Stop drinking that juice. You will heal. 5-year-old Elena Martinez stood in the doorway of the grand mansion’s master bedroom. Her tiny hands shaking as she pointed at the glass of orange juice in the paralyzed millionaire’s hand. Her big brown eyes were filled with tears and her voice cracked with fear.
David Sterling, one of the richest men in the city, stared at the little girl in complete shock. He was sitting in his expensive wheelchair, wearing his usual sad expression. The juice glass trembled in his weak grip. “What did you just say, little one?” David whispered, his voice barely heard in the huge room. But Elena didn’t answer.
Instead, she did something that would change everything forever. She ran straight to David’s wheelchair and knocked the glass right out of his hands. Crash! The glass shattered on the marble floor and the orange juice splattered everywhere like a crime scene.
At that exact moment, David’s fianceé, Catherine Wells, rushed into the room. Elena, what have you done? Catherine screamed, her face turning red with anger. But Elena didn’t run away. She looked straight into David’s confused eyes and said the words that would haunt everyone in that room. The lady is making you sick with poison juice. and then everything went silent.
Comment below and tell us where you’re watching from. Subscribe to this channel to support our growth, how it all started. Let me take you back to where this incredible story began. 6 months earlier, David Sterling was not always in a wheelchair. Just 3 years ago, he was the king of construction in the city.

He owned the biggest buildings, had the most expensive cars, and lived in a mansion that looked like a palace. People called him the golden builder because everything he touched turned to gold. But then came that terrible day in March. David was checking on his newest building project. A 50story tower that would make him even richer.
He was walking on the top floor when something went horribly wrong. A huge steel beam broke loose from the crane above him. Bang! The beam crashed down and hit David’s back so hard that it broke his spine. The doctors at the hospital shook their heads sadly. They told David he would never walk again. I’m so sorry, Mr. Sterling.
The main doctor said with tears in his eyes, “The damage to your spine is too severe. You’ll need a wheelchair for the rest of your life. David’s world crashed down faster than that steel beam.” In one day, he went from being the strongest man in the city to someone who couldn’t even stand up. But David wasn’t alone.
His business partner and girlfriend, Catherine Wells, promised to take care of him forever. “Don’t worry, my love,” Catherine said, holding his hand in the hospital bed. “I’ll never leave you. Well get through this together. I’ll be your arms and legs. I’ll help you with everything.” Catherine was a beautiful woman with blonde hair and green eyes. She always wore expensive clothes and smiled like a movie star.
Everyone thought David was so lucky to have someone who loved him so much. For the first few months after the accident, Catherine was like an angel. She moved into David’s mansion to take care of him. She cooked his meals, helped him get dressed, and even learned how to help him move from his bed to his wheelchair. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.
” David would tell her everyday. Catherine would kiss his forehead and smile. I love you more than all your money, David. I just want you to be happy. But something strange started happening after the first year. David should have been getting better.
The doctor said that even though he couldn’t walk, he should still be able to move his arms normally and feel strong in his upper body. But instead of getting better, David was getting weaker every single day. His arms felt like they were made of heavy stones. His hands shook when he tried to hold things. He was always tired, even after sleeping for 12 hours.

Sometimes he felt so dizzy that the room would spin around him like a merrygoround. I don’t understand what’s happening to me. David told his doctor during one of his monthly visits. I feel like I’m dying slowly. Dr. Roberts, David’s main doctor, ran test after test. He checked David’s blood, took pictures of his brain, and examined every part of his body. But all the tests came back normal. I’m puzzled, Mr. Sterling, Dr.
Robert said, scratching his head. Your body should be much stronger than this. According to all our tests, there’s nothing wrong with you except for your legs. This made David even more scared and confused.
If the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong, why did he feel so sick all the time? Catherine was always there to comfort him. “Don’t worry, honey,” she would say in her sweet voice. “You’re just sad about the accident. That’s why you feel weak. But I’m here to take care of you. Every morning, Catherine would bring David a special breakfast. She made everything herself. Eggs, toast, and his favorite orange juice. This orange juice is special. Catherine would tell him with a big smile.
I add extra vitamins to help you get stronger. You must drink every drop. David trusted Catherine completely. She was the only person who stayed with him when everyone else was too busy with their own lives. His old friends stopped visiting because they felt uncomfortable around his wheelchair.
His business partners took over his company and barely called him anymore. Catherine was his whole world now. Every day was the same routine. Catherine would wake up early and make David’s breakfast. She would help him get dressed in his expensive clothes even though he never left the house anymore. Then she would give him his special orange juice. Drink up, my love,” she would say, watching him carefully as he drank every drop.
