Cheat

Styles rolled the wheelchair to the residential area once again but he was confronted with the same guards who threw him in the servant's quarters earlier.

“You never learn, do you?” The first guard huffed.

“I don't want trouble. I heard my wife is back, I just want to see her, please,” he pleaded.

“Is that so? Well her Highness warned us not to let you step foot, I mean, step wheel in this hallway.”

The other guards laughed even though the joke was anything but funny. Styles cursed the stupid accident for putting him in his current state.

If his legs were still functional, he would have taken them all down. He was a black belt holder in martial arts. These clowns in uniform were no match for him even if he was armless and they had guns to his throat.

“I don't intend to cause trouble. I only want to see my wife.”

“Well, you leave us no choice…” the guard trailed off and Styles sensed danger. Just as he was about to turn the wheel around, they grabbed his wheelchair and pushed him down the stairs.

While he gripped the arms of the chair in fright as it toppled down the stairs, the guards were behind, laughing and cheering.

His racing heart slowed when it hit the bottom of the stairs, sliding with speed to the other end of the wall.

Styles held on to the wall to stop the wheelchair from rolling further. He glanced back at the men laughing like they had just witnessed the most entertaining sight in history.

He rolled back intending to return to his room but he met some of the servants who were gossiping earlier.

“Where are you going?”

“They wouldn't let me through the main entrance,” he said sullenly.

“That is not a problem. Come with us, we go through the back.”

Styles followed them, his heart slamming wildly against his rib cage as they got closer. Just as they said, the back entrance was open and free from security.

He could hear Mona's giggles from outside and there was a familiar tightening in his chest.

The servants went ahead to open the door and he rolled in. He froze when he saw the woman he loved more than life wrapped in the arms of another man.

He was on top of her, peppering her face with kisses without a care about the servants strolling in and out of the room. Mona didn't seem to mind either.

“Are you this shameless?” The words left his mouth before he could stop it and she gasped, pushing the man off her.

Styles recognized him as the adviser's son. Even while he was still courting Mona, the man didn't hesitate to send in flowers and expensive gifts.

Back then, Mona had assured him that he was just an admirer. Now, Styles’ wondered what she was going to say in her defense.

“Styles?” Her voice was high-pitched with surprise then it was replaced with immediate disgust. “Who let you in here?”

He was taken aback by the question.

“Who let me in here? You brought a man into our room! You let him touch you! Right before me, he kissed you…” Styles was boiling with anger now.

“Shut your mouth!” She snapped. “Who are you raising your voice at? Do you want me to order the guards to cut that tongue of yours?”

“Who is he?” Her lover asked. “And why does he look so… irritating?”

“I'm so sorry about him, sweetheart. My mother assured me that she took care of him,” Mona said to the man without caring about the effects of her words on Styles.

“Is he your husband? You told me he died in the accident.”

Styles couldn't believe his ears. Not only was she cheating on him, but she dared to declare him dead.

“He is! Does this thing in any way look like the man I married? You were there on the wedding day, weren't you? Is this the man I wedded?” Mona went ahead to lie shamelessly.

“You're right. I can't even imagine you being with someone like this. Ask the guards to throw him out, please. He is interrupting our time together.”

Styles looked at Mona. She looked away from him and proceeded to call the guards.

“Get him out of here and don't ever let him in this wing, again. Is that understood?” She ordered.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Once again, he was thrown out. Styles could barely breathe as his heart thumped heavily against his chest at a heavy painful pace.

A woman he dedicated two years of his life to, trampled on his love because of mere appearance?

If someone told him three months ago that this would happen barely two months after their wedding, he would have disputed it.

Now, here he was, suffering this cruel fate.

Mona and he were heading for their honeymoon when a group of bandits attacked. Not only did these men rob them but they also wanted to have their way with his newlywed.

He couldn't allow that so he decided to take them all down, granting her an opening to run. She escaped with one of their horses but there was no happy ending for him.

He had no idea there were others so while he took on the three easily, the others got some sort of signal and attacked.

They broke his legs and scarred half of his face as a warning not to play hero in his next life then abandoned him for death.

By the time Mona returned with soldiers, the damage had already been done.

Styles shook his head as a rave of self-pity settled over him. As if the misery wasn't enough, his in-laws barged into the room.

By inlaws, he meant the duchess and her sons, accompanied by the very woman who just stabbed his heart with a knife.

It seemed like her guest was long gone.

“You had the temerity to harass my daughter's guest after I warned you to stay away from her?” Duchess Elena growled.

“All I wanted to do was see my wife but there she was, giggling in the arms of another, sucking tongues with a man she isn't legally married to,” Styles bit back.

“And who is this man she is legally married to? A vegetable parading himself on a wheelchair?” One of her brothers retorted.

“You know about this? How can you be in support of her infidelity? If your wives…” a slap cut him short but it wasn't from any of the brothers as he expected. It was from Mona herself.

“You will not speak to me that way when you are nothing but a useless man. When your legs have failed and half of your face is a nightmare, how do you expect to perform your duties to me?” Mona fired.

“You know what? I don't even have the energy to argue this with you. I will put in a request for separation papers. Maybe then, you would leave me alone!”

“You will have to kill me for that to happen! I will never sign those papers or go through any separation rite with you!” Styles spat.

“Very well then, we will gladly grant your wish.”

Before he knew what was happening, the brothers pushed him off the wheelchair and pounced on him.