Hot Shower, Cold Heart by Mark Twain 23
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
The realtor found a buyer fast.
After the paperwork went through, I took the money and checked into a hotel.
I kept my therapy appointments and took walks when I felt like it.
Stellan and Leah seemed to have faded out of my life completely.
For the first time in years, I felt… peaceful.
Until Stellan called.
“Get to the hospital. Now. Right now.”
I didn’t want to go.
But I figured I should at least tell him face-to-face that we were done.
When I got there, everyone was crowded into a hospital room.
Stellan looked at me like I’d betrayed him in the worst way possible.
“Tell me why you did this to Leah.”
“She’s been dealing with depression this whole time, and you sent people to her hotel to threaten her? What the hell is wrong with you?”
His grip on my shoulders was crushing. I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go.
No one stepped in.
These were people I’d lent my life savings to. People I’d helped when they had nowhere else to turn.
And now they were all staring at me with pure hatred.
“It wasn’t me. I haven’t even seen her. And I didn’t know she had depression until right now.”
Oceane cut in. “Don’t lie. You’re her legal guardian-you told the doctors not to give her medication!”
“If Leah had been taking her meds, none of this would’ve happened! And you’re still making excuses? She almost died!”
09:57
Hot Shower, Cold Heart: How Water Temperature Exposed My Military Husband’s Affair
18.8%
Chapter 4
That’s when I noticed Leah, huddled behind Stellan, trembling.
“Leah? What’s wrong?”
The second she heard my voice, she flinched violently. Then she went still, head down.
I stepped closer, trying to see if she was okay.
Suddenly, she screamed.
“Stay away from me!”
She started grabbing things off the table and hurling them at me.
I didn’t have time to dodge. Something hit me square in the forehead.
Blood poured down my face.
Stellan immediately shielded Leah. “Get out! Don’t come near her!”
I took a deep breath, pressed my hand to the wound, and walked out.
Through the glass, I watched Stellan carefully bandage Leah’s hand.
Everyone was comforting her, telling her the bad person was gone.
I turned away and asked a nurse for gauze and bandages.
She took one look at my face and rushed me to get stitches.
While they were patching me up, Stellan found me.
He froze when he saw the bandage on my forehead.
“Leah’s not stable right now. She didn’t mean it. Don’t take it personally.”
I shook my head. “It’s fine. I’m not going to hold it against someone who’s sick. You must be exhausted, though. Taking care of her can’t be easy.”
He blinked, clearly thrown. He’d been ready for a fight-and now he didn’t know what to say.
“You… you understand. That’s good. Does it hurt? Is it bad?”
He reached out to check my wound. I stepped back instinctively.
09:57
Hot Shower, Cold Heart: How Water Temperature Exposed My Military Husband’s Affair
19.1%
Chapter 4
His hand hung in the air for a moment before dropping to his side.
Before he could say anything, I spoke first.
“What happened to Leah-it wasn’t me.”
He immediately shot back, “The guys who showed up at her hotel already said you sent them. Who else would it be? You think she scared herself?”
I went quiet. “If that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“I came here because I needed to tell you something. We’re-”
Before I could finish, Oceane came running over, out of breath.
“Stellan! Leah woke up and you weren’t there. She’s having a breakdown!”
He didn’t hesitate. Didn’t say a word. Just turned and ran back to her room.
I watched him go.
*Goodbye,* I thought.
In nine days, I’d have my final memory erasure session. After that, I wouldn’t remember any of this.
I turned and walked away-leaving behind ten years of my life, and all the pain that came with it.
But before I could make it out of the hospital, someone grabbed me from behind.
Before I could fight back, something hit the back of my head.
Everything went black.
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