Paralyzed Millionaire Was Abandoned at the Altar — Then He Looked at the Maid and Said…
Chapter 3
Three months passed.
The scandal faded.
Ethan returned to work.
Amelia sent messages.
He ignored them.
His family stopped asking when the wedding would be rescheduled.
His board stopped panicking.
Life became quiet.
Then Grace’s brother began receiving treatment.
Grace thought the medical foundation had approved his case by chance.
She never connected it to Ethan.
Noah improved quickly.
He started walking with assistance.
Grace cried the first time she saw him stand.
Ethan happened to be there that day.
Not with Grace.
He had visited the hospital for another reason.
He saw them through the glass.
Grace hugged her brother.
Noah laughed.
Ethan smiled.
Then Grace noticed him.
She hurried over.
“You?”
He nodded.
“What are you doing here?”
“Business.”
She smiled.
“No surprise there.”
Ethan looked at Noah.
“How is he?”
“Better.”
“Good.”
Grace hesitated.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For recommending the foundation.”
Ethan said nothing.
She studied him.
“You did, didn’t you?”
He sighed.
“Yes.”
Her expression changed.
“You paid for this?”
“No.”
“You’re helping him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he needs it.”
She looked uncomfortable.
“I can’t repay you.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“Then why?”
He looked at her.
“Because someone should.”
Grace’s eyes softened.
That evening, she left a small paper bag outside his office.
Inside was a homemade pie.
A note read:
Thank you for helping my brother. I don’t know how to repay you, so I made this.
Ethan laughed.
It was terrible pie.
He ate the whole thing.
From then on, something changed.
They started talking.
Not as employer and maid.
As two people.
Grace told him about growing up in a small town.
Ethan told her about his mother.
They discovered they both loved old movies.
They both hated crowded restaurants.
They both preferred quiet mornings.
One night, they sat in the library after everyone else had gone.
Grace asked:
“Does it hurt?”
“What?”
“When people stare.”
Ethan looked at his wheelchair.
“Sometimes.”
“Why?”
“Because they don’t know what they’re looking at.”
She waited.
“They see the chair before they see me.”
Grace nodded.
“I understand.”
“You?”
“People see the uniform before they see me.”
He looked at her.
“That isn’t the same.”
“No.”
She smiled.
“But it feels similar.”
Something inside him shifted.
He reached for her hand.
She didn’t move away.
Their fingers touched.
Then she whispered:
“Ethan.”
He looked at her.
“This isn’t a good idea.”
“Why?”
“You’re my employer.”
“I know.”
“And I’m your employee.”
“I know.”
“We shouldn’t.”
He nodded.
Neither moved.
Then Ethan said:
“Then why don’t you leave?”
Grace looked into his eyes.
Because she already knew the answer.
She was falling in love with him.
