WEDDED TO THE CRIPPLED CEO

Blair

“I can’t believe it’s finally today!”

I whispered, practically bouncing on the balls of my feet as I tugged the plain white robe tighter around me. My heart raced like fireworks, each beat echoing the joy bubbling inside me.

The wedding gown waited on the chair beside me, soft silk and lace shimmering in the morning light. My fingers hovered over the delicate fabric, and the bouquet of pink roses on my lap smelled like spring itself. I had dreamed of this moment for as long as I could remember—today, I would become Eric’s wife. My stomach fluttered, my cheeks tingled, and I couldn’t stop smiling. A quiet home, a simple life, a love that felt like it had been made just for me… I was about to have it all.

Eric had proposed six months ago, on my twenty-fourth birthday, and I had never felt so cherished. Every memory of him—the way he smiled at me, held my hand, whispered promises of forever—made my pulse skip. Today, the world felt perfect, and I couldn’t wait to step into it as his wife.

The door swung open abruptly. Pearl entered, her sharp heels clicking against the floor. Her presence was like ice in the sun, sharp and impossible to ignore. Heavy makeup, designer clothes, a stare that could cut glass… she always looked like she had come to judge. I tightened my grip on the bouquet, trying to hold onto my excitement.

“Blair,” she said, her tone flat and cold. “Why haven’t you dressed?”

I opened my mouth, ready to gush about my excitement, but she cut me off, and her words fell like a bucket of ice water.

“There’s no need. The wedding isn’t for you.”

My breath caught. My heartbeat stuttered, and the warmth in my chest plummeted. “What do you mean?

She didn’t answer yet, because footsteps came from the hallway. Leah walked in first with her perfect blonde curls. Eric followed behind her. He shouldn’t have been here. He should have been waiting at the altar. His pale face and tight jaw warned me that something was wrong. I stepped toward him, hoping he would hold my hand or even smile. Instead, he pulled away as if my touch burned him.

“Eric?” My voice came out weak.

He looked at Pearl before he spoke. “I can’t marry you.”

The bouquet slipped from my hand. The soft thud on the floor sounded louder than his words. My heart pounded as I stared at him. “You’re joking,” I whispered. “Tell me you’re joking.”

He stayed quiet. His eyes avoided mine.

Leah stepped closer with a smug look. “I’m pregnant,” she said. “Eric is the father.”

The room spun around me. I sat on the edge of the bed because my legs shook too hard to hold me. Leah leaned against Eric like she owned him. She acted proud, as if hurting me had been her goal from the start.

I forced myself to look at him again. “Please tell me this isn’t true.”

Leah rolled her eyes. “Say it, Eric.”

He took a breath, straightened his shoulders, and spoke with no warmth. “It’s true.”

His voice cut through me. I tried to swallow the pain, but my chest felt tight. “You said you loved me. You planned a future with me.”

He didn’t answer.

Leah scoffed. “You really thought he would choose you?”

I turned toward Eric again. “How long?”

He hesitated, then muttered, “Three months.”

The truth hit me like I had been pushed underwater. Three months ago, he still kissed me and told me he cared. Three months ago, he still promised me forever.

“You lied every day,” I whispered. “Every single day.”

Leah lifted her chin. “Well, he has to marry me now.”

Pearl sighed as if all of this bored her. “Look at it this way. At least you didn’t waste years on him.”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Right. Very lucky.”

Leah smirked. “I’ll take good care of him.”

Something inside me hardened. I stood up even though my legs still shook. I looked straight at Eric.

“You want her? Then marry her. I hope she was worth everything you threw away.”

His face went pale, but I didn’t wait for him to speak.

I slid the ring off my finger. The cold metal pressed into my palm for a second before I set it on the nightstand. I didn’t cry. I didn’t argue. I didn’t break.

I walked toward the door and left them behind in total silence.

I stood near the last row, far from the altar, but the scene still crushed me. I watched Eric and Leah stand before the priest while soft music drifted through the church. The sweet smell of roses mixed with melting candles filled the whole place. It felt heavy. It sat on my skin like heat I couldn’t shake off.

People whispered behind their hands. Their eyes slid toward me again and again, but no one dared to say anything. I felt their judgment settle on my shoulders. It grew heavier with every second.

I didn’t understand how things reached this point. Leah stood where I once stood. She held the life I worked for, and she acted as if it always belonged to her. Everyone watched her with open smiles. No one spoke up when Eric lifted her hands. He said his vows with a calm voice, the same words I once believed he saved for me.

When the priest gave the final blessing, the room fell into silence.

“You may kiss the bride.”

The words hit me hard. Eric leaned in and kissed her. His hand held her waist in a way that made my stomach twist. Something inside me broke. It felt deep, sharp, and final.

The church filled with soft claps. It sounded like a cruel echo in my ears. I forced myself to move when the ceremony ended. My legs felt weak as I followed the crowd outside. Warm wind touched my face, but I felt nothing.

Then Pearl grabbed my arm. Her nails dug into my skin.

“Blair,” she hissed. “Control yourself. You looked pathetic in there.”

Her words slid over me without effect. She looked annoyed, like I ruined her plans by existing. I knew she didn’t care about my pain. She cared about the picture-perfect moment she created.

A sleek black car stopped in front of the church. Leah climbed inside with a giggle. Eric placed his hand on her thigh. I turned my face away.

Pearl didn’t care to watch them leave. She pulled me toward a man waiting near a luxury car. The car’s surface shined under the sun. The man stood tall beside it. His suit fit him neatly. His calm posture showed power in a quiet way. He looked at me with sharp eyes that gave nothing away.

I didn’t know him. I didn’t know why he stared at me like he expected something.

He greeted Pearl with a small nod. His deep voice carried something cold.

“You remember the agreement.”

The words sent a chill through me.

Pearl didn’t flinch. She gave a sweet laugh that sounded fake.

“Of course,” she said.

She pushed me forward with a hand on my back. I felt trapped again.

“This is my daughter, Blair.” She paused. Then she corrected herself, as if the truth made her feel cleaner. “My stepdaughter.”

Her hand dropped.

“She is to marry Mr. Aedrick.”

My heart stopped. The sound around me faded. I stared at her in shock.

“What?” My voice came out weak, like a breath more than a word.

Pearl acted like she didn’t hear me at all. She kept her eyes on the man. She carried herself like she just confirmed a simple arrangement, not destroyed my life with one sentence.

I stood there, frozen.

Marry? Marry him?