Chapter 1

On the night of our engagement party, my fiancée was kissing her childhood best friend passionately under the sycamore tree we had planted with our own hands.

I looked down at my paralyzed legs in the wheelchair. Slowly, I slipped the ring off my finger and silently wished them a lifetime of happiness.

Yet, she thought I was just throwing a tantrum.

"I only got delayed for a few hours because I had to pick up Julian. What is your problem, Ethan?"

"Who was the one who begged on his knees for this engagement? It’s already a miracle that I even showed up. What more do you want, Ethan Vance?"

Julian stood behind her, pretending to apologize. "Ethan, this is my fault. Don't blame Vivian. My car—"

Before he could finish, Vivian interrupted him. "There’s nothing to explain. He’ll be crying and begging for my forgiveness in a few days anyway."

But Vivian was wrong. This time, I was never looking back.

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I watched the clock tick away in the empty banquet hall. Finally, I pressed the button on my electric wheelchair, preparing to leave.

Just as I turned around, the heavy doors burst open. Vivian strutted in, looking stunning in a vibrant red mermaid dress.

"Where is everyone? They all left? Already?"

She glanced around the empty room. Finally, her eyes landed on my legs, and her brows furrowed in distaste.

"Did you really sit here looking like this the entire night?"

I pulled a blanket from the back of my wheelchair and covered my legs. I did it to hide my disability, and to shield myself from the disgust in her eyes.

"I called off the party," I said quietly. My heart ached so much I could barely breathe.

Once, when Vivian and I were deeply in love, she would roll up my jeans and kiss my scarred knees over and over again.

Now, even looking at me felt like a waste of her time.

"Why would you cancel it? I was only a few hours late. It's not like I didn't show up." Vivian sounded completely justified. Clearly, she didn't take my words seriously.

"Besides, I was picking up Julian. How could he not be here for such an important moment?"

Julian was her childhood friend. They grew up next door to each other.

Later, Julian went abroad, and they lost touch for years.

Until two years ago, when Julian made a high-profile return to Boston with his artificial heart technology.

Vivian, who was also dedicated to medical research, saw this.

And just like that, they reconnected.

Julian did the research, Vivian poured in the money. They became inseparable. She was even willing to leave me waiting for hours at our own engagement party just for him.

I could understand her being busy with work. But they spent every evening and weekend together. No man in his right mind would be okay with that.

"Since he is so important, why do you even need me at this engagement party?"

Vivian lost her patience. She waved her hand dismissively, her face twisting with irritation. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you blaming me?"

She swung her designer bag and threw it right at my face. I didn't even try to dodge it.

It didn't actually hurt. But compared to my shattered heart, I found it pathetic that I almost wanted to thank her for not hitting harder.

I said nothing. I picked up her bag, gently dusted it off, and placed it on the floor.

Then, I pressed the controller of my wheelchair to leave.

"Vivian, you should explain things to Ethan..." Julian, who had been standing silently in the background, finally spoke up as I turned away.

"There's nothing to explain! Look at him, acting like a dramatic teenager at his age!" Vivian snapped.

"Just let him go. He has no car, no house, no savings, and no job. I support his entire life. How could he even survive without me?"

"Even this engagement party was something he begged me for."

I let out a bitter laugh. Yes, I had begged for the engagement. I had begged for her commitment.

Vivian truly believed I had no financial resources and relied entirely on her.

That was why she felt so free to hurt me, confident that I would never leave her side.

My fingertips dug into the armrest of my wheelchair. For the first time, Vivian felt like a complete stranger to me.

Seeing that I wasn't stopping, Vivian yelled at my back, "Ethan Vance! I work my ass off out there every single day to support this family. I don't come home just to deal with your attitude!"

"It's bad enough that you do nothing at home, but can't you at least show some empathy?"

"I was exhausted, but I still made time to come here. And you? You just throw a fit and walk away. What is wrong with you?"

In the past, if Vivian got this angry, I would have rushed to comfort her.

I used to be so terrified of her ignoring me.

But now, all I felt was a cold, dead numbness.

I had loved Vivian for ten years. From her awkward teenage years to her current status as a successful businesswoman, I loved every single piece of her.

But now, I was just too tired to love her anymore.

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