Let them believe I'm weak and useless
1345 Words
Mrs. Angela crossed herself as she watched Jace being wheeled into the hospital room, her face pale but her eyes… restless.
“Mom… what is all this about?” Jace asked, confusion laced with fear.
“The doctors will check if your legs are still functioning,” she replied stiffly.
Jace’s eyes widened.
He immediately grabbed her hand with both of his hands, his grip was the desperate kind.
“Mom, please don’t do this. My leg was broken by Noah himself, you were there. You stopped the doctor from treating me. So how… how could it suddenly heal?”
His voice cracked.
But Mrs. Angela yanked her hand away like his touch burned her perfect skin.
“Doctors,” she said coldly, “get to work. I want to see everything with my own eyes.”
Two medical experts stepped forward and carefully lifted Jace from his wheelchair onto the bed.
Jace let out a hollow laugh.
“Why bother?” he muttered. “If you want me dead, just say it. I’ll make it easy for you.”
Before anyone could react, he grabbed a fruit knife from the tray and pressed it against his neck.
Gasps filled the room.
But his mother moved fast, grabbing his wrist tightly.
“If you're not hiding anything” she whispered dangerously, her eyes locking with his, “then you’ll cooperate.”
Jace froze in place and her voice dropped even lower.
“I’d also like to know what your relationship with Ethan Cornelius is.”
She waved her hand, and the doctors quickly took the knife from him. A faint scoff came from the corner.
Marcus leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching like it was all entertainment. “Won’t you save your beloved this time?” he said mockingly.
“I’d like to see how this ends.” I said and ignored him.
Moments later, one of the experts stepped forward, her expression uneasy.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Wilson… your son’s legs haven’t been treated for a long time. It will be extremely difficult for him to walk again.”
Jace didn’t react, He just stared at the ceiling.
Mrs. Angela nodded slowly… then reached for the fruit knife again.
“Since he has no feeling in his legs…” she murmured, pulling Jace’s trousers up to his knees.
Everyone in the room tensed.
“Then I suppose… he won’t feel this.”
She said as she raised the knife, ready to stab Jace.
Jace shut his eyes, waiting for the knife to tear his skin.
Daphne P.O.V
“STOP!”
The door burst open, I rushed in and grabbed the blade.
Pain shot through my palm instantly as the knife sliced my skin. Blood dripped on the bedsheets.
“Daphne!” Jace shouted, his eyes snapping open in shock. The knife fell from Mrs. Angela’s hand.
Jace reached for me immediately, grabbing my injured hand despite himself. “Are you okay? Let me see, how deep is it?” he asked sounding concerned.
But I wasn’t looking at him, my eyes were locked on her.
Rage burned through me every second I stared at her.
“Where in the world did he find a mother like you?” I snapped, my voice sharp with anger. “You forced him to come back to the Winston family mansion, and now you’re bullying him?”
“Miss Horace,” Mrs. Winston said coldly, her gaze piercing into mine, “this is between my son and me. You have no right to interfere.”
I let out a quiet scoff, refusing to back down.
“Jace Winston is my fiancé. His business is my business. And if you don’t like me interfering…” I paused, gently touching Jace’s cheek with my other hand, “…then we’ll leave.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned to him. “Hold on to me.”
Carefully, I lifted him into a princess carry, mindful of my injured palm, and walked out of the room.
Behind us, Mrs. Angela’s furious stare lingered on my back.
My heels clicked against the floor as I tried to steady my steps. His weight wasn’t the problem, it was the attention he received.
“Put me down,” Jace whispered, his voice low and tense.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, “I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“Stop talking… and put me down,” he said again, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
I looked around. Nurses, doctors, patients… all staring.
Marcus was there too.
Jace seemed to shrink under their gaze, burying his face in my neck. A small smile tugged at my lips, but I said nothing.
I kept walking until I found an empty room. Gently, I set him down on the bed.
“I’ll be back,” I said, turning toward the door. “I need to speak with the nurse in charge.”
Just as I stepped out, Marcus walked in.
“Oh, right,” I said, pausing. “I didn’t introduce you both.”
I gestured between them.
“Marcus, this is my fiancé, Jace. And Jace… this is Marcus, my friend.”
I looked at Jace reassuringly.
“Don’t worry. He’ll take care of you while I’m gone.” I said as I placed a kiss on his forehead and Jace gave a small nod.
Marcus slipped his hands into his pockets and walked further into the room.
I hesitated for a second, then added,
“He’s a good friend. You’ll be fine.”
With that, I left, closing the door behind me.
Jace’s POV
The moment the door shut, silence filled the room. I looked at Marcus.
And he looked right back at me with a smile, he saw everything in the lobby, I knew it.
This… was about Daphne carrying me, A low laugh escaped him.
I ignored it, straightening my posture and adjusting my clothes, pretending it didn’t bother me.
But it did.
“The man who takes down people’s businesses…” he began, shaking his head in disbelief. “The man behind Cornelius Construction…" he shook his head again "the mighty Ethan Cornelius...”
He paused with a grin on his face.
“He was carried like a princess by his fiancée.” My fingers curled slightly into a fist.
“Princess Ethan,” he added, clearly enjoying himself.
“This is so embarrassing…” I muttered under my breath.
“Shut up,” I snapped. “You didn’t see anything.”
Marcus raised a brow.
“I didn’t?” he said, amused. “I think I saw everything.”
I exhaled slowly, then said flatly,
“Two million. That’s how much it’ll cost for you to forget.” That caught his attention.
Marcus let out a low whistle, then adjusted his jacket. “Fine,” he said simply.
For a moment, the room fell quiet.
Then Marcus spoke again, his tone different more serious this time.
“With everything that just happened…” he said, studying me, “do you think she’s in love with you?”
A faint smile touched my lips.
“Love..." I said as I smiled at the thought. "Love is overrated,” I replied calmly. “It’s exaggerated.”
Marcus didn’t look convinced, but I didn’t care. I leaned back slightly, my expression turning serious.
“Let’s focus on why you’re really here.”
His eyes sharpened.
I ran a hand through my hair, thinking carefully.
“I made a mistake last night,” I admitted. “Breaking Noah's leg again raised her suspicion."
“How?” he asked.
A cold smile formed on my lips. "She feels that in Ethan Cornelius."
Marcus stared at me waiting for clarification because obviously if I stood we are the same height and the same build. Just one reason that's hindering her from conclusion, Ethan's face is always hidden."
“I bribed the doctors a long time ago,” I continued. “If I hadn’t everything I've worked so hard for would’ve fallen apart by now.”
- Writer
