\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the company dinner, my fianc\u00e9\u2019s little assistant Olivia picked up a buffalo wing, took a deliberate bite right in front of everyone, then casually dropped it onto Kai\u2019s plate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t even flinch-just picked it up and kept eating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That night, I didn\u2019t even wait for him to speak.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe engagement\u2019s off. Consider yourself officially dumped.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He rubbed his temples, looking annoyed: \u201cSeriously? Over a damn chicken wing?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one still glistening with her saliva,\u201d I shot back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJesus Christ, Lia, no wonder they call you a jealous witch-you freak out over the tiniest things!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever. You wanna call it off? FINE by me. Just don\u2019t come crawling back to me later!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was dead certain I was too in love to actually walk away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Little did he know, my love had already died-every time he flirted with that dumb assistant just buried it deeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Go enjoy your chicken wings, you CHEAP bastard!\u00a0<\/p>\n
We\u2019re fucking DONE!\u00a0<\/p>\n
That same day, I told my parents I wanted to call off the engagement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mom and Dad were surprised but respected my decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After that, Kai went into full cold-war mode with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Phone number blocked, social media deleted, gaming friends removed\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was his go-to move every time we fought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was confident I couldn\u2019t live without him, that I\u2019d come crawling back like always.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But this time, I stared at that \u201cAdd Friend\u201d button and for once, didn\u2019t press it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A week later, the company group chat lit up with an announcement:\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:59\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hot Shower, Cold Heart: How Water Temperature Exposed My Military Husband\u2019s Affair\u00a0<\/p>\n
25.6%\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cToday is CEO Reynolds\u2019s birthday. He\u2019s treating everyone. Mandatory attendance, no sick days allowed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t want to make things awkward for my coworkers, so I went.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment I walked into the private dining room, there was Kai at the head table with Olivia whispering in his\u00a0<\/p>\n
ear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their heads were so close their lips were practically touching, completely shutting out everyone else in the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A second later, they both burst out laughing at their little inside joke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t watch anymore. Found a corner table and sat down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone started giving Kai their birthday gifts. I ignored the whole show and focused on my wine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then a shadow fell over me. I looked up to see Kai\u2019s stupidly perfect face staring down at me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Same old irritated expression I knew so well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLia, where\u2019s my present?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the past, I would\u2019ve started planning for Kai\u2019s birthday months in advance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The most memorable one took me over six months-I hand-built a scale replica of the flying house from \u201cUp,\u201d his favorite Pixar movie.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When those balloons lifted off, he said we\u2019d be like Carl and Ellie, together till we were old and gray.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I believed every word. Didn\u2019t realize his promises wouldn\u2019t even last three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Facing his demanding stare, I just shrugged: \u201cI forgot.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My attitude clearly pissed him off. He completely lost it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLia, are you done with this tantrum yet?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re seriously gonna drag this out for a whole week over something so stupid?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I noticed Olivia\u2019s lipstick smeared on the corner of his mouth and felt sick to my stomach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not throwing a tantrum. I meant what I said about calling off the engagement.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kai\u2019s expression froze for a split second, but the moment Olivia grabbed his hand, he was back to his arrogant self.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh Lia, maybe you\u2019re being just a bit unreasonable? I was just trying not to waste food-it\u2019s environmentally\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
conscious. But if my presence bothers you so much, I can just grab some leftovers from the break room next time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Olivia\u2019s fake innocent act immediately made Kai go into white knight mode.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh Liv, don\u2019t say that. You deserve the best of everything in this world. Lia\u2019s the one who shouldn\u2019t be at this party. Who does she think she is? Everyone has to cater to her drama?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKai, don\u2019t say that! Lia might be a bit dramatic, but she\u2019s still your fianc\u00e9e. You should sweet talk her when needed. I really don\u2019t want you two fighting over me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSweet talk? If my parents weren\u2019t begging me to go through with this merger marriage, I wouldn\u2019t even be with her. Getting pissed off over every little thing-it\u2019s fucking exhausting.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Olivia walked over and patted my back with fake concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSweetie, girl to girl? You\u2019re being kind of extra right now. Poor Kai has been losing sleep over your drama.I think you two aren\u2019t compatible personality-wise, but you\u2019re still engaged for business reasons. Maybe you should compromise a bit?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I slapped her hand away and smiled coldly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOlivia, you know what I really admire about you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow you\u2019re such a fucking disaster at everything but excel at being a homewrecking bitch.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her smug mask slipped instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kai went nuclear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLia, who gave you the fucking right to attack Olivia like that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAttack? She\u2019s got the same jewelry you bought me and flaunts it around the office. She spreads gossip about our fights in the break room. And how the fuck does she know about that birthmark on your ass?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cENOUGH.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
SLAP.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kai backhanded me right there in front of the entire executive team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My ears started ringing and everything went fuzzy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I could still clearly see every face in that room-some pitying, some disgusted, all of them staring at me like I was pathetic.\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 31 \u00a0 Chapter 1\u00a0 Chapter 1\u00a0 At the company dinner, my fianc\u00e9\u2019s little […]<\/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-22899","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\/22899","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=22899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22899\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}