Three Years Paralyzed, Watching Him Love Her

Chapter 3

After we finished dinner, Ruslan finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence.

"Aurelle, let's make your birthday unforgettable this year. What do you think?"

I hesitated for a second, knowing this would be my last birthday in the country before I left. But after a beat, I nodded. The moment I did, his earlier tension disappeared, replaced by a joy that reminded me of a child on Christmas Eve.

Over the next few days, Ruslan threw himself into organizing the celebration with wild enthusiasm. He booked the city's most extravagant hotel, ordered the finest wines, and invited half the city's elite.

While Ruslan was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, Thea's sour mood was impossible to ignore. Her displeasure simmered just below the surface, as evident in every look she threw my way.

The day of the party arrived, and the venue was a whirlwind of glitz and glamour. A six-meter banner hung proudly at the entrance, its bold letters shouting:

"Celebrating Ruslan's beloved wife's 25th birthday!"

Ruslan, as one of the city's most influential figures, attracted a steady stream of guests, all eager to raise a glass in his honor.

They smiled, their compliments slick and rehearsed.

"Mrs. Wyatt, you're so lucky! A husband like Ruslan is one in a million."

"Did you hear? This event cost tens of millions! Every detail was personally handled by him."

I returned their toasts with a polite smile, offering nothing but a simple nod. I let their words hang in the air, never confirming or denying anything.

But as soon as their attention shifted, so did their expressions. I overheard their whispers, thick with disdain.

"She thinks she's adored. Just look at her, nodding like she's the queen."

"Just a useless cripple. Clueless about her place in all this."

"Is she that oblivious, or is she playing dumb? Doesn't she get this party isn't even for her?"

Oddly enough, their words didn't hurt. There was no anger or frustration bubbling up inside me. It was as though their venom had no power over me.

As the night wore on, someone suddenly shouted, "A shooting star!"

The crowd surged toward the balcony, buzzing with excitement.

I sat in my wheelchair, jostled by the movement, and in the chaos, I tipped over, crashing to the floor.

As I fell, my foot got caught in the ribbon holding the banner up.

With a sharp pull, the banner came crashing down, revealing another layer beneath it.

I froze. The new words were impossible to miss:

"Celebrating the Wyatt family's child's arrival!"

The truth hit me with a cold, brutal force: This party had never been for me.

It had always been for the baby growing in Thea's belly.

Despite the signs of recovery in my legs, the panicked crowd trampled over me, sending fresh waves of pain through my body. I couldn't move, couldn't get up.

Just before I lost consciousness, I saw Thea on the balcony, her eyes closed in silent prayer, making a wish on the shooting star. Ruslan stood next to her, his gaze soft and full of affection, affection that was never meant for me.

When I woke, I found myself in a sterile hospital room.

I tried to move my legs, but sharp, searing pain greeted me.

But it wasn't the pain that cut deepest, it was the conversation happening just outside the room.

I overheard the doctor's voice.

"Mr. Wyatt, your wife's legs are showing signs of recovery, but we'll need more tests to see if they can fully heal."

To my surprise, Ruslan didn't seem relieved. Instead, anger bubbled up as he snapped at the doctor.

"I'm paying you a fortune, and this is the result?"

"I've been giving Aurelle medicine to mess with her nerves. The whole point was to make her feel worthless, paralyzed, so she'd never leave me."

His voice lowered, but his frustration still cut through.

"I've gone to such extremes, even installed hundreds of cameras around the house to keep her here. I wanted to make sure she couldn't have children, and that Thea's kid would be the Wyatt family's first heir!"

As he spoke, Ruslan grabbed the doctor by the collar.

"And now you're telling me this might all be for nothing? If Aurelle recovers, you're out of a job!"

I clenched my fists, the full weight of his words crashing over me.

So, this was why my legs, which had only been lightly injured, had been paralyzed for three years. He'd convinced me the medication was some rare, ancient cure he'd gathered from all over the world.

Only recently, when I started refusing to drink it, did I secretly spit it out. I couldn't bear the thought of disappointing him.

The moment I stopped taking it, my legs started to heal.

Everything clicked into place.

Outside the room, Ruslan was still shouting at the doctor.

He'd even brought in top specialists to discuss my paralysis.

But as soon as they weren't looking, I didn't hesitate.

I stripped off my hospital gown and took my first steps, each one a declaration of freedom.

I called a taxi and prepared to escape him for good.

When Ruslan found my room empty, he flipped out.

He rushed outside, grabbing strangers, asking if they'd seen me.

Just as I slid into the taxi, his eyes locked with mine through the window.

His gaze was sharp, predatory, like a hunter locking onto its prey.