Clarence’s POV.
The shattering of glass by a waitress, who apologized profusely, jolted me back to reality. It was Christmas Eve, and I sat in a corner of the hall, watching my husband beam with pride as he greeted guests at his second company's launch. A dull ache bloomed in my chest like a bruise spreading its tender fingers. My heart felt heavy, weighed down by the memories that lingered in every corner of my mind as I recalled his cold behavior and the hurtful words he'd spoken the night before which was opposite to what he showed to everyone else. "I only married you for your family's influence," he had said. "The moment I get what I want, you're out of my life. Who wants a cripple for a wife? You can't even take control in bed. You're as good as dead." A tear slid down my cheek, which I quickly wiped away before anyone noticed. Gina, my step-sister, had always been his first choice - perfect, able-bodied, and everything I wasn't. But when he discovered she wouldn't bring him the empire he coveted, he settled for me instead. But my family had to beg him before he agreed because they wanted his collaboration. They were willing to compromise on their end, forcing me into marriage with him. "I want to invite my beautiful wife on stage," he said, his gentle voice booming through the microphone. The loud applause around me snapped me out of my thoughts and I forced a smile, blinking back tears. I rolled my wheelchair forward, pressing it to start heading to the stage to meet him. "Hmmn... How did such a handsome gentleman end up with her," I heard some curious guests whisper loudly as I passed their table. I swallowed hard, blocking out my mind from hearing more of such words. It wasn't the first time I'd heard those words. From the day he introduced me to his family, friends, and colleagues, until our wedding day, I'd always heard people whisper similar things and I couldn't blame them; my husband was the most perfect gentleman you would ever meet on the outside and he deserved everything better but if only they knew how cold and opposite he was on the inside. "Let me help you up," he said when I approached the stage, stretching his hand forward as he walked up to me. With the help of some other guards, I was placed on the stage, which had always been so embarrassing, but I endured it for his sake because scenarios like that bought him more sympathy and favor from onlookers. I had the hope that all this would soon be over, thanks to my upcoming surgery. If the results were positive, I'd have a chance to dream of a new life, one where he'd finally treat me like the wife he wanted. "Thank you for all coming to support my husband." I beamed with a smile as I glanced around, avoiding eye contact with anyone. But my breath hitched when my eyes landed on my step-sister's face, the grin on her face made my heart skip a beat and blood run cold. The ugly memory of her trying to murder me three years ago flashed before my eyes. She had attempted to push me down the stairs when she learned my husband had chosen to marry me. If my father hadn't stopped her, I would have died. The menacing glare she had on her face that day after failing to succeed had never left my memory, and after that day, she disappeared to where no one knew. Seeing her again today made me feel so uneasy. "Clarence, are you okay," my husband called, snapping me out of my trance. I was panicking, my breath coming in short gasps. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, then spilled down my cheeks in hot, salty streams. My husband's eyes flashed a sign of concern like he cared to know what was happening to me but I knew better that it was fake. He took the mic from me and faced the crowd. "I'm sorry, I think my wife's excitement over my achievement caused her to be unable to speak. She cries whenever she's thankful for something good in her life. Sus is such an angel, that's why I love her so much." His words were laced with sarcasm, making me want to puke. "Let me escort her back," he announced and grabbed my wheelchair roughly, revealing the anger that had risen within him. He then loosened his grip, pretending to handle my chair delicately. With a fake smile, he pushed me out of the hall and shoved me forcefully when we got to our mansion, nearly sending me crashing into the wall in our living room. "What was that, Clarence? What was that embarrassment?" he seethed. "Do you want to show everyone how I treat you? Do you think they'll pity you? Don’t you know they pity me instead, for settling for someone like you? For settling with a burden like you!" He spat, his eyes blazing with rage as he clenched his fist, making me flinch in fear. "I'm sorry, Damon, please," I apologized, trying to calm him down. "It wasn't intentional. I didn't know when I became lost in a trance." But my apology only fueled his anger. "I know you're making excuses," he spat. "You always embarrass me. Either you fall in public or knock things over while trying to control those useless legs of yours." His words pierced my heart