“This will help you feel better.” But David never felt better. In fact, he felt worse every single day. One day, everything changed when Catherine hired a new housekeeper. Isabella Martinez was a young woman who cleaned houses to feed her family.

She had lost her husband in a car accident and was raising her 5-year-old daughter, Elena, all by herself. Isabella worked three jobs just to pay for their tiny apartment and Elena’s food. When Catherine offered Isabella a job cleaning David’s huge mansion, Isabella cried with happiness. “Thank you so much, Miss Wells,” Isabella said with tears in her eyes. “This job will change our lives. I promise I’ll work harder than anyone you’ve ever hired. Just keep the house clean and don’t bother Mr.
Sterling,” Catherine said coldly. He’s very sick and needs peace and quiet. Isabella nodded quickly. She was so grateful for the job that she would have agreed to anything. The only problem was that Isabella couldn’t afford a babysitter for Elena, so everyday she brought her little daughter to work with her.
Elena was a special little girl. She had big brown eyes that seemed to see everything, curly black hair, and a smile that could light up the darkest room. But Elena was also very smart for her age. sometimes too smart. On Elena’s first day at the mansion, she was amazed by how big and beautiful everything was.
“Mama, this house is like a castle,” Elena whispered as they walked through the huge front door. “Yes, baby, but remember what I told you,” Isabella whispered back. “We must be very quiet. The man who lives here is very sick, and we can’t disturb him.” Elena nodded seriously. She always listened to her mama.
For the first few weeks, Elena was the perfect little helper. While her mother cleaned the house, Elena would sit quietly in the corner and draw pictures or play with her small toys. She never made noise or caused any trouble, but Elena was always watching and listening to everything around her. Elena was the kind of child who noticed things that grown-ups missed.
While her mother was busy cleaning, Elena would quietly observe the daily routine of the house. Every morning at exactly 9:00, Catherine would go to the kitchen and make David’s breakfast. Elena watched from the hallway as Catherine prepared the orange juice in a special way. First, Catherine would pour the regular orange juice into a glass.
Then, she would go to a locked cabinet and take out a small brown bottle. Elena couldn’t read the words on the bottle because she was only 5 years old, but she could see Catherine pour a few drops from the bottle into the orange juice. After adding the mysterious liquid, Catherine would stir the juice with a spoon and taste it herself.
But Elena noticed something weird. Catherine would make a sour face after tasting it, like the juice was bitter or bad. That’s strange, Elena thought to herself. If the juice tastes bad, why does she give it to the sick man? Elena also noticed that Catherine acted differently when she thought no one was watching.
When other people were around, Catherine was sweet and caring to David. She would speak in a soft, loving voice and hold his hand gently. But when Catherine thought she was alone with David, her voice became cold and mean. One day, Elena was playing quietly in the hallway when she heard Catherine talking to David in his bedroom.
Stop complaining about feeling sick. Catherine snapped at David. The doctors said, “Nothing is wrong with you. You’re just being dramatic.” Elena peeked around the corner and saw David looking very sad and confused. “But Catherine, I really do feel terrible,” David said weakly. “Maybe we should see a different doctor.
” No, Catherine said quickly, her voice getting louder. We’ve seen enough doctors. They all say the same thing. You just need to rest and drink your juice like I tell you. Elena frowned. Catherine’s voice didn’t sound like a person who loved someone. It sounded like a person who was angry or hiding something.
Elena’s curiosity grew stronger every day. She kept thinking about the mysterious brown bottle in the locked cabinet. One afternoon, while her mother was cleaning the upstairs bathrooms, Elena snuck into the kitchen. She wanted to get a closer look at the cabinet where Catherine kept the brown bottle.
The cabinet was too high for Elena to reach, but she was a clever little girl. She quietly dragged a chair from the dining room to the kitchen and climbed up to look inside the cabinet. What she saw made her gasp. There were not just one, but five different brown bottles in the cabinet. Each bottle had long, complicated words written on them that Elena couldn’t understand.
But even though she couldn’t read the words, Elena knew these bottles contained something bad. She had seen similar bottles before in the hospital where her grandmother had stayed before she died. The nurses had been very careful with those bottles, and they always wore gloves when they touched them. Elena’s heart started beating fast.
She remembered her grandmother telling her, “Elena, never touch medicine bottles without asking a grown-up first. Some medicines can hurt you if you’re not supposed to take them.” Just as Elena was trying to read the labels on the bottles, she heard footsteps coming toward the kitchen. Elena, where are you, baby? Her mother called out. Elena quickly climbed down from the chair and pushed it back to where it belonged.
