Chapter 5 - The Poisoned Apple
Victoria stared at us, her eyes narrowing as she studied our shocked expressions.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked smoothly.
Julian immediately dropped his hand, letting it fall completely limp against his leg.
"Just finishing my bath, Victoria," he replied coldly.
She walked forward and set the tray of pills and water on the vanity.
"Make sure he takes every single one, Sarah," Victoria ordered.
"His health is so very fragile."
She gave me a chilling smile before turning and walking out of the bathroom.
I locked the door behind her and let out a long breath.
Julian stared at the pills on the silver tray.
"Don't touch them," he whispered urgently.
I looked at him in confusion.
"Why?" I asked.
"They are my nerve medication," he explained.
"But ever since you arrived and started preparing my food yourself, the pain in my spine has changed."
"It went from numb to burning, and now I can move my fingers."
My eyes widened as the horrifying truth washed over me.
"She has been poisoning you," I gasped.
"The accident paralyzed you, but her pills are keeping you from healing."
Julian nodded slowly, a dark fury building in his eyes.
"We have to throw them away," I said quickly.
I gathered the pills and flushed them down the toilet.
From that night on, our lives became a dangerous game of deception.
I replaced his medication with basic vitamins that looked identical.
Every night, while the rest of the mansion slept, we conducted secret physical therapy sessions.
He pushed through excruciating pain, sweating and groaning as I helped him move his legs.
Within two weeks, he could stand on his own for ten seconds.
Within a month, he could take three painful, shaking steps across the bedroom rug.
He was coming back to life, and so was the love I thought I had lost forever.
One evening, after a grueling session, he collapsed onto the bed beside me.
He reached out and traced the line of my jaw with his newly awakened hand.
"When I am fully healed, we are leaving this house," he promised.
"I will take you and the kids away from Victoria and Marcus forever."
I smiled, finally believing that we could have a real future together.
The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed.
I walked out into the hallway, looking for Julian or the children.
Instead, I found Brandon standing near the top of the grand staircase, crying hysterically.
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"Mommy!" he screamed.
"Marcus took Emma into the hedge maze, and he told me if I followed them, he would hurt her!"
