I Pretended to Be Paralyzed for Three Years

On our anniversary, my wife's surprise turned out to be a green hata symbol of ultimate betrayal.

Laughter erupted around us, yet her voice was eerily calm. I'm pregnant. The child isn't yours.

Cole Penn smugly wrapped his arm around her waist, his eyes glinting with defiance. Youre a cripple; you obviously cant do the deed. Just be a good little cuckold.

But what they didn't know was that I was only pretending to be paralyzed to unmask the mole within the corporation. The mole hadn't revealed themselves yet. Instead, Id stumbled upon two clueless fools.

I smirked coldly.

Then I backhanded them with the bankruptcy liquidation papers for the Lennox family's holdings.

Cole picked up the papers, glanced at them, then burst into a thunderous laugh. "Leo Lutz, are you out of your mind? Did you pay a few bucks for some fake documents and hire some actors to try and scare us?"

Charlotte Lennox recovered from her shock, let out a long breath, and patted her chest. "Leo Lutz, you are truly a pathetic clown."

Charlotte pointed her finger at my nose and unleashed a torrent of abuse. "You're a useless cripple who's been paralyzed for two years, needing help even to relieve yourself! Where did you get the money to hire bodyguards? Bankruptcy liquidation? Do you think you're the wealthiest man in the city?"

I watched them, saying nothing.

The front door slammed open again with a loud crash. My uncle, Robert Lutz, stormed in with dozens of thugs wielding iron pipes.

"Get these annoying people out of my house!"

Uncle Robert's men immediately moved, swinging their iron pipes at the bodyguards Id hired. My bodyguards retreated, leaving only Uncle Robert, Charlotte, Cole, and me in the living room.

"Leo Lutz, you disappoint me greatly." Uncle Robert walked up to my wheelchair, looking down at me. "Youre not just a cripple, your minds gone too. How can the Lutz Corporation be handed over to someone like you?"

"Uncle Robert, what do you mean?" I stared at him.

"I declare your last five percent of Lutz Corporation shares null and void." Uncle Robert pulled out a stock transfer agreement and slapped it on the table. "Sign it."

Charlotte snatched the transfer agreement and slapped it directly onto my lap.

"Sign it now!" Charlotte hissed. "You're nothing now. Just accept your fate. The Lutz Corporation already belongs to Uncle Robert and Cole!"

Cole wrapped his arm around Charlotte's waist and kissed her right in front of me. "Leo, Charlotte's baby needs formula money."

Cole looked at me provocatively. "If you hand over your shares, I'll be merciful and let you stay with the Lutz family like a dog. We'll even give you scraps."

I clenched my fists, suppressing the murderous rage building inside me. The big fish behind Uncle Robert hadn't surfaced yet. It wasnt time to reel in the net.

"I won't sign." I refused.

Uncle Robert slapped me across the face, a sharp crack echoing in the room.

"You refuse a toast and ask for a beating!" Uncle Robert roared. "Do you think you're still the powerful Lutz heir? You're nothing but trash who can't even stand! I can crush you like an ant!"

Charlotte stepped forward, grabbing my hair and yanking my head back. "Leo Lutz, don't push your luck. If you sign, I might let you stay. If you don't, I'll throw you out onto the street right now and let you beg for food!"

"You wouldn't dare," I stared at Charlotte.

"Watch me!" Charlotte shoved me, and my wheelchair slid backward, hitting the wall.

Cole walked over and kicked over my wheelchair. I fell to the ground, feigning immobility.

"Leo, is the floor comfortable?" Cole stepped on the back of my hand, grinding his shoe onto my knuckles.

I endured the pain, not making a sound.

Uncle Robert knelt, forcing a pen into my hand. "Sign," he said, pressing my head down onto the transfer agreement. "Otherwise, I'll break your other leg and you won't even be able to sit in a wheelchair."

I bit my lip, signing my name on the transfer agreement. Uncle Robert collected the document with satisfaction, laughing as he left.

Charlotte kicked me, her high heel digging into my ribs. "Get back to your room," Charlotte said with disgust. "Cole's sleeping in the master bedroom tonight."

I crawled from the floor back into my wheelchair, turning the wheels to leave. I had to endure. Once Uncle Robert's deal with the overseas capital was solidified, I would make them wish they were dead.

In the middle of the night, Charlotte kicked open my bedroom door. In her hand, she held a dog bowl and a thick dog chain.

"Leo Lutz, get out." Charlotte threw the dog bowl on the floor, producing a grating sound.

I looked at her. Cole emerged from behind her, holding a spiked leather whip.

"Leo, the master bedroom bed is too soft; Charlotte can't get comfortable," Cole cracked the whip in the air, a sharp snap echoing. "We've decided to take over this spare bedroom too."

"This is my room." I gripped the armrests of my wheelchair.

"Not anymore." Charlotte walked over, grabbed my collar, and dragged me out of the wheelchair. I fell to the floor, my shoulder hitting the nightstand.

Cole walked over and roughly fastened the dog chain around my neck, clicking the lock. "From now on, you'll sleep in the doghouse on the balcony."

Cole tightened the chain, choking me. "Charlotte's golden retriever just died. You'll make a perfect replacement. From now on, you're our family dog."

