Olivia Zane’s eyes briefly glimmered with a fleeting light, impossible to capture, as she lifted her lovely lips into a smile and spoke to Nathan Moore.
"I was just talking to my sister about the banquet, you and she danced really well,"
At this point, Olivia Zane glanced down at her legs covered with a blanket, her long eyelashes unable to hide the disappointment in her eyes, the corners of her lips turning bitter.
In a low voice, she murmured.
"I’m so envious of my sister, she gets to dance with you at the banquet,"
The room fell silent. Gradually, the sound of faint sobbing emerged. Nathan Moore lowered his gaze and saw tears clinging to her lashes.
His handsome eyebrows furrowed as Nathan Moore knelt down, gently cradling Olivia Zane’s face, making her look into his eyes, which were filled with compassion.
"Silly girl, if you want, you can dance with me while sitting in a wheelchair."
In a soft and warm voice, like water, Olivia Zane burst into tears.
Her hands continuously pounded on her numb legs as she wept loudly.
"What good are these legs if they can’t walk or dance with Nathan... Olivia Zane, you’re just a cripple, a burden. What right do you have to stay by Nathan’s side, sob sob..."
"Sweetheart, don’t cry; you are not a cripple, not a burden, never..."
Nathan Moore pulled the sobbing Olivia Zane into his arms, the pain clearly visible in his eyes, and his handsome eyebrows twisted in distress.
Titus Zane silently rose from the couch and turned towards the stairs.
His fingers trembled slightly on the handrail, his pale lips were utterly colorless, and his steps upwards felt incredibly heavy.
Unable to walk, unable to dance... just a cripple, a burden...
To Titus Zane, his sister Olivia Zane’s complaints buzzed around his ears like bees, flapping their wings and causing a buzzing noise.
Titus Zane felt a blur before his eyes, his figure swayed, but luckily, his tight grip on the handrail prevented him from falling.
Through Nathan Moore’s shoulders, Olivia Zane peeked at the heavy silhouette by the stairs, the corners of her lips curling into a barely discernible smile, then she buried herself back into Nathan Moore’s embrace, continuing to weep and sob.
Nathan Moore leaned against the bed, physically and mentally exhausted.
Glancing sideways at Olivia Zane, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder, still sobbing in her sleep.
Nathan Moore looked out the window again, his dark eyes slightly squinted, his emotions murky.
Turning his head, he withdrew his arm, gently laying the sleeping Olivia Zane on the pillow. Nathan Moore stood up, a fierce look flashing in his dark eyes, striding out of the bedroom.
The moment the bedroom door closed, Olivia Zane, who was "sound asleep" on the bed, opened her eyes, a smug smile forming on her lips.
Titus Zane didn’t know how he got back to his room, navigating the four flights of stairs he traversed countless times each day.
Although the villa had an elevator, he preferred taking the stairs.
He felt like a caged canary; only while walking up and down the stairs did he feel free.
He had never felt tired before, but tonight, it seemed like all his strength was drained just to barely make it back to his room.
After closing the door, Titus Zane leaned against it, sliding down slowly, his gaze lifeless as he stared ahead, his lips curling into a tragic smile.
He was a criminal, a woman of great sin, causing his own sister to be disabled and preventing her from being a whole woman.