Kage's Revenge: Not All Are Forgiven

Chapter 1: Fall of honor 

“Kage. Do it. Don’t die! If you fall, you fall with honor!” 

  Kage assured himself, clutching the wheels of his wheelchair. He had been disabled since the accident. The mysterious accident that almost claimed his life. 

 He stared at the clock. It was past 11. His wife had not returned. It had been happening this way for the last few months. Since he became disabled. It was like he suddenly got lost into the shadows. Like she tossed him in a corner of their condo. 

 If she was there for him like he had always been there for her, he could’ve been able to walk already. 

 Still, Kage set aside his fear and rolled the first step. His hands clinched the rail for his dear life for one mistake and it would be game over. 

   Soon, his bravery was paying off. He was doing it; he was on the fourth step. He was finally making it down the stairs, without the help of anyone. He couldn’t wait to show this to his doctor the following day. But as for tonight, he was more than excited to show his wife that he could now stroll his wheelchair alone down the stairs.

 Suddenly, Kage missed a step. He went tumbling over.

 His body slammed on each remaining stair till he got to the last. “Ow damn!” he yelled out in pain, but not loudly. 

 He sighed deeply as pain reverberated through his body. He could have sworn that he heard his bone make a cracking sound. Like it got broken or something. 

 Still, he tried to pick himself up. And that was when he noticed something. Something that would change the entire course of his life from now on.

 He could walk. He stood to his feet.

 “I... I can walk again. Oh, my fucking God, I can walk.” He screamed in joy as he wiggled his toes and walked his first few steps in months. 

 The sound of keys rustling brought him back to reality. Quickly, he yanked his Wheelchair and sat down back. His wife had returned. If he shares this good news with her, then maybe the joy they once shared would be revived. Maybe all of her coldness was due to his disability and nothing more.

 The door flung open. He grinned as he watched her step in, Clara. His wife. Her hair seemed messy than usual, it was late anyway. She probably had a long day at work.

 Her heels made clicking sounds as she walked pass him towards her room at the side of the stairs. Months ago , she demanded space from the couples room which Kage respected. 

  "Hey. You’re back. How was your day?" Kage called out as he attempted to move to her but stopped.

 “Fine.” She simply said and walked past him, not even batting an eye. She did not even care to bother how he got down the stairs. Well, perhaps, his doctor had reappointed their session. 

 Her reply was cold. Kage should be used to it by now. Her absence, her 'busyness', her 'important life'. His Queen shouldn't have been too gone all the time. And when she returned, she never gave him attention or even bother to make dinner most times.

 Her eyes focused on her phone, smiling as she struggled to keep the things together in her occupied hands while typing.

 From her left elbow to her wrist, she had shopping bags; no big news, Clara love shopping. Her right hand held her handbag, dangling from her finger was a car key. That was new.

 "Babe, you're home late. Everything alright?" Kage asked.

  She saw him, he knew she saw him and yet, she ignored him. Mixed feelings washed through Kage but he decided not to react. He was hoping to tell her he exciting news. To tell her how he was now able to walk. But her countenance was not welcoming. Today was different. She wouldn’t even bat an eye.

 He navigated his wheelchair into her room to see her taking off her earrings. Through the mirror a disdainful smile flashed across her face as she watched him gaze the key on top of the table.

 "You got a new car?" He asked.

 She frowned. 

 "You are not blind as you are crippled, Are you now?" She snarled.

  Okay, that wasn't called for.

 "I decided to go shopping before returning, just pearls, some stuff and a Bentley Flying Spur," she rolled her eyes mid statement. "I got a promotion, Kage, I needed to spoil myself because I deserve it" 

 Kage nodded in agreement; she sure deserved to spoil herself.

 "Congratulations, babe" he smiled.

 “Thanks.” She scoffed. Her attention went back to her phone, a few seconds later, she giggled.

