Paralyzed by His Lies

Chapter 2

Five years ago, I turned down her offer to move abroad so I could stay behind and care for the "disabled" Alexander.

This time, she didn't ask a single question. She just promised to help me get a new identity.

All I had to do until then was keep pretending everything was fine and continue playing the role of the doting caregiver.

But Alexander didn't come home for the next three days.

His assistant claimed there was some urgent matter at the company, something only Alexander could handle.

Then he called.

"Lucy, I've arrived."

"Get some rest," I replied, forcing a smile. "Don't wander around too much."

It was our rule, we always let each other know when we got somewhere safely. No matter what.

I still remembered my first year at the Quinns. I'd gone on a class trip, and our shady tour guide locked us in a dark storage room. We went nearly two days without food or water. Alexander had pulled every string he had to find me.

After that, he insisted I call him whenever I went out.

And for all these years, he'd kept up that habit, until now.

Because this time, I heard something else in the background.

A woman's flirty voice. "Mr. Quinn, come take a look. Do you like this sample? I'll try it on for you."

"Cut it out," Alexander said, low and irritated.

I hung up.

My fingers clenched around the phone as my heart dropped.

So much for that "urgent business trip."

Alexander hadn't traveled anywhere since his so-called accident. And even if the Quinn Group were in trouble, which it wasn't, he had an entire board to handle it. Unless the company had burned to the ground overnight, there was no reason he needed to be gone.

I started speeding up my plans to leave.

The forecast said it would rain in five days.

That would be the day I walked out of the Quinn mansion, and never looked back.

But Alexander came back earlier than I expected.

And he didn't come alone.

"Where've you been?" he asked the second I walked in. "The housekeeper says you've been going out a lot."

I held up a small bag of herbs and shook it lightly. "I found this little old pharmacy across town. The doctor there seemed legit."

I smiled. "Since you're back, I'll brew this for your foot soak tonight."

His eyes lingered on the bag, suspicious.

Then he gave a faint grunt. "Mm."

Relief washed through me. I handed the herbs to the housekeeper and walked over to push his wheelchair, like I always did.

But before I could touch the handles, another hand beat me to it and shoved me aside.

Her.

Sophia.

"Lucy," Alexander said, his tone clipped. "This is Sophia. Lucas hired her as my private nurse."

"She'll be managing my care from now on. Whatever she tells you to do, just follow it."

I stared at him, numb.

Private nurse?

More like a private plaything.

Sophia smiled sweetly. "You must be Mr. Quinn's niece. I look forward to working with you."

Niece.

That's how he introduced me?

I'm Jiang. He's Quinn. We're not even related.

And if we were, what kind of uncle kisses his niece on the lips?

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and gave her a polite smile.

"Yes. I'm his niece." I turned to him and added, "Uncle, I'll head upstairs."

The word uncle hit him like a slap. His jaw tightened, but he didn't say a thing.

I went upstairs, but their voices followed me anyway.

Laughter. Playful banter.

"Mr. Quinn, I made this soup myself. Let me feed you."

"You're so naughty, biting my hand while eating! What are you doing?"

"Don't you know if you need supplements or not? Want to test it out tonight?"

I turned the volume on my phone all the way up, but it couldn't drown them out.

Eventually, I just gave up. Let the tears come. Let the pillow soak them up. I buried my face into it and cried silently.

When I was fifteen, I lost both my parents in a car crash. Mr. Quinn, Alexander's father, had fought alongside my grandfather. He took me in and left me under Alexander's care.

I used to call him Uncle Alex.

For five years, he helped me rebuild the broken pieces of my life.

He showed up to parent-teacher meetings. Remembered my birthday every single year. Took me with him everywhere. Made me hot tea with brown sugar when I got cramps.

At eighteen, I finally admitted my feelings to him, only to find out he already had a girlfriend.

Then he had the accident.

After that, things slowly changed. He started leaning on me more. Kissing me, soft, fleeting kisses that felt like promises.

I thought we were finally on the same page.

So I gave him everything.

Five years of my youth, my heart, my loyalty.

And in the end, it was all one big joke.

To be fair, Alexander Quinn never once said he loved me.

That part was just my own pathetic fantasy.

I barely slept that night.

When I came out of my room the next morning, eyes swollen and raw, I froze at the sight in front of me.

Sophia.

Wearing his pajamas.

Hickeys blooming on her neck like bruised roses.

She looked smug. Satisfied. Victorious.

I stood there, stunned, my heart splitting in half.

"You, " I choked out, unable to say anything else.

I thought I was ready to leave.

But seeing it with my own eyes still knocked the air out of me.

Right next door. Right under my nose.

You didn't even try to hide it, Alexander.

The cup in my hand slipped and shattered on the floor. A sharp shard sliced into my ankle.

I barely felt the sting.

Alexander rushed out, panic flickering in his eyes when he saw me.

"Lucy, wait, let me explain."

"It's not what it looks like. Sophia was just massaging my legs. That's all."

"If you don't believe me, ask her."

Sophia yawned, completely unbothered. "That's right. Just a massage."

But the smug little glint in her eyes said otherwise.

And I wasn't stupid.

When I didn't respond, Alexander's panic twisted into irritation.

And just like that, the man I had once trusted more than anyone, was gone.