Ellen’s POV
Scott sounded a little doubtful. “Really?”
“I swear. If you don’t believe me then…”
He cut me off right away. “I believe you. I believe you! I’ll wait for you!”
After I hung up, I grabbed a cab home. The moment I opened the door, I saw Carter feeding chicken soup to Kelley.
He was holding a steaming bowl, blowing on it gently. “It’s still a little hot. Let me cool it down for you before you drink.”
The scene hit me like a punch. My eyes stung, and something sharp twisted in my chest.
He once told me he’d only ever make chicken soup for me, that he’d never make it for anyone else.
Funny how “special treatment” can be broken over and over again.
Seeing me show up dripping wet, Carter frowned. “Ellen, why do you have to copy everything Kelley does?”
“So what, I left you on the road for a moment and now you purposely walk home in the rain? Trying to make me feel guilty?” he added.
The people who covered for Kelley when she hurt me never felt guilty at all. Why would a little cold bother them?
I clenched my palms. “If you really felt guilty, you wouldn’t have left me on the road in the rain.”
Carter fell silent—because he knew he had.
Kelley stood up right away. “I’m sorry, Ellen. This all happened because of me. You got caught in the rain because of me… I should go.”
She grabbed her things and tried to leave, swaying like a breeze could knock her over.
Seeing that, Carter snapped at me. “Jeez, Ellen, how can you be so heartless? It’s pouring outside, and you still want Kelley to go out?”
“I just told you earlier to get a cab yourself,” he continued. “How was I supposed to know it would rain?”
Kelley pretended to defend me. “It’s my fault. She got soaked because of me.”
Carter held her back. “You were already not feeling well after the cold wind earlier. Just rest here. Treat this place like your own home.”
“If I say you’re staying, you’re staying,” he insisted. “She won’t mind.”
When you’re past anger, all that’s left is laughter, so I smiled. “Yeah, I don’t mind. Do whatever you want.”
After all, in a month, this will be their home anyway.
With my “permission,” Carter went back to feeding Kelley the chicken soup.
He blew on every spoonful before holding it to her lips, then—out of courtesy, maybe—added, “There are some more chicken in the kitchen. Make some soup for yourself. Kelley’s weak, so I’ll take care of her first.”
A breeze came through, and I shivered. My heart felt colder than my body.
“No need. Enjoy your soup.” I turned to head upstairs.
But Carter stopped me. “You’re sleeping in the guest room tonight. Kelley’s a light sleeper. She can’t sleep on a hard mattress.”
That was our master bedroom, and he wanted to give it to her.
“But I just got discharged today. My neck is still injured—”
He interrupted impatiently. “You look fine to me. Kelley’s coughing, can’t you see?”
“And she already tested the bed earlier. She said it’s really comfortable. So that’s settled,” he said.
So she had already tried the bed. They weren’t “discussing” anything with me; they were informing me.
A single cough made her more delicate than someone who just left the hospital.
I swallowed my anger and went to the guest room.
Whatever. A bed that’s already dirty—I’d rather not sleep on it anyway.
I showered and had just put ointment on my neck when the doorbell rang.
Kelley stood at the door with the half-finished chicken soup. “Ellen, I didn’t finish it. You should drink some, too.”
“If you catch a cold later,” she added, “Carter and I will both worry about you.”
I looked at the bowl she had already drunk from and turned her down immediately. “I already took my meds. I’m good.”
She didn’t leave. Instead, she suddenly smiled. “Hey, your bed is so soft! Especially when Carter was holding me while we lay on it. It felt so good I didn’t want to get up. What should I do?”
She flashed a triumphant smile. I finally saw her true face.
But whether it’s the bed or Carter… I don’t care anymore.
“If you love using things other people already used, then take them. It’s all dirty anyway,” I retorted.
I continued, “Oh, and since you like collecting trash so much, you can take out the trash tomorrow, too.”
Her face turned pale and red all at once in rage.
The next second, the bowl slipped from her hands.
Just like that, Carter rushed over at the sound. “What happened?”
