THE BILLIONAIRE CRIPPLED WIFE

chapter 25&26

🌹THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRIPPLED 🌹

🥀WIFE🥀

{Love In Contract…}

Chapter 25💎26

🥀A SILENT KILLER🥀

It was a winter evening, and snow clouded not only the sky but also streets.

16 years old naturally blonde Ophelia dressed in a coat with scarfs around her head, then a head and palm warmer to keep her shielded from cold, stood smiling cutely in front of a show glass.

There were different collections of lipsticks and face foundations of different colors and varieties.

Her pretty palms touched the show glass, as her gorgeous blue eyes stared magnificently at the lipsticks.

“When I grow up, I'll open my own makeup store with a beauty salon in it!”. Ophelia vowed with a chic smile before walking away, through a lonely path.

“Seems you just lost another customer”. 19 years old Richard, who was also a college student muttered from inside the makeup store.

As his gaze followed Ophelia down the lane she took.

He wasn't one to spare a single glance at everyone, but for some reason his bright brown eyes like those of the pollen of a sunflower just couldn't leave her till she was out of sight.

He sat right at the bar section of the store, sipping in a glass of liquor when Ophelia came to sight.

“Really?!”. His friend Mark answered as he ran out from his store's inner room to look out the glass window but no one was there and he sighed.

“Gosh! My parents would lock me in business school if my makeup store doesn't blow up!! Why do customers avoid me because I'm a male not a female?! What makes them think a guy can't love girly stuff too!!”. Mark groaned and Richard went busy on his phone.

“Don't worry. It's just a kid, she probably couldn't afford it”. Richard muttered and Mark turned to him.

“Kid? Wait…Does she have blonde hair with medium height?”. Mark asked.

“Blue eyes…red lips”. Richard added as he looked up at Mark who scoffed as he sat opposite him, then he drank the remaining alcohol left on Richard's table.

“Let her be. She comes here everyday to admire my products but never buys anything! But maybe she can't afford it. I tried talking to her once, but she has a nasty temper, kids these days are really overbearing”. Mark sighed deeply and Richard only ignored him.

“She comes here everyday”. Richard muttered beneath his breath, as he stared blankly at his phone.

As expected, Ophelia had appeared before the show glass the next day to admire Mark's makeup products.

And Richard had sat inside watching her till she left and that's how it continued till Richard became familiar with the time she did arrive, and one day, he decided to wait outside for her so he could get a closer look.

It was a bright summer morning the day Richard decided to wait out for her, he stared blankly at the show glass she always stared at.

‘There's nothing special in these. How come she spends too much time staring at it…

“They're beautiful right?”. The unfamiliar but yet strangely soothing voice muttered beside him and he turned only to find Ophelia staring admirably at the products in the show glass.

Though there was a great difference between their height, Ophelia wasn't really short, and since it was a hot summer she wore a green crop top on a jeans bomb shot.

Richard was just dressed in a casual black jumpsuit, with white stripes.

“I'll buy a huge makeup store once I'm older!! It'll be bigger than this one!!”. Ophelia said and Richard only stood staring at her, he was greatly mesmerized by her beauty.

Then she turned to him and gasped.

“Wow! You're the owner's handsome friend!!”. Ophelia smiled and Richard blinked puzzly at her statement but she instantly cut him off guard by offering him her hand, while smiling beautifully.

“I'm Ophelia, but you can call me Helia or Vanilla cause I smell like one! I'm 16 years old and I'm surely single!”. Ophelia introduced and Richard looked away as he took in his lips, forcing himself to laugh at what she just said and she blinked puzzly.

“What? You hate my introduction? Do you want another one—

“No”. Richard cut her off before she could speak.

“So what's your name? I don't have all day!”. Ophelia asked gesturing he shook her hand and Richard stared at her palm for sometime before taking it.

“Dex”. He said before walking back towards the store and Ophelia stared blankly at him.

“You didn't tell me your age…not even your relationship status!! I might look young but I'll be eighteen in two years!!!”. Ophelia shouted but Richard didn't stop walking.

“I'll be returning back home to New York first thing tomorrow morning, are you sure you don’t want us to talk longer!”. Ophelia further spoke and Richard stopped on his track for a moment and Ophelia smiled almost running towards him, but he had opened the door and walked into the store anyway and Ophelia stomped her feet to the ground.

“I almost had a demi-god as a boyfriend”. She mumbled as she began walking away down her usual path, she would stop at a few intervals to stare at the store before finally leaving.

“Does she live here alone?”. Richard asked from within the shop as he watched Ophelia leave and Mark came beside him.

“I heard she's here for rehab. If I knew that earlier, I wouldn't have dared approach her to stop stalking my products, but she seems pretty calmer with you”. Mark spoke and Richard glanced at him.

