Dorothy was forced to marry Stefan Everest, the man known as “the crippled mute.” Everyone thought her life was over, especially as she endured the mockery and whispers. But one night, everything changes. At a lavish event, Stefan proves he is far from what people believed. Looking at Dorothy, his words are simple: “You stood by me when no one else did. Now, it’s my turn to spoil you.”
view moreA sleek Mercedes-Benz pulled into the Florence household's parking lot. Watching the car through the window, Clarissa couldn't help but sneer in jealousy. She was a slender beauty with smooth skin and long, flowing hair, appearing to be in her early twenties.
"Mom, that crippled man is here to pick Dorothy up, but he's driving an expensive car. Dorothy doesn't deserve to ride in something like that," Clarissa scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Don't worry, baby. It's just a car. Once she marries that crippled man, you'll have anything you want," her mother, Agnes, reassured her.
"I’d better," Clarissa pouted, her juicy pink lips curling as she flipped a lock of her hair behind her ear. Men lined up for a chance to date her as her beauty was enchanting. But her personality was a stark contrast to her looks, nothing good to write about.
A knock sounded at the door.
"It's them," Clarissa muttered, waving at one of the housemaids to open it. A sharply dressed man in a well-ironed suit stood at the entrance.
"Good morning, ma'am. We're here for Mr. Everest's fiancée," the man said politely.
Clarissa ignored him, peering behind him as if searching for someone.
"And where is her useless soon-to-be husband? Is he in the car? Oh, wait—I forgot he can't walk. How would he ever come here?" Clarissa mocked, laughing along with Agnes.
The man frowned but remained composed. "I’ll ask again: where is his fiancée?"
"We’ll send her out—but first, go back and switch that car for something cheaper. Something more suited to her," Agnes replied, her tone curt.
Clarissa nodded in agreement.
Sighing, the man pulled out his phone, clearly done with their antics. "Please bring the Toyota Yaris," he instructed. Clarissa smirked triumphantly.
A few minutes later, the Toyota Yaris arrived, and the Mercedes-Benz was driven away.
"Can we have her now?" the man asked calmly.
Agnes rolled her eyes and left the room. She returned moments later with a young woman who appeared to be Clarissa's age. Dorothy was simply dressed in a plain gown, her hair tied back, her skin pale with no makeup.
The man’s face lit up as he addressed her. "You must be Miss Dorothy. I’m Kai, sent by Mr. Stefan to pick you up."
"Good morning, Kai," Dorothy responded softly, her voice calm and gentle. Clarissa and Agnes exchanged scoffs.
"Since there’s nothing else, let’s go," Kai said, nodding politely at Clarissa and Agnes before escorting Dorothy out.
"She's so pathetic," Clarissa muttered. "Imagine marrying at twenty-two—to a crippled, mute loser!"
"She deserves nothing better," Agnes replied dismissively.
Despite the fact they believed Dorothy life would be miserable after getting married to Stefan, Clarissa can't help but get a little worried. He sent his assistant to pick her up in a Mercedes Benz, what if she starts living a good life? She bit her lips with this thought.
"Stop worrying too much, his family won't like her, she's ugly" Agnes reassured Clarissa once more.
"You're right, no one can love an ugly girl like her! What was I even thinking" Clarissa nodded, convincing herself as they watched Dorothy leave.
OUTSIDE
Kai opened the car door for Dorothy. "Your mother and sister are quite something. They wouldn’t let me bring the better car."
Dorothy offered a polite smile. "Thank you," she murmured before stepping into the car and settling in the back seat as Kai drove.
He glanced at her through the rearview mirror as he started the engine. "Don’t believe everything you hear about Stefan. He may be crippled, but he’s a calm, collected man, and minds his business. You’re in safe hands even though he's a little grumpy."
Dorothy stared out the window, feeling indifferent. Safe hands or not, she had nothing left to lose. Her family had forced her to turn down a medical school admission to marry Stefan. Dorothy knew Agnes wouldn’t allow her to marry a rich man unless there was something to gain.
Stefan Everest was wealthy—the CEO of Everest Stock Exchange and the son Arthur Everest, a powerful business magnate. Stefan was also a crippled mute man rendered so by an accident and this made him a laughing stock amongst others.
The car stopped moving as Kai had just arrived at the county clerk office. He got down and offered to help Dorothy get the car door but she already exited herself.
He cleared his throat and led the way "Mr. Stefan is waiting inside,"
Dorothy followed him, ignoring the judgmental stares from people they passed. Everyone else was elegantly dressed, their faces polished with makeup, while she looked plain in comparison.
At the registration office, Kai opened the door for her.
