On the night of our engagement party, my fiancée was kissing her childhood best friend passionately under the sycamore tree we had planted with our own hands. I looked down at my paralyzed legs in the wheelchair. Slowly, I slipped the ring off my finger and silently wished them a lifetime of happiness. Yet, she thought I was just throwing a tantrum. "I only got delayed for a few hours because I had to pick up Julian. What is your problem, Ethan?" "Who was the one who begged on his knees for this engagement? It’s already a miracle that I even showed up. What more do you want, Ethan Vance?" Julian stood behind her, pretending to apologize. "Ethan, this is my fault. Don't blame Vivian. My car—" Before he could finish, Vivian interrupted him. "There’s nothing to explain. He’ll be crying and begging for my forgiveness in a few days anyway." But Vivian was wrong. This time, I was never looking back. 0 I watched the clock tick away in the empty banquet hall. Finally, I pressed the button on my electric wheelchair, preparing to leave. Just as I turned around, the heavy doors burst open. Vivian strutted in, looking stunning in a vibrant red mermaid dress. "Where is everyone? They all left? Already?" She glanced around the empty room. Finally, her eyes landed on my legs, and her brows furrowed in distaste. "Did you really sit here looking like this the entire night?" I pulled a blanket from the back of my wheelchair and covered my legs. I did it to hide my disability, and to shield myself from the disgust in her eyes. "I called off the party," I said quietly. My heart ached so much I could barely breathe. Once, when Vivian and I were deeply in love, she would roll up my jeans and kiss my scarred knees over and over again. Now, even looking at me felt like a waste of her time. "Why would you cancel it? I was only a few hours late. It's not like I didn't show up." Vivian sounded completely justified. Clearly, she didn't take my words seriously. "Besides, I was picking up Julian. How could he not be here for such an important moment?" Julian was her childhood friend. They grew up next door to each other. Later, Julian went abroad, and they lost touch for years. Until two years ago, when Julian made a high-profile return to Boston with his artificial heart technology. Vivian, who was also dedicated to medical research, saw this. And just like that, they reconnected. Julian did the research, Vivian poured in the money. They became inseparable. She was even willing to leave me waiting for hours at our own engagement party just for him. I could understand her being busy with work. But they spent every evening and weekend together. No man in his right mind would be okay with that. "Since he is so important, why do you even need me at this engagement party?" Vivian lost her patience. She waved her hand dismissively, her face twisting with irritation. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you blaming me?" She swung her designer bag and threw it right at my face. I didn't even try to dodge it. It didn't actually hurt. But compared to my shattered heart, I found it pathetic that I almost wanted to thank her for not hitting harder. I said nothing. I picked up her bag, gently dusted it off, and placed it on the floor. Then, I pressed the controller of my wheelchair to leave. "Vivian, you should explain things to Ethan..." Julian, who had been standing silently in the background, finally spoke up as I turned away. "There's nothing to explain! Look at him, acting like a dramatic teenager at his age!" Vivian snapped. "Just let him go. He has no car, no house, no savings, and no job. I support his entire life. How could he even survive without me?" "Even this engagement party was something he begged me for." I let out a bitter laugh. Yes, I had begged for the engagement. I had begged for her commitment. Vivian truly believed I had no financial resources and relied entirely on her. That was why she felt so free to hurt me, confident that I would never leave her side. My fingertips dug into the armrest of my wheelchair. For the first time, Vivian felt like a complete stranger to me. Seeing that I wasn't stopping, Vivian yelled at my back, "Ethan Vance! I work my ass off out there every single day to support this family. I don't come home just to deal with your attitude!" "It's bad enough that you do nothing at home, but can't you at least show some empathy?" "I was exhausted, but I still made time to come here. And you? You just throw a fit and walk away. What is wrong with you?" In the past, if Vivian got this angry, I would have rushed to comfort her. I used to be so terrified of her ignoring me. But now, all I felt was a cold, dead numbness. I had loved Vivian for ten years. From her awkward teenage years to her current status as a successful businesswoman, I loved every single piece of her. But now, I was just too tired to love her anymore. 0
