Crippled By The Fake Heiress — And She Regretted It Chapter 01
Five years after being reunited with the Scarla family, the fake heiress Gina Colombo ran me over and shattered my leg.
My parents and my childhood sweetheart rushed me to the hospital like they’d lost their minds.
When the doctor said I might spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, Alessio Moretti—my childhood sweetheart—proposed to me on the spot. He said he’d take care of me forever.
My parents cut ties with Gina. They told me to hand over the evidence and let them handle it while I focused on recovering.
Later, they said Gina had drowned while fleeing from justice.
I believed them.
Until the fifth year of my marriage, when I happened to catch sight of Gina—the woman who was supposed to be dead.
She was holding a little boy in her arms, gazing at Alessio with a wistful sigh:
“These past few years, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you and Mom and Dad. Otherwise, Valentina might’ve actually put me behind bars.”
“That cripple will never figure out—not till the day she dies—that you and I have a son.”
“Even Mom and Dad have been helping me. They didn’t just destroy the evidence—they swapped out her recovery medication for vitamins.”
“Alessio, I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer all these years, marrying that useless cripple and putting on an act.”
“Don’t say that. Marrying her was the only way I could issue a victim’s pardon on her behalf as a family member, keeping you in the clear.”
“As long as you and our son are doing well, my sacrifice is worth it.”
So the marriage I’d believed was my salvation—it was nothing but a con. My own biological parents had deceived and hurt me for the sake of a fake heiress.
Fine then. I’d leave.
In the hospital lobby, I watched Gina cradling her son beside Alessio and his whole happy family. My heart felt as if someone had gouged a gaping hole straight through it. The pain was so crushing I couldn’t breathe.
The husband who’d promised to care for me forever was in love with the woman who’d nearly killed me. And my own parents—even after destroying the evidence—still didn’t trust me.
They’d made Alessio marry me so he could issue a victim’s pardon in my name at any time, ensuring Gina’s safety.
My phone rang. It was Donna Scarla.
“Valentina, dear—why didn’t you wait for us? You went to the hospital on your own? We’re almost there. Where are you?”
Hearing her anxious questions, a fierce wave of rage surged through me. I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms.
“Oh, I just thought I shouldn’t keep troubling you forever, so I came to my rehab appointment by myself this time.”
“We’re family—the closest family there is. How could you ever be a bother? Are you at the hospital now? We’ll be right there!”
Every previous time I’d come for rehab, my parents had always accompanied me. I used to think it was out of love and concern. Now I could see there was something else behind it entirely.
“Mm. I just got here too. I’m about to head into the ground-floor lobby.”
I steered my wheelchair around the corner and said it deliberately.
Sure enough, their tone turned urgent. They told me not to go inside—too crowded, not safe—they were nearby and would come find me right away.
I agreed coldly, then hung up. I watched Alessio answer his phone. His expression went tense in an instant. He said a few quick words to Gina.
Then he stood, passed the child in his arms to her, and slipped out the back entrance. Gina melted into the crowd and vanished.
It all clicked. That call had obviously been from my parents.
They hadn’t told me to stay out because they were worried about me. They were afraid I’d run into Gina and Alessio.
Shock and grief crashed over me. The pain nearly swallowed me whole. Everyone—all of them—had been lying to me to protect the woman who’d ruined my life.
My nails dug so hard into my palms they nearly broke the skin. The sting of pain brought me back to some clarity.
Fine. If that’s how it was, then I’d hand them back this stage—and let them have their little show all to themselves.
I pulled out my phone, hit record, then wheeled myself to the hospital entrance just as my parents came rushing up. Donna Scarla’s eyes flickered with unease.
“Valentina—why didn’t you wait for us before going in?”
Don Scarla stood beside her, brow furrowed deeply.
“Didn’t we say the hospital’s crowded and chaotic? We’re not comfortable with you going in alone!”
“I couldn’t keep waiting, so I went in and used the restroom.” I kept my voice even, my expression neutral.
Donna tested the waters cautiously: “You didn’t… happen to see anyone in there, did you?”
The anxiety on her face stabbed straight through me.
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to scream at them. Why did you lie to me?
But I knew that asking now was pointless. I’d already made up my mind to leave.
“See anyone? I was in a rush—spent a long time in the bathroom. Didn’t notice anyone.”
Seeing that my expression betrayed no sign of a lie, my parents exhaled with relief.
“Come on, let’s go up with you.”
Don Scarla took hold of my wheelchair. Donna crouched down and carefully adjusted my face mask.
“The flu’s been bad lately. You need to stay protected. If you get sick, it’ll break my heart.”
Once upon a time, seeing the worry and concern in her eyes would have moved me beyond words.
But now, I could no longer feel even a shred of love in her gaze.