“Rehab? What for?”. He asked and Mark sighed.

“It's a long story, but everyone around avoids her like she's some plague, they said she caused her mom to have a miscarriage and almost killed her elder sister. So her dad sent her here, she’s been here since she was five. Her temper can be really nasty”. Mark uttered dramatically and Richard frowned.

“Five?”. He muttered as a little wave of anger hit him and Mark nodded.

“That's what the grannies in the neighborhood said. They said she lived at the rehabilitation center from five years old to ten. Her father had promised to bring her home when she clocked ten but for some unknown reason, he only just bought her a house to live till he was ready to bring her back. Such awful parents, anytime I think about them I realize my parents might be strict, but they still love me”. Mark sighed deeply.

Richard only walked away to where he dropped his black bag on a chair and then he opened the bag and began searching for something and Mark walked to him with a puzzled look.

“What are you looking for?”. Mark asked.

“My passport”. Richard replied and Mark blinked puzzly but suddenly gasped in shock.

“You're going back?! I thought you promised not to return back?!”. Mark asked and finally Richard found his passports, then he wore his bag and glanced at Mark.

“I changed my mind”. He uttered before walking out of the store and Mark waved after him with a sigh.

“Bye!! I'll miss you, my only friend!!”. Mark

Richard opened the room door and went in shutting it behind him and the doctor instantly bowed at him before running out and Ophelia sat watching as he approached her.

“Why do you want to walk so badly? I don't see anything bad with you staying this way?”. Richard uttered as he got close to her and Ophelia's eyes widened.

“I can't believe you're saying this?! You know too well all the humiliations I have been facing so far are because of these two useless legs!”. Ophelia yelled and Richard nodded wrapping his arms, then he looked her right in the eyes and said.

“But I don't want you to walk. Is it that hard for you to see?”. He uttered and Ophelia blinked in disbelief.

“You're crazy! You're so insane!! You've lost your f**king mind!!---

“And who caused it?!!!”. Richard yelled cutting her off and Ophelia flinched at his sudden outburst and then he stormed closer and grabbed her both shoulders, while glaring deeply at her.

“You're the reason for my madness Helia. You are the cause and only you can cure it!!”. He shouted and Ophelia shook her head negatively as she tried pushing him off.

“No! No! I just wanted out of our toxic relationship!! What did I do wrong in that?!!”. Ophelia screamed at the top of her voice and Richard only let out a grim smirk as he stared deeply at her.

“And did you ask for my permission in am of that?! You just went ahead and started another f**king relationship with that drug addict behind my back!!”. Richard shouted his grip tightening on Ophelia's arms and she began hurting really hard.

“Gerald just lended me a helping hand. He just helped me escape you!!”. Ophelia replied in a lower tone as her gaze were clouded in fright and Richard scoffed in mockery.

“And where are you now? Even after six years…even when you thought dying your hair would make me forget, even after changing your whole attitude from a hot tempered cutie to a shrewish, spoiled b***h. What still happened? You still became my wife Mrs Ophelia Richard Dex Diamond”. Richard muttered in a deep death and tears began pouring down Ophelia's eyes as she stared at him.

“Don’t call me that, you animal!!”. Ophelia snapped loudly in tears and Richard slowly let go of her as he avoided watching her cry.

“You won't be returning back to the family mansion. There are many people and I fear your life is in danger. If you had just picked a location then maybe you wouldn't have suffered this”. He muttered his gaze at the door, even though Ophelia was next to him.

“That's why you let those riffraffs pick on me. Because I refused to leave this continent, you used them to punish me right? You made your mother assault me…

“I might be many things. But I'm not a manipulator. But yes, I just wanted you to see the result of your actions. I wanted to tell you how badly you'll suffer if you don't listen to me”. Richard muttered and Ophelia threw a pillow at him in anger, which caught his face and he turned to her, after unwrapping his arms.

“You want to walk so badly don't you?”. He asked and Ophelia who was fuming in anger suddenly became quiet and he smiled moving closer to sit right next to her on the bed, he made to take her palm but she moved it away and he restrained.

“I can make you get your legs treated now, only if you agree never to ask for a divorce again”. Richard offered and Ophelia turned to him with widened eyes.

“You’re so despicable. You know too well divorce is the only reason why I wanted my legs treated”. Ophelia said and Richard nodded.

“So no right? You prefer using the wheelchair than your own legs right?”. Richard replied and Ophelia took her gaze to her legs.

“If I get the surgery to treat my legs and I become your permanent wife…where will I live, if it's out of this city then. I'd rather die crippled”. Ophelia muttered frowning at him and he only stared dumbfounded at her.

