The billionaire's disabled wife

The billionaire's disabled wife

Flourish write

5.0
Comment(s)
211
View
17
Chapters

Sophia Bennett was once a rising star in the world of ballet, until a devastating accident left her wheelchair-bound and shattered her dreams. Now, trapped in a marriage of convenience to ruthless tech billionaire Elliot Thorne, she struggles to find her place in a world that values perfection above all else. Elliot didn't marry Sophia for love-he needed her to save his reputation. But the more he learns about her resilience and vulnerability, the more she stirs something within him he's spent years burying. Torn between the icy control of his empire and the fiery emotions Sophia awakens, he's forced to confront the cracks in his carefully curated life. When secrets from Elliot's past resurface-including a scandalous connection with a man who still haunts his thoughts-and an old rival threatens to destroy their fragile bond, Sophia must decide if fighting for Elliot's love is worth risking her heart.

Chapter 1 1

Sophia Bennett's hands trembled as she adjusted the velvet fabric of her gown. The deep emerald color, chosen by Elliot's stylist, brought out the intensity of her hazel eyes, but all she could see when she looked in the mirror was a woman desperately trying to fit into a world that didn't want her.

The elevator dinged softly, and the expansive penthouse foyer stretched before her. Floor-to-ceiling windows displayed Manhattan's glittering skyline, a view she used to marvel at but now barely noticed. Sophia's wheelchair moved soundlessly over the polished marble floor as her heart pounded louder than the faint hum of the city below.

"You're late."

Elliot's voice cut through the silence, low and laced with impatience. He stood by the bar, his figure silhouetted against the skyline. His black tuxedo was tailored to perfection, his presence commanding as always. He held a crystal glass of bourbon in one hand, the other tucked casually into his pocket, as if nothing could ever rattle him.

"I had trouble with the zipper," Sophia said, her tone cool.

He turned, his sharp blue eyes sweeping over her. For a moment, his expression softened, but it vanished just as quickly. "You look... acceptable."

Sophia let out a bitter laugh. "Well, I wouldn't want to embarrass you."

He didn't respond, instead setting his glass down with a deliberate clink. "The car's waiting. We're already behind schedule."

"And whose fault is that?" she shot back, wheeling past him.

He ignored the jab, walking ahead to hold the elevator door. It was these small, calculated gestures that confused her the most. He could be so cold, yet moments like this-small flickers of care-made her question everything.

They rode down in silence, the tension between them almost suffocating. When they reached the lobby, the driver was already waiting by the sleek black car. Elliot stepped aside, watching as the driver helped Sophia into the vehicle. She could feel his eyes on her, studying, judging, but she refused to look at him.

The gala was everything Sophia had expected: grand chandeliers, glittering dresses, and a crowd of Manhattan's elite sipping champagne as if it were water. Elliot's arm rested lightly on her chair as they entered, a gesture meant more for optics than for support. She hated how practiced it felt, as though she were just another accessory in his meticulously curated life.

"Elliot!"

Victoria Lane's voice was unmistakable, dripping with charm and just enough venom to make Sophia's stomach churn. The stunning brunette approached them, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Victoria," Elliot greeted, his tone polite but distant.

Sophia felt invisible as Victoria's gaze barely flickered toward her. "You've outdone yourself again," Victoria said, gesturing to the grandeur of the event. "But then, you always do."

Elliot's grip on Sophia's chair tightened slightly. "It's a team effort."

Sophia cleared her throat, determined not to fade into the background. "It's a beautiful venue," she said, meeting Victoria's eyes.

Victoria's smile widened, predatory. "How sweet of you to say. Elliot's always had impeccable taste."

The subtext wasn't lost on Sophia, and she refused to shrink beneath it. "Yes, he does."

Elliot's expression didn't change, but Sophia felt his hand relax on her chair. "If you'll excuse us, Victoria," he said smoothly, guiding Sophia away before another barb could be thrown.

When they were out of earshot, Sophia turned to him. "You don't have to rescue me, you know."

"That wasn't for you," he said, his voice low.

Her chest tightened. Of course it wasn't. Nothing he did was ever for her.

As the evening dragged on, Sophia found herself retreating to a quieter corner. Elliot mingled effortlessly, his charisma lighting up the room. She envied his ease, his ability to glide through this world without a single crack in his armor.

"Mind if I join you?"

Sophia looked up to see a man with sandy hair and a kind smile. He was holding a glass of red wine, his eyes warm and curious.

"Please," she said, gesturing to the empty seat beside her.

"I'm Ethan," he said, sitting down. "And you're Sophia Thorne, the most fascinating person in this room."

She blinked, caught off guard. "I think you have the wrong impression."

He grinned. "I doubt that."

Ethan was easy to talk to, his humor and genuine interest putting her at ease. For the first time that evening, she felt like herself again. They laughed about the absurdity of high-society galas, shared thoughts on art, and even debated the merits of jazz versus classical music.

But her reprieve was short-lived. Elliot's tall frame appeared out of nowhere, his jaw tight as he looked between the two of them.

"Ethan," Elliot said, his tone clipped.

Ethan's smile didn't falter. "Elliot. Still brooding, I see."

Sophia looked between them, sensing a history she didn't understand. "You two know each other?"

"Ethan and I went to college together," Elliot said curtly. "Excuse us, Sophia. We need to talk."

Before she could protest, Elliot wheeled her chair away, his grip firm and unyielding.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded when they were out of earshot.

