All Chapters of I No Longer Needed My Husband to Save Me: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

“There’s no need to send a rescue boat to the first floor of Building Three. Concentrate our resources on Building Five.”Gavin Cooper’s calm voice came through the rescue team’s radio.I floated above the floodwaters, holding my son’s hand as I listened in silence.“But Mr. Cooper, your wife called earlier and said the water had already risen to her neck.”The young rescue worker sounded anxious.“You just joined the team, Jack. You don’t know Luna well. She tends to exaggerate.”Gavin sighed helplessly.“She knows I’m on the front lines, so she deliberately made things sound worse. She wants me to make an exception and rescue her first.“I’m in charge of emergency response. If I give my own family special treatment, how can I expect anyone else to respect the rules?”Jack fell silent for a moment.“But your wife said Teddy has a high fever…”“I know Teddy’s health. He’ll be fine after taking some medicine and getting some sleep,” Gavin interrupted.“Wendy Harper is raising her daught

The sky gradually brightened, and the rain finally began to ease.The water level started to recede slowly.More and more survivors arrived at the shelter, filling it with cries of relief and grief.Gavin hadn’t slept all night, and dark stubble covered his chin.He was arranging the day’s rescue operations.“Today’s priorities are pumping out the water and clearing the mud.”He pointed to several locations on the map.“Send both high-powered pumps to Building Five first.”Jack voiced an objection.“Mr. Cooper, Building Five is on higher ground, so the flooding isn’t serious there.”“Building Three is in the lowest area, and the first floor is still underwater. We should pump the water out of Building Three first.”Gavin didn’t even look up as he refuted him.“Building Five may be on higher ground, but important community records are stored in its basement.“Wendy also has many belongings left by her late husband in her home. If they’re ruined by the flood, it would be devastating for

Gavin’s eyes widened sharply, and he stood frozen.I was wearing the old pajamas he hated, my arms wrapped tightly around Teddy to protect him.Teddy’s cheeks had turned bluish-purple, and his little hands were still clutching my clothes.Our clothes were caked with mud, and our bodies had grown pale and swollen from being submerged in the water.Gavin’s Adam’s apple bobbed as a strange, strangled sound escaped him.He didn’t scream or rush toward us.He simply stood there, staring at us with an eerily blank expression.“Luna, stop this.”His voice was soft, trembling faintly.“This isn’t funny.”He slowly walked toward us, each step seeming unbearably heavy.Water splashed against his pant legs, but he didn’t seem to notice.He crouched in front of us and reached out to touch my face.“Do you think smearing mud on your face will make me go easy on you?”His hand stopped in midair, his fingertips trembling slightly.He froze when he saw the deep gash across my neck, carved by a piece o

Gavin’s breakdown didn’t last long.Or rather, he forced it down with an almost pathological sense of control.He rose to his feet and gave Jack his instructions.“Call the funeral home and have them send someone to pick them up.”His voice had regained its usual calm, but his eyes were dull and lifeless.“Tell the neighborhood crews to continue clearing the mud in Building Three. Don’t let this delay the work.”Jack stared at him in shock.“Sir, your wife and Teddy are both… and you still want them to continue clearing the mud?”Gavin didn’t answer. He simply picked up a rag and began wiping the mud from my face.His movements were gentle.The rain had stopped completely, and sunlight streamed through the shattered window.The neighbors gradually returned to the complex.When they saw medical workers carrying two body bags out of the first floor, the crowd erupted.“Isn’t that Mr. Cooper’s wife and son?”“How did they drown in their own home?”“Wasn’t Mr. Cooper in charge of the rescu

Night fell, and with the power still out in Building Three, the apartment was shrouded in darkness and silence.Gavin lit a candle and placed it on the dining table.After changing into clean clothes, he sat in the chair across from me.Two place settings sat on the table beside the half-eaten bowl of spaghetti, which was water‑logged.“Luna, dinner’s ready.”Gavin picked up his spoon and forced down a mouthful of the cold, water‑logged spaghetti.“You always used to complain that I was too busy with work to eat with you and Teddy.“From now on, I’ll eat with you every day. Would that make you happy?”As he ate, fat tears fell into his bowl one after another.Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.Jack stood outside, holding a document.“Mr. Cooper… Investigators from the county inspector general’s office are here.”Jack’s voice was filled with reluctance.“They’re investigating your improper allocation of emergency resources during the rescue, which resulted in your wife and son’s dea