“You went through a lot in this same city but you still won't leave?”. Richard asked and Ophelia threw him a glare.

“Stay anywhere you wish to then”. He muttered before getting up.

“But it still got nothing to with my personal grudges against you”. Richard muttered as he walked out of the room.

“Get ready I'll come pick you once it's time for the surgery”. He said before finally leaving, and Ophelia stared after him while fidgeting with her fingers.

‘He still isn't ready to let go of the past. Do I have to die before he fully forgives me?’. Ophelia thought in distraught.

Gerald was walking through the hallway towards his room, when Irene suddenly came out of Pascal's room and he glanced at her with a frown.

“Don't tell me, you've started stealing from him too?! Why?! Is it because I'm broke now? Have you forgotten who made me go broke?!”. Gerald hissed offensively and Irene opened her mouth to speak, but Pascal who came out of his room beat her to it.

“Just had to ask her a few questions. But it was meaningless because she wouldn't say who ordered her to serve the milk”. Pascal sighed and Irene instantly walked to Gerald.

“How was it? Did she confess to what she did?! Am I free now?”. Irene now asked and Gerald frowned.

“What do you take me for? Of course she would confess!”. Gerald spoke and Irene sighed in relief.

“What did she say? Did she say she made Irene serve Ophelia the poisoned milk?”. Pascal asked and Gerald glanced at him puzzly, which made both Pascal and Irene exchange glances.

Suddenly Angela ran past them, as she made sure to walk on tiptoe beside Gerald, before she ran into her room and locked the door with various locks.

“Isn't that the b*tch you were supposed to be questioning?!!”. Gaston said as he walked out of his room and Gerald turned to him.

“Who is she? Why should I question her?! Is the b*tch worth my time?!”. Gerald spat at Gaston before walking into his room and locking the door and Irene stared shockingly till he was out of sight.

Pascal on the other hand balled his fists while Gaston only shook head.

“His head got wiped out again. I feel he's gonna die soon”. Gaston muttered then he giggled before walking back into his room and Pascal glared after him.

“You asshole! How could you wish a brother death?!”. Pascal sneered as he stormed into Gaston's room while Irene stood rooted to her spot.

For some reason, fear gripped her as she stared at Gerald's room door.

“Die?”. She mumbled and suddenly a maid approached her.

“The chairman wants to see you in his study”. The maid said and Irene nodded before heading to the chairman's study.

Angela sat curled up on her bed, as she shivered in fright. Her mind kept replaying what happened earlier between her and Gerald and her stubbornness almost got her killed.

She had refused calling Vanessa's name as the culprit because of fear of Vanessa exposing her also and Gerald in anger almost pulled the trigger but suddenly he paused, returned his gun to his pocket and began walking back into the house, leaving her to stare after him in puzzlement of what was going on.

Suddenly Angela sat up on the bed.

“I heard he suffers from severe memory loss because of his drugs. So I was lucky, I was lucky his memory loss had to hit in at the right time. It seems even the Lord is by my side”. Angela muttered to herself then she broke into a loud laughter.

Suddenly the door to her room opened slowly and Vanessa sneaked in locking the door behind her as she ran straight to Angela.

“Thank goodness you didn't speak to my lady and his usual brain wipe took the best time to manifest”. Vanessa said with a smile and Angela glanced at her with a serious gaze.

“You should have been implicated by now! What happened to the milk I gave you the milk was not in anyway harmful why is that b*tech showing poison symptoms?! And What did you tell that little maid that made her refuse not to mention your name?! Did you threaten her by any means?”. Angela asked and Vanessa shook her head.

“Well the annoying first lady spilled the milk you gave me, so I made another one and applied a brand new poison to it. I didn’t know you weren’t trying to poison her, and Sir Richard also added something to the milk so I thought you both wanted her out so you could openly express your love for each other”. Vanessa said and Angela's eyes widened at her statement.

“You did what?!! If I wanted to kill her you think it would be through poison?!! And in this mansion where everyone except Mrs Diamond and Richard hates me?!!”. Angela shouted and Vanessa became quiet.

‘It seems Richard didn't trust me enough to make her remain crippled. He had to do it himself, now maybe the substance mixed and caused such reactions in his darling's wife's body. He acts like he's the only one who ever fell in love but he's still the one who almost killed her!’. Angela spat within.

Then she glanced at Vanessa.

“Well did you threaten the maid to keep shut??”. She asked and Vanessa shook her head.

“No I didn't. The thing is I didn't approach her personally. I waited for when she was on her way to the kitchen before dropping the glass of milk on the island, with a note beside it, ‘Milk for the first lady’. I know she must have thought other maids refused to take it to the first lady because they hated her, that's why she took it upon herself to do the delivery as a good maid”. Vanessa spoke and Angela smiled.

