Chapter 1
Caroline Rennie was in a coma for three days and nights. When she finally regained consciousness, the first person she saw was Joshua Kimble.
Seeing her eyes open, he knelt by her bedside with tear–streaked eyes and embraced her tightly as if he had rediscovered a lost treasure.
“You’re finally awake, Carol. It’s my fault. I didn’t protect you well- this is why you fell down the stairs.”
He confessed, “I nearly lost my mind while you were in a coma. Thankfully, you’re okay now. Thankfully, you’re okay…”
Noticing the redness in his eyes from the lack of sleep, Caroline’s heart ached for him, and she tried to reassure him, “It’s not your fault…”
Yet, Joshua remained consumed by guilt. He took Caroline’s hand and slapped his own face with it.
“Carol, punish me. Punish me.”
“Joshua!” Shocked by his actions, Caroline quickly pulled her hand back and hugged him, hoping to bring him back to his senses.
Everyone was aware that Joshua, the CEO of the Kimble Group, had someone he cherished above all else. He was terrified she might be harmed, treating her as something invaluable. His anxiety reached new heights when she tumbled down the stairs and ended up in a coma for three days. He nearly lost his mind.
“It’s not your fault. I truly don’t blame you,” she reassured him gently.
After she comforted him for a while, Joshua finally calmed down.
They embraced each other silently as if they held the entire world in their arms.
At that moment, Andrew Gilgren, the assistant, knocked and entered the room.
“Mr. Kimble, the accumulated official matters cannot be delayed any further. You need to address the Vertex project,” Andrew said with a hint of hesitation.
Joshua had been at her bedside for days, and projects worth billions were piling up. If Caroline hadn’t regained consciousness, Andrew
wouldn’t have dared to urge Joshua end to his duties.
Despite everything, Joshua insisted, “All the projects are postponed. I need to focus on taking care of Carol.”
Before Andrew could offer any objections, Joshua promptly dismissed him.
Caroline opened her mouth to speak, but her words were cut short as he summoned a team of private doctors into the room.
The ward quickly became crowded with dozens of medical professionals.
“Conduct a thorough check–up on Carol. Ensure nothing happens to her,” Joshua instructed.
Caroline was about to protest the unnecessary fuss, but the doctors immediately surrounded her, leaving her no choice but to comply.
Most of the doctors were women, and as they examined her, they shared with Caroline what happened after she fell into a coma, “Ms. Rennie, when we learned you had fallen down the stairs that day, Mr. Kimble was beside himself with worry. He drove back at breakneck speed and stayed by your side for three entire days and nights without any sleep.”
Everyone joined in.
“Yes, Mr. Kimble truly adores you. I heard you’ve been together since high school. I’ve never seen anyone as devoted as him.”
“Ms. Rennie is stunning. You both make a striking couple.”
Then, a doctor lifted the blanket covering Caroline for the examination.
Instantly, the chatter in the room ceased, and an uncomfortable silence settled in.
Caroline’s legs had been amputated below the knees, and beneath the stumps. there were prosthetics.
She was living with a disability.
Despite it being six months since she lost her legs, Caroline still found herself unaccustomed to the sympathetic looks people gave her when they noticed her legs. She tensed up and pulled the blanket back over herself.
“Just examine my upper body,” she instructed.
The doctors nodded reluctantly, avoiding any mention of what had pccurred.
They completed the examination swiftly and quietly before leaving the
room.
Caroline sighed, yet her eyes remained dull.
Despite her efforts, her hands trembled uncontrollably as she reached out to touch her “legs“.
The accident had occurred six months ago.
Caroline and Joshua had been childhood sweethearts. They had recognized each other since they were teenagers and had a very deep relationship.
However, during their college years, an obsessive admirer named Kelly Hebert entered the scene.
It was no secret that Kelly had feelings for Joshua. Even though Joshua repeatedly rejected her, clearly stating he had a girlfriend, and discarded the love letters and gifts she offered, Kelly persisted.
She continued to pursue Joshua for several years.
Then, six months ago, perhaps realizing that Joshua’s heart belonged solely to Caroline; Kelly, driven by her obsession, attempted to run Caroline down with her car.
As she sped toward Caroline, she was heard muttering, “Caroline, you need to die! Only with you gone will Joshua notice me!”
That day turned into a lifelong nightmare for Caroline.
Although she survived, she was left disabled with high–level paraplegia.
Once a ballerina who had just been invited to perform at a renowned
international ballet theater, her dreams were shattered by Kelly’s selfish and reckless actions.
Reflecting on the past still filled her with deep sorrow. Noticing her hand trembling, she suddenly realized Joshua was gone.
Panic tinged her voice as she called out, “Joshua?”
Hearing her call, Andrew quickly entered the room.
“Ms Rennie, Mr. Kimble has gone to Aquasky Estate. He’ll return shortly.” be informed her.
AquaSky Estate was the place where Joshua had kept Kelly captive.
After Kelly had crippled her legs, Joshua, in a fit of rage, vowed to make her suffer.
Consequently, he imprisoned and tortured her daily.
Caroline had stumbled upon the scene once and saw Kelly drenched in blood, wishing for death over her current misery.
Now, six months had passed, and Joshua showed no signs of relenting.
In fact, he visited her more frequently.
Caroline felt a strange unease in her heart. Compelled, she took out her phone and opened an anonymous post she had saved three months prior
The post was titled, “After I crashed into his beloved and left her disabled, he imprisoned me.”
The author of the post shared that she was infatuated with a man, but
he had someone he loved.
Consumed by jealousy upon realizing she couldn’t have him, she intentionally collided with his beloved. As a consequence, the man imprisoned her, and she kept updating her status about her captivity.
Caroline was initially drawn to the post because it resonated with her own experiences.
However, as she read further, the story took a bizarre turn.
The poster claimed that the man she liked, despite imprisoning and torturing her and being constantly by her side, seemed to have developed some affection for her.
