Chapter 1
After three straight days in a coma, Riley opened her eyes to find Nathaniel kneeling at her bedside. The moment he saw her awake, he embraced her with desperate relief, his bloodshot eyes betraying his sleepless vigil.
“Thank God you’re finally awake,” he whispered, voice breaking. “I’m so sorry, Riley. I should have protected you. I should never have let you fall down those stairs.”
“You’ve been unconscious for days,” he continued, barely holding himself together. “I thought I was going to lose my mind. Thank God you’re okay… thank God.”
Riley noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the stubble on his usually clean shaven face. Clearly, he hadn’t slept in days. She reached up to touch his cheek. “It’s not your fault…”
Her reassurance did nothing to ease his guilt. In a moment of anguish, Nathaniel grabbed her hand and began slapping his own face with it.
“Hit me, Riley. I deserve it. Hit me!”
“Nathaniel, stop!” She pulled her hand away and embraced him, trying to bring him back from the edge.
Everyone in their social circle knew that Nathaniel, CEO of Blackwood Industries, treasured Riley above all else. He protected her like she was made of glass–which made her accident all the more devastating for him.
“This isn’t your fault,” she soothed. “I don’t blame you. I could never blame you.”
After several minutes, Nathaniel finally calmed down. They held each other in silence, finding comfort in their embrace.
A knock at the door broke the moment as Nathaniel’s assistant, James, entered hesitantly.
“Mr. Blackwood, sir, I hate to interrupt, but the Horizon Tech deal can’t wait any longer. Several million dollars are hanging in the balance.”
Despite the assistant’s obvious discomfort, Nathaniel’s response was immediate and firm. “Postpone everything. I’m staying with Riley.”
Before James could argue further, Nathaniel ushered him out and promptly called in a team of private medical specialists.
Within minutes, the hospital room was packed with doctors–most of them women–who began examining Riley while making conversation.
“Miss Morgan, you should have seen Mr. Blackwood when he heard about your fall,” one doctor said. “He broke every speed limit racing back to you, then refused to leave your side for three days straight.”
Another chimed in, “I’ve never seen a man so devoted. High school sweethearts, right? Talk about relationship goals.”
“You two are literally perfect together,” added a third.
Their chatter continued until one doctor pulled back Riley’s blanket to examine her more thoroughly. Suddenly, the room fell
silent.
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Chapter 1
Below her knees, Riley’s legs were gone, replaced by prosthetics.
Though it had been six months since the amputation, Riley still couldn’t bear the pitying looks. She stiffened, quickly pulling the blanket back over her legs.
“Just examine the upper body, please,” she said quietly.
The doctors nodded awkwardly and completed their examination in uncomfortable silence before filing out of the room.
Riley sighed with relief at their departure, but her eyes remained dim with sadness. She reached down to touch her prosthetic legs, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
The accident had happened six months ago. Riley and Nathaniel had been inseparable since high school, their love unquestionable. But during college, a woman named Victoria had become obsessed with Nathaniel
Despite Nathaniel’s constant rejections–throwing away her love letters and gifts, explicitly stating he was in a relationship–Victoria persisted for years.
Six months ago, something in Victoria had snapped. Perhaps finally realizing Nathaniel would never choose her over Riley. she’d deliberately run Riley down with her car.
“Die, Riley!” Victoria had screamed through the windshield. “He’ll only look at me when you’re gone!”
That day became Riley’s lifelong nightmare. She survived, but lost both legs. As a professional ballet dancer who had just received an invitation from a prestigious international company, Riley had lost not just her limbs but her entire future–all because of Victoria’s obsession.
The memories still brought unbearable pain. Riley drew her hand back and suddenly realized Nathaniel was no longer in the
room.
“Nathaniel?” she called anxiously.
James appeared in the doorway. “Miss Morgan, Mr. Blackwood went to Lakeside Manor. He’ll be back soon.”
Lakeside Manor–the secluded property where Nathaniel kept Victoria imprisoned. Since the accident, Nathaniel had sworn Victoria would suffer for what she’d done.
Riley had accidentally discovered the place once. She’d seen Victoria covered in blood, living in conditions that could only be
described as torture.
Six months had passed, and Nathaniel still wasn’t finished with Victoria. In fact, he seemed to be visiting more frequently lately.
A strange uneasiness settled in Riley’s stomach. She reached for her phone and opened an anonymous forum post she’d bookmarked three months ago:
[I crippled his true love, so now he keeps me prisoner]
The anonymous poster claimed she had been obsessed with a man who only had eyes for his girlfriend. In a jealous rage, she’d deliberately injured the girlfriend, leaving her disabled. In retaliation, the man had imprisoned her.
Riley had initially found the post because the story paralleled her own experience so closely. But as updates continued, the story took a disturbing turn.
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Chapter 1
The poster claimed that because her captor spent so much time with her–even if it was just to inflict punishment–something unexpected was happening.
He was starting to fall for her.
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