BELLA'S POV

I stepped out of the shower, taking a small, shaky breath as my wet feet touched the cold floor. My legs felt like jelly, weak and unsteady, and I had to grab the edge of the bed to steady myself before slowly lowering down to sit. I had been standing for far too long already, and I knew that if I pushed myself even a little more, my body would give up on me completely.

I sat there for a moment, shoulders slumped, water dripping from my hair onto my worn-out nightdress and the mattress beneath me. Now that I had taken my bath, the smell in the...