At dinner, Elias fussed over Laura. He served her food, picked out fish bones, and mumbled about what was best for the baby.
He didn't even look my way. I was stuck in my wheelchair at the far end of the table, where everyone else acted like I wasn't even there.
"If Jean hadn't broken her legs, she probably would've won the national dance competition and ended up training with me," Laura said, knowing exactly how to hit me where it hurt.
I lifted my head and met her gaze. "Yeah. If it weren't for my 'accident', you wouldn't have gotten anywhere near such a big stage as a last-minute replacement."
Laura froze, not expecting me to have the guts to bring up what happened back then or how she'd conveniently stepped in.
Bertha snorted and spoke up for Laura. "But that accident did happen, didn't it? That's just how things work. You sure like to talk. If you're done eating, get out of here. Can't you tell you're killing everyone's appetite? You're sickening."
I tightened my grip on the arms of my wheelchair and looked at Elias. He clearly couldn't stand me messing with his precious Laura. Instead of backing me up, he had someone send me upstairs to rest.
He knew I hated staying at Levy Manor. I begged him to take me home, but he wanted more time with Laura, so he forced me to stay the night.
Late that night, my old injury flared up—the familiar pain burning through my damaged legs. Normally, Elias would've helped me find painkillers and massaged the area to ease it.
However, he still hadn't come back to the room by 11:00 pm. I had no choice but to look for him. He was the only one I could count on in this massive Levy Manor.
When I passed Laura's room, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. I could hear voices inside—familiar and suggestive.
"Elias, it must be tough for you, being stuck with that cripple Jean."
"It's worth it if it makes you happy. So, the baby's five months already? Can I see?"
"Sure. Just be careful. The baby likes a gentle person, doesn't it?"
I slowly rolled my wheelchair closer and peeked through the crack. Laura was lying on the bed, her shirt lifted to show her rounded belly. She looked up at Elias shyly.
He knelt beside the bed, gently rubbing body oil on her stomach to keep the stretch marks at bay. The tenderness in his touch and the way he looked at her showed nothing but devotion.
The man I used to know as my caring, attentive husband was practically worshiping Laura. That was when it really hit me—I'd lost it all.
Laura picked up on something and looked up. I quickly pulled back into the shadows. She was boldly staking her claim before me while I could only retreat into the shadows and watch them.
After a long, heavy silence, I wheeled myself back to my room, each movement taking everything I had.
My legs hurt so much I couldn't sleep. I pulled up my email and reread the message I'd never answered. It was from my dance instructor, Marissa Wilkes.
She wanted me to be the choreography consultant for her latest project. The only catch was I'd have to travel abroad, and I'd been hesitating. But now, I had no reason to stay.
Without a second thought, I sent Marissa a reply. "I'm in."
She called soon after to confirm, her voice warm and welcoming. I'd be leaving with her in three days.
…
I finally saw Elias the next morning at breakfast. I nibbled at the scrambled eggs the housekeeper had brought me. To my surprise, he started explaining himself.
He said he'd had too much to drink last night and ended up crashing in a guest room next door. It was a pretty flimsy excuse, but I didn't call him out on it. I nodded, keeping my face neutral.
Thinking I wasn't suspicious, Elias eased up and cheerfully sprinkled some dried thyme on my eggs, forgetting that I was allergic to it.
The second he did, I set down my fork and asked, "When are we going—"
Before I could finish, Laura came downstairs and turned to Bertha. "I can stay two more days to keep you company. I've got a prenatal appointment later. Elias, do you want to take Jean in for a checkup, too?"
That was all it took for Laura to grab Elias' full attention. He didn't bother asking me what I thought. He just jumped in with a yes, sounding pumped.
"Really? You're staying two more days?" Elias asked.
