My Paralyzed Husband Stood Up and Kissed Her

As I massaged my half-paralyzed husband, Brandon Carter, a flicker of sensation ran through his left foot.

I was ecstatic. I immediately called Dr. Miller for a re-examination.

The result came back: Still nothing. The chances of your husband ever walking again are practically zero.

I gritted my teeth. "It's okay. I'll take care of him for the rest of my life."

Tears blurring my vision, I headed to work.

Halfway there, I realized Id forgotten my car keys and had to turn back.

Through the crack in the door, I saw Brandon, who was supposed to be confined to his hospital bed.

He was standing, pinning Skylar Reed against the wall, kissing her with frenzied abandon.

"How much longer do we have to lie to her? Being together always feels so risky, it's driving me crazy."

"Just a little longer. In a few days, I'll figure out a way to fake my death. Then, we can take the money and move abroad."

My mind cleared instantly. So, his suicide attempt five years ago had all been a sham.

It was just a ploy to escape his companys debt crisis and spend every waking moment with Skylar.

I stood there in silence for a long time, then walked into Dr. Millers office.

"I've made up my mind. I'm stopping my husband's treatment. Proceed directly with the amputation."

When I pushed open the door, Brandon was, as usual, pale and frail, huddled in the corner of the bed, his eyes devoid of any life.

"The nurse told me you went to bother Dr. Miller again. I'm a cripple, there's no need to waste medical resources."

He always used to say such disheartening things.

On the surface, I'd pretend to be strong and try to cheer him up, but in reality, I'd hide in the bathroom, crying countless times.

My hand clenched around the small silver cross I held. My gaze drifted to the trash can.

A sickening, sweet odor hit me instantly. Inside, unmistakably, were several freshly used, utterly disgusting condoms.

So, Brandon had been putting on an act for me all along.

Five years ago, his company failed, leaving him deeply in debt. Creditors hounded him, pushing him to the brink of 'suicide' by jumping off a building.

No matter how I pleaded, even getting down on my knees, he remained utterly unmoved.

He supposedly plummeted from the fifteenth floor, landing in a pile of mud, which left him permanently paralyzed.

I, too, suffered from extreme shock and lost our seven-month-old baby.

That period was the most helpless and darkest time of my life.

During the day, trying to secure orders, I'd force myself to tolerate disgusting, lecherous old men, drinking with them at business dinners.

After work, Id rush to the hospital, trying to talk Brandon out of his constant suicidal urges.

Everyone told me to give up.

"He blew all his money himself; it has nothing to do with you. You're young, find someone else and marry them quickly."

"A man who threatens suicide every other day is useless to keep around. Let him go."

Even Brandon's parents tried to persuade me to leave him.

"He's lost all his fight. Living like this is just torture for him. Don't push him any further."

But I refused. I gritted my teeth and held on, reaching this point.

The company, on the verge of bankruptcy, I brought back from the brink.

Whenever I had time, I'd sit by Brandon's bedside, connecting him with renowned orthopedic specialists from all over the world.

The silver cross in my hand was something I'd prayed for him in church.

Yet, before I could even offer it, it was met with scorn.

"More of this useless junk, trying to guilt-trip me."

In the last few days, his temper had grown increasingly volatile. He snatched the cross from my hand and threw it out the window.

Afterward, he hung his head, covering his face with his hands, tears streaming down like a wounded animal whimpering.

"Eleanor, if you really love me, just give me a bottle of sleeping pills. I'm tired. I want to sleep forever."

I swallowed the bitter mockery rising within me.

His feigned despair was a stark contrast to the man who had been fiercely kissing Skylar against the wall.

It made me frown. "I won't let you die."

My throat felt like it had been scoured with sandpaper, every word tasting like blood.

He'd lied to me for so long.

At the very least, I wouldnt let him die that easily.

Leaving the hospital, I wandered aimlessly down the street.

There was hurt in my heart, but even more, there was resentment.

We'd been together since our school days, from prom night to our wedding day.

Right after we graduated from college, he took my hand and we went to the courthouse to get married.

In that cramped, damp basement apartment, we spent several happy years.

Even when we had to rely on discounted food nearing its expiration date, I never complained, never felt it was a hardship.

Then, when he had his 'accident,' I used my slender shoulders to prop up the company we had built together.

For years, I'd been covering his parents' expenses and all our daily bills.