"The engagement party is cancelled. Let's cancel the wedding too." I didn't turn back. I just pressed the button and rode away. As soon as I rolled out of the hotel lobby, I heard Vivian screaming inside. "Who does Ethan think he is? A cripple dares to dump me?" "I'd love to see who else would want a pathetic invalid like him!" Those words threw whatever warmth was left in my heart straight into an icy abyss. Ten years! Ten whole years! In her eyes, I was nothing but a pathetic invalid, a cripple kept alive by expensive medication! My hands clenched over my knees. The pain in my chest was suffocating. It wasn't always like this between us. Vivian and I met in high school. The first thing she ever said to me was, "Ethan Vance, the legendary straight-A student. Nice to meet you." Back then, Vivian wore her hair in a high ponytail. The summer sun was blinding, but her bright smile was even brighter. I was hooked instantly. Later, she always came to me for physics help. Then, the school rearranged the classes. We ended up in the same class, sitting next to each other. We grew closer and closer. Years later, I found out that she had her wealthy family pull strings with the school board just so she could be my desk mate, claiming it was easier to ask me for homework help. That was when I realized she was the heiress to the massive Sterling Medical Group. And I, a boy from a poor rural family, wouldn't have even been fit to stand next to her if not for my top grades. To stay by her side, I applied to the same medical school at Boston University. Fortunately, we ended up in the same class again. Just like in high school, we spent every day together. Naturally, we fell in love. After graduation, we interned at the city's top hospital together. Her family wanted her to take over the family business. But Vivian wanted to be a medical pioneer, to prove herself in the operating room and escape her family's control. Until the accident three years ago. We had a patient with severe lung fibrosis. The only way to save him was a lung transplant. Before the surgery, Vivian and several nurses explained the high risks to the family, and they signed the consent forms. But the patient died on the table. That night, Vivian cried in my arms for hours. It was her first time assisting in a major surgery, and she had to witness the cruelty of death firsthand. I did my best to comfort her. But what we didn't expect was that the patient's family refused to accept the outcome. That night, a grieving, deranged relative smuggled a weapon into the hospital. He burst into Vivian’s department, slashing wildly in a state of absolute madness. To protect Vivian, I threw myself in front of her. My legs were severely injured in the attack. Before I could even register the pain, I blacked out. Vivian emerged from the incident completely unscathed. But I lost the use of my legs. I could never stand at an operating table again. When I woke up, Vivian was crying at my bedside. Her eyes were swollen. "Ethan, you're finally awake. I was so scared." "The chief doctor said if you do rehab, you might walk again." "Don't worry. I will stay with you. I will take care of you for the rest of my life." Because she promised "the rest of my life," I believed her. But that incident terrified the Sterling family. They feared another accident. Using my medical bills and rehabilitation resources as leverage, they forced Vivian to leave the hospital and take over the family company. If she said no, they would cut off all my medical care. Vivian had no choice but to agree. She turned out to be a brilliant businesswoman. Within three years, she built a top-tier medical empire in the city. Meanwhile, I stepped into the shadows. I took care of her daily life, her meals, and her home. I did this for three years. My family was poor, and now I was disabled. The Sterling family despised me. They felt I was an embarrassment to Vivian. For years, they forced Vivian to hide me from the public. They even made her declare to the media that she was single. I never cared about any of that. All I wanted was Vivian's heart. I thought my loyalty was enough. Until Julian returned. He brought a sense of danger I had never felt before. At first, I didn't mind when Vivian invested in his technology. But then they started spending all their time together. She would abandon me for Julian without a second thought. Sometimes, we wouldn't see each other for a whole month. So, a few days ago, I brought up the fact that I had saved her life. I used it to make a deal with her. I asked her to marry me. I hoped that marriage would make her settle down. But when I saw her skip our engagement party for Julian, and when I saw the photo of them kissing under the sycamore tree... I realized how wrong I was. Marriage isn't a cage. It can never hold someone who doesn't love you. 0
The next day, I visited my former colleague, Dr. Marcus Reed, at his office. For three years, my physical therapy had shown little progress. After researching alternative medicine, I wanted to try specialized acupuncture. I came today to get his professional opinion. To my surprise, Marcus highly supported the idea. He mentioned there was an international medical seminar next month, and he would help me find a top acupuncture specialist. I thanked him and left the hospital. Passing by a mall, I saw Vivian and Julian on the giant outdoor screen. They were being interviewed. The headline read: *Major Breakthrough in Artificial Heart Tech on Animal Trials! Human Trials on the Horizon!