Chapter 231: Healing

[Music: Chemical Light By Josie Edwards]

I eyed my legs before lifting my gaze to Zade standing at the other end.

"It’s now or never, kitten. You said if I can’t come to you, then you’re gonna come to me."

"Where’s Jane?" I asked, referring to my physical therapist.

"I sent her out for an early lunch."

I gulped. "S-She’s supposed to be here, Zade."

His eyes darkened. "But you don’t want her here, do you?"

I gripped the bars tightly. "Medically, she should be here, and—"

"Come to me, kitten." His eyes held mine, and every part of me wanted to close the distance between us in a heartbeat.

But to do that, I had to move.

"We both know I won’t make it," I mumbled, eyeing the only comfort in the room: the wheelchair.

"Anastasia."

I snapped my gaze back to Zade. He doesn’t need to say another word because I already knew what he wanted me to do.

"W-What if I can’t make it?" The vulnerability in my voice made my stomach twist

"Salvero’s don’t break easily."

My breath shuddered as I eyed my leg for a moment. Then... I moved, recalling Jane’s instruction, shifting my weight to my right leg.

I groaned deeply as pain zapped through me, leaving me panting profusely.

Zade doesn’t react or come to me. He was blank, gaze intense in a way that could melt a fire through mine.

I moved, groans of pain slipping from my lips. I shook my head, feeling I would break apart, but I easily shifted to my left leg that wasn’t as numb as it was when I woke up.

It helped, and occasionally I would add pressure to the other. It was hell, and pure agony, more than I ever experienced.

Before I knew it, I saw shoes in my line of vision, and when I looked up I realized I had already where I needed to be.

Zade traced the strand of hair sticking to my face because of the sweat and pulled it behind my ear.

I closed my eyes, a relief washing over me like the wind. The sensation of his fingers kissing my skin was something I didn’t know I needed after going through that hellish pain.

The fatigue was draining me faster, and I had no idea how long I could keep holding this bar. Yet, Zade doesn’t hold me or make any attempts to do so.

"You did good, kitten."

I wanna burst into tears, but I swallowed it back in, holding strong. When he finally held me, I sagged instantly in his arms, and he picked me up effortlessly.

"Look at me."

I did.

"The pain will fade. It always does."

I shook my head. "It doesn’t matter. Even if I do walk, my career is over."

"Nothing’s over."

My eyes welled up with tears. "How—"

"A different stage. A different dream. Hell, whatever you want, kitten. Nothing should ever be over. Dancing shouldn’t be the end."

"What am I without dancing?"

"You’re Anastasia Salvero. And it’s time to learn the full extent of that name."

My throat tightened. "That name hasn’t quite been—"

"Good to you?" He finished for me as though he could read my mind. "That’s because you never accepted it."

It was scary how right he was. But I guess it wasn’t exactly hidden under the sun. Throughout the months I’d been married to Zade, I have done nothing but loathe him, but everything’s changed now.

~☆~

"Nah, she’s definitely cheating..." Jade pointed out.

We were both watching a series on TV, and Jade kept pointing out everything like some soothsayer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she was actually cheating.

So much for plot twists.

"It’s no fun if you keep predicting every single thing. It’s getting boring..." I said, lifting a spoonful of scrambled eggs to my mouth.

"What am I supposed to do with my detecting antenna then?"

"Turn it off."

She laughed, turning back to me before looking at the braces on my leg. "Heard you’re getting better now. Rehab is going well, and good news, you don’t need the wheelchair anymore."

I eyed the crutches nearby.

"It’s an improvement, really, and I heard hubby attended every single one of your rehab sessions. Points to the husband of the year."

"Yeah."

"Something wrong?" she asked when she sensed my change in mood.

"..."

"Come on, Ana. You know you can talk to me, and if it’s not something you can be straightforward about, then just speak in riddles."

I huffed.

"I’m serious. Lay it on me."

I licked my lips. "Remember how I told you that my marriage was arranged?"

"Yeah, I remember."

I nodded. "Now it’s not so much of that anymore."

She scoffed. "Yeah? I kind of figured that out already."

I blinked.

"I admit when you first told me about how your marriage came to be, I felt sorry for you and wondered how much you had to endure in a loveless marriage, but that wasn’t it. I saw him, Ana. I saw the way Zade was when you were in a coma. It was heartbreaking and super scary."

"I guess there’s no need laying it out."

"For starters, you did, but... that isn’t what’s bothering you, right, princess?"

I rolled my eyes when she called me princess. I guess that was another one of her teases, and trust me, she has been doing that quite a lot. I knew she mostly did it to brighten up my mood.

"Our marriage..." I began. "It’s more real than ever and..."

"And..."

"How do I become Mrs. Salvero? I mean... I’ve been ever since Zade slipped the ring onto my finger, but I never truly let myself accept it."

I raised my shoulders a little bit.

"And now that I finally wanna accept it... it just..." I sighed. "I don’t know how. I don’t know how to become Mrs. Salvero."

She squinted her eyes before snorting.

"I’m not telling a joke!"

She giggled, shaking her head.

"Jade!"

"Oh Ana, why do you need to become Mrs. Salvero?"

I shrugged. "I don’t know, I just—"

"I’m sure Zade already sees you as Mrs. Salvero, true and true."

"I know, but how am I gonna be a wife to him? I’ve been a pain in the ass."

"For starters again... you love him and he..." She paused as though finally catching on. "You have told him, right? Because that’s the most important step."

"What?"

"Jesus..." She rubbed her forehead. "Ana, you have told Zade that you love him... right?"

Thankfully, the door opened, and I darted my eyes to Luca and Dante coming in.

"Hey, boys!" I chirped, welcoming them, and Jade shot me a look.

"Oh, is that food? That looks delicious!" Luca pounced on the other side of my bed and stuffed his mouth.

"Seriously?" Jade scolded him.

"The food’s for Ana. Get up!" Dante growled.

"Hey!"

I laughed, watching Dante and Luca go at each other and transform my room into a mini chaos. Thankfully, they weren’t tossing things at each other, except the pillows.

"What’s the point?" I said to Jade, pulling her attention. "Is it gonna make any difference if I say it?"

Jade sighed, placing her hand on mine. "There is a point, Ana. I grew up watching my parents say those words to each other, and trust me, it was the most wonderful thing to see. It had a way of deepening the connection. Those words are like a spark of sensations that no one can replace."

I forced a smile, nodding.

"You two are disturbing the patient!" Jade barked at the twins.

And I leaned back to watch them go at it. Seems like I have a better series to watch now, one that Jade can’t predict.

~☆~

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. It was now shoulder-length, no longer as short as it had been when I woke up, yet somehow, it had completely changed my look.

I had grown out my hair as a way to remember Annabeth, but I don’t need to do that anymore.

I don’t owe her anything. It hurts each time I think about her, but there was nothing I could do to change the past.

I caught something at the corner of my eye and found Zade leaning at the door frame.

"Does it suit me?" I asked.

"Anything suits you, kitten."

I gripped the crutches tightly, then I shifted my weight so that I could face him.

"Seems like we’re both starring in a new look."

He instinctively rubbed a thumb over the stubble on his jaw.

Holding the crutches tighter, I approached him. It took some time, but Zade was patient, and I knew he wasn’t gonna help me either way.

Finally, I was in front of him, tilting my chin upward so that I could maintain eye contact.

He pushed off the doorframe, standing so close I could feel his body heat seep into mine.

I dropped my gaze when I felt his hand intertwine with mine. One of the clutches slipped, and before I could lose balance, his other hand wrapped securely around my waist.

I looked up, finding our faces inches apart, our lips so dangerously close to touching.