THE DISABLED EX-WIFE’S RETURN

CHAPTER FOUR:KARA

“It’s Kara Slade,” I find myself saying before I can stop myself.

But it’s the truth. I’m no longer a Hawthorne after Noah divorced me.

The man regards me, a mischievous glint in his eye as his lips twitch. “My mistake, Kara Slade,” he corrects. “I should have put that into consideration, knowing everything that you have been through in just a few hours.”

My brows furrow in confusion. I have a feeling that he isn’t referring to the fact that they had practically kidnapped me.

Somehow, he knows about what happened at the party, and now, for some reason, he wants me here.

“What are you talking about?” I ask. “Why the hell am I here? And who are you?”

“My apologies,” the man said, looking past me at someone—probably my captor, who I’m now a hundred percent convinced is his son. “It was rude of me not to introduce myself first.”

He stretches a firm hand out. “My name is Maximus Sterling,” he says. Hesitantly, I raise my hand and he clasps it in his, giving it a firm shake. “And there’s a reason you’re here, Kara.”

“And what reason is that?” I ask, voice sharper than I intended.

Maximus Sterling studies me, his green eyes glinting with something unreadable. Calculating. Like he’s deciding how much he wants me to know.

I hate the way he’s looking at me, but strangely, I’m not scared.

“You’ve been through quite the betrayal, haven’t you?” he muses. “Your husband discarded you for his mistress. And your son… you’ve had a horrible evening, haven‘t you, Kara? And on top of everything, you tried to end your life.”

My stomach twists. He’s speaking so plainly, like he’s reciting facts from a textbook. Or a file. “Were you really going to let them win?”

My hands clench into fists and I decide to ignore his question. “So what? You kidnapped me? Dragged me here to throw it in my face?”

Maximus chuckles, low and dark. “On the contrary, my dear. I brought you here because I think we can be of use to each other.”

That makes my body stand at attention. “Use?”

He nods, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You see, Kara. I know exactly what it’s like to be betrayed by family. By those whom you considered family. I know how it feels to be cast aside by those who should have been loyal.” He paused.

One side of his mouth pulls up in a smirk before he continues. “And I know how… satisfying it is to watch those very people pay for their mistakes.”

My breath catches in my throat. I don’t know if I’m unable to process this or I’m processing it too much.

“Are you saying… you want revenge?” I whisper.

Maximus steps closer so he’s towering over me, and for the first time, I feel it. The power and dominance rolling off this man in waves. The kind of power that crushes enemies without hesitation.

I like that.

He smirks. “No, my dear.” He tilts his head. “I’m saying I want to help you get yours.”

Everything goes still as I stare at Maximus, unmoving, waiting for him to laugh. To tell me that this is some sort of twisted joke.

But he doesn’t.

Instead, he only watches me with amusement, like he’s enjoying the way my mind is scrambling for answers.

Letting out a sharp laugh, I shake my head. “You’re insane.”

“Perhaps.” His smirk is permanent. “But I’m also a man who delivers well on his promises.”

I scoff. Unbelievable. This man must really think that I’m stupid. Like I’m supposed to believe that a random stranger would offer to help me.

Do I want revenge?

Now that I think about it, hell yes. I want to make Noah and Vanessa pay. But there is nothing I can do in this condition.

Gripping the arms of my wheelchair, I ask, “And what exactly do you think I can do? Look at me.” I gesture at myself, at my broken body. “I can’t even stand on my own. I have nothing left. No power. No leverage. Nothing.” My voice breaks and I swallow hard, trying not to cry.

Maximus's brows go up. “That’s where you’re wrong, Kara. You have something. You have me.”

A frown pulls my lips downwards. “What?”

“I have doctors,” he says. “The best in the world. Specialists who are ready to work on you the moment you say yes. You will walk again, Kara.” He leaves no room for uncertainty in his tone.

The remainder of his sentence just filters in and out of my ears, because all I can hear are those four words.

You.

Will.

Walk.

Again.

You will walk again.

I will walk again.

I can’t breathe.

“You will stand on your own two feet, and you will take back everything that was stolen from you.”

His words grip me by the throat.

I want to believe him. But after everything? Hope feels like such a dangerous thing.

But I will indulge him. I swallow. “And what do you want in return?” Nothing like this will ever come for free.

Maximus doesn’t hesitate. “Marriage.”

My stomach drops. Did I hear that right. Marriage?

“I…What?”

“You will marry my son, Roman.” His expression remains unreadable. “And in return, you will have access to the finest medical care and rehabilitation…” He tilts his head, pinning me with that damn stare. “And the power that comes with being a Sterling.”

My mind goes blank.

Marriage? To a stranger? That’s the price I have to pay to be able to walk again?

I knew that this was too good to be true.

I shake my head, my heart pounding hard against my ribcage. “That’s insane.”

Maximus shrugs. “Perhaps. But is it any more insane than throwing yourself in front of a car? Twice, if I may?”

I flinch.

Suffocating silenece stretches between us. It’s almost impossible to believe that there are other people in this room.

But then—

A voice sounds out. A voice belonging to someone who had been silent all this while. A voice belonging to the person I’m supposed to get married to, apparently.

My captor.

“You’re wasting your time, father,” he says, coming to stand beside his father. Looking right through me with the same damn eyes as his father’s, but more intense.

Roman. His name is Roman. His dark hair is tousled, as if he’s been running his hands through it all day. A permanent frown sits on his face, and I’m tempted to ask him if that’s his resting b***h face.

I have a feeling that won’t go well.

“She doesn’t want to do this. This woman doesn’t love herself enough to want to live. What makes you think she will agree to this?”

The way he says all that while still looking at me… it makes me feel a sharp pain in my chest.

“What do you even stand to gain from this?” I can’t help but ask. “You want something from the Hawthornes. What is it?”

Roman doesn’t even hesitate to say, “That is none of your business, Kara.” I blink at the way he says my name. “If you agree to this, you’re agreeing to not ask any questions. Not why. Not when…”

He bends, leaning in while his hands rest on the arms of my wheelchair. “Not how.” His eyes dart to my lips and I notice the way his jaw clenches. My eyes dart to his full ones as well. “What we’re offering you, Kara, is a whole lot more than you can ever imagine. If you decide to miss out on this, I’ll let you go. And you can roll this wheelchair of yours back into the road, waiting for someone to ram into you.” He lowers his voice. “Waiting to die. You’d like that, yeah?”

He pauses, letting out a warm, minty breath that fans my face. “No one will save you this time. I promise.”

I refuse to speak. Refuse to let this man know just how much he intimidates me. Even worse than his father. Instead, I keep my eyes on his.

Roman pulls back, shoving his hands into his pockets. He heaves a sigh, like he’s bored.

“So, what do you say, Kara Slade? Will you marry me?”