Chapter 2

My friends’ sympathetic glances didn’t linger for long.

The second Maria took my wheelchair, Christian dismissed all the guests.

Maria pushed me to my room, knelt down, and carefully treated my wound.

“Ms. Vance, are you in pain?” she asked, tears splashing onto my leg.

I shook my head.

A cripple’s leg has no feeling, so even if it’s burned, what’s the big deal?

But strangely, my numb legs were now throbbing with piercing pain.

I lay in bed, tears soaking my pillow again and again.

After what felt like an eternity, the accident from years ago resurfaced in my dreams.

The country estate abroad held almost all my childhood joys.

There, my parents didn’t have to work all day, and they had plenty of time to spend with me.

We’d go on boat rides, fly kites, read books, and play the piano together.

Before bed, I used to wish upon the brightest star in the night sky for our family to be happy forever.

But the forest fire came so fast.

So fast that I didn’t even get to see my parents one last time.

The acrid smoke choked me, making it impossible to open my eyes, and the pain of the wooden beam crashing onto my legs made me pass out.

When I woke up again, only those fake relatives stood by my side, along with a lawyer holding a will, waiting to read it.

The memory of that day gradually blurred…

I only remember the relatives getting furious and arguing when they realized they couldn’t get any benefits from me.

“I’m his actual uncle! How dare that brat cut me out!”

“All of it to just one little girl? We’re her true family! Why let someone named Hayes manage all this for her?”

“They’re only giving us this much money to raise her?”

“What a family disgrace! A true disgrace!”

They argued, pushed each other, and shirked the responsibility of raising me.

Until Christian pushed open the door.

He roared, chasing away those greedy relatives, and held me tightly in his arms.

“Don’t be scared, Ellie. If they won’t raise you, I will.”

Tears slowly filled my empty eyes, and my fingers clenched tightly onto the hem of his shirt.

Finally, I buried my face in his embrace, letting all my sadness and resentment pour out in tears.

I could feel Christian’s body trembling.

But he just choked out, repeating, “Don’t be scared, I’m here.”