Love the disabled tycoon

The night was late at the Theophilus family estate-the leading clan of New York-which was still busy seeing off guests. In the wedding suite upstairs, Giselle Yashashree had not yet removed her bridal gown. She sat on the bed, anxiously clenching her hands.

An unknown amount of time passed before a sound came from outside the door. Giselle's entire body grew tense, and the image of a man sitting in a wheelchair was a mere blur in her downcast eyes. She could not see the man's features clearly as the lights in the room had been extinguished.

In the darkness, her sense of hearing became incredibly acute, and the sound of him pushing the wheelchair was exceptionally clear. Hearing the movement and vaguely sensing the man's direction, Giselle grew even more nervous. She lightly licked her pink lips and spoke up. "Could you turn on the light? I can't see anything."

"It is very late, and I want to bathe." Reid Theophilus's voice was incredibly cold, as if he had been raised in an ice cellar. The sound alone was enough to make one shiver. For a man with paralyzed legs who never left the house to meet anyone and lived in gloom all day, saying he had emerged from an ice cellar was an understatement.

Hearing Reid's words, Giselle hesitated. There were only the two of them in the room, and since his legs were not functional, he clearly meant for her to help him bathe. However, she had not yet processed the fact that he had become her husband.

Seeing Giselle remain motionless, he spoke again. "Come here and help me."

His voice carried a command that brooked no refusal, and it was several degrees colder than before. An hour ago, the Theophilus family had warned her: if Reid showed even a hint of dissatisfaction, the Yashashree family would not receive a single penny. She had married into the Theophilus family specifically for the money.

Giselle stood up hesitantly. "I haven't even taken off my wedding dress yet, so it's very inconvenient. Who used to help you bathe before? I'll go call them for you."

She wanted to stall. Her mind was becoming increasingly chaotic, so she used what little sobriety she had left to negotiate with him.

"Did no one tell you why I married you?" He had lost the last of his patience and pushed his wheelchair closer to press her.

It was true that no one had told her. She had been busy with the wedding all day, and it wasn't until she was sent to this room that she realized her husband wasn't the second young master of the Theophilus family, Flynn Theophilus. The Theophilus family members had only given her a few threats so she wouldn't provoke Reid.

Initially, her mother thought it was a stroke of luck that the Theophilus family accepted her as a daughter-in-law. If she became a wealthy young mistress, the family company could receive help from the Theophilus family to overcome its current crisis. She just never expected the person she married would be the wheelchair-bound Reid.

He approached so closely that she could feel the coldness radiating from him. She could refuse to accept this marriage; after all, the Theophilus family had committed marriage fraud. She could leave the Theophilus family house right now.

Having made her decision, Giselle straightened her back and gathered the courage to speak. "I didn't know the person I was marrying was you."

"If you want to get out, then get out quickly." His icy voice was laced with impatience. This wife wasn't the person he wanted to marry either.

Giselle could have walked away, but her feet felt glued to the floor. She had married into the Theophilus family for her mother and for the Yashashree family company. If she left now, everything would be destroyed.

What should she do? Spend the rest of her life with a man in a wheelchair, or let the Yashashree family decline and watch her mother wash her face with tears?

Thinking of this, she slowly stepped toward Reid. Her voice was clear as she accepted her fate. "I will help you bathe."

Inside the wedding suite, she saw Reid push his wheelchair toward the bathroom without looking at her. Giselle took off her wedding dress first and changed into a nightgown.

Helping someone else bathe was a first for Giselle. However, she usually bathed the dog at home, so helping Reid would probably be similar. She filled the bathtub with water first.

The bathroom wasn't brightly lit, with only a faint fluorescent light on the wall. This light was perfect for Giselle; she could see the silhouette of the person but not his face clearly, which helped avoid embarrassment.

By the dim light, Reid saw her exquisite, lovely, heart-shaped face. She seemed very thin, and when she leaned over, her sexy collarbones were visible. She put her hand in the tub to test the temperature, patiently mixing the hot water.

Once the water was ready, she turned back to look at him with almond eyes and a cute nose and mouth. The steam flushed her face a rosy red, like a lotus flower floating on the water.

Giselle bit her lip and finally managed to squeeze out a few words. "Um, do you need my help to undress as well?"

After saying those words, Giselle wished she could bite her tongue. She should have just stood aside like a wooden statue, waiting for his orders before taking any action.

