Paralyzed by His Lies

Chapter 8

My cousin Jason stepped between me and Alexander, his tone ice-cold.

Alexander slowly withdrew his outstretched hand and adjusted his wrinkled suit, trying to compose himself.

"You must be Jason," he said calmly. "I'm Alexander Quinn, from the Quinn family."

He clearly thought dropping the family name would make a difference, but Jason just raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"Oh, so you're the guy who faked being paralyzed for five years? Still rolling around in that chair, huh? What, got addicted to playing disabled?"

The color drained from Alexander's face.

Jason turned to me. "Sis, you got anything else to say to this guy? If not, let's go. Mom's looking for you."

I stepped out of Eric's embrace, looked Alexander in the eye, and said slowly, "No. I don't have anything left to say to the Quinn family."

Jason nodded. "You heard her, Uncle. She's done with you. We're in a rush."

With that, he grabbed my hand and led me away.

Alexander didn't move. As I got into the car, I heard his voice, soft, almost broken.

"Lucy… you don't love me anymore?"

In my heart, I whispered the answer he didn't want to hear.

"No. I don't. And I'm too scared to ever love you again."

The car was quiet for a while. Eric and Jason didn't say a word, but I could feel them waiting for me to speak.

"Cousin… how did you even know about Alexander?"

"You and Auntie never asked me about anything."

Jason's voice was tight with anger. "You really think we didn't know anything? Next time I see that guy, I swear I'll rearrange his face."

"I'll back you up," Eric added. "We'll mess him up so bad even he won't recognize himself."

Their ridiculous bravado made me laugh, and for the first time in days, the pain of seeing Alexander again started to fade.

It felt good to be protected.

After that, Jason and Eric made sure I was never alone.

But no matter where I went, Alexander always managed to show up. He wouldn't say much, just followed silently in his wheelchair.

At first, we ignored him. But he kept interfering, and soon Jason and Eric's phones wouldn't stop ringing. Every day brought some new "accident" or mess.

Even though they told me not to worry, I saw the stress in their eyes.

"If you've got things to handle, go," I told them. "I'll stay in. I won't go anywhere."

Jason squinted at me suspiciously. "You swear you'll stay put?"

"I swear. Totally grounded."

Once they were gone, I grabbed my phone, and called Alexander.

We met at a small café. He was already there, sitting in his wheelchair with a little bouquet of white lilies.

When I walked in, he smiled and held them out. "Lucy… these are for you."

"I'm so sorry. I regret everything. I never meant to hurt you. Can you forgive me?"

I took the flowers and casually tossed them aside.

"I forgive you," I said flatly. "Now can you disappear from my life?"

"Alexander Quinn, go home."

His smile faltered, replaced by quiet desperation.

"I don't want to go back alone. Lucy, I love you. Every single day since you left, I've been in pain."

Those were the words I'd waited ten years to hear.

I used to imagine how happy I'd be when he finally said them. But now?

I felt… nothing.

"Alexander Quinn," I said quietly, "I loved you for ten years. You knew it, didn't you?"

"You crushed my heart like it was nothing. And now you say you love me?"

"Well, I don't love you anymore. In fact… I'm disgusted by you."

The words hit him like a slap. He knocked over his water glass, eyes wide in disbelief.

"No… I didn't know. I thought I was in love with Isabella…"

Right. That's why he could treat me like trash. Because he didn't know.

Now he knows, and what? I'm supposed to go back to being the girl who doted on him?

Alexander Quinn, you don't get to ruin me and still expect to have everything you want.

Not anymore.