Right Person, Wrong Time

Chapter 1 I was working part-time at a designer shoe store when I saw Ethan Ashford again. He had gone abroad three years ago, and I thought he’d never come back.

Now, he stood right in front of me with a stunning woman at his side. The woman was elegance personified.

I kept the smile on my face and delivered a sales pitch like I was on autopilot. “Hi there. We’re running a Valentine’s promotion—buy any two pairs, any style, and get two percent off.”

The woman beside Ethan looked effortlessly graceful, but her attitude reeked of entitlement. “Is that so? Then, bring me a few pairs from the latest collection.”

Meanwhile, Ethan sank into the couch in the VIP lounge, stretching his long legs like he owned the place.

I crouched to help her try on a pair of heels. I instinctively tugged at the hem of my uniform pants, not wanting anyone to notice the stiff outline of my prosthetic leg. I had always been good at hiding it. But that day, I was especially careful.

Suddenlt, without warning, the woman shrieked and kicked my hand away.

“What the hell are you doing? You hurt me!” she snapped. “Look at your hands. They’re like sandpaper. Be careful, or you’ll ruin my feet!”

At her comment, I couldn’t help but glance at my hands. She wasn’t wrong. After working eight jobs a day, they were far from delicate.

Back then, Ethan used to put lotion on my hands between classes. He always said a woman’s hands should be soft.

Without thinking, my gaze drifted to him. He was flipping through a magazine, completely unbothered. It was as if nothing had happened.

“I’m so sorry,” a co-worker jumped in quickly, trying to smooth things over. “She’s just part-time and still learning. Let me help you with those.”

I had already slipped away to grab more shoes, but the woman wasn’t letting it go. She rolled her eyes at me and spat, “Thanks for ruining my day. What a buzzkill.”

Her words hit hard. My chest tightened, and my hands hovered awkwardly at my sides.

That was when Ethan finally stood and strolled over. He leaned in close, bracing his arms on either side of the woman.

“What’s wrong? Who upset you?” he asked gently, his lips close to her ear.

Back when we were together, he used to speak to me like that after a fight. He’d sneak up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, whispering, “Who pissed you off, Kendall? Do you want me to deal with them?”

Yet, that tenderness and patience weren’t mine anymore.

His coaxing probably worked because the woman’s expression softened. A beat later, a blush crept into her cheeks as she said, “Forget it. I won’t make a scene. Just wrap up these two black heels and charge them under his card.”

…

At the register, Ethan calmly handed me his card. His handsome face gave nothing away, as if we’d never even met.

That was when I realized the opposite of love wasn’t hate. It was indifference.

I glanced down at my leg. Then, out of nowhere, I let out a soft chuckle.

What was I even hoping for? At the end of the day, I was just a woman with a disability.

Everything was in the past. And besides, I was the one who ended things with Ethan.

Chapter 2 On the day of my graduation, my roommate accidentally slipped up, and I found out ahead of time that Ethan was planning to propose.

Back then, I was young and blindly confident. Even if I came from a nowhere town and had nothing to my name, I figured being pretty and full of fight would count for something. There was no reason I wouldn’t be good enough for Ethan.

At the time, I was secretly working delivery gigs on the side, just trying to scrape together enough for a pair of matching rings.

What I didn’t expect was that the man I was supposed to deliver to that day was completely drunk. He dragged me into his hotel room and pinned me down on the couch. No matter how hard I struggled, he wouldn’t back off.

“Let me go! You’ve got the wrong person! I’m just here to drop something off!” I screamed.

He slurred, “Is that so? How about you let me have a taste of you first?”

Without thinking, I cried out, “Ethan, help me!”

Suddenly, the man’s grip loosened slightly.

“Who’s Ethan? Is he your boyfriend?” the man asked with a smirk. “Bring him around sometime. I’d love to meet him.”

In that brief moment of distraction, my hand found a small knife on the side table next to the couch. On instinct, I drove it straight into his eye. Blood gushed instantly.

I froze, paralyzed by fear. Then, I dropped the knife like it had burned me.

Seconds later, the fully enraged man clutched his bleeding eye with one hand and yanked my hair with the other.

I was trembling. Before I knew it, he hurled me out the fourth-story window.

After that, all I remembered was feeling pain.

…

When I woke up, the first person I saw was Ethan’s mother, Amy Baker.

I had met her before. She was the one who once offered me a large sum of money to leave Ethan, but I turned her down.

She sat at my bedside, silent and poised. Just as I was about to answer my phone, she stopped me, saying, “Look at your leg first. Then, decide if you can still be with Ethan.”

In that moment, a wave of pain crashed through me. My left leg was gone, amputated below the knee. Layers of gauze wrapped what was left, with blood seeping through the edges.