"Come here," Reid spat out those few words.

She did not know why he was so cold. Even when he said nothing, it was enough to strike fear into Giselle's heart. She took agonizingly slow steps toward him and reached out to help him undress.

As for the trousers...

"Can you take off your trousers yourself?" The moment she asked this, she immediately felt regret. A person with paralyzed legs could likely only manage to undress their upper body alone.

Reid did not answer her question; he simply stared at her intently while she remained motionless. To help him remove his trousers, would she have to support him so he could stand up?

"Can you hold onto the wheelchair to stand?" Giselle looked at him, completely flustered. This was the only solution she could think of. If the lights had been bright enough, he would have seen her face flushed deep red.

Seeing that Reid did not speak, she stepped forward to support him. Supporting him required immense effort, and her entire body swayed unsteadily.

She gritted her teeth and asked, "You are so heavy. How many people usually help you bathe?"

When he didn't answer, she continued, "If I have to help you bathe from now on, I'll have to find a way. Maybe buy you a cane."

"Get out." Reid's voice was like ice as he flung away the hands that were touching him.

Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze over. The last syllable of her sentence was cut short, and she had to swallow her words. Pushed by him, she stumbled and fell forward, her head slamming into the edge of the bathtub.

"It hurts." She knitted her brows tightly, reaching up to rub her forehead with a groan.

Without any warning, Reid had flown into a rage and shoved her away. Because of where she fell, her forehead had struck the rim of the tub. At that moment, Giselle felt her head spin. She didn't even realize how her words had offended him as her vision gradually went dark.

She lay unconscious in the bathroom all night, with no one checking on her, leaving her to sleep on the cold floor until morning. It was Reid who had caused her to hit her head, and he had watched her faint with his own eyes. What kind of man could be so heartless as to abandon her there without a word of concern?

After Giselle woke up, her eyes searched the room. She crawled up and left the bathroom for the bedroom, but Reid was nowhere to be found. There were no traces of anyone having been on the bed. Giselle's gaze landed on the alarm clock; it was nearly eleven o'clock.

She had been unconscious for a very long time. Opening the wardrobe in the room, she chose a simple set of loungewear, changed, and headed downstairs. The house was designed with European architecture, featuring a spiral staircase and a quartz clock hanging on the wall.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Giselle saw her mother-in-law staring intently at that quartz clock, her expression incredibly cold.

Apprehensively, she stepped forward to greet her. "Mother."

"My, do you still know how to get out of bed. Look at what time it is." Mrs. Theophilus paused to pick up her coffee cup, lightly sipping as she let out a cold laugh. "You aren't exactly a pampered young miss of the Yashashree family anymore. Entering this house certainly seems to have made you quite comfortable and idle."

Her words were harsh. It was a far cry from before the wedding, when Mrs. Theophilus hadn't treated her this way and had even taken her to pick out jewelry. Giselle knew she shouldn't have woken up so late on her first day of marriage, but she had her reasons.

Seeing that Mrs. Theophilus was still resentful, she prepared to explain, but the older woman gave her no such chance.

Mrs. Theophilus spared her a cold glance. "This is my fault for choosing you to enter this family. Before you arrived, I didn't explain the rules of the Theophilus household. I saw that you were filial and obedient, which is why I chose you as a daughter-in-law."

"Reid is your husband, and your duty is to take meticulous care of him. From now on, you must adjust your schedule. You are to wake up half an hour earlier than Reid."

Mrs. Theophilus went through the household regulations one by one for Giselle. Beyond caring for Reid, she had to serve tea to her parents-in-law every morning. Giselle had known a little about general household expectations, but the rules here were excessively strict. They forbade her from leaving the house and even prohibited her from speaking to any man other than her husband.

By the time the lecture concluded, it was already time for lunch, and the wound on her forehead remained untreated.

At the dining table sat the second master of the Theophilus family and Flynn. Reid was not present. Seeing her look of confusion, Mrs. Theophilus explained that Reid usually ate in his room. Giselle poked at the rice in her bowl, keeping her head bowed low.

"I hope you remember clearly that you are Reid's wife, not a servant. I have you looking after him, but if that is all you do, how are you any different from the hired help?" After making her point, Mrs. Theophilus returned to her meal.

