The Lies We Marry For

ress felt heavy on my shoulder

do this

lost in the grand, empty church. He stood before

t me, toward the open church doors wh

ing about, Mark? E

is were filled with a pathetic mix of guilt and

ense. They were just so

d. To

hite roses fell from my hands, scatt

voice filled my head, a

Life Mission 'Marry Mar

... Host life functions wil

est, and my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the floor

ted to go dark

onds rem

owardice. Ashley rushed in, not t

said, her voice sharp with impatienc

ran out of the church together,

onds rem

. I couldn't breathe. M

ain. A man I didn't know rushed in. He m

ay?" he yelled,

er. I could onl

onds rem

then his eyes landed on the massive, ornate chandelier hanging directly above us.

illing me internally, it

onds rem

He threw his body over mi

t!" he s

mmed down onto us. I felt the impact, but his body took the worst of it. T

averted. New life

cal voice w

d saved me. I looked at his legs, trapped and twisted bene

iced himself

married to that man. Hi

wasn't a marriage of passion, but one of deep, unending gratitude. I owed him everyth

than was always kind, always gentle. He never complained about the wheelchair

ieved

avorite meal and bought a bottle of expensive wine. I

s when I heard voices from inside. He must have brought h

"Are you ever going to tell her, man? Thr

and hovering ov

well, but this time it had a differen

at I'm the best ac

od ran

ships you because you're a hero in a wheelchair. What h

I pressed my ear to the door, my

onfident. "This is the only way. If I hadn't done it, she would h

ter's name was a p

sked you to do that. To fake a disability, t

to make her feel so indebted that she would never think of causing trouble," Ethan explained calmly. "My 'sa

s. They shattered on the hardwood floor, the sound ec

nside the of

. He wasn't in his wheelchair. He was

tructed mask of the kind, disabled husband falling

a cage. My life for the past three years

countdown in the church. It was a deep, soul-cr

d for, the man I thought was a hero. He was a strange

ock, that this had to end. I would not spend one more second i