Chapter 2
She proudly announced in the post that the man of her dreams, who initially despised her, had even left his beloved several times because of her.
The story was so full of twists and turns that many found it hard to believe.
A number of online users accused her of being a ghostwriter and sensationalizing the narrative, eventually abandoning the post.
Others, who did believe it, angrily labeled her as shameless and distasteful.
Caroline was unsure of her emotions but found herself unable to resist clicking on the updates each time.
As expected, when she clicked today, she saw a new update from the poster, “I mentioned wanting candied chestnuts, and he left his beloved to run across three streets just to get them for me.”
Some commenters mocked her as a daydreamer, while others suggested she pursue a career as a screenwriter.
Caroline sat in silence for a while, trying hard not to dwell on her thoughts before switching off her phone.
In Joshua’s absence, she opened a drawer and took out a substantial amount of sleeping pills.
Since she became disabled six months ago, her life had been shattered,
leaving her with depression, restlessness, and many miserable nights.
She felt trapped in a deep abyss with Joshua being her only source of hope.
By the time Joshua returned, it was nearly dark.
As he entered her room, he held a bag of warm candied chestnuts.
Seeing this, Caroline’s face turned pale.
She hesitantly asked, “You… Why did you suddenly decide to buy these?”
Joshua didn’t seem to notice anything unusual about her. He carefully peeled one for her and smiled warmly. “I picked these up when I saw them. Didn’t you love eating these back in school?”
Upon hearing this, Caroline was reminded of the past.
In their second year of high school, they spent a year living on campus. She had a real sweet tooth, and Joshua often scaled the wall to buy her candied chestnuts.
Back then, after she’d eaten them, Joshua would mischievously steal a kiss.
“Caroline, isn’t it fair for me to take a little ‘interest‘ after working so hard to run this errand for you?”
Caroline’s ears would turn red, and she’d nervously grip her school uniform and let him kiss her.
Every kiss between them was filled with the sweet taste of chestnuts.
Caroline shook off the memories and popped a chestnut into her mouth.
After swallowing, she couldn’t resist asking, “How’s Kelly doing lately? Are you going to let her go?”
Joshua’s expression stayed the same. “She’s done serious wrongs, and I won’t let her off that easily. Carol, I’ll make sure she pays for what she did to you.”
Caroline wanted to continue the conversation, but Joshua embraced her and shifted the subject.
“Our wedding is approaching. How about we go wedding dress shopping tomorrow?”
They were supposed to marry six months ago, but an unexpected event forced them to cancel and delay the ceremony until now.
Caroline glanced at her legs, a trace of sadness in her eyes. “Joshua, I’m not who I used to be.”
Joshua frowned and pulled her into a tight embrace. “That’s nonsense.”
“Really,” she replied, gazing up at him. “If you don’t love me anymore, you have to tell me. I won’t hold it against you.”
Just don’t lie to her.
Yet, Joshua’s expression clearly showed that he couldn’t imagine life without her.
“Carol, there’s no one else for me. You’re the only one I want. If you don’t want me, I don’t know what I’d do.”
His determined look suggested that if Caroline rejected him, he might do something drastic.
Caroline remained silent for a long time, her eyes eventually reddening as she rested her head on his shoulder.
The following day, they went to try on wedding dresses.
She sat in a wheelchair, with Joshua personally pushing her into the bridal shop.
The previous incident of her fall and subsequent coma seemed to have left a psychological scar on him. To ensure her safety, he cleared out the shop and had several people accompany them. He kept a watchful eye on her, fearing another accident might occur.
His protective demeanor, as if he wished to keep her tethered to him, made the bridal shop owner envious.
With hundreds of dresses available, she had plenty of options to choose from. Joshua stayed by her side the entire time, showing no signs of impatience.
“Ms. Rennie, you’re truly fortunate. It’s uncommon to see a man be so patient while his fiancée tries on wedding dresses,” commented a staff member.
Caroline smiled and selected her favorite dress, saying, “I want to try this one.”
Joshua wanted to accompany her into the fitting room, but she gently stopped him. “Joshua, I can manage on my own.”
Despite his concerns, he reluctantly let her
- go.
Caroline maneuvered her wheelchair into the fitting room and painstakingly stood up.
After six months of rehabilitation, she was able to walk on her own, though her pace was slow. Despite this progress, she preferred using a wheelchair to avoid the stares she received when walking.
She took her time changing into the wedding dress, and once dressed, she decided against using the wheelchair.
Caroline wanted to present herself in the gown as if she were just like everyone else.
With deliberate effort, she slowly made her way out. As she opened the fitting room door, all eyes were immediately drawn to her.
