\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAm I right?\u201d Felicity pouted, speaking to Nolan in a teasing tone, throwing me a sidelong glance. \u201cShe\u2019ll only cause you trouble.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWHO THE HELL ARE YOU NOW?\u201d I asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words slipped from my lips before I could think, before I could filter or soften or smile like I apparently used to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air in the room stilled. Nolan\u2019s brows shot up, but Felicity\u2019s face cracked first, her lips parting in a sneer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you just say?\u201d she asked, a mocking little laugh curling around her words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a slow step forward, tilting my head, studying her as if she were a painting hung in my house without permission. \u201cI mean it. Who, are, you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The silence that followed was heavy with shock, their shock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe it was because I hadn\u2019t flinched when she sneered at me, hadn\u2019t cowered or looked to Nolan for help. Maybe it was just that I was finally acting like someone with a backbone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Felicity recovered quickly, smile stretching back into place like a mask. \u201cCute. Trying on a new personality, are we? What is this, Ellie 4.0? A little sass to win your precious Alpha back? Man, you\u2019ll try anything for a glance from him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d I said lightly, \u201cI see. You\u2019re in my house, with my husband, insulting me, and I\u2019m the one desperate for his attention. That clears things up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan blinked, furrowing his brow. Felicity\u2019s expression twisted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cExcuse you! You\u2019ve got a lot of nerve for someone who used to cry if Nolan so much as frowned in your direction,\u201d she snapped. \u201cRemember that? Remember begging him to stay every time he so much as glanced at me? Or do we not recall that version of you? This personality switch up won\u2019t last! You\u2019re pathetic! Remember that!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smiled, not because it was funny\u2026 okay, it is a bit funny. A random woman yelled at me for who I was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI did all that?\u201d I asked, raising a brow. \u201cWow. That\u2019s embarrassing. Should I laugh? Or clap for it? Because until now, all I\u2019ve heard is the story of a poor girl doing everything she can for the man she loves, and that man being blind to it, not appreciating her at all. \u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd here you are, mocking her, \u201d I looked at her in her eyes. \u201cas if it has anything to do with you. If she made a mistake, it\u2019s that she didn\u2019t leave sooner. You two are disgusting\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Felicity\u2019s mouth opened, but nothing came out. She looked like she spotted a ghost in daylight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou really are insane,\u201d She said, recovering her balance. \u201cWhat are you doing, Ellie? Reinventing yourself? Playing the new, brave and misunderstood wife? You\u2019re embarrassing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s pretending again,\u201d Nolan muttered under his breath, arms crossed. \u201cShe\u2019s always done this when she wants something.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I snapped my head toward him. \u201cYou think I\u2019m pretending? For what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think I\u2019m impressed?\u201d His voice was low and annoyed. \u201cWe\u2019ve played this game before.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo we?\u201d I said, stepping closer. \u201cNow it\u2019s the new game. And I\u2019m not who I was.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He frowned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Felicity laughed again, shrill and brittle. \u201cSo what, you\u2019re strong now? You\u2019re going to fight against him? Please. You couldn\u2019t even stand to be in the same room when he ignored you, doing all these pity cries for him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked her dead in the eyes. \u201cI don\u2019t want him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I meant it. I wasn\u2019t even sure I wanted me yet, but I was damn sure I didn\u2019t want to be her anymore. The girl who begged. The girl who bent over backwards for a man who never met her halfway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not here to cry or win anyone over,\u201d I scoffed. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to figure out how I ended up married to someone who thinks silence is a personality trait.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That one landed hard. Nolan\u2019s jaw clenched, but with a sigh he turned slightly, his eyes closing as a mindlink reached him. He didn\u2019t say anything aloud, but I could feel his mood shift\u2014cold and businesslike. Alpha mode.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to take this,\u201d he said, turning and walking out without another glance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Felicity waited until the door clicked shut before stepping closer, her voice lower now, quieter, but no less venomous. She reminded me of a viper, a pretty one, but those eyes locked on me like a target.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard rumors, you know, trying for a child. Scraping for scraps again, like you could ever be his true Luna. Even if you did, you think they\u2019d ever let you raise that child?\u201d she asked, her smile all teeth. \u201cWith your status? You\u2019re a nobody, Ellie. Just a rogue who got lucky. They\u2019d never let you keep that pup.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I said nothing, but my hand moved protectively over my stomach. Did she know? No way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be stupid. When I\u2019m Luna, they\u2019d give the baby to me. And I\u2019ll make sure they never forget how pathetic their mother was.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She leaned in. \u201cIf you think I\u2019ll be kind, think again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t lash out. I didn\u2019t scream. I just stared at her like I was seeing her clearly for the first time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Nolan returned, I was still standing there, arms crossed and lips sealed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned to him as he walked in, my voice calm. \u201cIs it true?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He raised a brow. \u201cIs what true?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I wouldn\u2019t be allowed to raise my own child in this pack?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He exhaled, almost dismissively. \u201cThat was the agreement. You knew what this was. We are married to produce the child of a fated bond; they are stronger, but you\u2019re no Luna. I thought that was clear.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd after that? What\u2014was I just supposed to disappear?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d do what you always do,\u201d he said, dryly. \u201cRun off crying, then show up again looking for attention.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This man\u2026 was the worst.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My voice shook with something closer to fury than sadness. \u201cYou\u2019re such a jerk.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He blinked. \u201cExcuse me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou married me, used me, ignored me, and now you\u2019re pretending I\u2019m the one being dramatic? You don\u2019t even know me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you better than you think.\u201d His voice sounded exhausted, like I was still pulling some act.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I snapped. \u201cYou knew a girl who thought being silent would keep her safe. Who thought if she was obedient enough, maybe, just maybe, you\u2019d love her back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His bored expression didn\u2019t budge, his eyes half-lidded with the same detached disinterest he always wore, like emotions were beneath him. Like I was beneath him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m not her anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I could practically feel him waiting. Waiting for the performance, he thought he knew by heart. For the trembling lips. For the wide, watery eyes. For the whispered, please don\u2019t go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But I didn\u2019t give it to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, I squared my shoulders, letting the fire settle into my spine like armor. My voice clear and steady.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI want a divorce.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His hands slid slowly out of his pockets. For once, he looked uncertain. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard me. I want out of this marriage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smiled, lifted my chin in pride.<\/p>\n
A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 3 Chapter 3 \u00a0 Ellie\u2019s POV\u00a0 \u201cAm I right?\u201d Felicity pouted, speaking to Nolan […]<\/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":[62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-unremembered-mate-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23572","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=23572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23572\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}