He was present, Stefan was there. He sat in his wheelchair, a commanding presence despite his disability. His physique was surprisingly toned for someone who had spend years in a wheelchair, his broad shoulders complementing his chiseled face and piercing blue eyes.
Dorothy’s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, but Stefan looked away, focusing instead on a sharply dressed young man in a white suit standing behind him.
The man spoke. "Mr. Stefan has instructed us to proceed with the marriage registration," he said to the deputy county clerk, a stern-looking woman with a stocky build.
"Miss Dorothy, please take a seat," the clerk instructed, motioning to the chair beside Stefan.
Dorothy hesitated but obeyed, keeping her distance. Even though the man was mute and on a wheelchair, Dorothy was still weary of him. Stefan’s rugged appearance made her uneasy, despite his striking looks.
"Please provide the necessary documents," the clerk requested. Kai handed them over.
The clerk began asking questions. Dorothy answered softly, while the man in the white suit responded on Stefan’s behalf.
"Move closer for the photograph, please," the photographer instructed.
Dorothy swallowed nervously and shifted closer, careful not to touch Stefan. The photo was taken quickly, and she immediately moved back, releasing a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
"Sign here for the final step," the clerk said.
Both signed the documents.
"Congratulations, Mr. Stefan Everest and Mrs. Dorothy Everest. You are now husband and wife."
Husband and wife. The words echoed in Dorothy’s mind. She was married. Her life, as she knew it, was over.
The next morning at VitMed, Dorothy stepped out of the bathroom wearing her bathrobe. She massaged her back as she picked up her phone and dialed Stefan’s number.He picked up immediately.“Good morning, love,” his voice was a bit groggy, like he was just waking up.“Good morning. Did I wake you?” she asked with concern.“Not at all, sweetheart.”“Okay. Did you talk to your mom yesterday? How did it go?” Dorothy asked, and Stefan sighed.“I did talk to her yesterday, and she explained everything—but I can’t just forgive her like that, love. It’s too hard to just let it go,” Stefan grumbled.“I understand, Stefan. But baby steps, okay?”“If Finn were still alive and told you he was sorry for killing your parents, do you think you could ever forgive him?” Stefan asked. Even though Dorothy couldn’t see him, she could tell he was looking for an honest answer.“And that’s the difference between Finn and your mother. She did what she thought would protect you. She didn’t kill innocent peopl
Beatrice had an impatient look on her face as she sat in the restaurant. The moment Kai informed her that Stefan wanted to see her, she rushed over as quickly as she could.The restaurant's glass door swung open, and Stefan stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on her, and then he made his way to her table."Stefan, thank you for agreeing to see me again," Beatrice said, moving in for a hug, but he stepped back."We don’t want to go too far now. I only agreed to talk to you because of my wife. Please, don’t touch me."Beatrice nodded and tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear before sitting down. Stefan took the seat across from her, and silence fell between them. He just sat there, staring at her intensely.Beatrice sighed."I didn’t come here to be stared at and sighed over. I have other places to be, so please don’t waste my time," Stefan said, frowning.Beatrice never imagined that Stefan would one day treat her like this."First, I want to say I’m
Behind her veil, she had a confused look. Was Abraham late, or did he not remember they were supposed to have a wedding ceremony here today? While she was lost in thought, Agnes hugged Clarissa but whispered in her ear.“Abraham isn’t coming because he’s not the one you’re getting married to. You’re actually getting married to his grandfather. And act cool—there are so many businessmen here, you don’t want to blow things up in front of them,” Agnes said before stepping back.Clarissa couldn’t believe her ears. She was getting married to Sherlock instead of Abraham. She was marrying a ninety-two-year-old man—and she had already invited her friends, even Dorothy.The priest began reciting the wedding speech and prayers.“Clarissa Florence, do you take Sherlock Holmes as your lawful wedded husband, to be with him through all seasons of life, till death do you both part?”There was no reply from Clarissa, causing murmurs from the crowd. Agnes sat still, tense, hoping Clarissa wouldn’t mes
As promised, some guards came to pick Clarissa and took her to the mall. It was a private mall owned by the Holmes family, filled with stunning designs and luxurious brands."Ma'am, may I help you with anything?" an employee asked respectfully, approaching her with a polite tone.Clarissa smirked and took off her glasses. "I'm getting married tomorrow, and I'm looking for the perfect wedding dress that complements my beauty," she said proudly."Aww, congratulations on your marriage in advance," the employee replied cheerfully."Whatever. Just find a dress for me," Clarissa said, rolling her eyes. The employee gave her an understanding nod, though she silently noted how rude Clarissa was.After a few minutes of trying on different styles, Clarissa finally found one that suited her best."I'm picking this one," she declared, and the employee nodded, sending staff to package it."You have good eyes. That’s one of the best wedding dresses we have," the employee said with a small smile."I
