\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I walked out of the operating room, my head was foggy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everything from my past felt like it was wrapped in mist-and I was just a bystander now, calm and detached.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I followed the address in my hospital records and went home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second I opened the door, I heard cheering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHappy birthday, Leah!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped into the living room. Everyone was gathered around Leah, singing happy birthday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes welled up with tears as she threw her arms around Stellan, beaming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of my friends noticed me and cleared their throat awkwardly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The whole room went silent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a beat, Stellan asked, a little uncomfortable, \u201cElla, you\u2019re out already? Why didn\u2019t you tell me? I would\u2019ve picked you up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I dodged his hand reaching for my bag. \u201cThe hospital was too noisy. Figured I\u2019d be better off at home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0bae\u0bcd\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room got even more awkward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My longtime friend Oceane stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. \u201cElla, perfect timing-it\u2019s Leah\u2019s birthday. We all chipped in for a gift. You\u2019re her sister, so you should be the one to give it to her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pressed a small, elegant box into my hands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood there frozen. After a moment, I took it and handed it to Leah.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d been her elder sister for years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This gift could be the last thing I ever gave her-a final gesture to close the book on all of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second I held it out, Leah reached for it-but it slipped and hit the floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The box popped open. The delicate glass bracelet inside shattered into pieces.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Leah\u2019s eyes filled with tears. \u201cElla\u2026 you still won\u2019t forgive me, will you? That kiss was an accident. I didn\u2019t mean it!\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:56 O\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hot Shower, Cold Heart: How Water Temperature Exposed My Military Husband\u2019s Affair\u00a0<\/p>\n
1%\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been so worried about you this whole time you were in the hospital\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone rushed to comfort her. The looks they shot me were full of blame.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cElla, I\u2019m sorry, but you\u2019re being ridiculous. You\u2019re the older sister-why are you still holding a grudge?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s her birthday. Can\u2019t you just let her be happy for one day?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked around at the people accusing me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Standing front and center, staring at me with pure disappointment, was the man I\u2019d loved for ten years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A roar filled my ears. My vision blurred. I could barely stay on my feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright, everyone, stop blaming Ella. She just got out of the hospital.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stellan walked over and said gently, \u201cDon\u2019t be mad at Leah. She\u2019s just a kid.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He picked up the box from the floor and handed it back to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe didn\u2019t mean to drop it. Just give it to her again\u2026 You two are going to have to get along eventually.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice was soft, but his hand on my shoulder was pressing down hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a deep breath and stepped away from him. \u201cThat won\u2019t be necessary. She and I\u2026 probably won\u2019t be living together anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, I came back today to move out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second I said that, Leah burst into tears.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cElla, are you\u2026 kicking me out?\u201d She looked at Stellan helplessly. \u201cStellan, what do I do? You promised me\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stellan patted her head soothingly, then turned to me, irritation flickering across his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could explain, my friends cut me off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cElla! That\u2019s way too harsh!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s she supposed to go if you kick her out?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat if something happens to her out there? How could you be so heartless?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oceane looked at me with pity. \u201cCome on, Ella. Look how upset she is. She\u2019s just a kid\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:57\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hot Shower, Cold Heart: How Water Temperature Exposed My Military Husband\u2019s Affair\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at Oceane, feeling completely hollow inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she got scammed out of all her savings, I gave her every cent I had so she\u2019d have a place to stay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back then, she hugged me with tears in her eyes and told me I was her best friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now she was standing against me, defending the girl who kissed my fianc\u00e9.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOceane, I know we\u2019re close, but this is my family business\u2026 Besides, I\u2019m the one moving out. This apartment-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stellan cut me off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough, Ella. Oceane\u2019s just trying to be fair to Leah. She\u2019s your sister. This place is hers too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He kept comforting Leah while glaring at me. \u201cLet\u2019s be honest-you\u2019re still holding that kiss against us. But she\u2019s just a kid. If you have a problem, take it up with me. Don\u2019t take it out on her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was speechless. The words stuck in my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Leah timidly walked over and grabbed my hand. \u201cElla, please don\u2019t be mad at me anymore. I promise I won\u2019t say a single word to Stellan from now on. You\u2019re the only family I have left\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t say anything-but then a sharp pain shot through my hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I jerked it away instinctively, and Leah stumbled backward, landing hard on the floor.-\u00a0<\/p>\n
I reached out to help her up, but Stellan shoved me back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t touch her!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d never seen him lose it like that. My chest tightened with a stabbing pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStellan\u2026 my ankle really hurts. I think I twisted it\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stellan scooped her up in his arms and glared at me. \u201cI\u2019m taking her out of here. You need to cool off and think about what you\u2019ve done.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His jaw clenched. Then he added, \u201cElla, you\u2019ve really disappointed me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
(0)\u00a0<\/p>\n
0 (0)\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:57\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hot Shower Cold Heart: How Water Temperature Exposed My Military Husband\u2019s Affair\u00a0<\/p>\n
17.796\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Hot Shower, Cold Heart by Mark Twain 21 \u00a0 Chapter 2\u00a0 Chapter 2\u00a0 When I walked out of the operating […]<\/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":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-giving-my-husband-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22889","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=22889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22889\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}