"I could ask you the same thing," he snapped, his eyes blazing.

"He was just being friendly!"

"Ethan doesn't do 'friendly,'" Elliot said, his voice cold.

Sophia narrowed her eyes. "What are you not telling me?"

His silence was deafening. She had always known Elliot had secrets, but this felt different-dangerous, even.

For the rest of the night, the distance between them grew, an unspoken storm brewing that neither dared to name.

Continue Reading

Other books by Flourish write

More

You'll also like

The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King

The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King

Stina's Pen
4.9

COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What's worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn't thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn't seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he's different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?

The Curvy Ex-Wife's Revenge: The Divorce He Gave, The Regret He Earned

The Curvy Ex-Wife's Revenge: The Divorce He Gave, The Regret He Earned

Nieves Gómez
5.0

Nicole had entered marriage with Walter, a man who never returned her feelings, bound to him through an arrangement made by their families rather than by choice. Even so, she had held onto the quiet belief that time might soften his heart and that one day he would learn to love her. However, that day never came. Instead, he treated her with constant contempt, tearing her down with cruel words and dismissing her as fat and manipulative whenever it suited him. After two years of a cold and distant marriage, Walter demanded a divorce, delivering his decision in the most degrading manner he could manage. Stripped of her dignity and exhausted by the humiliation, Nicole agreed to her friend Brenda's plan to make him see what he had lost. The idea was simple but daring. She would use another man to prove that the woman Walter had mocked and insulted could still be desired by someone else. All they had to do was hire a gigolo. Patrick had endured one romantic disappointment after another. Every woman he had been involved with had been drawn not to him, but to his wealth. As one of the heirs to a powerful and influential family, he had long accepted that this pattern was almost unavoidable. What Patrick wanted was far more difficult to find. He longed to fall in love with a woman who cared for him as a person, not for the name he carried or the fortune attached to it. One night, while he was at a bar, an attractive stranger approached him. Because of his appearance and composed demeanor, she mistook him for a gigolo. She made an unconventional proposal, one that immediately caught his interest and proved impossible for him to refuse.

Secret Triplets: The Billionaire's Second Chance

Secret Triplets: The Billionaire's Second Chance

Roderic Penn
5.0

I stood at my mother’s open grave in the freezing rain, my heels sinking into the mud. The space beside me was empty. My husband, Hilliard Holloway, had promised to cherish me in bad times, but apparently, burying my mother didn't fit into his busy schedule. While the priest’s voice droned on, a news alert lit up my phone. It was a livestream of the Metropolitan Charity Gala. There was Hilliard, looking impeccable in a custom tuxedo, with his ex-girlfriend Charla English draped over his arm. The headline read: "Holloway & English: A Power Couple Reunited?" When he finally returned to our penthouse at 2 AM, he didn't come alone—he brought Charla with him. He claimed she’d had a "medical emergency" at the gala and couldn't be left alone. I found a Tiffany diamond necklace on our coffee table meant for her birthday, and a smudge of her signature red lipstick on his collar. When I confronted him, he simply told me to stop being "hysterical" and "acting like a child." He had no idea I was seven months pregnant with his child. He thought so little of my grief that he didn't even bother to craft a convincing lie, laughing with his mistress in our home while I sat in the dark with a shattered heart and a secret life growing inside me. "He doesn't deserve us," I whispered to the darkness. I didn't scream or beg. I simply left a folder on his desk containing signed divorce papers and a forged medical report for a terminated pregnancy. I disappeared into the night, letting him believe he had successfully killed his own legacy through his neglect. Five years later, Hilliard walked into "The Vault," the city's most exclusive underground auction, looking for a broker to manage his estate. He didn't recognize me behind my Venetian mask, but he couldn't ignore the neon pink graffiti on his armored Maybach that read "DEADBEAT." He had no clue that the three brilliant triplets currently hacking his security system were the very children he thought had been erased years ago. This time, I wasn't just a wife in the way; I was the one holding all the cards.

Flash Marriage To My Best Friend's Father

Flash Marriage To My Best Friend's Father

Madel Cerda
4.5

I was once the heiress to the Solomon empire, but after it crumbled, I became the "charity case" ward of the wealthy Hyde family. For years, I lived in their shadows, clinging to the promise that Anson Hyde would always be my protector. That promise shattered when Anson walked into the ballroom with Claudine Chapman on his arm. Claudine was the girl who had spent years making my life a living hell, and now Anson was announcing their engagement to the world. The humiliation was instant. Guests sneered at my cheap dress, and a waiter intentionally sloshed champagne over me, knowing I was a nobody. Anson didn't even look my way; he was too busy whispering possessively to his new fiancée. I was a ghost in my own home, watching my protector celebrate with my tormentor. The betrayal burned. I realized I wasn't a ward; I was a pawn Anson had kept on a shelf until he found a better trade. I had no money, no allies, and a legal trust fund that Anson controlled with a flick of his wrist. Fleeing to the library, I stumbled into Dallas Koch—a titan of industry and my best friend’s father. He was a wall of cold, absolute power that even the Hydes feared. "Marry me," I blurted out, desperate to find a shield Anson couldn't climb. Dallas didn't laugh. He pulled out a marriage agreement and a heavy fountain pen. "Sign," he commanded, his voice a low rumble. "But if you walk out that door with me, you never go back." I signed my name, trading my life for the only man dangerous enough to keep me safe.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book