My Disabled CEO Husband

Chapter Seven

Elena stared at the text on her phone, a simple message from Christian, “Dinner tonight. Don’t be late.”

The tension between them had grown thick over the past few days, and every time he looked at her, it felt like he was silently weighing her every move. It wasn’t a bad thing, exactly. But it was hard to ignore the subtle shift in their relationship. It had started with simple conversations about the surgery, but now, the silence between them felt laden with unspoken words, emotions neither of them wanted to voice.

The hospital had been a whirlwind lately—her research, the mounting pressure, and now, the unexpected promise of a swift wedding. She had no idea what had gotten into her when she agreed to it. But there was a part of her that couldn’t walk away. For Liam. For Christian. And maybe for herself too.

She needed to talk. She needed someone who wouldn’t judge her, who could listen to her rambling thoughts and tell her what she was too afraid to admit to herself. And so, she reached out to the one person who always knew how to bring clarity to her chaos.

Her best friend, Mia.

Mia was the kind of person who filled every room with laughter. With her round cheeks, dark curly hair, and a smile that could light up the world, Mia had been a constant in Elena’s life since childhood. She was loud, unabashedly herself, and completely unafraid to speak her mind. In short, Mia was exactly who Elena needed right now.

Elena pressed the phone to her ear, pacing the apartment. "Mia, I need to talk," she said as soon as her friend picked up.

"Of course! What's going on? You sound all... intense," Mia’s voice came through, playful yet concerned.

Elena paused, gathering her thoughts before responding. "It's... about Christian. And the whole surgery situation. And this crazy, unexpected wedding... I don’t even know what’s happening anymore."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. "Wait. Wedding?" Mia's voice shot up a few octaves in confusion. "You’re getting married to ‘Christian’?"

Elena sat down on the couch, burying her face in her hands. “I don’t know, Mia. It just happened. He’s been pressuring me to marry him before the surgery.”

"Whoa, slow down there!" Mia said, laughing lightly. "You're going to have to rewind this for me. Christian—the guy you’ve been talking about? The one with the whole ‘I’m an icy billionaire who’s closed off and grumpy’ thing?”

“Yep, that one,” Elena replied, feeling the weight of it all. "He... he wants me to marry him before the surgery. He says he needs to know he can trust me, that he wants me to be by his side for the long run. It’s not even about love, Mia. It’s more about his nephew, Liam, and his need for stability. I agreed, but now I’m... I’m not sure what I’ve gotten myself into."

"Okay. Okay." Mia took a deep breath. "First of all, let's talk about this man. He's offering you a wedding, and not just any wedding—a ‘swift’ wedding. And you're saying you agreed?"

Elena’s laugh was dry. "Yeah. I didn’t even know how to say no. It all happened so fast. Liam... he’s attached to me. He’s been calling me ‘Mommy.’ And I can’t just walk away from that. I don’t know if it’s out of guilt or something else, but I don’t know how to feel about any of this.”

Mia paused for a long moment before speaking again, her tone suddenly more serious. “Elena, are you sure you’re doing this for the right reasons? I know you’re trying to help, but marrying Christian? It sounds like a lot to take on. Are you okay with this?”

Elena swallowed, the question hitting harder than she expected. "I... I don’t know, Mia. I want to help him. I want to be there for Liam. But I don’t even know what it means for *me*. The whole thing feels like I’m walking into something I don’t understand, and it’s all happening so quickly.”

Mia exhaled sharply. “Okay, let’s break this down. First of all, you need to stop thinking of it as just some favor. This is a big deal. Marriage? It’s not like you can just walk away from that after a few months. You're signing up for something much deeper.”

“I know,” Elena whispered, her eyes closing as she let the weight of the words sink in. “But... what if I can help? What if this is the only way to make everything better for him? He trusts me, Mia. And that means something. But I don’t know if I’m ready for everything else.”

Mia’s voice softened, the playful tone gone. “Elena, you have to be honest with yourself. You’re not just helping him. You’re getting emotionally involved in this—whether you like it or not. And you can’t marry someone just because you feel obligated or because it’s the right thing to do in someone else’s eyes.”

Elena nodded slowly, feeling the sting of truth in her friend’s words. She hadn’t been able to admit it aloud before, but now it felt clear as day. She wasn’t just stepping into a marriage to help Christian. There was a part of her that... wanted to be a part of his life, to belong to him in some way. And that terrified her.

“Do you even like him?” Mia asked, her voice filled with concern but also curiosity.

“I don’t know,” Elena answered honestly. “I don’t know what it is about him. He’s cold, distant, but... when I see him with Liam, it’s like he’s a different person. And then... I don’t know. There’s something about the way he looks at me.”

Mia snorted. “Well, honey, sounds like he’s got you wrapped around his finger already.”

Elena chuckled, but the tension didn’t fully leave her. “Maybe. But I can’t ignore the responsibility I feel for Liam. He’s just a kid. And I don’t want him to feel abandoned.”

Mia was silent for a moment, clearly thinking. “Alright, here’s the thing: You need to have a real conversation with Christian. Don’t get swept up in the whirlwind of everything. You need to be sure this is what you want too. Not just for him, but for yourself. Because if you’re going to marry him—really marry him—you need to be sure that you can handle everything that comes with it.”

“I will,” Elena said, her voice more determined now. “I’ll talk to him. But for now... I just need to keep going with the research. Get through the surgery.”

“That’s the spirit,” Mia cheered. “Now, you go and handle that handsome man of yours. And, for the love of all things cute, don’t forget to make him smile once in a while. He sounds like he could use it.”

Elena laughed softly. “I’ll try. Thanks, Mia. You always know how to make things clearer.”

“I know. That’s what best friends are for,” Mia replied, and Elena could hear the smile in her voice. “Now, go and get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day.”