 "Babe, there’s something I need to…" 

 "Must you?" Clara interrupted. But she soon realized she had subconsciously let her disgust slip out.

"Alright, tell me if you must" Her voice was clipped the same as her eyes, devoid of any atom of warmth.

 So, Kage began to wheel himself into the room to show her the good news. That his legs were now active and he could walk.

 "You know I am not deaf, I can perfectly hear you from anywhere. You don’t need to come this close." she snapped and walked around. Her voice sounded calm, but her face said otherwise; Clara was raging.

 "No need for the attitude," Kage managed, his voice a low murmur.

"So, you want your feet kissed or what?" Clara muttered as she went.

 Kage grinned. His gaze roamed behind from her head to her heels.

 Her newly cut hair suited her green tailored pantsuit; it screamed success and power. It contrasted sharply with Kage's black sweat pants and white polo shirt.

 "Are you ever going to get better?" she finally asked, the question laced with raw resentment that burned far more than any physical pain. "Or are you going to sit there being a broke, useless, wheelchair-bound surgeon for the rest of your pathetic life?"

  His throat tightened. The words echoed, each one landed like punches to his already battered self-esteem. "What do you mean? Clara, I'm working on it," he said. "I'm getting stronger every day. Just need my medical clearance. I've even started thinking about going back to the clinic." He adjusted on his wheelchair.

 Her laugh cut through the air; dry, sharp and cruel. “You are kidding, right? A genius surgeon in a wheelchair? You know something, Kage. My family misled me. They told me you were some wealthy brilliant mind. But you are nothing more than an average surgeon who got lucky enough to attract a woman with real ambition, a trophy wife. I've been pushing forward my career, tirelessly working towards my PhD while you’re rotting away here. Are you going to let me go once you've used me up?"

 "You're leaving me," he said, the words barely a whisper, the reality sinking in.

 Clare didn't deny it. Instead, her gaze fixed on her watch, she reached for her phone as it beeped again. 

 She looked up after a brief typing "I am superb! I am a successful Cardiologist. I just got a promotion while studying my PhD," she said, her voice flat. "What have you been doing Kage? Seat on your ass all day and feel sorry for yourself?" She smirked at him " You should as well change your surgeon status to handicapped".

“And who do you think made all of that possible, Clare?” he asked.

 She dropped her phone and let out a dry laugh. “Who, you? You think those little support you were rendering meant anything? You were only performing your duties as a husband, nothing more.” She blurted out.

 Those words made Kage bittered, angry, disappointed. How dare she? He literally built her into the person she was today. She only got to study her PhD because of him, even when her marks were below average. The hospital she worked in, it was all him. Or had she forgotten all the late nights he helped her prepare pitches, handouts, proposals? Had she even forgotten that before his accident, he had been the one taking care of her mom’s health? He treated her illness when no one else could.

 He was getting better. He wanted to tell her but he wouldn't. He knew she had been different but talking like this sparked something in him. The mixture of disgust, disappointment and anger. He had had enough of her nonsense. 

 "Haven't I done enough for you?" Kage asked.

 His gaze narrowed as he watched her smiled and typed in her phone.

"It's your constant presence, always rubbing off my hard work with your pathetic disability. I am a success! I am a star, imagine getting the tag of The Crippled Surgeons wife's" she chucked.

 “Come on, Kage. Consider yourself worthy of being with me.”

 In silence Kage navigated his wheelchair to leave. He heard enough, no need to listen to an ungrateful wife rub his pride on his face.

 Getting to the door, he heard her giggle and turned back to see her smiling at her phone. Obviously, it was giving her more joy.

 His phone vibrated in his pocket making him jolt. A small smile flashed across his face as the notification showed it was a video from his best friend, Matt.

 He opened the video and… his jaw dropped, his blood turn cold and disgust and rage flowed his stream. 

 "Clara?" He

yelled as he turned his wheelchair and moved towards her "What the fuck is this?" he growled.