Chapter 7

“Get out! I don’t need you! Get out, all of you!” Make roared, his voice hoarse with rage.

Isabel understood his outburst. Losing the ability to walk would leave anyone irritable and short-tempered. Taking a deep breath, she retorted, “You’re too noisy. Can you shut up? In your current state, no matter how much you yell, you’re still at everyone’s mercy.”

Blake froze, his eyes wide with shock. He was sure—this woman had come to humiliate him. Another one.

“Oh, this place reeks! I’d better clean up a bit,” chirped Hannah, unable to remain still.

“Mom, don’t bother,” Isabel said flatly.

“Don’t bother?” Hannah paused mid-step.

Isabel nodded. “Yeah. I’m taking him with me. He can’t keep living like this.”

Her straightforward words stunned both Hannah and Blake. When Isabel had lifted the blanket earlier, she’d seen the filthy bedding crawling with maggots. It was clear Stacy, the caregiver, had completely neglected him—likely abused him, too. No wonder his temper was explosive, and his mistrust of others so deep.

“Isabel, you must be joking,” Hannah said, finally finding her voice. Their family was already struggling financially, and now Isabel wanted to bring home a paralyzed man!

Isabel’s face was firm. “I’m not joking, Mom. Go fetch a basin of hot water. I’ll clean him up.”

Blake shot her a sharp look. “I don’t need your pity, and I definitely don’t need you to take me anywhere.”

Isabel let out a dry laugh. “Oh really? You plan to just rot away here?”

Blake sneered. “Doesn’t matter—I don’t want to live anyway. So what if I rot?”

Isabel’s expression hardened. “Well, that’s not up to you anymore. From now on, your life… is mine.”

She said it so casually, yet Blake was stunned. She didn’t seem to be joking.

Soon, Hannah returned with the hot water. “Isabel, I’ll clean him up. I’m old, and just like his mother. You’re a young girl—you shouldn’t be doing this.” Hannah’s concern was clear. The idea of her daughter tending to a man so intimately didn’t sit well with her. Moreover, Blake was filthy, especially on his lower body.

“It’s fine. I’ll do it. Besides, I need to check his legs,” Isabel said firmly, taking the water and wringing out a towel. Without a word, she began.

“Don’t touch me!” Blake shouted again.

Isabel ignored him entirely and yanked off his pants.

“Ali, young man, how can you be so ungrateful? My daughter’s kind enough to help you, and you’re still complaining?” Hannah muttered, shaking her head.

Isabel worked methodically, her expression calm and unaffected. She didn’t show the slightest hint of disgust. During her medical training, she’d seen all kinds of bodies. Initially, anatomical models of the male form had made her blush, but over time, she’d grown desensitized; discussing or handling them became second nature. Medicine was practical, straightforward, and nothing to be ashamed of.

Blake’s body, however, was in terrible condition. Dirt had piled up due to lack of washing, and the bedsheets were stained. Even Hannah, who was used to dealing with chickens and pigs, wrinkled her nose. But Isabel? She didn’t bat an eye.

It took several basins of water to get him clean. “How long has it been since you were last washed? What on earth is that caregiver being paid for?” Hannah grumbled as she scrubbed.

“Mom, check the cabinet for some clean clothes. Bring them over so I can change him,” Isabel instructed. Hannah rummaged through the drawers and finally found a clean set, which she brought back. Together, she and Isabel dressed Blake in fresh clothes.

Once dressed, Blake felt an unfamiliar sensation—cleanliness and comfort he hadn’t experienced in a long time. It was… surprisingly pleasant.

“Why are you doing this? What’s your motive?” Blake questioned, suspicion lacing his tone. He couldn’t believe Isabel was acting out of pure kindness.

As Isabel washed her hands, she replied coolly, “The motive is to save you. Honestly, in your current state, what could I possibly want from you? Do you think you have anything to offer me?”

Blake fell silent. Her words were harsh, but not without truth.

“Isabel, what do we do now?” Hannah asked, breaking the tension.

“Take him home,” Isabel said decisively.

Hannah quickly offered, “Alright, I’ll call Alex right now. He’s strong enough to carry him for sure.”

“No need,” Isabel replied, waving her hand dismissively.

Before anyone could respond, Isabel hoisted Blake onto her shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world and headed toward the door. Hannah stood there, slack-jawed. Blake, usually full of snark, was stunned into silence.

“Put me down! Where are you taking me? Put me down now!” Blake shouted, panic creeping into his voice.

“Shut up. Say one more word, and I toss you on the ground,” Isabel warned, not breaking stride. Blake was mortified. He was being carried like a sack of potatoes by a woman, and she had the gall to threaten him!

“Oh my goodness… this daughter of mine…” Hannah murmured, stunned as she hurried to keep up. The scene was surreal.

Outside, Stacy was munching on cookies when she saw Isabel stride out with Blake slung over her shoulder. She froze in shock.

“W-where are you taking him?” Stacy stammered, her voice shrill. Without glancing her way, Isabel replied, “Home. To take care of him.”

“You… you can’t take him!” Stacy exclaimed, moving to block her path. If Blake left, her cushy job—and the hefty paycheck that came with it—would vanish. This one-month salary was worth a year of her usual earnings. This work might be dirty and unpleasant, but the payment was generous.

“And why not? You’re not taking care of him properly anyway,” Isabel shot back.

“I am! Who says I’m not?” Stacy protested weakly.

Isabel sneered, “Really? Did you see the maggots in his bedding? The urine-soaked sheets? Did you bother to clean any of it?”

Stacy’s face flushed with guilt, but she couldn’t afford to let Isabel take Blake away. She stiffened her tone. “Whatever you say, you can’t take him! At least under my care, he’s alive. The Yates family hasn’t objected—why should you?”

Isabel narrowed her eyes. “He’s my fiancé. Do you think I wouldn’t care?”

Stacy hesitated, fumbling for a response. “Even so, he’s part of the Yates family. If you want to take him, you’ll need their permission.”

Before she could finish, Isabel punched her square in the face, sending her sprawling to the ground. Stacy landed face-first in the dirt, stunned.

“Holy smokes. My daughter is fierce!” Hannah thought, completely floored.

With that, Isabel continued her trek, carrying Blake from one end of the village to the other. A growing crowd of onlookers gathered, their curiosity piqued by the spectacle.

“Uh… Isabel,” Hannah whispered as she trotted behind her. “Maybe we should keep a lower profile! Everyone’s watching, and now they’re going to say all kinds of things…” People started staring and exchanging whispers.

Isabel waved her off. “Don’t worry about it, Mom. The village will find out sooner or later anyway. And gossip here spreads faster than the internet.” Hannah sighed but didn’t argue further. She was more concerned about the challenges of having two invalids at home.

Unsurprisingly, by the time they reached their house, the news had already spread like wildfire.

Villager 1 said, “Did you hear? Isabel Galvez carried a disabled man home on her shoulder!”

Villager 2 said, “Yeah, I heard. She must be crazy, bringing a cripple back with her.”

Villager 3 said, “You know what I heard? Isabel Galvez is so messed up in the head she’s into disabled men. Total psycho.”

“Isabel, the room’s ready,” Hannah said as she entered. “Good thing we live in the countryside where houses are bigger. If we were in the city, there wouldn’t be enough space for so many people!”

“Thanks, Mom,” Isabel replied, carrying Blake into the room. She placed him gently on the bed.

Hannah sighed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You said you were just going to check on him, and now you’ve brought him home. Now we have two disabled people in the house. Life’s going to get even harder.”