My Toxic Ex Broke His First Love’s Legs to Beg My Forgiveness

My lifelong dream was to become a professional prima ballerina. But during the Bernice International Ballet Competition, a group of armed thugs crashed the stage. Just as my final routine was ending, they shot the overhead chandelier, sending it crashing onto my legs. Blood soaked the stage. I was shaking from the agonizing pain. Weakly, I cried out to my boyfriend for help. But I saw him blocking my parents and my coach from coming to save me. Only later did I find out those thugs were actually looking for Chloe Jenkins. They wanted to break Chloe’s legs, but my boyfriend frantically stopped them. "No! Don't touch Chloe! I'll kill anyone who hurts her! Go after the girl dancing on stage! Do whatever you want to her!" That was the moment I completely gave up on him and called off the wedding. But then, he regretted it. He broke his precious first love’s legs with his own hands, begging on his knees for my forgiveness. Bang! I had just finished my final spin when a deafening gunshot rang through the hall. Before I could even react, the massive crystal chandelier above collapsed, crushing my legs. My screams echoed through the auditorium. A group of terrifying men surrounded me. They held guns, looking down at me like prey. I tried to pull my legs out, but one of the thugs stepped heavily onto the broken chandelier, crushing me further. Shaking violently from the pain, I gasped, "What... what are you doing?" "I don't even know you! Why are you doing this to me?" The lead thug sneered. "You don't know us? But we sure as hell know your circle!" "Chloe Jenkins scammed my family out of fifty thousand dollars under the guise of marriage! That was my mom’s life-saving surgery money!" "Because of her, my mom died. I came to get revenge on Chloe. But your boyfriend protected her. He told us to take you instead, said we could do whatever we wanted to you!" I blurted out instantly, "That’s impossible!" But when I turned my head, I saw Carter Vance holding Chloe tightly in his arms, whispering sweet nothings to comfort her. A dozen of his personal bodyguards formed a human shield around them. My parents saw me and tried to rush onto the stage, but Carter's bodyguards blocked them. As my parents struggled desperately, Carter spoke with pure impatience. "What are you guys making a scene for?" "She’s not going to die. Nobody is allowed to go up there and interfere!" My eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Bang! Another gunshot fired. A bullet pierced my calf. Cold sweat drenched my body from the excruciating pain. Slowly, my leg started to lose all feeling. Panic gripped my heart. If my legs were ruined, how could I ever dance again? How could I fulfill my dream? With tear-filled eyes, I sobbed and begged, "Carter, please save me." "I can't feel my leg anymore. Please, take me to the hospital..." But all I got in return was cold mockery. "It's just a flesh wound, Elena. Stop acting like it's the end of the world." "You got shot once, and it missed your vitals anyway. Chloe has been so good to you over the years. It's time you paid her back." I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. I couldn't believe such venomous words came from the man I loved. Carter and I had been together for eight years. We had just set our wedding date two days ago. Over these eight years, he had seen firsthand how much sweat and blood I poured into ballet. My dream was to be a professional dancer. In fact, he fell in love with me in the first place because he was captivated by my dancing. He knew exactly how much my legs meant to me. Yet, in front of Chloe, he pretended my life meant nothing. The thugs weren't done. To humiliate me, they ripped my costume to take photos, hit my head with a wooden bat, and even pulled off my acrylic nails. The stage was dyed red with my blood. And Carter just stood there, completely indifferent, holding a trembling Chloe in his arms.My dad couldn't take it anymore. He roared, "Carter Vance! Are you even human?!" "I trusted you with my daughter, and you let them torture her like this? How can you stand there and do nothing?!" He threw himself against the bodyguards blocking him. "Get out of my way! Get lost! I have to save my daughter!" Carter frowned, his face full of disdain. "You and your daughter are exactly the same. So dramatic." "She got hit a couple of times. Is it really worth screaming like that?" "She’s not made of glass. She won't break." "Besides, she should feel lucky to marry me. Plenty of women are begging to be in her position. I don't need her." My leg was a bloody, mangled mess. It was turning blue, completely numb. Yet, he thought I was just acting. My ballet coach couldn't stand it either. She stepped up and pointed a finger at him. "You call yourself her boyfriend? Instead of helping her, you're coddling another woman! You're a disgusting piece of trash!" "Do you have any idea how heavy that chandelier is? Falling from that height, her bones are definitely shattered!" "Instead of taking her to the hospital, you're standing there making snide remarks!" "If it weren't for this sick drama, she would have won the competition today and fulfilled her dream!" Hearing this, Carter froze slightly. A rare flash of hesitation crossed his face. But before he could speak, Chloe whimpered in his arms. "Elena is so lucky. Everyone cares about her and defends her, while everyone just hates me." "Go save her, Carter. Don't worry about me. I don't want you getting blamed because of me." "I know I'm nothing compared to a talented ballerina. Her life is obviously much more valuable than mine." Carter’s heart melted. He frowned with pity, gently patting her back to comfort her. Then, he glared at Coach Margaret with absolute hatred. "Shut up! It's none of your business!" "Let me tell you, Elena Sterling brought this on herself! I've pampered her and paid for her lifestyle for years. What's wrong with her doing me a small favor now?" "I'm not asking for her life! So what if her leg is broken? Who knows if she only dances to seduce other men anyway!" His gentle mask ripped off, revealing the ugly beast underneath. His cruel words poured over me like ice water, tearing my heart to shreds. Tears streamed down my face as I stared at him. Actually, I had known about him and Chloe for a while. Ever since Chloe returned to the country, Carter came home less and less. One day, I even found a lipstick in his pocket that wasn't mine. At the time, I lied to myself. I thought it was just a mistake. After all, we had been together for eight years and were about to get married. But today, I finally woke