When Caelan Sullivan got home, I was packing for the camping trip.I had loved hiking since I was young, and Caelan knew that. I begged him for a long time to let me join this trip, and he finally agreed. But just before we were supposed to leave, he changed his mind.With a disgusted look, he said, “You’re a cripple. Why do you want to climb a mountain? Why do you always do things that embarrass me?” Then, he walked off without looking back.Something I had been excited about for six months fell through just because he said it was “embarrassing”.Caelan kicked the stuff on the floor and said irritably, “You do nothing but sit around all day. Can’t you at least clean up the house? It’s a mess!”He threw a jewelry box at me. “It’s for you. Isabel helped me pick it out. Open it.”The red velvet box looked exquisite, but I had seen it in Isabel Turner’s post before.It was a selfie of her wearing a necklace worth millions of dollars.Behind her, Caelan was smiling as he paid
Caelan glanced at his phone and quickly answered.Isabel’s tearful voice came through. “Caelan, help me! Someone’s following me! I’m scared!”Caelan shot up immediately and spoke softly to calm her. “Don’t worry, Isabel. I’m coming to get you.”Isabel kept crying. “Will Ms. Warren be mad that I called you for help so late?”Caelan gave me a quick glance and coldly snorted. “Who cares if she gets mad? Your safety is more important.”He ended the call and rushed to the door without looking back at me.“Caelan,” I called out.Irritated, he clicked his tongue. He turned around and said, “Didn’t you hear that Isabel’s in danger? Stop making trouble!”I interrupted him. “Can you grab my phone? I need to call an ambulance.”He was stunned after hearing that.I continued, “Since you’re not taking me to the hospital, I’ll have to call an ambulance myself.”That seemed to remind him I was hurt. He quickly made the call.Before leaving, he shot me a few guilty looks. “I’ll come see yo
Caelan did not come home until the next afternoon.When he saw me, he looked relieved and said, “I forgot to go to the hospital. I didn’t think you’d be out so soon. It must not be serious.”I did not tell him it was serious.I had a spinal misalignment, and if I had waited longer to go to the hospital, I might have had a miscarriage.But I kept quiet and hummed in agreement.While loosening his tie, Caelan talked about what happened last night. “I was going to visit you after dropping Isabel off, but she was still scared. As her boss, I have to care for her.”He came closer, hugged my waist from behind, and asked, “You’re not mad, are you?”The scent of a woman’s perfume on him made me feel sick. I moved away and said, “Of course not. It’s fine for you to help since she’s a woman.”Happy with my answer, Caelan leaned in to kiss me.That was when I noticed his shirt was wide open. I stopped him and pointed to the hickey on his neck. “What’s this?”Caelan quickly straighte
“Caelan, I can’t.”I grabbed his sleeve with my shaky hand and said, “My belly hurts. Please take me to the hospital.”When Caelan heared that, his face darkened. He yanked my hand away and said, “Stop with the act! Haven’t you had enough?“It’s just a small favor for Isabel, yet you won’t do it and act out!”I gritted my teeth and said, “I’m not lying. I’m bleeding. Please, take me to the hospital.”The pain in my belly felt like I was being punched over and over. Warm blood kept flowing out.Caelan still did not believe me. “Where’s the blood? Stop pretending!”I was wearing a black dress. Even if it were stained, the blood would not show. But if he just sniffed, he would smell the blood in the air.I forced myself to stay calm through the pain and explained to Caelan. “Listen carefully. I’m pregnant. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, I’ll lose the baby. Take me to the hospital. Now!”Caelan froze for a moment and then snapped, “How low can you go, Nellie?! You’d make up a sto
When I woke up, I was in the hospital. The person who saved me was Andrew Collins, a friend who knew about my relationship with Caelan. After getting me to the hospital, he called both our parents.John Sullivan, Caelan’s dad, was frantically trying to reach Caelan, but he was not answering. “That brat! He did this to Nellie and still won’t pick up his phone!“They are a couple. No matter how much they fight, how could he leave her in the pool? What if something had happened to her?”Andrew could not stand it anymore and said, “Nellie, he’s trying to kill you! You should call the police!”When he mentioned the police, Lucy Graham, my stepmother, finally seemed worried. She had been quiet until this point. She quickly grabbed my hand and said, “Nellie, it’s normal for couples to have small fights. Just talk it out privately. Don’t make it a big deal.“If you do, your marriage with Caelan will be ruined!”Her words made me feel cold inside.I treated Lucy like my own mothe
Caelan burst into the room. He looked around at everyone and sneered. “Nellie, you’ve really learned some tricks! You even got all these people to fool me!“Weren’t you the one who wanted a divorce? So, why are you looking for me now? Just so you know, once I say something, I don’t take it back! If you regret it now, that’s too late!”Then, to vent his anger, he grabbed the water from the table and splashed it all over my face.John immediately shouted, “Stop it! Nellie—”But before John could finish, Caelan interrupted, “Dad, quit with the act! If she wants a divorce, I’ll give it to her!”Just then, I started coughing violently. Water backed up into my nose through the breathing tube. I started to choke and had trouble breathing.As I coughed harder, I noticed blood on the clear breathing tube. I felt like I was suffocating. I gripped my throat tightly, as if I were drowning.Andrew quickly called for the nurses and doctors. He pushed Caelan away and shouted, “Caelan, are
During my time in the hospital, Caelan took care of me better than ever.But I knew it was pointless. Nothing could be fixed.When he saw I did not feel touched, he started talking about our past.But no matter what he said, I stayed quiet.Anything I wanted to say had faded away over the five years of our marriage.On the day I was discharged, a lawyer came to the room and gave him the divorce papers.The moment Caelan took them, his face darkened. He snapped at the lawyer, screaming, “Get out! I don’t need you!”Soon, it was just the two of us in the room.When he did not make a move to sign, I said coldly, “You were the one who wanted a divorce. You were the one yelling about setting me free. Now that the papers are right here, what are you waiting for?“You know me. Once I decide on something, I don’t change my mind. I was determined to marry you back then, and I’m just as determined to leave now. Just sign it. Don’t make me lose more respect for you.”As soon as I finish
A few days later, I got in touch with a famous orthopedic surgeon abroad. I planned to go overseas for treatment.When I first got injured, I had a great chance to get treatment.But Caelan told me, “Nellie, no matter what happens to you, I will always love you.”As time went on, though, he became annoyed by what people said about me.They would say, “Caelan’s wife is a cripple.”That comment annoyed him a lot.When I mentioned going abroad for treatment again, he suddenly got angry. “Nellie, I said I would always love you no matter what happens to you, so why waste money on this?“And can’t you think about me? If you go abroad, who will take care of me?”At that moment, I realized that a man’s promises could change unexpectedly.The news about my plan to leave reached Isabel.I thought she would be happy about her victory, but instead, she pretended to be the victim.She posted online about how a low-level employee like her was being taken advantage of by her boss and then