As a wife and a daughter-in-law, I'd done everything humanly possible, earning praise even from outsiders.

To treat Brandon's legs, I worked three part-time jobs a day, once even collapsing from exhaustion.

Looking back now, I was such a fool.

Sacrificing myself for a man full of liesit wasn't worth it!

At ten that night, I returned to the dream home wed prepared for our marriage.

A three-story, beautifully furnished house with a front and back garden.

I'd only helped with the decorating and buying furniture, but I'd never spent a single night there.

Most of the time, I'd slept in the hospital hallway or on my office sofa.

The moment I opened the door, I was stunned to find the interior completely redecorated.

The sleek, designer leather sofa was now buried under an assortment of plush toys and stuffed animals.

On the table, there was a new set of cartoon couple mugs, one pink, one bluea sickeningly sweet, mismatched set.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to be patient as I walked into the bedroom.

Our wedding photos had been taken down and tossed haphazardly into a corner, covered in a thick layer of dust.

My clothes were all gone from the walk-in closet.

Even my treasured wedding gown, the one I loved most, had been cut into pieces and thrown into the trash.

My feet moved uncontrollably to the bed, gazing at the messy, wrinkled sheets.

I vaguely guessed what those two had been doing here not long ago.

Suppressing my disgust, I fished out a pair of womens lace panties from between the sofa cushions.

No doubt, their activities hadn't been confined to just the bedroom.

Instantly, a surge of bitter bile rose in my stomach. I rushed to the bathroom, clutching the toilet bowl, and vomited for a long time.

It was only when my phone rang that I wiped away my tears and answered.

My usual butcher called, kindly reminding me.

"Ms. Vance, I saved you a prime cut of steak today. Perfect for your husband's grilled steak. When can you come by the market to pick it up?"

My voice was calm. "No need."

The butcher paused, sounding surprised. "That's not like you. You used to wait in the longest lines to get the freshest beef bones for him. What's wrong today? You don't want it, even when it's ready?"

A sharp pang went through me. "I won't be needing it anymore."

Soon after I hung up, I heard the front door downstairs open.

I held my breath, like a thief, and hid inside the empty closet.

As the sounds of intertwining moans and whispers grew closer, I peered through the crack and saw Brandons face.

And, the naked woman in his arms.

Skylar Reed. She was a college acquaintance, two years my junior.

Every semester during finals week, shed always pester me for my class notes to cram for her exams.

At first, Brandon actually had a bad impression of her, often complaining to me that she was cutting into our date time.

But gradually, things changed.

He'd openly compliment Skylar's dresses, saying she looked so 'innocently sweet.'

Once, I even walked in on them coming out of the men's restroom. Skylar was crying, calling him a 'bad boy' and complaining that he clearly didn't know how to treat a lady gently.

So, theyd been hooking up since then.

About two hours later.

Brandon carried Skylar out of the bathroom, one arm around her, and stood by the bed, attentively blow-drying her hair.

They fooled around for a while before Skylar playfully pushed his shoulder, pouting dramatically.

"It was Leo's first day of preschool today, and you, his dad, didn't even show up. Honestly, you're so useless sometimes."

Brandon pulled her close. "It's all Ellie's fault. She always takes forever to leave, wasting so much of our time together as a family."

"Don't be mad, baby. How about I get you some new jewelry to make up for it?"

"What about Leo?"

Brandon chuckled, holding up three fingers, swearing solemnly.

"For the next week, I'll handle all the school pickups and drop-offs for Leo. Happy now?"

My fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms, yet I felt no pain, only numb fury.

I wondered, how could a person be so shameless?

Brandon had been faking his illness for eight years, giving me the cold shoulder for eight years.

Yet, behind my back, he and Skylar had even had a child.

I'd seen the child before.

Brandon's parents had lied, claiming he was a distant relative's kid staying with them temporarily. But they doted on him like their own flesh and blood grandson.

Every time I went to drop off their allowance, the kid would jump out, deliberately squirting me with a toy water gun, spitting out nasty words like 'bad lady' or 'you stole my daddy.'

Like mother, like son, I thought bitterly.

At that moment, Skylar, clearly aroused again, tangled herself around Brandon and they went at it for what felt like hours.

Afterward, she smugly cupped his face, her gaze drifting to my wedding photo on the wall. It was a blatant declaration of ownership.

