Laughter rippled around them, uneasy but real. Adrien’s face burned. His chest tightened. For all his fortune, he had never felt so small.

Behind him, Marbel stood steady. Her silence, her calm hands on the wheelchair, felt like a shield. She didn’t need words—her strength was enough to steady him.

The Truth Revealed
That night, Adrien stared at himself in the mirror. He set aside the neck brace he had worn for weeks. He already knew the truth about Cassandra. But a new question rose: what about Marbel?

The next morning, Cassandra entered with clicking heels, barely glancing at him before declaring she had lunch plans. Adrien felt strangely free.

“Enough,” he said firmly. And before her stunned eyes, he rose from the chair. His legs were strong.

Cassandra froze, then her face twisted with fury. “You tricked me?!” she shouted. Deep down, she knew. What she had called love was never real. She stormed out, her shallow loyalty finally exposed.

Adrien turned to Marbel, bracing for judgment.

The Unlikely Answer
Marbel gasped softly as he stood. Her hands clutched her apron. For a moment, she said nothing.

At last, she spoke. “I always knew something was off. I saw the strength in your arms when you thought no one noticed. But I didn’t care about the act. What mattered was the loneliness in your eyes.”