Forced To Marry My Cousin's Fiancé

Chapter 73: Chapter 73

Lane’s eyes went wide when she opened the door and saw Ethan standing there. She definitely hadn’t expected him since it was so early. It was only six in the morning, and she’d barely just woken up.

She only had the guts to open the door because she figured it was a nurse or a doctor, but nope, it was Ethan.

Why was he back already? Didn’t he have a company to run? Wasn’t he supposed to be busy?

"Good morning, Lane," Ethan said, his voice steady and his eyes locked onto hers.

Instead of saying it back, Lane looked away. She chewed on her lip, thinking about the heavy conversation she’d had with her mother the night before. Honestly, she’d hardly slept a wink. Her mother made some good points, but Lane still wasn’t ready to let Ethan into Calvin’s life.

Without saying a word, she stepped aside to let him in.

"Morning, Aunt," Ethan said once he crossed the threshold.

"You’re early, Ethan," her mother noted.

"Yeah, Aunt. I had Clara whip up some breakfast to bring over," he replied. "Have you guys eaten yet?"

"Not yet. Lane was just about to head out and grab something."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Ethan look her way. "Don’t bother going out, Lane," he said.

Lane just gave him a quick nod. Her heart skipped a beat when he started walking toward her, stopping right in her personal space.

"Here you go," he said, his voice deep as he handed her a paper bag.

She took it silently, but their fingers brushed in the handoff. That familiar jolt of electricity surged through her entire body again.

Lane looked up and got caught in his stare. His gaze was so intense she couldn’t pull away. For a second, it felt like the rest of the world just blurred out, leaving only the two of them.

The spell only broke when a nurse walked into the room. Lane jerked her gaze away and scrambled for some distance.

Even without a mirror, she knew her face was probably beet red. Even with her back turned, she could feel him watching her. He wouldn’t take his eyes off her.

"I’m just here to check on the patient," the nurse announced.

Lane busied herself at the table, unpacking the food Ethan brought.

"I’ll help," she heard him say a second later. He wasn’t just watching her anymore; he was right on her heels.

She wanted to tell him she had it handled, but he started helping before she could even open her mouth. She was actually kind of relieved he didn’t try to start a conversation or ask any questions.

He just stayed quiet as they set everything out. He’d brought a ton of food; he must have really put Clara to work this morning.

Once they were done, she looked over at her mom. The nurse had just finished up with her dad and was heading out.

"Mom, let’s eat," she called out.

Her mother nodded and started walking over, but just as Lane was about to sit down, she caught a tiny movement. Her father’s eyelids had flickered. She froze, her eyes glued to him.

"You okay, Lane?" Ethan asked.

She looked at him and saw the genuine concern on his face. "He moved," she whispered.

"Who moved, Lane?" her mother asked, rushing over.

Lane started to answer, but she stopped when her father’s eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Oh my god!" she gasped. "Dad’s awake!"

She ran to his bedside, her mother right behind her.

"Oh, Richard! Thank God!" her mother burst into tears, totally overwhelmed with joy.

"I’ll go get the doctor, Aunt," Ethan said, disappearing out the door. He was back in no time with a doctor and a nurse in tow.

He stayed close to Lane, acting like he was ready to catch her if she fell. They moved back to give the medical team some room. Her mother gripped her arm, leaning on her for support.

Lane’s vision blurred as she watched her father. "Sir, can you speak?" the doctor asked.

Her heart broke when she saw him struggling just to get a word out.

"Can you move your hands?" the doctor tried again.

Her father managed to lift his right hand, but his left side stayed perfectly still. It was the same with his legs; only the right one moved.

The reality of what happened hit Lane all at once.

The tears started coming faster, and her knees felt like they were going to give out. She almost hit the floor, but Ethan’s quick reflexes saved her.

He caught her by the waist and held on tight, making sure she knew he wasn’t going anywhere.

_____________

Ever since her father woke up and they learned the extent of his condition, her mother had been a permanent fixture at his side. She was truly walking the walk, making him feel her love every second.

She was sticking to those wedding vows, in sickness and in health, like her life depended on it. She kept whispering encouragement, telling him he’d bounce back and get his strength back to exactly where it used to be.

Her father was paralyzed on one side of his body. Lane was actually kind of relieved it wasn’t worse. At least he wasn’t in a vegetative state. Honestly, when she first got the news, she was terrified he’d be bedridden for the rest of his life.

The doctor said he could recover with the right treatment. If he stays consistent with his therapy, his speech and movement might actually go back to normal. For the first time in a long time, there was a real glimmer of hope.

Lane watched her mother. She was trying so hard to be the strong one for her father, but Lane could see right through it.

She knew her mom was hurting and reaching her breaking point. Lane bit her lip as her eyes started to sting with tears.