"Brandon, do you know why I threw out everything else in this house that belonged to Ellie, but kept that photo?"

Brandon smirked, playfully rubbing her small nose.

"Are you being naughty again?"

"Oh, yes! I want her to see with her own eyes that every unremarkable night, you and I are here in this new house she decorated, entwined, inseparable."

"She got to you before I did, the nerve! When it was clear we were the perfect match."

"Still, seeing her get played for a fool all these years by us? I finally got my sweet revenge."

"Speaking of which, don't you feel sorry for her? She's practically withered into an old hag trying to find a cure for you. She's not even thirty and she's got huge patches of gray hair and a face full of wrinkles. Honestly, every time I see her, it makes me cringe."

"That was her choice."

Brandon playfully twirled a strand of Skylar's hair.

"I, pretending to be paralyzed, lying in bed, was much more pitiful. Why didn't you ever feel sorry for me?"

"You're awful."

...

The night stretched on, long and dark.

Some slept in peaceful embrace, others felt their hearts rip apart.

The next morning, for the first time in what felt like forever, I didnt show up at Brandons bedside, carrying a warm breakfast.

Instead, I leisurely went shopping and treated myself to a few beauty treatments.

My once mottled, waist-length hair, streaked with gray, was chopped into a chic, short bob, then dyed a rich chestnut brown. It was sharp and stylish, yet still carried a quiet elegance.

The fine lines around my eyes, once etched by relentless exhaustion, were now gently fading, thanks to a hefty dose of self-care.

Just like my surging love for Brandon, once gone, it would never return.

When I arrived at the hospital entrance, I suddenly didn't want to go in.

Brandon had hurt me too deeply; even seeing him felt superfluous.

Just then, my assistant Chloe called urgently.

"Ms. Vance, for that overseas construction materials deal, should we still have Mr. Davison, the Vice President, handle it as usual?"

In the past, I only wanted to stay by Brandon's side, hoping that the first person he hugged when he stood up would be me.

So, even if sending a VP to sign was unprofessional and would inevitably cost the company almost half its potential profits, I didn't care.

But people grow, don't they? You have to learn to love yourself first before you can truly decide who else is worthy of that love.

This time, I firmly shook my head.

"No need. I'll go myself."

The moment I hung up, I made eye contact with Skylar Reed, who was walking towards me.

The atmosphere was awkward for a few seconds.

She flashed a sickly sweet smile, chirping, "Ellie, what a coincidence! Youre at the hospital too?"

Her feigned surprise was sickening.

I had no intention of making small talk and turned to leave.

But Skylar raised an eyebrow, blocking my path. Then, she deliberately let slip a crumpled ultrasound report from her hand.

"Ellie, I'm pregnant and can't bend over. Could you pick that up for me?"

I remained unmoved, my gaze fixed on her abdomen, my breathing tight.

"Pregnant so soon? And where's the baby's daddy?"

Skylar touched her belly with a blissful expression, smiling sweetly.

"This is our second baby. His dad is overjoyed! Even though he can't always be with me and Leo, his love is always there."

"He bought us several houses, and even set up a trust fund of billions for both kids. Oh, and tonight's city-wide fireworks display? That's what his dad arranged to cheer me up. He always says women are born to be pampered."

Skylar gushed, her hands animated with excitement. She paused for a second, then looked at me with a sympathetic expression.

"I'm so sorry, Ellie, I brought up your sore spot. Brandon's been sick for so long, you must be so lonely, aren't you?"

I forced a smile, my voice flat. "I've arranged a new treatment plan for him recently. He'll be able to stand up soon. I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel."

"Really? Well, congratulations then."

She sneered as she walked past me.

Before boarding the plane, I called Brandon.

"Brandon, I won't be able to stay with you for the next week. Company business needs me."

Hed always been a reserved man, but after his 'illness,' hed become even more quiet and withdrawn.

Now, though, his voice was filled with joy and excitement.

"Took you long enough to get smart. You should have given up on me and focused on work ages ago, Ellie. Honestly, I always preferred you as a fierce, capable businesswoman."

I chuckled. "Alright, then I'll live up to your expectationsa formidable businesswoman, undisturbed by trivial matters. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

His excited tone quickly flattened, morphing back into his familiar, impatient drawl.

"I've arranged the latest treatment plan for you. Next week, will you cooperate with the doctor obediently? There's a pre-surgical agreement; remember to sign it later."