Giselle understood the underlying meaning. Reid typically stayed in the inner study of their wedding suite. After finishing her lunch, Mrs. Theophilus urged her upstairs to attend to him.

Giselle opened the door to find a study where Reid sat in his wheelchair with a book resting on his lap. The curtains were drawn shut, making the room as dark as night. Giselle set down a fruit platter. "Would you like some fruit?"

The memory of the previous night was still fresh, so she remained cautious and kept her distance while facing him.

Reid looked up at her. "Bring it here."

Compelled to comply, Giselle hesitantly picked up the platter and walked toward him. Reid was slow to take it, his gaze lingering on her forehead. In the gloom, that stare was impossible to ignore. She reached up to touch the injured spot and spoke softly. "Yesterday you used too much force, so..."

There was no resentment in her voice; she was simply explaining why she was bruised.

"So what?" He spoke without a trace of warmth.

When she saw him looking at her injury, she had briefly thought he might possess a shred of concern for others. Hearing his tone now, she realized she had been overthinking.

"It's nothing." The atmosphere grew awkward. Giselle set the fruit down and tried to change the subject. "The weather is lovely today. Shall I wheel you outside to get some sun?"

As her hand reached for his wheelchair, he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her forward, his hand clamping around her neck. The sensation of pain and the lack of oxygen turned Giselle's face pale. She reached out to pry his hand away, but both of her hands were not as strong as his single grip.

Reid hissed through gritted teeth, "Who gave you the audacity?"

She couldn't understand why he was so angry. She was only trying to play the part of a good wife by caring for him.

It was only when she could no longer breathe that the hand squeezing her throat finally let go. Giselle felt as though she had died and come back to life. Her entire body went limp, and she slumped to the floor. The suffocating pain left the corners of her eyes stinging with bitterness.

"Get out now." Reid sat in his wheelchair, speaking through suppressed rage.

His voice sounded as if it came from hell, sending a chill down her spine. She was still gasping for long breaths, trying to stand up quickly, but her body lacked the strength to support her and flee. A man with such an unpredictable temperament was like a bomb that could explode at any moment. In his fits of rage, he could kill her anytime. Once she managed to steady herself and stand, she immediately hurried out of the study.

Flynn seemed to have been standing outside the door for a long time. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, fixed on her. "My mother truly chose the wrong person. You should prepare yourself to be kicked out of here. The Theophilus Group has already sent a sum of money to the Yashashree Group. Since you married into the Theophilus family, your job is to be a servant. The money you receive is more than what they get."

His voice was incredibly cold, reflecting his deep dissatisfaction with her.

Giselle glared at him. Having just escaped a brush with death, her heart overflowed with a mix of grief and anger. "How can you speak so harshly. I sincerely wanted to marry into the Theophilus family and be a good daughter-in-law. Your family committed marriage fraud from the very beginning. I haven't complained at all, so why are you all so strict with me?" She had never once grumbled. Even if she had to marry a disabled man, she did not look down on him.

"Harsh. If you wanted that much money, you should have expected to pay this kind of price. If it weren't for the greed of your Yashashree family, wanting to marry you off to a wealthy house and extract money from the Theophilus family, how could we have let you in? Putting makeup on this ugly face... don't you know it makes people feel disgusted." Flynn curled his lips into a mocking smile and walked away immediately after speaking.

Giselle bit her teeth hard, her blurred vision following him as he left. Was there any parent who didn't want their daughter to marry into a good family with a good husband? They were just ordinary people; was it necessary to speak so poorly of her parents? Ever since Mrs. Theophilus took an interest in her, her mother had been so happy, saying she hadn't let her father down. The proposal to marry into the Theophilus family was made by them, and the money was offered by them voluntarily. In the end, what did she do wrong? On what basis could he call the Yashashree family excessive? On what basis?

After returning to the room, Giselle glanced around. She hadn't brought much with her, so leaving would be easy and without any trouble. However, before departing, she had to call her mother to let her know.

Once the call connected, the sound of a woman's light laughter came from the other end. "Giselle, are you listening to your mother-in-law at the Theophilus house. The Theophilus family is a prestigious clan, so don't just do whatever you like. Do you know how many people admire you for marrying into that house? Not to mention the second master of the Theophilus family, who is handsome, elegant, and the future heir. Marrying into that family means you have endless blessings to enjoy."

Giselle hesitated for a long while before speaking. "Mom."