and a tear rolled down my cheek. I felt anger simmering in my chest, fueled by the familiar sting of his insults. Each taunt, each careless word, felt like a weight added to the burden I already carried. I was tired of being his scapegoat, tired of being blamed for his own shortcomings. "Damon, please stop this madness!" I yelled, and his face showed surprise. He wasn't expecting me to raise my voice at him ever, and I immediately regretted it. "I never wanted to be a burden, especially not to my husband," I said bitterly. "Life happened, Desmond. I wasn't born like this. I had an accident after college, and you know that. I've tried not to let my condition get in your way, but mistakes happen. You shouldn't keep judging me for that." I tried to plead with him but his expression changed to offense. "You don't have to treat me this way," I continued, ignoring the look on his face. "I know you never intended to marry me, but we ended up together. All you are supposed to do is to support me now, at least if my test results for surgery are positive, and I can get past the surgery, that's going to be a new beginning for us.” “New Beginning?” Damon sneered. “With who? Me?” “Wow, I can see you have quite an impossible dream, Clarence. You should wake up.” He said, shattering the hope left in my heart. “I don't know why you keep forgetting that I love Gina, and you were just something I had to accept to achieve my goal. But I assure you, all of this will end soon. Gina is back. I saw her, and she smiled at me. I know she can't wait to have me in her arms again,” he said with his eyes full of happiness. "Damon, no!” I whimpered as some ugly thoughts hit me like a ton of bricks. “You aren't thinking of having an affair with her and cheating on me with her, are you?" I asked and my heart skipped a beat as I met his gaze. A shiver ran down my spine, and my palms grew sweaty. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking on thin ice, that one wrong move would send me tumbling. "And what will you do if I do?" he replied as his expression turned to that of anger and he moved back, preparing to leave. "What can you do in your condition, Clarence? Have you forgotten that you are as good as dead? Where can you go with those legs? Can you be able even to come after me or stop me when you catch me fucking her? This is your fate, Clarence. You can't stop me from reuniting with Gina. You can't do anything about it,” He thundered with his eyes full of contempt and mockery. I swallowed hard, suppressing the tears that filled my eyes as I pushed myself forward to meet him but he moved back and started walking away. “Damon, wait. Please don't leave,” I yelled after him, pressing my wheelchair to move forward to be able to keep up with his pace and stop him but it was like I was wasting my time because in no time, he was at the door. "No, Damon…” I cried. “Please don't do this to me. Don't do what I think you're about to do. I won't let you, I will stop you," I screamed, still going after him. He turned back, his smile twisted with malice as he watched me struggle to keep up. "Like you can stop me, Clarence. Well watch me go do that," he sneered. I increased my pacing, rushing after him, tears streaming down my face, but I stumbled and fell hard when he slammed the door shut in front of me as he walked out.Clarence’s POV. An hour later, I bit my lips in pain as I listened to the moans of my sister and husband coming from the secluded VIP bathroom in our estate. A domestic servant had helped me out of the house after finding me banging on the door of the living room. I begged them to bring me to this part of the estate, suspecting my husband was meeting my step-sister there and my suspicion turned out to be correct. The sound of his pleasure-filled cries brought back memories of my worst nights with him. He never touched me and was always repulsed by my disability. Instead, he'd masturbate, fearing that touching me would worsen the stiffness in my legs. "More, Damon, keep it coming, harder. Argh, I have missed you so much. What made me run away from you all these years? I love you," my sister Gina cried out in pleasure as their bodies continued to collide in a stronger rhythm - they weren't stopping anytime soon. "No one has made me feel the way you always do, Gina. I don't wa
Clarence’s POV. "Hello! Mrs. Ferdinand. Hello." I heard Dr. Mike said, which brought me back to my senses, and I picked up the phone to continue our conversation. "Is everything okay? You had immediately gone silent after I confirmed that Dr. Julian would be handling your case. Is everything okay? Don't you want him?" he asked, and I swallowed. "Yes, I don't. Is there no other doctor that can handle my surgery?" I asked hesitantly, unsure of how I would face the only man who had loved me dearly. "Sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Ferdinand. There isn't.” He replied almost immediately. “It took a tough time getting to even access his schedule and beg for you to be fixed into it. He is a very busy man whose five-year schedule has all been already fixed.” “His agreement with going out of his way to squeeze you in was something unexpected and should be a blessing; you should be grateful," Dr. Mike let out, and my worry could only intensify. If only he understood what was going on