* The medical world was buzzing. After the professional questions, the reporter asked a gossipy question about Vivian's private life. "Rumor has it that you and Mr. Drake are very close, working day and night together. Now that the technology has made a breakthrough, has your personal relationship made a breakthrough too?" Vivian didn't answer. She looked down, avoiding the camera. But even through the screen, I could see her cheeks flushing with a soft pink glow. She used to look at me like that when we first started dating. I hadn't seen that look since my legs were ruined. "We are not answering personal questions today, thank you," Julian answered smoothly, but his hand naturally slid around Vivian's waist. Vivian was wearing a stunning black dress with a cut-out waist. The design accentuated her slender figure. Julian's hand rested comfortably on her bare skin. It hurt to watch. I turned my head away. Perhaps Julian was the son-in-law the Sterling family had always dreamed of. They grew up together, and he was highly successful. If this research succeeded, his future in the medical industry would be limitless. I decided to go home and pack a few clothes to move out. But when I opened the front door, I saw Julian and Vivian chatting warmly in the living room. "See? I told you he'd come back," Vivian said to Julian. My heart wrenched. Even though I had told myself a thousand times to let go, this was still the woman I had loved for ten years. How could I become completely indifferent overnight? "I'm only here to pack some clothes." "Ethan, are you still throwing a tantrum?" Vivian sighed, exasperated. "Do we really have to play this childish game of 'choose between us'?" "Do you have any idea how important Julian's research is? If it succeeds, it could open up the entire European market for Sterling Medical. Do you even understand that?" "I don't care." Those three words seemed to make Vivian explode. The look in her eyes shifted from anger to disbelief, and finally to condescending pity. "Right. You're just a househusband who only knows how to cook. Why would you understand business? I'm talking to a brick wall here." "Since you're back, get ready. You're coming to Julian's celebration gala with me tonight." "Why would I go?" She knew how many times we had fought over Julian. And now she wanted me to attend a party thrown entirely in his honor? "My parents are hosting it. They are already furious that you unilaterally called off the engagement party. You embarrassed them." "This is your chance to apologize to them and make a good impression." I stared at Vivian, wondering what was going on in her head. I would never win her parents' favor at Julian's victory party. My presence would only make me look pathetic and small next to him. "I'm not going, Vivian. I made myself clear yesterday. The wedding is off." "From now on, I don't care what your parents think of me." 0
I saw Vivian's pupils contract. She froze. In the past, I had walked on eggshells just to please her parents. She probably never expected me to talk back like this. "If Ethan doesn't want to go, let's not force him," Julian said softly from the side. "He has been shut out from society for years because of his condition. It might be uncomfortable for him to attend such a large event." He put a nasty emphasis on "his condition." Vivian stayed silent for a few seconds, then nodded. "It's your celebration, Julian. You call the shots." Then she turned back to me, her voice cold. "Let me tell you something, Ethan. Even if we break up, I will be the one to announce it, not you." "As long as I haven't called it off, you are still my fiancé!" "You guys," she ordered the bodyguards at the door, "keep an eye on him. He is not allowed to leave this house." Vivian was incredibly proud. Being dumped by a disabled man was a massive blow to her ego. But I didn't expect her to put me under house arrest. I thought about it and decided to go to the gala after all. Julian's words actually reminded me of something. Since the Sterlings cared so much about their reputation, seeing me "unfit for society" at the gala would make them force Vivian to break up with me even faster. I didn't care who officially called it off, as long as we broke up. It was better than being locked up at home. When I arrived at the hotel ballroom, the sheer scale of the event shocked me. It was far more luxurious than our planned engagement party. The buzzing room fell silent for a few seconds when I rolled in. Especially Vivian's parents. Their faces turned incredibly grim. A security guard immediately rolled me to a dark corner and held onto my wheelchair, preventing me from moving. I spent the entire night watching Vivian and Julian laugh and socialize. When the gala finally ended, the guards wheeled me to Vivian's parents in a private lounge. The moment I stopped, a sharp slap stung my face. Mr. Sterling glared at me, his face twisted in rage. "A useless cripple like you dared to cancel the engagement publicly? You made a laughingstock of the Sterling family!" "If word gets out that Vivian was dumped by a cripple, what respectable bachelor would ever marry her?" "Do you forget how you got this engagement in the first place? If not for that accident three years ago, you wouldn't even be worthy of wiping our shoes!" I looked at Vivian. She stood there quietly, watching me get insulted without saying a word. At that moment, my heart completely died. For Vivian, I had tolerated her family's abuse for years. But not anymore. "And whose fault is it that I became a cripple?" I snapped back, my voice echoing in the room. "You call me a cripple over and over again. But if this 'cripple' hadn't blocked that weapon three years ago, your precious daughter would be six feet under by now!" I slammed the joystick of my electric wheelchair forward, driving straight at them. "Today, I'll show you that even a cripple can make you crawl on your knees to apologize!"
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