When I was 18, I injured my left leg and was left disabled for life—all to save Emily Parker.
To show her gratitude, she insisted on getting engaged to me despite everyone’s objections, vowing to take care of me for the rest of my life.
But ten years passed, and by the time I was 28, we were still just engaged.
When I finally gathered the courage to propose, I accidentally overheard her conversation with her best friend.
“Emily, I heard Ethan Carter is about to propose. He’s desperate to marry you.”
“He’s such a fool. I’ve been avoiding marriage for ten years. Everyone knows I don’t love him, but he’s completely clueless.”
Then I heard Emily’s voice, calm and cold:
“Why, do you pity him?”
“No. It’s just... He was injured saving his life. Ryan Carter is coming back to America tonight. Have you thought about what happens if he finds out?”
“Ryan and I got married abroad. And as his younger brother, it’s only natural for me to see him.”
“If I hadn’t used the fact that he saved me as an excuse, how else would I have ended up engaged to him? The one I love has always been Ryan. I’ve done enough by leaving my identity and status here to him.”
So all this time, what I thought was love was, in her eyes, nothing more than moral blackmail.
I looked down at my crippled leg, the permanent reminder of saving her, and couldn’t hold back my tears.
If my love were just a shackle to her, then I would be the one to set her free.
I turned and dialed a number.
“Are you still waiting for me?”
What Emily never knew was that, during those ten years I waited for her, someone else was waiting for me, too.
——
I hung up the phone. After calming my emotions, I wiped my tears and walked inside.
The moment I entered, a mocking voice greeted me.
“Ethan, dressed like this—are you trying to force Emily to marry you?”
“Master Carter, no offense, but Emily is already engaged to you. She’s not running off anywhere. You showing up to propose like this—it’ll make people talk, you know.”
Then she strutted toward me, full of disdain, and tossed the bouquet of roses from my hands onto the ground.
I ignored her and bent down to pick them up.
As I stood up, someone suddenly shoved me from behind. I lost my balance. My left foot buckled, and I crashed to the floor, my head spinning.
“You can’t even stay on your feet while picking something up? What good are you? You’ve embarrassed Emily!”
“Anna Young, that’s enough.”
Emily’s voice finally cut through Anna’s ridicule.
She gently helped me up, ignoring the wine stains on my clothes from the fall.
“Sorry, Ethan. Anna didn’t mean it. It’s just that after the last banquet, there were too many rumors. She couldn’t take it anymore and took it out on you.”
“But I was the one who asked for the engagement. So now, it’s only right that I propose.”
She bent down, picked up the roses, and knelt on one knee in front of me.
“Mr. Ethan, will you marry me?”
This wasn’t how I pictured the moment I’d been waiting ten years for. I had imagined it a thousand times—her acceptance, my joy.
But now, with our roles reversed, I felt nothing but cold emptiness.
She clearly didn’t love me, yet acted more devoted than anyone.
I swallowed the bitterness and forced out a faint smile.
“Emily, I was too impatient. You must have had your own plans.”
“And Anna was right. I’ve wronged you—made you endure criticism and gossip. Maybe we should just call off the wedding. That way, you won’t have to—”
