. "Don't cause a scene here. It's Bret's son's birthday—""Maisie." Ethan shook off her hand. "Just answer me. Who's the father?"The force of his push sent her stumbling.Bret, suddenly sober, rushed to grab Ethan. "Are you crazy? What's wrong with you? Who else could be the father if Mais is pregnant? How could you even ask that?"Maisie collapsed onto the table, shattering a bottle of wine in the process. Quincy hurried to help her up.Ethan loomed over her furiously. "Who is it? Tell me!"Maisie sneered. "Does it even matter?"…Deep down, Maisie yearned for an escape, perhaps a trip somewhere far away to clear her mind—anything to temporarily distance herself from the suffocating pressure of being with Ethan and Seth.Nevertheless, Coco needed her, and that meant she was stuck.When she finally got home, her phone was flooded with missed calls. Most were from Seth.