“Though I'm a little confused. To avoid instant drama I gave her a slow poison, but how did the poison react so fast? Was she already sick or that sneaky maid messed with it”. Vanessa said and Angela scoffed.

“Seems she's really a pretender, but anyhow it's not our business anymore. Now unless the both of us snitch on ourselves which definitely would not happen. Nobody will find out about how the poisoned milk came about and they'll just end up accusing Irene more”. Angela uttered with a happy smile and Vanessa smiled while clearing her throat loudly and Angela gave her a puzzled look.

“It's good our sharp brains compliment each other, but don't you think I deserve a little something for a job well done?”. Vanessa said, bringing forth her hand to Angela who instantly glared at it.

‘Cunning gold digger’. Angela spat within herself.

Irene sat in front of the chairman while he stared at her.

“It's a good thing you got your bruised face treated before coming here”. The chairmen said and Irene nodded.

“You got caught up in everyone's schemes, did you know?”. The chairman said and Irene nodded.

“I also noticed it”. Irene mumbled and the chairman was the one who nodded this time.

“Well I called you here for something else entirely. I've been looking for the right time to tell you, before all this had to happen”. The chairman said and Irene instantly became curious.

“I'm sure you've met Gerald and you've seen the way he behaves recently”. The chairman began and Irene thought deep before replying.

“Yes, I've been meaning to ask if it was healthy for him to keep forgetting things every twenty minutes”. Irene muttered and the chairman shook his head negatively.

“No. It certainly isn't healthy. I sent you to him because I thought your constant trouble would keep his memory intact. But it doesn't seem to be working and if this continues then he has only a year left to live. He damaged his brain with drugs and I'm pretty sure he knows that also”. The chairman said and Irene's eyes widened.

“Why not take him to a hospital instead! They should be able to do something to help shouldn't they?”. Irene asked and the chairman only sighed deeply.

“He doesn't want to go. He seems to have resigned to fate as he has no reason to live. It's my fault for neglecting him”. The chairman sighed and Irene shook her head.

“It's his parents fault not yours chairman. His mom focuses more on gaslighting and tormenting people instead of taking care of her sons and his Dad…His dad Mr Diamond is…is mysterious”. Irene mumbled as she fidgeted with her fingers and the chairman broke into laughter.

“Yes, Richard took after him. But then…He's the only reason why I'm still alive, he took great care of me when my wife and daughter died”. The chairman said with a smile and Irene blinked.

‘His wife and daughter died from a strange disease or were they killed like what almost happened to Sir Richard's wife?’. Irene thought as she remembered what happened earlier at the kitchen.

FLASHBACK TO 3 HRS BACK>

Irene had happily ran into the kitchen when she met a glass of milk on the island with a note beside it.

She was about picking up the note to read, when Mr Diamond came beside her with another glass of milk and she bowed in greeting.

“Give her this instead. It's warmer and she deserves a warm milk for all she's been through in this house”. Mr Diamond offered and Irene smiled as she took it.

“It'll be more heart warming if you gave her yourself. After all she's your daughter-in-law”. Irene said and Mr Diamond only replied with a creepy smile that made Irene slowly shift back in fright.

“Should I?! No…Richard won't like that. He hates me close to his wife, that's why he always sees to it that she rarely comes out when I'm around”. Mr Diamond had said then he moved closer to Irene who shifted back a little.

“And my wife treated her awfully so she would of course hold a grudge against me. So please help me give it to her in my stead”. Mr Diamond said before walking picking up the note beside the other milk and left with it.

Irene only stared blankly at him, suddenly a random maid ran into the kitchen picked up the milk Vanessa had prepared and gulped down the whole content in one go and sighed.

“Thank goodness! I thought I would die of thirst! There's no single water in our annex!!”. The maid said as she moved to the sink to wash the cup and Irene only chuckled at her before going to give Ophelia the milk.

END OF FLASHBACK.

‘I'm very stupid. It was very obvious but I still gave her the milk! And I dare not call him out or else I would be setting myself on fire. No one would believe me because Mr Diamond is literally the quietest of all in this mansion. What if his crazy wife accuses me of tearing her family apart? Sir Richard might believe me though, but he hates me’. Irene thought, despising herself for the decision she made and the chairman blinked puzzly at her.

“Help!! Somebody Help!! Gladys is dying!! She has been poisoned!!”. A voice could be heard from outside and Irene's eyes widened while the chairman frowned at the commotion.

‘Gladys? She's the one who drank the milk with a note beside it. So both milk meant for the first lady were poisoned?!’. Irene thought instant shock…