Special Treatment for Her, Not His Wife のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 9

Scotty said they had to follow the rules. He said everyone had to be treated equally, whether they were 80 years old or three years old.Then what about Maelyn's grandfather? And what about her parents and her relatives? Why were they any different? Were they the exception to his rules, or were they simply the people who deserved special treatment in Scotty's world?I stared intently at that tent. A venomous fire lodged itself in my throat, burning fiercely all the way down until it seemed like every single organ inside me ached.More than a decade of devotion—more than a decade of what I believed had been supporting each other through thick and thin—was all shattered to pieces in this single moment by the tender, warm scene in front of me.He had settled her family so comfortably, yet he allowed my father to stand hunched over among broken concrete and twisted debris, holding my bleeding sister, humbly waiting for a kindness that would never come.He wouldn't even spare them a

That night, Poppy suddenly started talking deliriously. Her entire body burned hot, feeling like a branding iron pressed against my arms. Her tiny face was flushed red, and her lips fluttered weakly."Kenz, I'm so cold…"Dad jolted awake. He rushed over and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. His face instantly drained of color."This is bad! Her fever is too high."He picked Poppy up, adjusted her weight in his arms, then turned and started toward the temporary shelters.I grabbed the corner of his jacket. "Dad, where are you going?""I'm going to find Scotty," he answered, not even turning around. "Poppy won't make it until tomorrow like this. She needs a doctor right now."I wanted to follow him, but my legs buckled beneath me, and I nearly fell. By the time I steadied myself and looked up again, Dad was already more than 50 feet away, with Poppy on his back.His voice drifted back through the cold night wind, trembling with tears."I'll go beg him. Don't mov

I clenched my fists, then slowly relaxed them.Next to me, Dad whispered, "Kenzie… are you really going to get a divorce?""Yeah." I grabbed his arm to support him. "Dad, I can't carry you, but you have to come with me."The uncertainty clouding his eyes stirred for a moment before settling into a quiet determination. He nodded, his tone firm as he said, "Let's go."When we walked out of the hospital's side door, a pickup truck loaded with relief supplies was right outside. The driver was Sam Bevins, the man who'd given us a ride the night before.He flashed me a big grin when he spotted me."Hey! How's your little sister doing?""She's okay now. Where are you headed, Sam?""North. They just cleared an emergency access road, and I'm hauling supplies to the next town."He patted the side of the truck. "Want to hop in?"I turned around to look at Dad. He had scooped Poppy off the hospital bed and wrapped her in a thin blanket. Her face was still pale, but her breathing was st

Once the painkillers wore off, the agony left Scotty drenched in cold sweat. He gripped the bedsheets so tightly that his knuckles turned white.Over and over, his mind replayed that split second—how he'd thrown himself at Maelyn, and how she'd shoved him into danger instead.He'd traded one of his legs for her life. Yet, she'd just turned around, taken her entire family, and left without leaving so much as an apology behind.…In the middle of the night, as the tent grew quiet, Scotty lay there alone. His amputated leg began to throb so badly that he didn't even dare to roll over. Sweat soaked his pillowcase until it clung to his face.He reached for his phone on the bedside table. The screen lit up, revealing the messages he'd sent me."Where did you guys go?""Don't be childish, Kenzie.""Not replying? Fine. Think carefully about what you're doing."He read through them one by one. It was like reading something written by a complete stranger. He'd been so certain back then