Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 15

He marched straight up to her and tied it securely around her waist, completely hiding the humiliating stain.

Using his own body to block everyone's stares, he snapped with pure fury, "Stop looking!"

Then, with his ears burning hot, he awkwardly scratched his head and sprinted off to the school store.

He stumbled through a clumsy pantomime with the cashier to buy tampons, before sprinting all the way back clutching a black plastic bag.

He shoved the items into her hands, his head bowed, the tips of his ears flushed a deep crimson. He kept his voice low. "Hurry... go to the restroom."

When the cramps left her doubled over, he quietly ran back to the cafeteria to get her a hot cocoa.

He unwrapped a chocolate bar, placed it in her palm, and sat with her while she rested in the classroom.

When the final bell rang, completely ignoring the shocked stares of every student in the hallway, he crouched down, hoisted her securely onto his back, and carried her out of the school grounds.

He was only fifteen or sixteen back then. His frame was still lean, his shoulders not fully broadened.

But the moment she rested against his back, Quinn felt a profound, unwavering certainty.

This boy's shoulders were broad and warm. She could lean on them for the rest of her life.

Quinn had always believed she knew how to love fiercely and let go cleanly.

No matter how beautiful the past was, things had devolved into an ugly, unsalvageable mess. She needed to cut her losses.

Fortunately, her marriage to Dante only had eight days left.

Once these eight days were up, they could part on good terms and never see each other again.

After resting for a while, the pain dulled slightly. Quinn managed to walk herself back to the ER clinic.

She asked the attending doctor for a prescription for painkillers.

"Just popping painkillers isn't going to fix this," the female doctor said, shaking her head.

"You have severe pelvic congestion and poor circulation. If this goes untreated, it will cause permanent damage. You need proper medical intervention."

The doctor wrote out a prescription while giving strict instructions: "Take these meds on time. Absolutely no exposure to the cold during your cycle, and you really need someone looking after you for the first two days."

Her phone buzzed. She picked it up to see, predictably, another text from Dante.

[Wife, our agreement is almost up. Wait for me to get home.]

Quinn frowned. Who are you calling 'Wife'?

Their current dynamic was better described as future ex-spouses who couldn't wait to sign the divorce papers and never cross paths again.

But on second thought, she figured Dante was referring to their scheduled appointment to finalize the divorce in five days.

Realizing this, Quinn felt a wave of relief.

Fine. Dante probably just wanted to keep things amicable. Calling her his ex-wife directly might feel too blunt, so 'Wife' maintained a thin veneer of civility for now.

Quinn didn't care enough to argue semantics. She simply replied:

[Okay.]

[See you then.]