Chapter 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
I managed a few hours of light sleep by Veronica\u2019s bedside before Nathaniel\u2019s movements woke me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was carefully tending to her catheter bag, with dark circles under his\u00a0<\/p>\n
eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, I almost reached for the divorce papers, but then he pulled me into an embrace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Vivi. But Estelle helped me through the darkest time. I owe\u00a0<\/p>\n
her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew the story. Years ago, Nathaniel\u2019s family car had gone off a cliff.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A steel rod had pierced both his parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
16\/01\/\u00a0<\/p>\n
When rescuers arrived, only one could be saved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They left the choice to their eight-year-old son, Nathaniel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The consequence of that decision, made in a daze, was a memory that would haunt him for life: the sight of blood gushing from his mother\u2019s chest the moment the steel rod was pulled free.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After that, he could no longer make any choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was the reason I had endured so much.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, his voice thick with emotion, Nathaniel whispered, \u201cEstelle was my first love, Vivi. I did care for her, but that\u2019s in the past. You are everything\u00a0<\/p>\n
0.00%\u00a0<\/p>\n
10.501\u00a0<\/p>\n
to me\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart softened despite myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I thought, for a second, there might still be genuine feeling left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then my phone buzzed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I checked it, a message from the private investigator.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first item was about his exhibition. That day, Nathaniel had publicly stated that everything he had achieved was thanks to the inspiration Estelle gave him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had completely forgotten the investors I secured, the venues I booked, the nights I spent drinking until I was sick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I scrolled down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
4,\u00a0<\/p>\n
On September the day my father died, Nathaniel had promptly booked a flight for a distressed Estelle who\u2019d run a red light, sending her back to her city.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet in front of me, he presented himself as utterly crippled by the choice of a flight versus a train, causing me to miss saying goodbye to Dad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, I saw a record of a three-hour phone call between him and Estelle- spanning the entire time I was in difficult labor, and a glaring screenshot of a paternity test.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Patrick Sanford was Nathaniel\u2019s biological son.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There were seventy-two messages in total, each one a piece of evidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Together, they dismantled my foolish, one-sided belief that he had ever loved me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The truth was, he knew how to choose. He just never chose me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
26.50%\u00a0<\/p>\n
10.58 m)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
18 288 (Vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sensing the chill in my body, Nathaniel instinctively kissed my forehead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then he ventured, cautiously, \u201cVivi, Ricky has a severe form of congenital leukemia. The fall triggered a crisis. Would you let Nika get tested as a potential donor?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI promise, once Ricky is better, I\u2019ll devote myself completely to you and Nika.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The last thread holding me together broke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNathaniel, are you out of your mind? You know how fragile Nika\u2019s health has always been. You want her to donate marrow?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes were red-rimmed. \u201cNika\u2019s mind is already limited. What does it matter if her body is a little weaker? But Ricky is bright. With his leukemia cured, think of the future he could have.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at him, horrified, and pushed him away with all my strength.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knew our daughter\u2019s condition was my deepest pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How could he, the one responsible, say such a thing?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at him coldly. \u201cDon\u2019t even think about it, Nathaniel. We\u2019re getting a divorce.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He froze, a look of genuine hurt crossing his face, as if the possibility had never occurred to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the silence that followed, Estelle stumbled into the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Ms. Sherman is so heartless, Nathan, so be it. But if Ricky doesn\u2019t make it, I won\u2019t have any reason to go on living either.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2026 I\u2019m just so scared\u2026 He\u2019s bleeding again, and they can\u2019t stop it\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In that moment, Nathaniel\u2019s expression hardened with a resolve I\u2019d never\u00a0<\/p>\n
58.19%\u00a0<\/p>\n
10.58 M\u00a0<\/p>\n
seen before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could react, I felt a sharp sting in my neck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the darkness pulled me under, I heard him whisper, voice trembling with emotion, \u201cI\u2019ll make it up to you both once Ricky gets better.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had made his choice again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
93.85%\u00a0<\/p>\n
10.58\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Broken Yet Untouched by Mark Twain 2 Chapter 2\u00a0 I managed a few hours of light sleep by Veronica\u2019s bedside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bound-to-him-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22842\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}