Chapter 21
By college, she’d managed to save six figures. But between her father Richard’s regular extortion and her mother Helen’s major surgery two years ago, her savings had dwindled pathetically to less than $10,000.
During their three years of marriage, Travis hadn’t given her a penny. Even on their anniversaries, bought her a few drugstore lipsticks.
he’d only
Everyone envied her marriage into wealth, but only Nicole knew the harsh reality of life in this golden cage.
Yet Travis, as her husband, confidently believed Nicole should be grateful to the Grahams. He was convinced that everything she had was solely due to his family’s generosity.
So naturally, he felt entitled to her care and attention when he was ill.
“Travis, how sad that after all these years, we never really understood each other. Fine, I’ll care for you as you demand. But right now, I need to change my clothes.”
Nicole had been standing under the air conditioning vent, and she had begun to shiver.
The doctor had warned her to stay warm for the next three months, to avoid catching a cold.
Yet here she was, chilled to the bone from Travis’s drama.
Her whole body was trembling now.
Seeing Nicole finally agree to care for him, Travis felt secret relief, though he maintained his cold, harsh demeanor.
“You do look ridiculous. Go change and come back.”
Lucy panicked at the idea of Nicole being so physically close to Travis while caring for him.
“Travis, dear, Nicole looks unwell. Maybe we should forget about this for today.”
“Absolutely not! After all the years my family supported her, she owes us! She should serve me like a slave if necessary!‘ Even Travis was surprised by the intensity of his own words.
Hearing Travis talk about her being his slave, Nicole’s lips twisted in a bitter smile, mourning her past self.
This man didn’t just not love her – he had no respect for her at all.
Why had she been so desperately in love with a man who nether understood nor respected her?
The more she thought about it, the more she pitied her former self.
She gave Travis an icy glance before striding out of the hospital room.
His angry, anxious voice followed her.
“I better see you back here within the hour!”
Nicole didn’t even bother responding.
See her in an hour?
Impossible she needed a shower and some sleep.
The next day, when she finally woke naturally, she checked her phone to find over a dozen missed calls from Travis and a barrage of angry voice messages.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 21
Nicole read them without replying, took her time getting ready, ate breakfast, and finally called another rideshare to the hospital.
At the doorway to his room, she found Travis waiting with a thunderous expression. “Nicole, you dare ignore my calls? Didn’t I tell you to come back within an hour last night? Where were you? Who were you with?”
Nicole looked up lazily, placing an elegant bento box on his bedside table with a brief comment, ‘It’s still warm. Eat it.”
Seeing her casual indifference, Travis, who had bottled up his anger all night, finally exploded. He bento box off the table. “I won’t eat it!”
the swept
