Chapter 1 · Seven-Year Trap Of My Bones

My husband, Julian Cole, was the kind of man who always put me first.

Every Friday night, he'd give me a chiropractic, claiming to condition my pelvis.

Afterward, my back would feel better, and I'd feel so much lighter. I always thought I'd married my mister right.

This routine had been going on for seven years, and I never once doubted it.

Things changed at a class reunion when my best friend, Maren Hayes, who was the deputy director of orthopedics, asked how I'd been feeling lately.

I smiled and told her about how Julian took care of me.

But as soon as I finished, she froze, her fork dropping to the floor with a sharp clatter.

She gripped my hand tightly, dragged me into the bathroom, and said something to me in a trembling voice.

My legs went weak on the spot, and I had to hold on to the wall to keep from collapsing.

*****

That Friday night at nine o'clock, Julian walked into the bedroom with a glass of warm milk, just like always.

"Elara, drink your milk first, and then I'll help you unwind," he said.

His smile was gentle, with soft creases at the corners of his eyes. And his voice was deep and soothing, like a cello.

I took the milk, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.

After seven years of marriage, Julian was still just as thoughtful, always making sure I was taken care of. It seemed that nothing mattered more than my well-being.

We met at a yoga studio.

He was a rehabilitation therapist there, and I was a freelance illustrator with back pain from sitting.

With his professional touch, he helped ease my pain. And before I knew it, he'd won my heart.

He told me my pelvis was tilted forward a bit, and there was a risk of my spine curving if I didn't get it fixed soon, which would cause real problems down the line.

I believed in him without a second thought.

From the very first year of our marriage, our Friday night chiropractic became an unbreakable habit between us.

He'd have me lie face down on a soft mat, then use a special essential oil to glide over my back, pressing and kneading every inch of my spine and pelvis with his warm palms and knuckles.

Sometimes, I'd hear a faint "click" from my joints, accompanied by a wave of soreness that quickly faded.

Every time I felt it, Julian would say, "That's it, right there. Your joint just popped back into place."

After each chiropractic, I'd feel refreshed all over, the soreness in my back gone. And after that, I'd sleep soundly.

My friends were always envious, saying I'd married a great man. Not only was he handsome and wealthy, but he doted on me like a baby.

I used to think that I was the happiest woman in the world.

"What are you thinking about?" Julian's voice pulled me back to reality.

I smiled, shook my head, and drained the milk in one gulp. "Nothing, just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

He gently tousled my hair, grinning. "Goofball, if I'm not good to you, who else would I spoil?"

He helped me settle down, then smoothly slid up my pajama top. He dripped warm essential oil onto my lower back, and the scent of lavender filled the room.

"You must be exhausted from work today. I saw you've been sitting all day," he said.

His fingers traced gentle circles over my waist, with just the right amount of force.

I snorted comfortably, burying my face into my soft arms.

"Not too bad. I just saw in the group chat that there's a reunion tomorrow, and Maren's also coming," I said.

Maren was my best friend from college. She was now the deputy director of orthopedics at the city's top hospital, practically busy in the operating room. We hadn't seen each other in almost a year.

Julian's hand paused for a moment, then went back to the usual frequency.

"Oh, that's great. Say hello to her for me," he said.

"Well, she said it's been ages, and I can't miss it," I replied.

Julian chuckled softly, his fingers gliding up my spine before suddenly pressing down with more force.

There was a sharp click of my bones.

I hissed in pain.

"Did it hurt?" he asked, instantly easing up, sounding genuinely apologetic. "Sorry, I got distracted thinking about a case."

"It's okay," I said, shaking my head. "It just caught me off guard."

But I couldn't help but doubt. Was I imagining it, or did Julian really not like it when I brought up Maren?

But that thought vanished almost instantly, replaced by the comfortable feeling spreading through my body.

Half an hour later, the chiropractic was done, and I was sleepy.

Just like always, Julian picked me up, set me gently on the bed, tucked the quilt, and gave me a goodnight kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my love," he said softly.

I fell into a deep sleep, dreamless all night.

The reunion was set in a private room at a five-star hotel's restaurant.

By the time I arrived, there were already many people inside.

Maren spotted me instantly, left whoever she was talking to, and ran over to pull me into a big hug.

"Elara, you finally made it! I missed you so much!" she shouted.

She looked still the same, with short hair and sharp eyes, as competent as usual. She was dressed in a suit so perfectly tailored, making her look like she owned the place.

We found a spot together and started catching up, gossiping about everything that had happened lately.

