Blizzard, First Love and a Wife Who Finally Snaps novel Chapter 13

When Oliver woke up in the morning, he expected to see Isabel. Instead, it was Martha who got him out of bed and made his breakfast.

While Martha's cooking was edible, he still missed his mother's. "Dad, can you please ask Mom to come back? Doesn't she always listen to you?" In his memory, his mother never dared to make his father angry; she was always trying to please him.

Sometimes, a single look from his father was enough to make her fall in line. "If you miss her, you can find her yourself," Adrian said flatly.

Sitting across from him, the man took an elegant sip of his coffee, then set the cup down with a bit more force than necessary. Something was off.

Martha, ever observant, asked, "Mr. Blackwell, is the coffee not to your liking?"

The anger from the previous night had mostly dissipated, but this coffee managed to stir it back up. "It's not that." He reached for his tie, only to realize he wasn't wearing one. He tugged at the collar of his shirt instead, then rose and went upstairs to change.

He still believed that a stay-at-home wife's absence wouldn't really affect the household. If he couldn't find a tie, he could just go without one. At his level, no one would dare comment.

"Are you finished?" Adrian returned and asked Oliver, who was sitting at the table with a frown on his small face. Oliver hadn't enjoyed his breakfast, so he'd barely eaten. He stood up, slung his backpack over his shoulders, and mumbled sullenly, "I'm done."

Adrian drove him to preschool. Martha noticed the wrinkles on Adrian's suit jacket. She opened her mouth to say something but ultimately held her tongue. After watching them leave, she decided to check on Isabel. She packed up some bone broth and headed to Riverstone Public Hospital.

*

At the hospital, Dr. Lawson came by for morning rounds. He said the surgery was a success and that all Isabel needed now was rest. As long as she didn't put any strain on her right hand, it would heal completely.

Isabel thanked Dr. Lawson but didn't linger. She completed the discharge paperwork and left.

"You live too far out in the suburbs," Dylan said. "You should stay at my place. At least my housekeeper can cook for you too."

Isabel, long accustomed to his blunt way of speaking, just shook her head.

"Mrs. Blackwell, why aren't you at Riverstone Public Hospital?"

Isabel figured Martha had come to visit. "It was nothing serious, so I've already been discharged. I'm sorry, I forgot to let you know. From now on, you don't need to worry about me."

Martha knew better than to meddle in their marital problems. Whether they divorced or not was for them to decide. But she genuinely felt for Isabel. "You've had a serious injury, it must be hard for you to cook. Let me bring some food over."

"No, thank you, that's very kind of you, but I'll be fine." With that, Martha couldn't press further. Isabel was always polite and never treated her like a servant.

"Well, please take good care of yourself. If you need anything, just give me a call." Isabel agreed and ended the call. She hadn't even put her phone down when Oliver's preschool teacher called.

She ignored it. Surely the teacher would contact the child's father next. But after she had taken a quick shower and changed into comfortable clothes, the phone was still ringing. She had no choice but to answer. "Hello, Miss Turner."

"Mrs.Blackwell," Miss Turner said, her voice urgent. "Oliver threw up and he's clutching his stomach, saying it hurts. Could you please come and take him to the hospital?"