Since Dorothy wasn't coming back until the weekend, Kade felt like he had no reason to stay at school and was set to leave when a familiar lady blocked his path."Where to, Kade? Don’t tell me you're leaving so soon," Kristina said with a smirk."What do you want?" Kade asked, frowning."Come on, lighten up at least. We’re not fighting, Kade. Since Dorothy is out with her husband, how about you and I go grab a drink?" Kristina asked, wiggling her brows playfully."I don’t drink, so I don’t care for one. Now excuse me," Kade tried to walk past, but Kristina blocked him."Then we can take a walk or do something else. Please don’t let me spend this Saturday alone," she pleaded.Kade sighed helplessly, and Kristina smiled widely. She knew what that look meant. Happily, she grabbed his arm and led him away."You won’t regret hanging out with me today. We’re going to have so much fun," she said excitedly as they left together.—In Stefan’s mansion, Dorothy was still sleeping. He had spent
It was a free Saturday. Dorothy had just finished taking her shower and was getting ready. She had spoken with Stefan yesterday, and he promised to come pick her up today. Maybe she could tell him about his mom.Someone knocked on her door, and her smile widened, thinking it was Stefan. She was still dressed in a revealing gown when she opened it—but to her dismay, it was Kai. He immediately turned his back while she quickly grabbed a bathrobe to cover herself, her cheeks flushing red."Do you go around answering your door dressed like that?" Kai couldn't help but ask."I'm sorry, I thought it was Stefan. He told me he was coming," Dorothy mumbled."Well, Stefan isn't here," Kai replied."Why?" Dorothy asked, a little disappointed. She had been excited to have him come over."An important business matter came up. He couldn't miss it, so he asked me to get you. Buzz me when you're completely dressed," Kai said before walking away.Dorothy sighed and was about to close the door, but a w
"Hi, my name is Beatrice," the woman introduced herself, and Dorothy paused, thinking hard about where she’d heard the name before. Then it clicked. Her eyes widened."You're... You..." the words caught in her throat. This had to be Stefan's mom. The resemblance was unmistakable."Can I come in, please?" Beatrice asked gently. Dorothy didn't know what to do. Should she kick her out or let her in? In the end, she went with the second option, opening the door for Beatrice.Silence followed. Dorothy stood six feet away, watching her closely, waiting for her to speak."I’ve been looking for you for some time now because... I need your help," Beatrice said, her eyes glassy with tears. "My son wants nothing to do with me—and I understand that. But I need you to bring us back together."Dorothy sat down for a moment, quiet, then finally responded, "You want me to help fix your relationship with your son?" she asked slowly, trying to grasp it."I just don't know what to do anymore...""Then w
Tristan stood in front of a warehouse with Fred by his side. Fred gave him a go-ahead smirk, and Tristan let out a small breath before opening the door. The warehouse was filled with boxes that looked exactly like the Everest Stock Exchange packages.Tristan gave Fred a questioning look, but Fred only kept smirking. He nodded at Tristan, silently urging him to go ahead. Tristan opened one of the packages and almost stumbled back.Inside were guns, drugs, and all sorts of illegal items.Tristan stared at Fred with wide eyes."My dear friend, people make a fortune from this. You just have to be smart about it. And I know you, Tristan—you’re capable of pulling something like this off," Fred said smoothly."What do you know?" Tristan asked, his voice low.Fred only laughed. His laugh grew louder by the second before he finally tapped Tristan’s shoulder."You don’t want me to get started. Just keep in mind that I know. So, do what you do best—and be wise about it," Fred said, giving him a
Dorothy got back to her room with the flowers in her hand. She walked to her cupboard and took out a box, opening it. It was filled with letters Stefan had been writing to her. She never threw them away, but she hadn’t read them yet.Taking the letters one by one and going through them, she could see how sorry Stefan was—and she thought maybe she overreacted. Picking up her phone, she reached for his number and dialed it.After one ring, Stefan picked up.“Love?” He sounded surprised. He wasn’t expecting a call from her—at least not yet.“I’m sorry. I overreacted,” Dorothy said with regret.Stefan sat up straight in his chair.“Love, you did not overreact. You had every right to be angry with me. I wouldn’t like it if someone tried to cheat their way into something either, and that’s why I feel terrible for what I did,” Stefan said softly.Dorothy bit her lips and nodded.“You’re my husband, and I don’t want us to fight over this. You don’t have to send more flowers or letters—I forgi
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Mga Comments