up. In Carter’s heart, I would never compare to his first love. I was just a toy to keep him entertained when he was bored. He would play with me when he wanted, and throw me away when he didn't. All the love and devotion I gave him over the years meant absolutely nothing to him. The thug swung the wooden bat down on my back again. I couldn't take it anymore and coughed up a mouthful of blood.The thug seemed to enjoy playing God. He stood on the fallen chandelier and jumped. Shards of glass pierced deep into my calf. I clearly heard the sickening crack of my bones breaking. It felt like all the blood had drained from my body. I felt cold, pale, like a corpse. I couldn't hold on anymore. My vision went black, and I passed out. Right before I lost consciousness, I saw Chloe snuggling into Carter’s chest like a helpless kitten, and Carter was smiling, enjoying every second of it. I let out a weak, self-mocking laugh in my mind as a final tear slipped down my cheek. Carter Vance, I tried to warm your frozen heart for eight years, but I failed. If I could turn back time, I would never choose to love you. While unconscious, I had a dream. A dream I never wanted to wake up from. It was eight years ago, my very first stage performance. I was so nervous that I messed up twice mid-routine. Just as the crowd started whispering and mocking me, Carter shouted from the audience. "Keep going! I believe in you!" His voice gave me courage. I finished the dance. In the end, I actually won second place. For a rookie like me, it was the ultimate encouragement. After I went backstage, Carter handed me a bouquet of flowers. "You dance beautifully. Can I get to know you?" Because of his kindness that day, he left a deep impression on me. I blushed and nodded. We started seeing each other constantly and officially became a couple soon after. He treated me like a princess, always giving in to my wishes. Later, I found out he was trying to get a promotion to General Manager. The company he worked for happened to be a subsidiary of my brother’s conglomerate. So, I made an international call to Leo and begged him for hours. Finally, Leo agreed to pull some strings and get him the job. I knew Carter was extremely proud, so I never told him I was the one who helped him. The day he got promoted, he spun me around in his arms, overjoyed. He said he finally had the power to give me a proper home. He promised he would marry me within a year. Even when he was exhausted from work, he would always drive to my ballet studio to pick me up. He said my dancing was his medicine. Whenever he watched me dance, all his stress melted away. He even bought a studio for me and hired the best coaches. Back then, I naively thought I was the luckiest girl in the world. So I waited. I waited for the day I would finally become his wife. But year after year went by, and that day never came.Later, I realized why. His first love, Chloe, had come back. He began staying out late. His excuses were always the same. "I have to work overtime tonight. Go to sleep first." "A sudden business trip came up. I'll be gone for a few days." "I have to entertain a client. Don't wait up." Eventually, he stopped texting entirely and just didn't come home. He stopped picking me up from the studio. He stopped praising my dancing. The passenger seat of his car, which used to be mine, now belonged to Chloe. I started finding things in his car that weren't mine. Lipsticks, necklaces, stockings, and even sexy lingerie. But I kept brainwashing myself. I told myself he was just being a gentleman, driving Chloe home. I told myself Carter loved me and would never betray me. I even started doubting my own skills, thinking maybe my dancing wasn't good enough to ease his stress anymore. So, I locked myself in the studio, practicing like crazy. I even forgot to eat. I thought if I became the absolute best, Carter would look at me again. Finally, I got the chance to perform on the international stage at the Bernice Ballet Competition. And Carter actually came to watch. My heart fluttered with joy. I wanted to scream with happiness. But I never expected his presence would drag me from heaven to hell, ruining the most important moment of my life. I shuddered and woke up from the nightmare, my clothes soaked in cold sweat. The sharp smell of disinfectant made me realize I was in a hospital. I looked around. The massive private room was completely empty. A wave of intense anxiety washed over me. I had foolishly hoped that when Carter saw me pass out, he would stay by my side out of guilt or pity. But I had overestimated my worth. I was just a disposable toy to him. Looking at my bandaged hands and my leg in a heavy cast, my heart clenched in pain. I struggled to press the call button to summon the nurse. I asked for a formal medical forensics report of my injuries and begged the nurse to call Leo. When Leo heard what happened, he lost his mind. "Damn him! How dare he touch my sister! I'll make his life a living hell!" He booked the earliest flight back. And mobilized all his connections in both the corporate and legal worlds. The moment Leo saw me in the hospital bed, his eyes turned red. This usually cold, ruthless businessman couldn't hold back his tears. He gently brushed the hair away from my face and whispered, "I'm back, Elena. Don't be scared. I'm here now. No one will ever hurt you again." He immediately filed a police report. He brought in the top defense attorneys in the country, handed them my forensics report, and said coldly: "Make sure Carter Vance rots in prison for the rest of his life. And find a way to pile charges on that bitch, Chloe Jenkins!" Hearing this, I weakly tugged at Leo's sleeve. "Leo, actually, Carter..." Before I could finish, the hospital door was violently kicked open. Carter walked in, his face twisted with rage. "Elena Sterling! You actually filed a police report over a minor injury?! You just want to ruin my life, don't you?!" "Chloe did nothing wrong! Why did you drag her into this?!" He turned to Chloe, who was shrinking behind him, and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, babe. I'll get you justice." Looking at them protecting each other, I felt a wave of cold amusement. I was lying here half-paralyzed, yet he didn't even look at my injuries. His eyes were only on Chloe. Suppressing the ache in my chest, I rasped out, "I didn't want to hurt you, Carter." "Look at me. I'm really hurt. I'm not acting." "It hurts so much." I was still testing him. One last time. I wanted to see if our past meant anything. If he apologized right now, I might have forgiven him. I might have still married him. But he didn't care at all.