For a fleeting moment, as I watched his gentle, almost cautious demeanor, a part of me wavered. Could the events of this morning have been nothing more than a cruel illusion? But the moment he opened his mouth, reality struck me like a sharp slap.
“Aurelle, given your condition, having children isn’t possible,” he began, his tone tentative yet calculated. “What if we adopted instead?”
His words pierced through me, and my expression turned icy. Seeing the shift in my demeanor, he panicked, pulling me into a desperate embrace.
“Aurelle, did I upset you?” he pleaded, his voice trembling. “Don’t scare me like this. If it’s too much, I won’t mention it again. We can wait until you feel better, okay?”
His nervous attempts to console me only deepened the chasm between us. While he may have temporarily dropped the subject, the resolve in his eyes told me his mind was already made up.
The next morning, Ruslan left the house early, leaving me alone to focus on work-related matters.
“Ms. Aurelle, when can we expect you to join our team?”
“In seven days,” I replied, my tone resolute.
Just as I prepared to end the call, his voice startled me from behind.
“Aurelle, who are you talking to?”
I quickly hung up, masking my nerves with a calm facade. “No one important, just a scam call.”
Satisfied with my response, Ruslan let the matter drop, his focus shifting to Thea, who trailed behind him like a shadow.
“Aurelle, meet Thea Hunter. She’s a top-tier caregiver I hired just for you,” he announced with feigned enthusiasm.
“Since it’s hard for you to move around and I’m often tied up with work, she’ll be here to assist you,” he added smoothly.
His words hung in the air like a lead weight. Thea, catching his unspoken cue, stepped forward with a practiced smile.
“Yes, I specialize in caring for people with disabilities!” she chimed in, her tone dripping with faux sincerity.
I managed a perfunctory nod, masking my disdain. “If that’s what you think is best. I’m feeling tired and will head to bed.”
With that, I wheeled myself into the sanctuary of my bedroom, shutting the door on their charade.
When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Thea, dressed in a maid’s uniform, diligently wiping the floor.
Ruslan sat stiffly on the sofa, his face a mask of seriousness. However, the newspaper in his hands was unmistakably upside down.
The days began to blur together, each one carrying the same tedious routine.