I reached up to pull at the chain around my neck. Cole lashed my hand with the whip, leaving a bloody welt.

"Don't move," Cole sneered. "A dog should know its place."

Charlotte kicked away my wheelchair, pointing towards the balcony. "Crawl." Charlotte commanded.

I gritted my teeth, staring at them.

Footsteps shuffled outside the door. Charlotte's parents walked in. Mrs. Lennox saw me on the floor and rushed over, stepping on my back. "You useless man!" Mrs. Lennox shrieked. "You wasted three years of my daughter's youth, and now you dare to cling to our home! People like you should just die!"

Mr. Lennox walked to the closet and began rummaging through it, throwing my clothes everywhere. He found a wooden box, his eyes lighting up.

"What's this?" Mr. Lennox opened the wooden box. Inside was my mother's emerald jade bangle, a family heirloom.

"Put that down!" I looked up, roaring.

"Oh, quite feisty." Mr. Lennox took out the bangle, weighing it in his hand. "The quality is excellent. Could fetch a few million. Consider it compensation for the emotional distress you've caused the Lennox family."

"That's my mother's keepsake." I stared at Mr. Lennox.

"Your mother's long dead. This thing is just going to waste," Mrs. Lennox snatched the bangle and slipped it onto her own wrist. "It perfectly matches my new outfit today. Do you, a cripple, deserve something so fine?"

I propped myself up with my hands, but Cole kicked me in the head, pinning me back down onto the cold floor. "Leo, don't get excited," Cole said, pressing his foot hard against my face. "You're a cripple. Do you really think you can hit anyone? Can you even stand up?"

Charlotte walked over, knelt in front of me, and slapped my cheek. "Leo Lutz, don't blame me for being cruel."

Charlotte sneered, "Blame yourself for being useless. Cole can give me the life I want. What can you give me? A paralyzed body? You can't even satisfy me!"

"You'll regret this," I stared into Charlotte's eyes.

"Regret?" Charlotte threw her head back and laughed. "The word 'regret' isn't in my vocabulary, Charlotte Lennox! Go ahead and publicly announce that you acknowledge the child in my belly as yours, otherwise, I'll smash your mother's jade bangle right now!"

Mrs. Lennox obligingly raised her wrist, feigning a move to strike it against the wall.

I closed my eyes, concealing the surging murderous intent within. "Fine," I gritted out the word.

"That's more like it," Cole released his foot, clapping his hands. "Remember to put on a good show at the banquet tomorrow."

The Lennox family and Cole left the room, laughing. I lay on the cold floor, pulling off the dog chain from my neck. I took out the miniature communicator hidden in my cuff.

"Mr. Lutz, your uncle has made contact with the overseas capital," came the voice of my confidant, Ryan, through the communicator.

"Keep a close eye on them," I said in a low voice. "I want all their transaction records, not a single one missed."

"Understood. Do we need to deal with the Lennox family?"

"No," I sneered. "Let them jump around for a few more days."

I wanted them to climb to the highest point, then crash into a bloody pulp.

Three days later, the Lennox family hosted a grand banquet at the city's most luxurious hotel. Ostensibly to celebrate Charlottes pregnancy, it was actually to announce Cole taking over a key project for the Lutz Corporation.

Charlotte threw a ridiculous clown costume at my face. "Put it on," Charlotte commanded. I emotionlessly put on the clown costume. Charlotte then took out a green hat and placed it on my head.

"A lot of media will be here today," Charlotte warned me. "You stay quietly in your wheelchair, don't say anything out of turn, and do whatever you're told."

Cole wheeled me into the banquet hall. The hall was packed with the city's elite and journalists, camera flashes going off everywhere. Seeing me in my outfit, everyone began to whisper and burst into laughter.

"Is that Leo Lutz? Why is he dressed like that? He looks like a clown."

"I heard he's not only paralyzed but couldn't even keep his wife. He's a complete disgrace to the Lutz family."

"The child in Charlotte's belly isn't his at all, and he still has to swallow his pride and acknowledge it. What a pathetic cuckold."

Cole wheeled me to the center of the stage, exposing me to everyone's gaze. Charlotte, in a couture gown, walked onto the stage arm-in-arm with Cole.

"Thank you all for attending my banquet." Charlotte took the microphone. "Today, I have two joyful announcements. First, I am pregnant, and the child is Leo Lutz's."

Sparse applause, accompanied by undisguised mockery, rippled through the audience.

"Second, Cole Penn will officially take over the Lutz Corporation's Southside Development Project."

The entire hall erupted in an uproar. The Southside project was the lifeblood of Lutz Corporation. How could it be handed over to an outsider?

Uncle Robert Lutz walked onto the stage, took the microphone, his face flushed with triumph. "This is the decision of the Lutz Corporation's board of directors." Uncle Robert loudly announced, "Leo Lutz is unwell and unable to perform his duties. Cole Penn is young and promising, the best candidate. From now on, Lutz Corporation's operations will be fully managed by Cole."