Clarence’s POV. "Damon, you are joking. Aren't you?" I laughed nervously, trying not to accept those words that came out of his lips. "Do I look like I will ever joke with you?" he asked in irritation, sending shivers down my spine. "Why, Damon? It's been just three years since we got married. I had been nothing but good to you, and you have been the one who kept on hurting me, and I forgave you for everything. Why do you want a divorce?" I questioned him, trying to put the pieces together. But then I remembered Gina and my heart ached. She must be the one who instigated this. She was back, and getting Damon to divorce me was what she had always wanted. She knew that according to the principles of my family, if my marriage with Damon ended, I would lose everything including my position as the heiress and be tossed aside because none of us was allowed to fail in our marriage, in order not to taint the perfect, successful marriages of my family's history. "No, I can't accept t
Clarence’s POV. The voice of the flight attendant faded into my ears as I blurted out everything happening in the background. The memory of what Damon did just to force me to accept the divorce still haunted me. I had never imagined that Damon could be that evil. How could he treat me like I wasn't a human? He was ready to end my life if I didn't accept to sign the divorce so I would be out of his way. After I had agreed to sign the divorce papers, which I did in his presence, I felt goosebumps fill my skin on realizing I had lived three years of my life with a man who can comfortably kill me without remorse. That evening, while I prepared to move out the next day, Gina showed up looking stunning. It was the first time I had seen her since our eyes met at the launch, and she was grinning from ear to ear, commanding the domestic staff to do her bidding. She even had the guts to tell me boldly to my face that, "Whatever is hers, come to her no matter how long it takes." But
Clarence’s POV. I didn’t realize how tense I was until the other doctor tapped lightly on the table, pulling me back to the present. For a second, I thought I was imagining things. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. But when he stepped further into the room, his gaze settling on me, I knew it was real. I stared at him, too stunned to speak. He looked the same, yet different—just older and sharper now. The boy I once knew had been replaced by a man whose presence effortlessly filled the room. His features were calm and completely unreadable—but there was something in his eyes, something I couldn’t quite place. “Are you okay, Ms. Clarence?” the younger doctor asked. I nodded rapidly, forcing myself to pull it together. “This is Dr. Julian Blackwood. He’ll be in charge of your surgery,” he introduced. “I’ll leave you both to talk.” He turned to go. I wanted to reach out, to stop him, to ask him not to leave me alone in this room. But whatever this was, I had
Clarence’s POV. A numb sort of disbelief settled over me as I whispered again. “No. That can’t be right.” “Mrs. Ferdinand—” “No.” I shook my head, cutting Julian off before he could speak. “There has to be a way. There has to be something else you can do,” I insisted, refusing to accept his words. “Please…something can be done right?” My voice wavered, and I felt the sting of tears threatening to fall. Julian didn’t respond right away. Instead, he turned around silently and took a seat. He let out a heavy sigh before he cleared his throat. “The nerve damage is severe. It would take a miracle after years of taking the wrong medication to make your legs work again,” he said calmly. His words hit me like a slap. My hands gripped the arms of my wheelchair, my breath turning shallow as Damon’s face flashed through my mind. He was the one who got me those medications. He was the one I trusted. And now, because of him—because of his choices—I was being told my surgery mi
Julian’s POV. The moment I stepped into my office, I shut the door harder than necessary. My jaw tightened as I dropped my clipboard onto the desk and ran a frustrated hand through my hair. Clarence’s words echoed in my mind, unsettling me in a way, I didn’t want to admit. "I trusted my husband. He won’t harm me." Who did that? Who blindly swallowed whatever was handed to them without a second thought? It was reckless. Stupid. Clarence wasn’t someone who acted carelessly, like a sheep being led to slaughter. She was cautious, she had a voice, and she would never indulge in something that wasn’t verified. And yet, despite my frustration, I couldn’t understand what had made her blindly trust her husband enough to take a substance she knew nothing about. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became, and yet I couldn’t calm my temper. But it wasn’t because she used to be the most important person in my life—those days were long gone. No, it was because I was a doctor,
