Three Years Paralyzed, Watching Him Love Her

Chapter 2

For a brief moment, as I watched Ruslan's gentle, almost cautious demeanor, I wavered. Could the events of this morning have been some twisted illusion? But the moment he spoke, reality slammed into me like a cold slap.

"Aurelle, with your condition, having children just isn't possible," he said, his tone tentative but strangely calculated. "What if we considered adoption instead?"

The words hit me like a sharp blade, and I could feel my expression freeze, turning icy. He must've noticed the shift in me because he quickly pulled me into an awkward, desperate embrace.

"Aurelle, did I upset you?" His voice trembled, his anxiety palpable. "Don't scare me like this. If it's too much, I won't bring it up again. We can wait until you're ready, okay?"

His frantic attempts to calm me only made the distance between us feel wider. He may have dropped the subject for now, but the look in his eyes told me his mind was already made up.

The next morning, Ruslan left the house early, leaving me alone to focus on my work.

"Ms. Aurelle, when can we expect you to join our team?"

"In seven days," I replied firmly, trying to sound more in control than I felt.

I was about to end the call when his voice startled me from behind.

"Aurelle, who were you talking to?"

I quickly hung up, forcing a calm expression. "No one important, just a scam call," I lied smoothly.

Ruslan seemed satisfied, and the matter was dropped, his attention quickly shifting to Thea, who trailed behind him like a shadow.

"Aurelle, this is Thea Hunter. She's a top-tier caregiver I hired just for you," Ruslan said with a forced enthusiasm.

"Since it's hard for you to move around and I'm often tied up with work, she'll be here to help out," he added, his words flowing smoothly but feeling empty.

Thea stepped forward, her smile plastered on her face like a well-rehearsed mask.

"Yes, I specialize in caring for people with disabilities," she said, her voice too sweet, too perfect.

I nodded curtly, barely holding back my disdain. "If that's what you think is best. I'm feeling tired, so I'll head to bed."

I wheeled myself into my bedroom, closing the door with a finality that felt almost satisfying, cutting off their phony act.

When I woke the next morning, Thea was already at work, dressed in a maid's uniform, wiping the floor with the same mechanical precision.

Ruslan sat on the couch, stiff and unreadable, the newspaper in his hands upside down, clearly unread.

The days started to blend together, each one feeling like a repeat of the last. With Ruslan at work, Thea's true nature began to show. She'd prepare meals, but always put the bowls on the highest shelves, just out of reach.

I'd sit there, hunger gnawing at me, staring helplessly at the food.

The moment she caught me looking, she'd stroll by with a fake gasp of surprise.

"Oh, I forgot you're disabled and can't stand up!" she'd mock, her voice sharp with cruelty.

Her eyes glittered with delight at my discomfort, like she was enjoying every moment of my helplessness.

But when Ruslan came home, Thea would snap back into her role as the perfect caregiver. Sweet, kind, and all too eager to serve.

At night, I would wake to the sound of her slipping into the room, crawling into the bed beside Ruslan.

When he stirred, realizing she was there, his voice would drop to a frantic whisper.

"Are you out of your mind? Aurelle is right here!" he would hiss, panic in every word.

But Thea clung to him, her voice sickeningly sweet. "The baby in my belly misses you," she'd murmur, her audacity taking my breath away.

I couldn't stand it anymore. My eyes snapped open, my voice cold and sharp.

"Keep it down. I'm trying to sleep."

Ruslan froze, stumbling over his words as he scrambled to get her out of the room.

"She's just sleepwalking," he mumbled, clearly flustered.

Watching him fumble, lost and panicked, stirred something bitter inside me. I remembered how he used to be, earnest, trembling with nerves when he first held my hand. How he'd whispered promises to love me forever, even when the world fell apart.

And when the accident left me paralyzed, he had stayed by my side, unwavering.

"As long as you don't disturb me, it's fine," I said finally, my voice cold as I turned away from him and closed my eyes.

The next morning, I woke to find the back of my shirt damp from his tears.

At breakfast, his gaze flickered toward me, filled with unspoken words, his hesitation thick in the air.