It was Wales, and he reeked of alcohol and perfume that made my nose sting. I had smelled this scent on Anna before, and it made my stomach churn.
He signed to me, “The birthday party was for you, Joey. Why did you leave before cutting the cake? Did something make you upset?
“I’ll bring you to see our new home tomorrow. I bought it just for you, and I’ve already renovated it, too. Once we’re married, we can move there together.”
He tried to kiss me after he was done speaking, but I turned my head away and said, “It’s fine as long as you’ve made the decision. I don’t feel like going.”
When he noticed my indifferent response, his expression turned confused, and he signed, “Joey, do you not want to marry me anymore?”
Wales was acting so cautiously at that moment. Gone was the imposing air that usually surrounded him when he was moving about in the outside world. If I had not heard how he wanted to keep me a cripple with my own two ears, my heart would have melted at his careful behavior.
I wanted to come clean and tell him that I didn’t want to marry him anymore. After all, he was the one who cheated on me first. He was the one who was enjoying the affections of another, extinguishing any hopes or expectations I once harbored for the wedding.
What right did he have to accuse me of not wanting to marry him anymore?
But I decided it wasn’t yet time to expose his betrayal. At the end of the day, Wales was an extraordinarily powerful man in Anaxia. If I showed my hand to him too early, there was a chance that I wouldn’t be able to leave Anaxia alive.
Under his watchful gaze, I sighed quietly and signed, “No. It’s just that my legs are hurting. We can visit the house tomorrow.”
The new house was located next to Anaxia’s most affluent area, Middleton Garden. Wales had hired a famous interior designer from Fraux to supervise the renovation process. Every sharp corner of the house had been smoothed down into a curve to prevent me from accidentally bumping into it.
All the tables, chairs, and counters were also shorter than most furniture that was sold on the market, all to make it convenient for me to use them while I was in my wheelchair.
Wales had planned everything out perfectly with my wheelchair-bound state in mind. It was clear that he never once considered allowing me to stand up on my own two feet again.
As the designer introduced the different furnishings in the house, Wales translated his words to sign