She tried to blink them back, but it was a lost cause. Just as she was about to wipe them away, someone handed her a handkerchief.

She didn’t even have to look up to know who it was.

It was Ethan. He had been a shadow at her side since the moment they got there. When she didn’t take the cloth, he let out a heavy sigh. Her heart started racing, and she couldn’t stop it, especially when Ethan took matters into his own hands.

Since she wouldn’t take the handkerchief, he reached out and wiped the tears from her eyes himself.

Lane felt like she’d been turned to stone. She couldn’t move or even think about stopping him. She just stood there, staring at the intense concern etched into his serious face as he dried her cheeks.

They were stuck in that moment when the door swung open. Uncle Lucas and Aunt Rebecca walked in. Lane noticed Lucas freeze, his eyes landing right on her and Ethan.

When he saw how close they were and what Ethan was doing, his gaze turned sharp and cold, like he absolutely hated what he was seeing.

The tension finally snapped Lane out of it. "I-I’ve got it," she stammered, grabbing the handkerchief from Ethan. She didn’t use it. She just gripped it tight. Ethan let out another long sigh.

"Sis," Aunt Rebecca said, rushing over to Lane’s mother. "I heard he’s finally awake. How’s he doing?"

Instead of answering right there, her mother led Aunt Rebecca away from the bed. "Let’s talk over here so Richard can rest," she whispered.

They moved toward the sofa. "How is Richard?" Rebecca asked again.

"He’s awake," her mother said. "But one side of his body is paralyzed."

"Oh my God!" Rebecca gasped.

Lane frowned when she caught a glimpse of a smile on Uncle Lucas’s face. It was there and gone in a heartbeat, making her wonder if she’d just imagined it.

"So, what’s the plan, Sis?" Rebecca asked.

"Right now, Richard just needs our support," her mother replied. "The doctor is sure he can recover with the right treatment. He said therapy will help him slowly regain his strength."

"I know a great therapist, Eleanor," Lucas chimed in.

"Thanks, Lucas, but Ethan already recommended someone," her mother said.

Lane noticed a weird look cross Lucas’s face, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it meant.

When the doctor mentioned the therapy, Ethan had jumped right in with a recommendation.

Since her mother was desperate for her father to get better, she’d accepted the help. Lane didn’t argue with it either.

No matter how she felt about Ethan, her father’s recovery was the only thing that mattered.

"What about the company, Eleanor? Who’s going to run things while he’s out of commission?" Lucas asked after a minute.

"In his current state, there’s no way he can handle the business."

Lane was about to snap back, but her mother beat her to it. "Let’s not go there right now, Lucas. My only priority is my husband’s health," she said firmly.

Watching him closely, Lane saw his expression shift again before he smoothed it over.

"Don’t take it the wrong way, Eleanor," Rebecca said, jumping to her husband’s defense.

"He’s just worried. He’s thinking about the employees who depend on that company."

Lane stayed quiet but kept her eyes peeled. Beside her, she could tell Ethan was doing the same thing. They both knew Lucas was up to something.

LUCAS

The second Lucas and his wife got home, he let out all the irritation he’d been bottling up. He was fuming that Eleanor had brushed him off in front of her daughter and Ethan.

Truthfully, when he heard Richard was awake, he wasn’t happy. He was disappointed. But that vanished the moment he heard about the paralysis. Richard was half-broken, and that was exactly what Lucas needed.

The company was the first thing on his mind. In that condition, Richard was useless as a CEO, and that felt like the answer to all of Lucas’s prayers.

He planned to play the part of the concerned relative, offering to help out with the company and the employees. But the reality was much darker.

If Eleanor was dumb enough to give him the keys to the kingdom, he’d bleed the company dry, quietly siphoning off shares until he owned the place.

Neither Eleanor nor Lane knew the first thing about business, so they’d never see it coming. By the time Richard was strong enough to care, there wouldn’t be anything left to return to.

It was the perfect plan: hitting two birds with one stone. First, his money problems would disappear. He could pay off his massive debts and stop relying on Ethan, since that plan was a bust anyway.

Olivia still hadn’t managed to wrap Ethan around her finger.

Second, he’d finally crush Richard. He wanted to surpass him in every way and make sure he never bounced back. The thought made him smirk.

This was his chance to finally be the superior one.

He turned to Rebecca, his eyes cold.

"Rebecca, you have to get through to Eleanor. Persuade her to trust us with the company," he ordered.

"We need power of attorney. Taking over that business is going to fix everything for us."

He leaned in closer. "I’m going to make sure she has no choice but to hand it over."

His wife just nodded. He knew she’d do whatever he said because she was just as terrified of losing their lifestyle as he was. Plus, she wanted to see Eleanor fall just as much as he did.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!