\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I came to, my head was splitting. I tried to sit up-couldn\u2019t move.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked down. My body was strapped down tight with restraints.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The door opened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stellan walked in slowly. He didn\u2019t say anything. Just stood there, staring at me with this complicated look on his\u00a0<\/p>\n
face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStellan, let me go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He shook his head. \u201cElla, Leah\u2019s had a severe mental breakdown. The doctors say her chances of recovery are\u2026 slim.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what? I already told you-I had nothing to do with it. I have no reason to hurt her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The last trace of guilt vanished from his eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re still in denial. Still refusing to take responsibility. Fine. Then I won\u2019t hold back either. You\u2019re going to experience what depression treatment feels like. Consider it payback for what you did to Leah.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He signed the consent form the doctor handed him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, doc. Let\u2019s get started.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I watched the doctor prepare the electroshock equipment. My vision went red.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I screamed Stellan\u2019s name.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t turn around. Didn\u2019t hesitate. Just walked out and shut the door behind him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The doctor grinned as he came toward me with the device.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Morningstar, right? Someone paid me extra to take \u201cspecial\u201d care of you. Don\u2019t worry-I\u2019ll make sure you walk out of here without a scratch on you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He pressed the electrodes to my temples.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then a surge of electricity ripped through me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAHHHHHHH-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t stop screaming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It hurt. It hurt. \u201cIt hurt.*\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to fight back-couldn\u2019t move.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to speak, to curse him out-but I had no strength left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seven days later, they let me out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was dazed, barely there. When Stellan showed up, I didn\u2019t react.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said my name softly and draped a coat over my shoulders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cElla\u2026 let me take you home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared blankly ahead, then threw the coat on the ground and shoved his hand away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked down at the coat, expression unreadable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you\u2019re angry. But you have to believe me-I did this for your own good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cActions have consequences. I couldn\u2019t just let you keep bullying your sister.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cElla, I\u2019ll make it up to you\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t say anything. What was the point?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t want to see him anymore. I was trying to figure out how to get him to leave when his phone rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I heard Leah\u2019s voice clearly through the speaker, sobbing. \u201cStellan, I\u2019m so scared\u2026 I\u2019m really\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stellan didn\u2019t hesitate. \u201cI\u2019ll be right there.\u201d He hung up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked at me, like he wanted to say something.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I said flatly, \u201cGo. I\u2019ll get a cab.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He hesitated for a moment. Then he turned and headed back to the hospital.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a cab to the treatment center for my final memory erasure session.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I closed my eyes, the nurse said gently, \u201cMiss Morningstar, just relax. This is your last session.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope this is the last time I see you here. And I hope the rest of your life is nothing but spring.\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
19.9%\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the anesthesia kicked in, a single tear slid down my cheek.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2661 (0)\u00a0<\/p>\n
(0)\u00a0<\/p>\n
20 20\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 24 \u00a0 Chapter 5\u00a0 Chapter 5\u00a0 When I came to, my head was […]<\/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-22892","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\/22892","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=22892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22892\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}