Chapter 3
“Wake up, sleepyhead! Time to get up, have your porridge, and take your medicine~”
It was already late morning when Jack, smelling fresh from his shower, came in to wake me up. He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head away, ignoring the confused look he gave me. My eyes landed on the takeout porridge he’d brought.
Shrimp soup. Rachel’s favorite.
And something I definitely couldn’t have with my medication, it would trigger an allergic reaction.
In the past, Jack had always been so attentive to these little details, more so than even I was.
I forced a bitter smile. “Not hungry. I’ll drink it later.”
He didn’t seem to notice anything was off. “Alright, Lily, just don’t let it get cold.”
Then, almost casually, he added, “My brother’s flying in for his engagement party tonight. With all the people there, I’m worried you might feel uncomfortable, so let’s skip it this time. You stay home, be good, and I’ll come back early to keep you company.”
I looked down, then asked quietly, “Jack, what would you think if I were getting engaged to your brother instead?”
Jack chuckled, a little too quickly. “My brother’s the pillar of the Thompson family. The elders would never let him marry a…disabled…”
He paused mid-sentence, realizing what he’d almost said, and quickly switched gears. “Lily, don’t talk like that! We love each other so much. Of course, you’re the only one I want to marry, now and forever!”
Before I could reply, his phone chimed. His eyes lit up, and he bolted out of the room, shouting, “Be good, I’ll be back soon.”
I watched him leave, his retreating figure growing distant, and then I slowly stood up from my wheelchair.
Walking to the back of my closet, I pulled out the dress I had hidden there for so long. It was the dress I’d planned to wear to my engagement party with Jack.
But after my accident, Jack had canceled the event, claiming it was to avoid tiring me out. At the time, I believed him. Now, though, I realized the truth, he had probably been embarrassed by me even back then.
But today, I was going to wear that dress again, this time for my real engagement party.