She ran to find her mother, but her mind was spinning with questions. Why did Catherine have so many medicine bottles? Why did she put medicine in David’s juice? And most importantly, why was David getting sicker instead of better? That night, Elena couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about David’s sad face and Catherine’s mean voice when she thought no one was listening.
Elena might have been only 5 years old, but she knew something was very wrong in the beautiful mansion. The next morning, Elena decided to watch Catherine even more carefully. She hid behind the big plant in the hallway and watched Catherine prepare David’s breakfast.
Just like every other day, Catherine poured the orange juice and then added drops from the brown bottle. But this time, Elena noticed something else. After Catherine added the mysterious liquid, the orange juice changed color slightly. It became a little bit cloudier, like when you put milk in water. Elena also saw Catherine throw away the spoon she used to stir the juice.
She didn’t wash it or put it with the other dishes. She threw it directly in the trash. Why would she throw away a perfectly good spoon? Elena wondered. After Catherine left the kitchen with David’s breakfast, Elena quietly went to the trash can and looked for the spoon.
When she found it, she noticed there was a small amount of the orange juice still on it. Elena was scared, but she was also brave. She carefully picked up the spoon and smelled it. The smell was terrible. It wasn’t like orange juice at all. It smelled like the medicine her grandmother used to take. Bitter, chemical, and scary. Elena dropped the spoon back in the trash and ran to find her mother.
“Mama,” Elena whispered, pulling on her mother’s cleaning apron. “I need to tell you something important.” Isabella was busy scrubbing the bathroom floor and didn’t look up. Not now, baby. Mama is working. Can you tell me later? But Elena couldn’t wait. She had a feeling that waiting might be too late.
Mama, I think the lady is making the sick man more sick. Elena said in her most serious voice this time. Isabella stopped working and looked at her daughter. What do you mean, Elena? That’s not a nice thing to say about Miss Wells. Elena tried to explain about the bottles and the bad smell, but her mother didn’t understand. To Isabella, Catherine was a generous woman who gave her a good job.
Isabella couldn’t imagine that Catherine would hurt anyone. “Elena, you must not say bad things about Miss Wells,” Isabella said firmly. “She’s been very kind to us. Promise me you won’t say things like that again.” Elena nodded sadly, but inside her heart, she knew she was right.
She might not be able to convince her mother, but she had to do something to help David. For three more days, Elena watched and waited. Every morning, she saw Catherine add the mysterious liquid to David’s orange juice. Every day, David looked weaker and sadder. On the fourth day, Elena made a decision that would change everything.
She was going to stop David from drinking the poison juice, no matter what happened to her. That morning, Elena told her mother she needed to use the bathroom. Instead of going to the bathroom, she quietly snuck to David’s bedroom door. Through the crack in the door, she could see Catherine helping David sit up in his bed.
Catherine was holding the glass of orange juice and smiling her fake smile. “Here’s your special juice, my love,” Catherine said in her sweet fake voice. “Drink it all up like a good boy.” David reached for the glass with his shaking hands. Elena knew this was her only chance. She took a deep breath, gathered all her courage, and burst through the bedroom door.
“Stop drinking that juice!” Elena shouted as loud as she could. “You will heal!” And that’s when she ran to David’s wheelchair and knocked the glass from his hands, watching it shatter on the floor as Catherine’s face turned white with shock and rage. The truth was finally coming out and nothing would ever be the same again.
But what would Catherine do now that her secret was discovered? And would anyone believe a 5-year-old girl over a beautiful, wealthy woman? The most dangerous part of Elena’s story was just beginning. The silence in the room lasted only 3 seconds, but it felt like 3 hours. Catherine Wells stared at the broken glass on the marble floor, her face changing from shock to pure fury.
Her green eyes turned dark like a storm cloud and her hands started shaking with anger. You little brat. Catherine screamed so loud that the windows seemed to shake. Look what you’ve done. Elena had never heard an adult scream like that before. She started crying and ran behind David’s wheelchair, using it like a shield to protect herself from Catherine’s anger.
But David Sterling was staring at the orange juice splattered across his expensive marble floor. And for the first time in two years, his mind felt strangely clear. It was like a thick fog was lifting from his brain. “Catherine,” David said slowly. His voice stronger than it had been in months. “What did Elena mean when she said, “You were making me sick with poison juice.
