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Home / Emotional Realism Short Story / When the Clouds Finally Break / Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

All Chapters of When the Clouds Finally Break: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

7 Chapters

Chapter 1

I took the paperwork from the doctor, carefully folded it, and tucked it into my bag before turning to leave.A hand suddenly grabbed my wrist."You're working too hard as a nurse. I just want to make it up to you…" said my ex-husband, Zachary Levine.He had somehow caught up to me. I frowned and immediately recoiled. "Let go!"In the struggle, my hearing aid slipped from behind my ear and clattered onto the floor, but Zachary was faster.He lunged down to retrieve it, and as he stood up, gripping the hearing aid, his knuckles were pale from the exertion.His Adam's apple bobbed heavily as he spoke in a voice thick with suppressed tremors. "Your wounds… Do they still hurt?"I coldly reclaimed the hearing aid. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore, so there's no point in asking."But honestly, how could the wounds not hurt?On that rainy night years ago, Zachary insisted I'd pushed Leah Hayes down the stairs. "Alyssa Hayes! Leah is your sister!"She's a doctor, so r

Chapter 2

The November wind swept fallen leaves across the cemetery. As I brushed my fingers over the cold gravestone, my eyes immediately welled up with tears."I'm here to visit, Mom."I gently placed a bouquet of Mom's favorite roses at the base of the gravestone and carefully wiped the framed photo on the marble. Mom was smiling so warmly in it.I had so much to tell her. I wanted to tell her that I was doing well now, and that as soon as my daughter, Bella Rothchild, got better, I'd bring her here to visit.Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from behind."Mom, is that you?"I froze but didn't turn around.Archie Levine's voice was hesitant and laced with a subtle longing. He nervously clenched the hem of his clothes and called out, "Mom…"I acted as if I hadn't heard her words and kept my head down as I continued cleaning up the grave. Zachary took a couple of steps forward, leading Archie by the hand. His voice carried a hint of hurt as he said, "Alyssa, our son really

Chapter 3

When I returned to the hotel exhausted, Bella dashed straight into my arms.After the divorce, I'd spiraled into a severe depression. It was after I met my husband, Nathan Rothchild, that I began to heal. And it wasn't until Bella was born that I truly stepped out of the dark abyss."Mommy, when are we going home?" Bella asked.I kissed her chubby cheeks. "As soon as I finish attending my professor's birthday party, we'll head back to Helvetgard."On the day of the birthday party, Nathan took Bella to the hospital for her final follow-up appointment, while I grabbed my gift and headed to my professor Emmanuel Reed's house.The courtyard smelled of lilies, just as it had during my student days.As soon as I reached the door, I heard Emmanuel's familiar voice. "Aly's here!"Come in and take a seat. As husband and wife, why did you arrive at different times?"Following his gaze, I saw Zachary sitting in a corner of the couch. He was visibly stunned when our eyes met."The gifts y

Chapter 4

Everyone turned toward the voice as Leah walked in, carrying an exquisitely decorated cake. She wore a sweet smile on her face as she marched straight to Zachary's side and naturally slipped her arm through his."I'm so sorry, Professor Reed. The traffic was a nightmare. But anyways, happy birthday!"Emmanuel froze, clearly not recognizing Leah, but she didn't seem to notice. Her smile remained poised, though sharp with an unmistakable sense of claim."Professor Reed, I'm Zach's wife, Leah Hayes. We just had a baby last month. Didn't he mention it to you?"Ignoring Emmanuel's grim expression, she kept her arm locked in Zachary's and stepped toward me. "It's been seven years since you and Zachary got divorced, Alyssa. Haven't you moved on yet?"She intentionally paused, and a provocative smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. "It'd be scandalous if people thought you were trying to seduce a married man!"She made a show of smoothing her hair and flashed the diamond ring on her r

Chapter 5

A pair of large warm hands wrapped tightly around mine. From the past to this very moment, Nathan had always stood firmly by my side and provided me with the ultimate sense of security.When I looked at Bella's protective expression, my heart warmed.The chaos of the first half of my life felt like distant smoke. What truly mattered right now was this simple, ordinary warmth, and this was where I belonged."Honey, are you okay?" Nathan asked.I smiled and nodded. "Mommy, I didn't cry when I got my shot today, but Daddy did. It was so embarrassing!"Daddy said today's your favorite teacher's birthday, so I brought him a present…"With both hands, she proudly held out the gift to Emmanuel."Professor Reed, this is my husband, Nathon Rothschild, and our daughter, Bella Rothschild. They heard it was your birthday and came just to celebrate with you."At the mention of Nathan's name, the guests around us began wondering if he was the heir to the powerful Rothschild family from Hel

Chapter 6

On my last day in Arborvale, Archie came to me.The hotel front desk called just after I'd finally tucked Bella in for a nap. "Mrs. Rothschild, there's a young boy named Archie Levine here to see you. We tried to stop him, but he's becoming very emotional at the reception and won't stop crying."He… claims to be your son, so we didn't want to handle this without consulting you. Could you kindly come down for a moment?"I frowned and decided to head to the lobby.Archie's face was badly swollen, as if he'd just suffered a beating. The second he saw me, he lunged forward and sobbed."Mom! They don't love me at all now that they have their own son! Leah framed me for hurting the baby, but I never did that!"Please take me with you, Mom. I can't stay in that house for another second."That was when Zachary and Leah arrived. When he heard Archie's words, he turned to glare murderously at Leah."Is what he said true? How could you be so vicious, Leah?""No, he's lying! I'd never—"

Chapter 7

"If you have a grudge, take it out on me! Don't pick on my daughter!" Cordelia yelled.I stood there watching Dad and Cordelia perform. It was honestly amusing. After all these years, they were just as good at twisting the truth.Dad tried to lunge at me again, but the bodyguards behind me pinned him down firmly in place."Alyssa, I'm your father!"I curled my lips into a faint smile. "My father? He died when I was ten."Roderick Hayes, you married Mom for money and status back then, while secretly keeping Cordelia and fathering Leah behind her back. Then, like the ingrate you are, you stole Grandpa's estate, kicked Mom out, and drove her into depression."A wicked man like you deserves all the karma."Oh, and the same applies to your daughter. This is all reckoning."Dad froze before his body started shaking, and his expression immediately shifted. He began crawling toward me on his hands and knees. "Alyssa… Please… You married the heir of the Rothschilds, so please ask him

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