The other end was still filled with joy, seemingly not hearing her tone. "Today, the Theophilus family transferred the money to the Yashashree family. Your Uncle Yashashree has always treated us well. I am truly happy that you could marry into the Theophilus family and help him."

It was true; Uncle Yashashree had been very good to them. She wanted to reassure her mother and repay Uncle Yashashree for his years of care.

"Giselle, what did you want to say just now?" Mother Yashashree suddenly asked.

Giselle forced herself to sound cheerful. "It's nothing, I just missed you. Moving to a new place so suddenly, I'm just a bit unaccustomed to it."

"It will get better in a few days. If you are truly uncomfortable, you can discuss it with Flynn and stay at your mother's house for a day or two."

She hurriedly declined. "There is no need, Mother. Flynn has been very busy lately."

After finishing the call with her mother, Giselle composed herself and went to find a first aid kit to treat the wound on her forehead. As she stepped out of her room, Mrs. Theophilus suddenly appeared before her with a cold expression. "Did I ask you to care for Reid just so you could sleep in your room?"

"Mother, I wasn't sleeping," she explained softly.

"Tell me truthfully, did you make Reid angry?"

Giselle nodded. "Yes."

"You should understand your status. Even if you were Caradoc Yashashree's biological daughter, you still wouldn't be a match for Reid. Do you despise his legs? Do you think the Theophilus family tricked you into this marriage, forcing you to live like a widow?"

Facing the aggressive questioning from Mrs. Theophilus, Giselle stood tall and said, "I do not. I don't despise Reid at all. I sincerely wanted to marry into the Theophilus family, and I want to care for Reid. Thank you, Mother, for choosing me to marry into this house and for considering my family's dignity by letting everyone think it was the younger brother who wanted to marry me. Thank you for extending a helping hand to the Yashashree family."

Knowing how to show gratitude and being intelligent and kind were the traits Mrs. Theophilus liked about her. Hearing Giselle's words, the anger on Mrs. Theophilus's face softened significantly.

"Go, pour a glass of water and take it to Reid."

Giselle nodded and replied, "Yes, Mother."

From this moment on, she made up her mind to stay with the Theophilus family. She could not make things difficult for her mother and felt a duty to repay the Yashashree family. If she wanted to take good care of Reid, she first had to understand his temperament, grasp his thoughts, and avoid offending him. Giselle carried the freshly poured glass of warm water into the study.

"Mother asked me to bring you some water." Her voice was very soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing his reading.

She remembered clearly the two times Reid had lost his temper: once regarding the crutch and once regarding the light. Reid had overheard her conversation with Mrs. Theophilus earlier. Regardless of whether she was playing tricks to please his mother, she had indeed said she did not despise him.

Taking the glass of water from her, Reid narrowed his eyes at her. "What is your name?"

Reid didn't even know his own wife's name. Giselle was slightly startled. She had thought she was the only one who didn't know she was supposed to marry Reid.

"Giselle Yashashree. Giselle means pure and full of life, while Yashashree stands for prosperity and luck." These words were a repetition of how her mother had explained the meaning of her name.

Her voice was very gentle, and it sounded pleasant to Reid's ears. He listened carefully to her explanation and looked at her, realizing she truly suited the name. Reid took a sip of the water, frowned, and said, "The water is too hot."

She had poured the water herself and checked it. It was just the right temperature. She knit her brows and reached out to touch the rim of the glass, finding it wasn't hot at all. "The water isn't hot."

For years, no one had dared to act so casually in front of him. Reid looked at her coldly, frowning. "Pour another glass."

Seeing him like this, Giselle felt some hesitation. He was too quick to anger, and she shouldn't go against his wishes, yet she still said softly, "The temperature of this water is just right. It's very good for your health."

Reid clearly saw the fear on her face. If she was so afraid of him, why did she still want to defy him?

Giselle held her breath, bracing herself for his anger, but after a long moment, he said nothing and simply finished the glass of water in his hand.

After he finished, Giselle hurried to take the glass from him. "I feel the study is a bit cold. What do you think?" she asked cautiously, wanting to adjust the room temperature.

Reid said nothing but picked up the air conditioner remote to increase the temperature. He said, "From now on, when you are in the same room as me, wear more clothes."

Giselle understood that he wasn't showing concern for her; he simply didn't like a warm environment.