Amy spoke at length, her voice calm but unwavering. “You’ve always known I didn’t approve of you and Ethan. I had someone follow you today to stop you from meeting him. I never expected something like this to happen.

“But maybe this is how it was meant to be. Now that you’re disabled, I can’t possibly accept the two of you being together. I hope you understand. After all, this is what any mother would feel.”

She pressed her lips together, then continued, “I sent Ethan a photo of you entering that hotel room. I didn’t explain anything. But you’re smart. I’m sure you know what to do.”

Right then, whatever pride or self-worth I had left shattered. I had no idea how long it would take to put myself back together.

…

After a long night of thinking, I finally replied to Ethan’s messages.

I took the blame and pretended that I had cheated on him, playing the role like I meant it.

I texted back, “Yeah. You caught me. Let’s break up. There are plenty of rich guys out there. I’m not going to waste my time on just one.”

His reply came in two sharp words. “Gold digger.”

And just like that, Ethan disappeared from my life.

Later, I learned that the man who assaulted me was Colton Reid. He was a spoiled heir with no real skills to speak of. However, since there was no real evidence and both of us were badly injured, the case went nowhere.

After that, his family made sure I couldn’t land a decent job anywhere in the city.

Still, I was determined to earn enough for a better prosthetic. I sold shoes, made deliveries, and did whatever I could.

As for Ethan, if he forgot me, then so be it.

…

That night, I was out delivering flowers on Valentine’s Day.

As I stepped into the private room, I saw Ethan. He was seated in the middle, and next to him was the same stunning woman who had bought shoes from me a few days earlier.

She looked at me, recognition dawning on her face. “Hey, weren’t you the woman from the other—”

Before she could finish, another voice cut in. “Damn! Isn’t that Kendall Shaw?”

It was only then that I noticed the man sitting near the door. It was Wesley Hart, Ethan’s best friend from university.

Chapter 3 All at once, the room fell silent. Every pair of eyes lit up with curiosity, waiting for the drama to unfold.

Wesley had always seen me as a cheater. So now, it was clear that he was itching to take a few jabs on Ethan’s behalf.

“Talk about twisted luck, Ethan. You ordered flowers and ended up face-to-face with your ex,” he commented.

Then, Wesley turned to me. “What’s the matter, Ms. Shaw? Finally getting what you deserved?”

I let out a quiet sigh, but I wasn’t about to argue with him. So, I said, “Ladies and gentlemen, your flowers have been delivered. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading out.”

“Hold on.” Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the air behind me. I froze like I had been cursed.

“Aren’t you supposed to read the card?” Ethan asked. “I’m sure that’s part of the job.”

I took a moment to collect myself before turning around. Then, I picked up the bouquet and asked, “Is there a Ms. Tiffany Reeves here?”

The beautiful woman next to Ethan lit up. “Right here.”

With the flowers in hand, I walked over and stopped in front of her. Ethan and the entire room watched as I read every word on the card. “Dear Tiffany, meeting you was luck. Hitting it off was fate. I hope this Valentine’s is just the first of many.”

A chorus of teasing erupted instantly, loud enough to drown me out.

Once, Ethan had loved me like I was the only woman in the world. But now, he had made me read a love letter that he had wrote for someone else.

No one was interested in who I was anymore. They were too busy fawning over the happy couple.

“Congrats, Mr. Shaw! You just got back and already found yourself a keeper!” someone quipped.

Then, came a chanting. “Kiss her! Kiss her!”

In the dim lighting, I saw Tiffany’s cheeks flush red as she slowly closed her eyes.

Ethan leaned in, aiming for her lips. But from the corner of my eye, I saw him shift at the last second and press a kiss to her cheek instead.

“Lame!” someone groaned.

The crowd’s disappointment was obvious. Even Tiffany looked somewhat embarrassed, though she recovered quickly.

As it turned out, Ethan had recognized me all along. He just chose to pretend he hadn’t.

I bolted to the restroom and splashed cold water on my face. It wasn’t until I looked in the mirror that I saw how raw my eyes looked.

Thankfully, I hadn’t broken down entirely. I just felt empty.

…

I had barely stepped out of the bathroom when someone grabbed me and dragged me into a quiet corner of the hallway.

I didn’t even realize Ethan had followed me.

Suddenly, his hands were on me, pressing me against the wall.

“What’s this? Tears?” he asked with a sneer. “You’re the one who cheated, Kendall! What the hell are you crying about? Are you broke? Did the guy you left me for dump you?”

And just like that, it clicked. This was about revenge.

I let out a dry laugh and met his stare head-on. I was fully prepared to play the villain.