” Catherine’s face went white as a ghost. She realized she had made a terrible mistake by screaming. Now David was asking questions she didn’t want to answer. Don’t be ridiculous, David,” Catherine said, trying to make her voice sound sweet again. She’s just a confused little girl. You know how children make up stories. But Elena wasn’t going to let Catherine lie anymore.
Even though she was scared and crying, she was also brave. “No!” Elena shouted from behind the wheelchair. “I saw you. Every morning you put bad medicine from the brown bottles into his juice. I smelled it and it was yucky. David’s eyes widened. Brown bottles. Catherine, what is she talking about? Catherine’s mind was racing like a speeding car.
She had to think of something fast or her entire plan would be ruined. David, sweetheart, Catherine said, kneeling beside his wheelchair and grabbing his hands. I do add vitamins to your juice, but they’re good vitamins to help you get better. This child doesn’t understand the difference between medicine and vitamins. Then show me the bottles, David said, looking straight into Catherine’s eyes.
If they’re just vitamins, you can show them to me right now. Elena nodded her head quickly. Yes, show him the bottles in the locked cabinet. Catherine felt trapped like a mouse in a corner. She never expected a 5-year-old girl to ruin everything she had worked so hard to build. What David didn’t know was that Catherine Wells had never really loved him at all.
Three years ago, when David was still the powerful golden builder, Catherine was just his business partner who helped him buy and sell buildings. She was smart with money, but she wasn’t rich like David. Catherine had always been jealous of David’s wealth and success. While David lived in his beautiful mansion and drove expensive cars, Catherine lived in a small apartment and had to work hard for every dollar she earned. But Catherine was also very clever and very patient.
She had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to take David’s money. And his accident gave her exactly what she needed. When David became paralyzed, Catherine saw her chance. She moved into his mansion not because she loved him, but because she wanted to control his life and his money. At first, Catherine’s plan was simple.
She would take care of David until he signed papers giving her access to his bank accounts. Once she had his money, she would leave him and disappear to another country. But there was one big problem with Catherine’s plan. David was getting better.
Even though David couldn’t walk, his arms were getting stronger and his mind was becoming clearer. The doctor said this was normal. His body was learning to live with his new situation. But if David got better and stronger, he might not need Catherine anymore. He might hire professional nurses or move to a place where other people could take care of him.
And if that happened, Catherine would lose her chance to get his money. That’s when Catherine came up with her evil plan. She started researching different medicines on the internet. She learned about drugs that could make people weak and confused without killing them. She found out about muscle relaxers that would make David’s arms feel heavy and worthless.
She discovered sedatives that would make him sleepy and unable to think clearly. Catherine began ordering these medicines online using fake names and having them delivered to different addresses around the city. Then she would pick them up and bring them back to David’s house. Every morning, Catherine would add small amounts of these dangerous drugs to David’s orange juice.
The amounts were carefully measured enough to keep David weak and sick, but not enough to kill him or make doctors suspicious. For two whole years, Catherine had been slowly poisoning the man who trusted her most in the world. And her plan was working perfectly until little Elena Martinez came into their lives.
Meanwhile, Elena’s mother, Isabella, was cleaning the upstairs bedrooms when she heard Catherine screaming downstairs. Isabella, dropped her cleaning supplies and ran toward the sound, worried that something terrible had happened. As she got closer to David’s bedroom, she could hear voices arguing.
Brown bottles, poison juice, making him sick. Isabella stopped outside the bedroom door, listening carefully. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was her little daughter Elena really accusing Miss Wells of poisoning Mr. Sterling? Isabella’s heart started racing. If Elena was making up stories about Catherine, they could both lose this job. Isabella needed this job desperately.
It was the only way she could afford to feed Elena and pay for their apartment. But as Isabella listened more carefully, she heard something in Catherine’s voice that made her stomach feel sick, Catherine sounded scared and angry, but not surprised. It was like Catherine was mad that she got caught, not shocked that someone would accuse her of such a terrible thing.
Isabella remembered all the strange things she had noticed over the past few months, but had ignored because she needed the job. She remembered seeing Catherine throw away perfectly good spoons after making David’s breakfast. She remembered noticing that Catherine kept a locked cabinet in the kitchen, even though everything else in the house was open and accessible.
She remembered that David seemed to get weaker and sicker every week, even though the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with him. Most importantly, Isabella remembered her own grandmother’s words. Trust children, Isabella. They see the truth that adults are too afraid to see. Isabella took a deep breath and walked into the bedroom.