Chapter 1

My husband, Julian Cole, was the kind of man who always put me first.

Every Friday night, he'd give me a chiropractic, claiming to condition my pelvis.

Afterward, my back would feel better, and I'd feel so much lighter. I always thought I'd married my mister right.

This routine had been going on for seven years, and I never once doubted it.

Things changed at a class reunion when my best friend, Maren Hayes, who was the deputy director of orthopedics, asked how I'd been feeling lately.

I smiled and told her about how Julian took care of me.

But as soon as I finished, she froze, her fork dropping to the floor with a sharp clatter.

She gripped my hand tightly, dragged me into the bathroom, and said something to me in a trembling voice.

My legs went weak on the spot, and I had to hold on to the wall to keep from collapsing.

*****

That Friday night at nine o'clock, Julian walked into the bedroom with a glass of warm milk, just like always.

"Elara, drink your milk first, and then I'll help you unwind," he said.

His smile was gentle, with soft creases at the corners of his eyes. And his voice was deep and soothing, like a cello.

I took the milk, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.

After seven years of marriage, Julian was still just as thoughtful, always making sure I was taken care of. It seemed that nothing mattered more than my well-being.

We met at a yoga studio.

He was a rehabilitation therapist there, and I was a freelance illustrator with back pain from sitting.

With his professional touch, he helped ease my pain. And before I knew it, he'd won my heart.

He told me my pelvis was tilted forward a bit, and there was a risk of my spine curving if I didn't get it fixed soon, which would cause real problems down the line.

I believed in him without a second thought.

From the very first year of our marriage, our Friday night chiropractic became an unbreakable habit between us.

He'd have me lie face down on a soft mat, then use a special essential oil to glide over my back, pressing and kneading every inch of my spine and pelvis with his warm palms and knuckles.

Sometimes, I'd hear a faint "click" from my joints, accompanied by a wave of soreness that quickly faded.

Every time I felt it, Julian would say, "That's it, right there. Your joint just popped back into place."

After each chiropractic, I'd feel refreshed all over, the soreness in my back gone. And after that, I'd sleep soundly.

My friends were always envious, saying I'd married a great man. Not only was he handsome and wealthy, but he doted on me like a baby.

I used to think that I was the happiest woman in the world.

"What are you thinking about?" Julian's voice pulled me back to reality.

I smiled, shook my head, and drained the milk in one gulp. "Nothing, just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

He gently tousled my hair, grinning. "Goofball, if I'm not good to you, who else would I spoil?"

He helped me settle down, then smoothly slid up my pajama top. He dripped warm essential oil onto my lower back, and the scent of lavender filled the room.

"You must be exhausted from work today. I saw you've been sitting all day," he said.

His fingers traced gentle circles over my waist, with just the right amount of force.

I snorted comfortably, burying my face into my soft arms.

"Not too bad. I just saw in the group chat that there's a reunion tomorrow, and Maren's also coming," I said.

Maren was my best friend from college. She was now the deputy director of orthopedics at the city's top hospital, practically busy in the operating room. We hadn't seen each other in almost a year.

Julian's hand paused for a moment, then went back to the usual frequency.

"Oh, that's great. Say hello to her for me," he said.

"Well, she said it's been ages, and I can't miss it," I replied.

Julian chuckled softly, his fingers gliding up my spine before suddenly pressing down with more force.

There was a sharp click of my bones.

I hissed in pain.

"Did it hurt?" he asked, instantly easing up, sounding genuinely apologetic. "Sorry, I got distracted thinking about a case."

"It's okay," I said, shaking my head. "It just caught me off guard."

But I couldn't help but doubt. Was I imagining it, or did Julian really not like it when I brought up Maren?

But that thought vanished almost instantly, replaced by the comfortable feeling spreading through my body.

Half an hour later, the chiropractic was done, and I was sleepy.

Just like always, Julian picked me up, set me gently on the bed, tucked the quilt, and gave me a goodnight kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my love," he said softly.

I fell into a deep sleep, dreamless all night.

The reunion was set in a private room at a five-star hotel's restaurant.

By the time I arrived, there were already many people inside.

Maren spotted me instantly, left whoever she was talking to, and ran over to pull me into a big hug.

"Elara, you finally made it! I missed you so much!" she shouted.

She looked still the same, with short hair and sharp eyes, as competent as usual. She was dressed in a suit so perfectly tailored, making her look like she owned the place.

We found a spot together and started catching up, gossiping about everything that had happened lately.