Journalists immediately aimed their cameras at me, microphones almost poking my face. "Mr. Lutz, what are your thoughts on this? Have your shares been stripped?" "Mr. Lutz, did you put on that green hat yourself? Do you know about Charlotte Lennox and Cole Penn's relationship?"

Charlotte walked off the stage and shoved the microphone to my mouth. "Speak," Charlotte threatened in a low voice. "Say what we taught you."

I looked at Uncle Robert in the audience. Beside him stood a blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigner. That was Mr. Smith, the liaison for the overseas consortium. The big fish had finally appeared.

I averted my gaze and spoke into the microphone. "I support the board's decision," my voice was calm. "The child is mine, and I look forward to his birth."

The entire hall erupted in deafening mockery. "What a pathetic cuckold! His wife sleeps with someone else and he helps count the money!" "The Lutz family is completely finished. Leo Lutz is an utter failure."

Cole smugly patted my shoulder and walked in front of me. "Everyone heard that, right?" Cole said loudly. "Leo is very generous. To thank him, I've decided to toast him." Cole raised a glass of red wine and walked towards me.

He suddenly "slipped," splashing the entire glass of red wine all over my clown costume, letting it run down my face. "Oops, my bad, my hand slipped," Cole feigned apology, his eyes full of malicious amusement.

Charlotte picked up a basin of foul-smelling water and walked up to me. "No worries, a little wash will fix it," Charlotte said, pouring the water over my head. The stench instantly permeated the air. People around us covered their noses and recoiled. Journalists frantically clicked their camera shutters, capturing my most humiliating moment.

"Leo Lutz, drink it," Cole pressed his foot on my wheelchair, lowering his voice. "Otherwise, I'll have someone dig up your mother's grave right now and scatter her ashes."

I looked up, staring at Cole. "You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me." Cole pulled out his phone and played a video. In the video, several men with shovels stood before my mother's tombstone, their shovels already raised.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms, drawing blood. Charlotte shoved the basin to my mouth.

"Drink it!" Charlotte yelled. "Drink every last drop!"

I opened my mouth and swallowed a mouthful of filthy water. The entire hall erupted in even wilder laughter and whistles.

After the banquet, Cole threw me into the hotel's underground parking garage like a piece of trash. Charlotte and Cole got into a car.

"Let's book a presidential suite at the hotel tonight to celebrate," Cole said, his arm around Charlotte, his hand roaming inappropriately.

"Why bring this useless man?" Charlotte looked at me with disgust. "He's stinking and dirty."

"He's still useful," Cole sneered. "My sister's eyes can't wait. His corneas are a perfect match."

I looked up. They were planning to take my corneas.

"Then hurry up and do it," Charlotte urged. "His eyes sicken me. Dig them out and feed them to dogs as soon as possible."

Cole started the car and drove me to a secluded private hospital. Uncle Robert Lutz was already waiting outside the operating room.

"Is the agreement ready?" Cole asked.

"It's ready," Uncle Robert handed over a voluntary organ donation consent form.

Cole dragged me from the wheelchair and threw me heavily onto the cold floor. "Sign it," Cole shoved the pen into my hand. "Don't make me do this by force."

I looked at Uncle Robert. "Uncle Robert, to seize power, you'd even gouge out your own nephew's eyes?" I challenged.

"You're a cripple. What good are your eyes?" Uncle Robert showed no remorse. "Cole's sister needs her sight. You'd be doing a good deed, making a contribution. Sign the papers, and I'll leave you a complete body."

"I won't sign." I snapped the pen and threw it on the floor.

Charlotte walked over and kicked me in the ribs, making me grunt in pain. "Do you think you have a choice?" Charlotte pulled out a sharp scalpel. "If you don't sign, I'll personally gouge them out right now! No anesthesia. I'll make you suffer worse than death!"

Uncle Robert waved his hand. Several burly men rushed over, forcibly lifted me, and strapped me to the operating table with thick leather straps. Cole took out his phone and started recording.

"Leo, smile for the camera," Cole aimed the phone at my face. "To prove you're donating voluntarily."

Charlotte, holding the scalpel, slowly approached my eyes. The tip of the blade touched my eyelid, a cold sensation.

"Leo Lutz, don't blame me," Charlotte sneered. "Blame your bad luck. In your next life, don't be a cripple."

I closed my eyes.

Faint footsteps sounded outside the operating room door.

I opened my eyes, looking at Uncle Robert. "That foreigner, he's Smith, isn't he?" I suddenly asked.

Uncle Robert's face changed. He turned to look at me. "How do you know?" Uncle Robert asked, startled.

"I also know you plan to package and sell the Southside project to Smith in exchange for a billion in overseas funds," I said, my voice calm, as if discussing something unrelated to me.

Uncle Robert rushed over, grabbing my collar. "Who told you?" Uncle Robert yelled. "What else do you know?"

"Not only do I know that, I also know your overseas account has been frozen." I looked into Uncle Robert's eyes, enunciating each word.

Cole put down his phone, frowning. "Uncle Robert, don't listen to his nonsense. How could a paralyzed cripple know any of this?" Cole urged. "He's just stalling for time. Charlotte, do it! Gouge out his eyeballs!"

Charlotte raised the scalpel, aiming for my eyes.