HANDICAPPED GOD OF WAR

Episode3

Lucas watched as Claire turned away from him, the despair in her eyes cutting him deeper than any wound he had ever suffered. He couldn’t let her leave like this—not after everything they had been through. Summoning every ounce of strength he had, he tried to stand, his muscles trembling with effort. But his legs, weakened by years of paralysis, betrayed him, and he collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud.

Hearing the noise, Claire stopped in her tracks and turned back to see Lucas struggling on the ground. A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head in disbelief. "Lucas, don’t," she said, her voice cold and mocking. "You can’t even stand up. Stop struggling and accept the reality. This is who you are now."

With a sneer, she reached into her purse and pulled out a check, tossing it onto the floor in front of him. "Here," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "One million dollars. That’s the last of what I have. My grandmother’s scheme took everything from me—my company, my hard work, all gone, transferred to my brother. This check is the end between us. Take it and live your life, Lucas."

The check fluttered to the ground, landing just inches from Lucas’s outstretched hand. He stared at it, the paper symbolizing the finality of their relationship, and felt a deep ache in his chest. But he wasn’t ready to give up—not yet.

"Claire," he gasped, his voice strained as he continued to push himself up, trying to get his legs under him. "Please… just give me one more day."

She looked down at him, her expression hardening. "One more day?" she echoed, her voice filled with resignation. "Lucas, what could possibly change in one day? I’ve already lost everything—my company, my dignity, my future. Staying with you will only drag us both further into the dirt."

Lucas’s heart pounded in his chest as he felt a faint warmth spreading through his legs—a sensation he hadn’t felt in years. The secret rehabilitation he had been undergoing was finally showing results, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet. Still, he couldn’t give up.

"Please, Claire," he begged, his voice hoarse. "I need to stand up. I need you to see that I’m not the man you think I am. I’ve been fighting for us, for you. Just one more day…"

She looked at him with disbelief and anger. "Fighting for us? By disappearing every month without a word? By using up all our money? You’ve left me to face all the whispers, all the mockery, alone. What kind of fight is that, Lucas? A fight that leaves me humiliated and broken?"

Lucas’s breath caught in his throat. "I can’t explain everything right now, but I swear I’m doing this for you. To protect you, to protect us."

"Protect me?" Claire spat out, her voice rising. "From what? From living a life of dignity? From having a husband who stands by me, instead of crawling on the floor? You want to protect me, Lucas? Then be the man I need. Stand up for once, both literally and figuratively."

Lucas winced at the harshness of her words but remained resolute. "I will, Claire. I’m getting stronger. I can feel it. Just give me a little more time, and I’ll show you—"

"Show me what?" Claire cut him off, her eyes brimming with tears. "Show me that you can stand? That you can walk? That doesn’t change what you’ve put me through. That doesn’t erase the years of lies and silence."

Her voice cracked as she continued, "I’ve lost everything, Lucas. And now, with this last check, I’m cutting ties with you. I don’t want to live in this misery anymore. I deserve better than this… better than you."

The pain in Lucas’s chest deepened, but he fought to keep his voice steady. "You’re right, Claire. You do deserve better. And I’m going to be that better man for you. Just… don’t walk out on me now."

But Claire’s resolve was firm. "It’s too late, Lucas," she said softly, shaking her head. "You’ve already lost me."

She turned away, her steps slow and deliberate as she walked toward the door, leaving Lucas on the floor, still struggling to rise. The warmth in his legs was growing stronger, and he could feel the faintest tingling sensation as his muscles began to respond. But it wasn’t enough to stop her from leaving.

As the door closed behind her, Lucas gritted his teeth, refusing to let the pain and frustration overwhelm him. He needed to stand. He needed to show Claire that he was capable, that he could be the man she needed, even if she couldn’t see it right now.

Just as he was about to give up, the door to the study burst open, and Claire’s mother stormed in, her face a mask of anger and disappointment. "What is going on here?" she demanded, her voice sharp. "Lucas, how dare you let Claire walk out like that? Do you have any idea what she’s been through?"

But her words trailed off as she saw Lucas, no longer lying helpless on the floor. He was standing—unsteady, but standing nonetheless. His silhouette, framed by the dim light of the room, seemed to radiate an aura of strength and determination that took her breath away.

"You… you’re standing," Claire’s mother stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Lucas met her gaze, his eyes burning with resolve. "I won’t let her go," he said, his voice filled with a power that resonated through the room. "Not like this. I will get her back, and I will make things right."

Claire’s mother stood frozen, stunned by the transformation she was witnessing. This was not the broken man she had despised for years. This was someone else entirely—someone who had the strength and the will to fight for what he loved, no matter the cost.

The powerful aura emanating from Lucas was undeniable, and for the first time, Claire’s mother felt a flicker of doubt about everything she had believed about him. Perhaps, just perhaps, this man had more to him than she had ever imagined.

"Lucas…" she began, her voice trembling slightly, "what are you going to do?"

"I’m going to prove to Claire that I’m the man she needs," Lucas replied, his voice unwavering. "I’m going to stand by her, no matter what it takes."

Claire’s mother could only nod, still in shock. As Lucas took a tentative step forward, feeling the strength returning to his legs, he knew that this was just the beginning. He would prove to Claire, to her family, and to himself that he was more than the man they had written off. And he would do whatever it took to win back the woman he loved.