Damon’s POV. I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming lightly against the divorce papers spread across my desk. My name was neatly scrawled at the bottom, but it was her signature that held my attention. “Pathetic.” A slow smirk tugged at my lips. This was years in the making. Every step, every carefully placed move had led to this moment. She had been nothing more than a pawn, and now, she was finally out of my way. I picked up the papers, tracing a finger over the ink, as if I could feel the weight of my victory pressing against my skin. But this wasn’t just about a divorce. This was about power. And now, everything she once had—her inheritance, her assets, her name—belonged to me. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I called, exhaling slowly. The door swung open, and my secretary stepped inside with her usual composed expression. “Mr. Brian is here to see you, sir.” I nodded. “Send him in.” A moment later, Brian walked in, his usual unflap
Julian’s POV.I didn’t have the luxury to sit and pick apart Kristina’s words—not now. As much as they lingered in my head, like a faint ringing I couldn’t quite locate, I had to push them aside. There were more important things at hand. I got into my car and continued heading straight to Paul’s place.Paul had been the one helping me trace the email—one thread in this whole mess that I could still tug on. When I arrived, he didn’t waste time. He clicked open a file on his laptop and turned the screen toward me.“There,” he said simply. “That’s the couple.”My heart stilled a little. I recognized them immediately—the same people who had harassed Clarence at the grocery store that day. Their faces were as clear as daylight now, no more guesswork, no more vague suspicions. I stared at the footage longer than necessary, absorbing every expression on their faces, every movement they made.“They’re not in the country,” Paul added, leaning back slightly. “They left a few days ago. But I ca
Julian’s POV.I’d been awake all night not because I was busy, but because I couldn’t stop thinking. I kept refreshing my mail every ten minutes, hoping something would change. Hoping the guy I’d sent the request to would finally say, “We found it. We got it back.” But that wasn’t what I heard.“It’s not that easy,” he’d said on the phone earlier. “The main source buried it completely. They made it disappear like it never existed.”I didn’t reply. I just ended the call and sat there. I didn’t have the strength to argue. I didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t move from the couch. My head had been pounding for hours, and even though it was already morning, nothing felt different. It felt like time was just dragging me through the day.Clarence called earlier. She tried to act calm, but I could hear it in her voice—she was worried. And she didn’t want me to know how much.She said she could try to handle it but I told her not to worry. I would take care of everything.I opened my phone aga
Kristina’s POV.I couldn’t sit still after I watched Julian leave and headed back to my ward to take some rest. The hospital room felt smaller with every passing second, the walls pressing in on me like they were trying to suffocate me. Julian was gone—he had left so suddenly after receiving a call without stating why he was leaving and I had no idea where he had gone. But something in my gut twisted, telling me he had run off to Clarence.I clenched my hands on my lap, my mind racing. He had been distant lately—more than distant and very cold even before we traveled back. And not in the usual way Julian could be when he was buried in work or annoyed. This time, it felt deliberate like he was tired of me for real this time and was ready to shut me out.I pushed the blanket off and stood up, wobbling a little before regaining balance. I didn’t care what the doctors said. I wasn’t going to sit in this hospital room like some helpless child while my head was full of thoughts of Clarence
Clarence’s POV.The next morning came quietly leaving me unsure, I hadn’t heard a word from Julian, not even a text after he helped me home yesterday and asked me to rest.The scandal was still online and everywhere, headlines still displaying everything in bold fonts, and faceless comments dragging my name like it was something dirty.I sat on my bed, my legs crossed beneath me, refreshing my screen every ten minutes like something new would pop up. Like maybe it would all disappear if I just stared at it long enough.I eventually gave up and called Julian when I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew he was probably busy, but I couldn’t keep sitting around doing anything while the whole internet was talking about the company like it was some sinking ship. His voice came through immediately after he picked up the phone, it was very calm and steady like there wasn’t something to worry about. “Julian,” I said, “what’s going on? It’s still everywhere online. Don’t you think I should do som
