Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Chair Is Useless

Sitting in the wheelchair, dressed in immaculate dark silk pajamas, Andrews was waiting for her. It seemed he had even planned where to place himself—right in front of the bathroom door—as if he already knew exactly what was going to happen.

His eyes slowly trailed down her body, examining her shamelessly, and a crooked smile appeared on his lips.

“Looks like I’m interrupting a moment of celebration,” he said with irony.

Aurora felt her face burn.

“What… what are you doing here?” she asked, trying to cover herself.

Andrews tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze locking onto hers.

“Where else would I be? This is my room. And, apparently, yours too.”

She hadn’t taken the time to examine anything or look inside the closet.

“I thought… you would’ve prepared another room for me,” she stammered.

He laughed.

“I thought we’d already established that I’m not such a generous man.”

Silence hung between them.

Aurora forced herself to take a breath and crossed her arms, trying to hide some of the revealing nightgown.

“I need to sleep… I’m tired. Could you please ask the housekeeper to find another room for me? I’m really tired,” she muttered, avoiding his gaze.

“Oh, I imagine you are. Must be exhausting selling yourself for money, right?”

His words struck Aurora like a sharp blade.

“What?” she asked with a skeptical smile, staring into his eyes—but in the next second, she lowered her gaze. Was he wrong?

Andrews rolled the wheels of the chair slowly, moving toward her.

“Do you want me to pretend I believe in your innocence? That you didn’t know what you were doing when you walked up to that altar?”

Her eyes widened.

“I… I didn’t sell myself!”

Andrews smiled, but there was no humor in his expression.

“No? Then tell me… why did you accept this marriage? You knew it wasn’t supposed to be you up there, but I’m sure they paid you well to take a place that doesn’t belong to you. Where is the Blonssom family?”

Aurora clenched her fists.

“I… I don’t know. Besides, I didn’t want to get married. But I had no choice—I had to obey,” she confessed, pressing her lips together, trying to stay focused.

“Obey what?” he mocked. “Poor little fool…” He leaned forward. “Why don’t you just admit you did it all for the money?”

Aurora’s chest rose and fell quickly as she pressed her lips tight.

“You don’t understand anything…” she whispered, backing up against the bathroom door, feeling cornered.

“Oh, I understand very well. You accepted this marriage because you knew you’d have a comfortable life. And best of all... without needing a real husband. After all, a crippled man can’t do anything, right?”

She froze. His eyes glinted like liquid silver, reflecting her frightened expression.

“You heard me…” she brought her hands to her mouth in panic.

Andrews smiled.

“Yes. I heard every word. But you’ve never been more wrong,” he said, placing his hands on the armrests of the chair and his feet firmly on the floor without any difficulty.

And then—he stood. Aurora’s heart nearly stopped.

Her eyes widened as Andrews rose to his full height, the muscles in his legs flexing under the pajamas.

The man before her was tall, strong, and imposing—nothing like the fragile image she had believed in.

“What…? How…?” she stammered, her mind in a fog.

He walked toward her slowly, savoring her incredulous expression.

“Surprised?”

Aurora stepped back, her bare feet sliding on the cold floor.

“You… you lied?”

Andrews stopped just inches from her.

“I didn’t lie. I just let you believe what you wanted to believe. But as you can see—I’m not so helpless, am I?” he asked, unbuttoning his shirt.

Aurora squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to hide, still pressing her arms over her chest.

She moved farther away, feeling the weight of his gaze.

“Aren’t you dressed for the wedding night? Why are you so scared now?”

“I… I can’t do this right now. Give me some time.”

Andrews tilted his head.

“Time?” he repeated, amused.

She swallowed hard, trembling slightly.

“Yes… I need time.”

He stared at her for a long moment, then a cold smile formed on his lips.

“Tell me, Aurora… do you still feel disgusted by me?”

The question caught her off guard.

“What?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“That’s what I heard you say, wasn’t it? That it was a relief I was in a wheelchair.”

She opened her mouth to deny it—but didn’t have the chance.

Andrews stepped forward and tugged at the strap of her nightgown, which slipped slightly down her shoulder.

“Take it off.”

Aurora froze.

“What?!”

“The gown. Take it off now.” His jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth.

“No!” she stepped back, clutching the fabric.

But he didn’t back away.

“I can do it for you, if you prefer.”

Aurora’s blood turned to ice. Was he serious?

Panicked, she turned to run—but before she could reach the door, she felt his fingers brush her skin.

She screamed, clutching the gown tightly to her body, and he let go without much effort, letting her flee down the hallway, tears blinding her vision.

Now watching her in the hallway, pressed against the wall, Andrews laughed cruelly as he saw her slip into the first door she could find to hide.

“What did you find out?” he asked as his assistant approached after witnessing the entire scene.