My Eight Years Marriage Almost Killed Me

Fainted from the cold?

All I did was turn on the air conditioner for thirty minutes. When I left Everett’s office, Maeve was still smiling, making plans with her girlfriends to hit the bar that evening.

I opened my mouth to explain—but Everett’s expression became indifferent in an instant. His voice dropped several degrees colder.

“Someone get in there and strip off her coat! Isn’t she supposed to be delicate and pampered? Then let her experience how kids from poor families suffer!”

He bent down to pick up the fur coat.

With a gentle touch, he draped it over Maeve’s shoulders and glanced at me with icy contempt.

“You can come out when you finally realize your mistake. The doctor said our son is perfectly healthy. Don’t think you can use that baby as an excuse to escape punishment.”

With that, he swept Maeve into his arms. His voice softened, dripping with tenderness.

“Maeve, you’re on your period—your feet must stay warm. Just stay in my arms. Let’s see who dares complain now.”

As soon as he sat down with her in his lap, a group of men walked toward me with cruel smiles.

I shrank into the corner, clutching my thin nightgown tightly. But no amount of resistance could match the strength of several men.

Seconds later, the thin fabric was torn into two.

In an instant, a rush of cold air pierced through my skin, seeping into every pore.

Laughing excitedly, they stripped the rest of my gown. When they walked out, they laughed with Everett as if they'd just come from a game.

“Damn, Everett, you really know how to enjoy life. Your wife’s figure is incredible—she’s not shy at all!”

“Thanks for letting us take such good care of her!”

I was left wearing only my undergarments, curled up on the freezing ground. The warmth of my skin clashed with the ice beneath me, tearing at my flesh with every move.

Blistering pain pierced through me—raw skin ripped open, blood slowly seeping out.

Bright red against the glowing white of the freezer floor.

Everett noticed it. He gently set Maeve down and stepped forward, eyes locked on the growing bloodstain trailing toward his feet.

Before he could speak, Maeve rushed over and pressed her hand against the glass, trembling as she saw the blood.

“Please, Laura... just admit you were wrong,” she pleaded, her voice shaking. “There are so many of Everett’s friends watching... if you don’t, he won’t be able to let you off easily.”

I stared daggers at her.

“Why should I apologize? I saw how comfortable you were under the AC that day. You even made plans with your girlfriends to go out—”

Everett’s gaze flicked toward Maeve—there was a flash of doubt in his eyes.

But before I could finish, Maeve slapped herself across the face with a loud smack, then dropped to her knees with a dramatic thud.

Grabbing Everett’s hand, she sobbed, “Everett, I just can’t bear to watch her suffer like this... If she still won’t admit her mistake, then I’ll kneel here outside with her!”

The moment Maeve knelt down, all traces of suspicion vanished from Everett’s eyes.

He bent quickly to lift her up, his face twisted in disgust as he turned back to me.

“Laura, you’ve really been spoiled rotten. Maeve has always endured your arrogance in silence. Now you’re clearly in the wrong, yet she’s still worried about saving face for me—and she’s willing to suffer for you!”

“You don’t deserve her compassion.”

“Tonight, I’m going to crush that pampered temper of yours. If you don’t admit you were wrong, don’t even think about coming out!”

He turned and gestured to the men behind him.

“Bring in more ice blocks. Surround her with them. Pour water over her too—I want her frozen to the very walls!”

He hadn’t even finished speaking when...