All Chapters of Cherished by My Cripple Husband: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

CLARA I did not flinch under Gabriel’s piercing gaze. I stood beside his desk, smoothing down the hem of my sweater, and met his eyes with quiet composure. "I am who I told you I am," I said softly. "I am Clara Montgomery. Or rather, Clara Vance now. No one sent me here as an assassin or an infiltrator. My parents simply hated me enough to throw me into the dark, and they were too foolish to realize what they had locked away with me." "You spent your youth reading them," Gabriel murmured, his voice low with growing intrigue. "I had nothing else," I told him honestly. "There was a small high window that let in sunlight for five hours every afternoon. While Evelyn was taking piano lessons and attending society galas, I sat on the concrete floor reading Grandfather's studies on nerve regeneration, botanical poisons, and acupuncture pathways. I read them until the pages fell apart in my hands. I memorized every formula, every Latin classification, and every case study because it was t

CLARA Not even twenty minutes after Gabriel and I sealed our agreement, the oak doors of the study swung open once more. Luke strode into the room, his tactical vest fastened tight and a tablet clutched firmly in his gloved hand. Behind him, two armed guards took positions on either side of the entrance, their expressions grim and alert. "Report," Gabriel commanded without turning his head from the window. "We initiated the lockdown across the entire compound the moment I left this room, Boss," Luke said, coming to a halt before the desk. "Every outer gate was shut down, the security perimeter was armed, and all domestic staff members were assembled in the west reception hall for questioning and bag searches." Gabriel turned his wheelchair around, resting his forearms against the dark oak wood. "Did you find whoever tampered with the medicinal brew?" "We found out who didn't show up to the roll call," Luke answered, sliding his thumb across the screen of the tablet before turning

CLARA When I woke up the next morning, the sunlight was already streaming across the floor. I got out of bed, washed my face, and dressed in one of the simple, soft sweaters and dark trousers Luke had brought up the evening before. The bruises on my wrists were fading to a dull yellow, and my knees hardly hurt at all. When I stepped into the hallway, Mrs. Gable was waiting for me with a warm smile. "Good morning, Mrs. Vance," she said, dipping her head. "Mr. Vance is waiting for you in the main dining room." "In the dining room?" I asked, surprised. "I thought he always ate alone in his office." "He does," Mrs. Gable replied, her eyes twinkling with quiet amusement. "He has eaten alone every day since his accident. But today, he explicitly asked for you to join him downstairs." I followed Mrs. Gable down the grand staircase and through the wide archway leading to the dining hall. The room was massive, dominated by a long polished mahogany table that could seat thirty people. At t

CLARAThe shrill, demanding voice of Gabriel’s mother lingered in the air long after she finished speaking. The silence that settled over the dining table was sharp and heavy.Gabriel did not raise his voice. He leaned toward the phone, his eyes flat and completely cold."Clara is my wife, not an animal brought in for your entertainment," Gabriel said, each word deliberate and unyielding. "You have no right to inspect anyone, and you will not summon me anywhere. If the family elders have questions about Vance Enterprises, they can bring them to the formal shareholder assembly. As for my private life, none of you have any business in it.""Gabriel! How dare you speak to your mother like that!" the woman shrieked through the small speaker. "The Vance bloodline is not a joke! You took an uneducated beggar off the street and put our name on her! The family council has already drafted a petition to challenge your competence if you refuse to—"Gabriel did not wait for her to finish. With a

CLARA"If you truly want to walk into that house," Gabriel said, his deep voice smooth and deliberate, "then we will not go quietly. And we will certainly not go on their terms.""What do you mean?" Gabriel tapped his fingers once against the polished mahogany wood. "My mother and the elders are expecting me to bring an abused girl in oversized sweaters who stares at her shoes and cowers whenever someone speaks loudly. They want to look down on you. They want to pick you apart to prove that I have lost my mind. We are not going to give them that satisfaction."He pressed the communication button on his console. "Mrs. Gable."The double doors of the dining hall opened almost immediately. Mrs. Gable stepped inside, folding her hands neatly over her apron. "Yes, Mr. Vance?""Cancel Clara's afternoon rest," Gabriel commanded. "Call the styling team that arrived with the fashion houses earlier. Take Clara upstairs to the dressing salon. I want her dressed up completely."Mrs. Gable nodded