Chapter 8 Crippled

"Charlie, my Charlie!" Willa shrieked, her voice filled with panic as she scooped Charlie into her arms. She turned to Tyler, her eyes blazing with fury. "You monster! Are you out of your mind?" she raged. "How dare you lay a hand on my son? I'll never forgive you!" However, Tyler seemed oblivious to her tirade. His eyes were bloodshot as he slowly sank to his knees. "Dad, Mom, I'm so sorry ... " he choked out, his voice thick with despair. Carefully, he gathered the shattered fragments of the ruby bracelet. But those tears, as big as beans, fell uncontrollably to the ground. His tears were shattering just like the bracelet moments before. "This was the only thing my mother left me, the only clue I had to find them. And now you've destroyed it," he whispered, his voice filled with anguish. "You both deserve to die!" Thud! The sheer intensity of Tyler's fury was overwhelming. Willa felt her legs give way, and she collapsed to her knees. "I'm sorry! I was wrong! I beg for forgiveness. Please, spare me and Charlie," she pleaded desperately. "I'll pay for the bracelet, no matter the cost." At Oxbourne Hospital, Charlie was rushed into surgery. Willa frantically dialed her phone. "Clarissa, listen to me! If you care about your brother's life, you need to get to Oxbourne Hospital immediately," she barked into the receiver. "That monster Tyler attacked your brother!" Her voice was shrill with panic. "I don't care what meeting you're in, or how important it is. Drop everything and come here now!" In the midst of leading a corporate meeting, Clarissa paled. Tyler? Had he had hurt Charlie? Twenty minutes later, a stunning figure rushed into the hospital hallway. One of her high heels had snapped, and she carried it in her hand. "Mom, how's Charlie?" she gasped, her voice filled with anxiety. "Mom, answer me! How's Charlie?" Willa's lips quivered, and then she burst into tears. "Clarissa, you have to get justice for Charlie." She sobbed. "That beast Tyler attacked him for no reason. Charlie almost died!" Her voice rose to a wail. "I only have one son. If anything happens to him, I don't want to live either!" Tyler? Had he just crippled Charlie? The words hit Clarissa like a thunderbolt, and her face hardened. Ding! Just then, the operating room doors swung open. Charlie was wheeled out by a nurse. "Charlie, how are you feeling? Are you in pain?" Willa rushed to his side, nearly fainting at the sight of his bandaged head. As soon as he saw his mother and sister, Charlie launched into a dramatic performance. "Mom, Clarissa!" he wailed. "Tyler crippled me. My life is over now. "You must get revenge for me!" "Crippled ... ?" Willa exploded. She grabbed the surgeon by the collar. "What kind of doctor are you? Why couldn't you heal my son? "If anything happens to Charlie, I'll sue you and take you to court!" The surgeon sighed, exasperated. "Madam, please calm down." "Calm down? I only care about my son!" Willa was beyond reason, ready to create a scene in the hospital. Clarissa quickly intervened, pulling her back. "Mom, stop. Angering the doctors will only make things worse for Charlie. "This hospital is the best in Oxbourne. Do you want to ruin Charlie's chances of recovery?" Willa finally calmed down but immediately turned back to the doctor. "Tell me! What's wrong with my son? How long will it take for him to recover?" "It doesn't look good." The surgeon shook his head slightly. "The patient has a fractured jaw. If it doesn't heal properly, it could lead to facial deformities. "Additionally, his fourth lumbar vertebrae have shifted. If the impact had been just a bit stronger, he could have spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. "His internal organs have also been damaged, and he'll need at least a month to fully recover." Facial deformities! Wheelchair-bound! Internal injuries! These diagnoses left Willa, Clarissa, and Charlie completely stunned. After a moment of silence, Charlie broke down, crying pitifully. "Mom, my life is ruined! "I was just trying to stop him from stealing, but he destroyed my entire future! "I don't want to live anymore. I'd rather die than live as a cripple!" Willa couldn't bear to hear Charlie's misery. She turned and barked orders at Clarissa. "You saw what happened to your brother, right? "I don't care how you do it, but you must drag Tyler to this hospital and make him apologize! "And not just apologize! He has to serve Charlie hand and foot until he recovers." "Mom, we don't even know all the details yet ... " Knowing her mother well, Clarissa tried to reason with her. But Willa only raised her voice in response. "What do you mean we don't know the details? Your brother's injuries are clear evidence! "You better remember! You're divorced from Tyler now, so I won't allow you to defend him. "If you can't even protect your brother, then don't bother calling yourself my daughter. We'll sever our mother-daughter relationship right here!"