His Chains My Wings Chapter 05
Micaela’s expression froze. She looked at Wesley with a wronged look. “Ali, how could you say that? I really care about you.”
“Care about me?” Alivia’s lips twisted into a cold smile. “Care enough to steal my work, then hide behind Wesley playing innocent while everyone accuses me?”
“You’re wearing my clothes, copying my makeup, using my moves, but you can’t even capture a tenth of their charm. That’s why you fell so embarrassingly on stage.
“Micaela, what else can you do besides cry and play the victim?”
“Alivia.” Wesley’s voice held a warning tone as he stepped forward, shielding Micaela. “That’s going too far.”
“Wez, it’s okay, really.” Micaela’s eyes were red-rimmed, but she put on an understanding face as she ladled soup. “Ali, have some soup.” She didn’t wait for a reply, moving to feed her.
“Get that away from me!” Alivia turned her head away in disgust.
In the commotion, the mug tipped over. Scalding soup splashed onto Alivia’s leg, sending a sharp, immediate wave of pain through her.
She gasped sharply, her face instantly turning pale.
Wesley’s expression changed. He immediately crouched down, reaching for her leg. “Are you okay? Let me see where you got burned.”
Micaela quickly apologized, her voice trembling with sobs. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to…”
But Alivia just bit her lower lip hard, enduring the burning pain. As Wesley’s hand was about to touch her, she shoved it away violently.
Her movement was decisive, filled with undisguised rejection.
Wesley’s hand hung frozen in the air. His face darkened. He slowly stood up, ignoring her injury, and turned to Micaela. “It wasn’t your fault. Don’t apologize.”
Wesley left with Micaela in an angry huff, leaving Alivia alone amidst the messy scene.
Alivia treated the blisters on her leg herself. The next morning, she went to the hospital for her follow-up appointment alone.
The doctor looked at her scans with a deep frown. “The recovery isn’t going well. You’ve got a secondary soft tissue contusion. You should really use a wheelchair for the next few days.”
Alivia didn’t reply. She silently took the payment slip. “Thanks.”
“Ali, let me help you!” A familiar nurse cheerfully wheeled over a chair. “I can’t believe Mr. Pridmore isn’t with you for such an important check-up. He used to freak out over the smallest bump or bruise…”
The nurse chattered on, pushing her down the hallway, her tone full of confusion at the absence of the supposedly perfect fiancé.
Alivia didn’t explain. She let the nurse push her. The nurse was right. In the past, even a minor sprain during practice would make Wesley fuss. He’d ice it, apply ointment, and gently massage her ankles until she fell asleep.
As they passed through the atrium, a large screen hanging on the wall was playing a sports channel.
On it, Wesley, dressed in a sharp suit, stood beside Micaela. The two were answering questions about the upcoming competition.
“Mr. Pridmore and Micaela make such a handsome couple! They’re perfect together!”
“Yeah, I hear Micaela has a shot at winning the championship. Looks like we have a new golden pair of figure skating.”
These words drifted clearly to Alivia’s ears, but her face remained expressionless.
The nurse’s expression, however, froze. She glanced awkwardly at Alivia and silently changed direction, heading towards the exit.
The monotonous grind of metal wheels on the floor echoed her heart shattering.
On the way home, the sunlight was bright, but it couldn’t light up Alivia’s gloomy mood.
She saw Wesley and Micaela walking side-by-side. Micaela was looking up at him, saying something, and Wesley was leaning in to listen.
Seeing her, Wesley frowned and instinctively moved to approach.
But Alivia just lifted her eyes and glanced at him with an extremely cold, distant look, freezing him in his tracks.
It was Micaela who walked quickly towards her, a smile plastered on her face.
“Ali, why are you in a wheelchair? Is it that bad? Let me push you back.”
Alivia sat in the wheelchair. She couldn’t be bothered to engage with Micaela, so she simply closed her eyes and let herself be pushed.
As they reached a downhill slope, Alivia felt a distinct, forceful push against her back.
“Ah!” Micaela let out a startled cry, stumbling as if she’d tripped. Wesley quickly caught her.
In the next second, his face turned ashen.
“Alivia!”
Wesley’s shout mingled with the loud crash of the wheelchair tumbling out of control.
Alivia was thrown violently from the chair. She spun. Her body scraped across the rough pavement, and her temple slammed hard against a rock. Everything went black instantly, a wave of agony consuming her.
Wesley rushed down the slope, scooped up Alivia in his arms, and hurried to the hospital.
When she woke up, the fiery pain at her temple jolted her fully awake immediately.
“It took five stitches on your temple. Your leg’s been re-bandaged. Don’t move around.” Wesley looked at her pale face and paused. “The wheelchair lost control on the hill. Micky was terrified. She almost fell too.”
Alivia slowly turned her head to look at him. “Lost control? She shoved me hard.”
Wesley’s brow furrowed deeply. “You’re mistaken. You had an accidental fall from the wheelchair.”
A bitter, disbelieving laugh escaped Alivia. She directly dialed the police.
“Hello, I’d like to report a crime.” Her voice was eerily calm. “This happened at the inpatient wing of Mount Sinai Hospital. Micaela is suspected of intentional assault and attempted murder…”