“Yeah, I’m broke. Do you have a job for me, Mr. Shaw?” I retorted.

Ethan froze, clearly not expecting that. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and spat, “Fine. My girlfriend’s birthday is next week, and we need extra waitstaff. Since you’re so good at serving people, come work for me, and I’ll pay you double.”

I tried to argue. “I don’t—”

However, he cut me off before I could finish. “Don’t say no. Just show up, and I’ll let it all go. After that, we’re done. I won’t bother you again.”

“Fine. Deal.” I accepted.

Chapter 4 Tiffany’s birthday party was an extravagant affair.

When it was time to cut the cake, Ethan stepped onto the stage. I clapped along with the rest, watching as he put a pair of diamond earrings on Tiffany’s ears.

His face gave nothing away. But when our eyes met, there was a flicker of mockery and smug satisfaction.

I had been numb inside for a long time. All my focus was on those delicate diamond earrings. They really were stunning.

I found myself wondering which would cost more—those earrings or a bionic leg.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and soft music began to play.

I moved carefully through the crowd with a tray in hand, keeping an eye out for guests who needed a refill.

Right then, someone tapped me on the shoulder. “Hey, Mr. Ashford just asked for a glass of champagne. They’re in front.”

I nodded slightly in response before walking in the direction they pointed.

At last, I saw Ethan at the far end of the room. His arms were wrapped around Tiffany as they swayed to the music.

Suddenly, I was thrown back to my orientation party years ago. The setting had been almost the same. That was the night he placed a hand on my waist and confessed.

“Kendall, will you be my girlfriend? I promise I’ll never hurt you,” Ethan said.

That memory felt like it belonged to a different life.

While I was lost in thought, someone shoved me, and I stumbled and crashed into Tiffany.

She let out a startled cry as we both hit the floor, glass shattering around us.

In the low light, I caught Ethan reaching for me. However, he drew his hand back and helped Tiffany to her feet.

I pushed myself up, ignoring the shards cutting into my palms. It took effort to stand, but at least I hadn’t revealed anything.

In a flash, the lights blazed back on.

“My earring! One of them is gone!” Tiffany shouted.

She clutched her ear, clearly about to cry. “Ethan just gave them to me! What if it’s lost?”

At that moment, someone muttered, “Wouldn’t be surprised if someone grabbed it during the commotion.”

The room stirred with whispers, and just like that, all eyes turned to me.

I almost laughed. Yet, I still explained, “I only bumped into Ms. Reeves. I didn’t see any earrings.”

But no one believed me.

“Stop lying. You couldn’t take your eyes off her earrings earlier. Just look at you. Do you really think you deserve something like that?” one of the guests said with a sneer.

Another chimed in, “Exactly. If you took it, hand it over. Everyone here is rich and powerful. Who else could it be? Don’t pretend that fall was an accident. You’re shameless!”

I suggested checking the surveillance footage, but they dismissed it right away. “It was too dark. The cameras wouldn’t have caught anything.”

Then, one of the women beside Tiffany spoke up. “Why don’t you come with us to the dressing room and strip down? Just to prove you didn’t take it.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. And yet, the idea of being accused didn’t scare me as much as the thought of them finding out about my missing left leg.

I looked at Ethan. He was the one who brought me here tonight, after all. One word from him, and they’d back off.

Alas, he had no intention of defending me. He just looked at me, amused, and mouthed two silent words. “Beg me.”

In that moment, something in me broke.

“Move it. Stop wasting time!” someone barked.

As the accusations grew louder, the last thread holding me together finally snapped. I understood then that when you pushed someone far enough, everything they had been holding onto could go up in flames in an instant.

So, I nodded with a smile. “Sure. Let’s go.”

“Hey…” Ethan jumped to his feet. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words never came.

This time, I didn’t turn around. I kept walking, steady and certain. His opinion meant nothing to me anymore.

…

I followed the group of women into the dressing room. One by one, I stripped off my clothes. First, my shirt. Then, my pants. And finally, the prosthetic.

Their expressions shifted from contempt to shock, then barely-concealed horror.

I stripped off everything they demanded, one piece at a time. It wasn’t to prove anything to them. Instead, it was to reclaim something for myself. So what if I only had one leg?

“Shit! She’s a freak!” one of the ladies shrieked.

The two who had been the loudest were now the first to run.

I scoffed quietly and took my time getting dressed.

By the time I reached the staff elevator behind the main hall, I could hear their panicked screams echoing down the corridor. “S-She doesn’t have a leg! She’s a cripple!”

As the elevator doors closed, I thought I heard Ethan’s furious voice.

“Who? Who the hell are you calling a cripple?” he roared.