Julian’s POV.I was already on my way back to London when the weight of the past few hours pressed over me, filling my mind. I’d just finished confirming to both my parents and Kristina’s parents we were back as couples and I would push on with the marriage.They were convinced, and I could tell they were pleased with the news. My life, at least at that moment, seemed to be on a predictable path. I had to choose to be back with Kristina, after all, and that should’ve been the end of it. But then the phone rang, and everything shifted. Clarence’s name flashed across the screen. If only she had called earlier before I told everyone that I was back with Kristina.I didn’t even have to think before answering. There was something in her voice already—something urgent—that made my heart skip a beat. “Julian…” she started, but the words faltered. She was trying to keep it together, but I could hear the strain in her voice. She informed me about the chaos that was going on in the company and
Gina's POV.I stared at my wristwatch, my pulse dragging along with every second that passed. Damon would be home any minute. If he walked in now, I knew what would follow—the questions, the demands, and the expectations. Tonight was his event, one of those grand things he threw just to remind the world he was still relevant. And if I was in his house when he got back, I’d have no choice but to go with him.But Richard…He had called me several times today, then sent a message saying I had to come to New York so he could introduce me to his family. A big deal, considering how secretive he usually was. For once, I felt like something more than just someone he spent time with behind closed doors. And he said it so casually like it was nothing like it was already settled that I would be there or our relationship would have to come to an end.I was stuck.My heart beat faster as I paced the room. The weight of the two men pressed down on my chest. It wasn’t even about love—I wasn’t naive
Gina’s POV.The loud beeping of my phone startled me awake, making me jolt upright in the chair. My neck ached from the awkward position I’d slept in, and my eyes were dry and heavy.I reached for my phone, still ringing in my hand, and saw Richard’s name on the screen. I blinked at it for a second, confused. When did he start calling? I glanced at the call log and realized there had been several missed calls—all from him. I checked my settings. The calls were being silenced. That explained everything. Still, it didn’t make sense. I hadn’t remembered silencing any calls. I turned slightly and looked at Mark, who was awake and lying there, reading a book.“You saw my phone was ringing and didn’t say anything?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm but feeling irritation crept in.He turned his head slowly, looking at me like I’d just asked something ridiculous. “It didn’t seem important. I turned it off.”I stared at him, disbelief spreading across my face. “It was Richard calling me.
Clarence’s POV.The flight back to London felt never-ending. I sat by the window, staring out at the clouds, but my mind wasn’t there. It kept going back to Julian. Not just the way he looked pale, withdrawn, and distracted but the way he’d kept everything to himself. He hadn’t told me what had happened. He didn’t speak much while he dropped me at my destination. I had asked him if everything was okay, but he had refused to say anything to me.He had tried to act fine but he didn’t look fine to me at all. I wanted to believe he was in control of everything he was going through, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was deeply off. Maybe he was angry with me. Maybe he regretted getting involved in all this again. Or maybe—and this thought stung more than I wanted to admit—maybe he just didn’t want to share anything with me anymore. After all, we weren’t really anything now. He had a fiancée. A life. And I was just a lingering ex. When we arrived, I didn’t even go home.
Julian’s POV. “Julian, please,” she said, her voice softer than usual, as if lowering her tone would fix anything. She rushed to hug me from behind, stopping me in my tracks. “I will apologize as you want and take responsibility but I can't go alone.” “Please go with me. I need you to come.” I didn’t answer right away. I already knew what this was about. She wanted me to accompany her to the boy’s ward—the one she hit with her car. “I wasn’t with you when it happened,” I said. My voice came out flat. I wasn’t angry, not in the usual sense, just tired. The kind of tiredness that had nothing to do with sleep. “You should go alone.” Her fingers tightened around my hand. “I’m scared,” she said. “I don’t know what they’ll say to me. I just… I don’t want to face them alone.” I looked at her for a moment, trying to read past the makeup and the tears she was trying to hold back. Kristina was always good at crying when it counted. She knew when to play weak and when to act li