Chapter 5

A short while later, someone delivered a wheelchair. He quickly put down the fruit he was cutting for me and diligently pushed the wheelchair in front of me.

“Blair, try this. I had it custom-made for you. I’m sure it’ll make things much easier for you from now on.”

His peach blossom eyes gazed at me, filled with innocence and expectation.

Thinking of a lifetime spent in a wheelchair, I hated the woman before me. But I loved her so much that I couldn't even bring myself to say a harsh word to her. I wanted to open my mouth and demand, *Liam Kincaid, why are you so cruel to me?* I even found myself trying to rationalize it, telling myself he still loved me. That what I’d heard was just an illusion.

But the words caught in my throat, eventually reduced to a single word: “Okay.”

Perhaps, I really needed to adapt.

He pushed me outside to sunbathe, just like our old promises—that when we grew old, we’d push each other to stroll into the sunset. The early autumn breeze carried a chill, making me cough involuntarily. He immediately stopped, crouching down to ask, “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Do you need me to call the doctor?”

He quickly stood up, but I grabbed his hand. “No need. It’s just a seasonal cough, an old problem.”

He stroked my head, then playfully kissed my forehead. “Skylar, you don’t have to pretend to be strong in front of me. I know everything that’s happened recently has hit you hard.”

“You haven’t shed a single tear since it all began. If you want to cry, just cry. Keeping too much sadness inside will break you.”

His words showed no hint of pretense; every syllable was concern. In five years together, I had never doubted him. But how could two people who supposedly loved each other so much end up with him becoming the devil who dragged me into the abyss?

I tried my best to suppress the pain inside, simply stating, “I want to go home.”

He paused, then began to reason with me. “Skylar, you’ve just had surgery. I’m really worried about your health if you go back now.”

“How about we wait until you’re a little better before we go home?”

Of course, I had to go back. The Monroe Holdings new product launch was in two days. I wanted to give them a big present.

I forced a smile, the corners of my mouth tasting bitter. “Don’t worry. Didn’t you say you’d always be with me? You’re my best medicine; with you here, nothing will happen.”

“Besides, I really can’t stand the smell of disinfectant in the hospital.”

After my repeated insistence, Liam finally relented. Having reached an agreement, he pushed me back towards the ward.

Suddenly, his phone rang in his pocket. Blair Sutton’s voice drifted from the receiver. He deliberately stepped away from me to take the call. A moment later, he rushed back to my side.

“Skylar, I’m sorry, I have an urgent matter and need to leave. Can you get used to this wheelchair and make your way back to the ward by yourself, please?”

He released his grip without hesitation, leaving me alone in the empty hallway. In that moment he turned away, my heart felt like it was bleeding. I suddenly remembered all the times over the years he’d suddenly taken a call and left.

Now, it all clicked. Every single time he’d abruptly left, he had been going to see Blair Sutton.