When Isabella entered the room, she saw Elena crying behind David’s wheelchair while Catherine knelt beside David, holding his hands and speaking in her fake sweet voice. “Everything is fine, Mrs. Martinez,” Catherine said quickly when she saw Isabella. Your daughter just had a little accident and broke a glass. No harm done. But David looked at Isabella with confusion and hope in his eyes. Mrs. Martinez, your daughter said some very serious things about Catherine.
She said, “Catherine has been putting medicine in my juice that makes me sick.” Isabella looked at her crying daughter, then at Catherine’s pale face, then at the orange juice splattered across the floor. Elena,” Isabella said gently, kneeling down to her daughter’s level. “Tell me exactly what you saw. Don’t be afraid.” Elena wiped her tears and took a shaky breath. “Mama.
” Every morning, the lady goes to the locked cabinet and takes out brown bottles with medicine. She puts drops from the bottles in the man’s orange juice. When I smelled the spoon, it smelled like grandma’s scary medicine from the hospital. Isabella felt like someone had punched her in the stomach.
Elena’s grandmother had died from taking too much medicine that was supposed to help her, but ended up making her sicker. That’s ridiculous. Catherine stood up quickly, her voice getting louder. This child is obviously confused and frightened. She doesn’t understand what she saw, but David was looking at Catherine with new eyes. Catherine, if Elena is wrong, then prove it.
Go get the bottles from the kitchen cabinet and show us that they’re just vitamins. Catherine’s face turned red with anger. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I’ve been taking care of you for 2 years while everyone else abandoned you. How dare you question my love and dedication. Love. Elena’s small voice spoke up from behind the wheelchair. Love doesn’t make people sick. Love makes people feel better.
Those simple words from a 5-year-old girl hit David like lightning. He realized that in the two years Catherine had been taking care of him, he had never felt loved. He had felt controlled, confused, and increasingly helpless. Catherine made all his decisions, answered all his phone calls, and kept him isolated from the rest of the world. “Catherine,” David said, his voice getting stronger with every word. “I want to see those bottles right now.
” Catherine realized that her carefully constructed lies were falling apart like a house made of cards. She looked around the room desperately trying to think of a way to escape this situation. David was demanding to see the medicine bottles. Isabella was looking at her with suspicious eyes and little Elena was still hiding behind the wheelchair, ready to tell everyone more of her secrets. Catherine knew she had only two choices.
Confess everything and go to prison or find a way to make everyone believe Elena was lying. She chose the second option. “Fine,” Catherine said dramatically, throwing her hands up in the air. “You want to see the bottles? I’ll show you the bottles, but when you realize they’re just vitamins and supplements, “I want an apology from everyone in this room.
” Catherine stormed out of the bedroom toward the kitchen, but her mind was racing with a desperate plan. She had to get to the kitchen cabinet before anyone else did. She had to hide the dangerous medicine bottles and replace them with harmless vitamin bottles she kept in another part of the house. But Elena was too smart and she had been watching Catherine for too long. “Mama,” Elena whispered to Isabella.
“Don’t let her go to the kitchen alone. She’s going to hide the bad bottles and bring back different ones.” Isabella’s eyes widened. her 5-year-old daughter was thinking like a detective. “Mr. Sterling,” Isabella said quickly. “I think Elena is right. We should all go to the kitchen together.” David nodded and started moving his wheelchair toward the door. “You’re absolutely right.
We’re all going together.” But when they got to the kitchen, they found Catherine standing in front of the opened cabinet with a look of pure panic on her face. In her hands were five brown medicine bottles, and on the counter next to her was a sixth bottle that was already open with white pills scattered across the marble surface.
Catherine had been caught red-handed, and there was no way to lie her way out of this situation. “Oh my god,” David whispered as he rolled his wheelchair closer to see the bottles in Catherine’s shaking hands. Even though David couldn’t read the tiny writing on the labels from his wheelchair, Isabella could read them perfectly.
Dasipam, Lorzopam, muscle relaxant, seditive. Isabella read the names out loud, her voice getting quieter and more horrified with each word. These weren’t vitamins. These were powerful drugs that could seriously hurt someone if they weren’t prescribed by a doctor. Catherine, David said, his voice filled with shock and betrayal. These are prescription medicines.
Why do you have prescription medicines that aren’t prescribed to me? Elena tugged on her mother’s cleaning apron. Mama, what do those big words mean? Isabella knelt down to Elena’s level, trying to explain in simple words that a 5-year-old could understand.
Baby, these are very strong medicines that can make people very sleepy and very weak. They’re only supposed to be used when doctors say it’s okay. Elena nodded seriously. So the lady was putting sleepy medicine in the man’s juice to make him weak. Yes, baby. That’s exactly what she was doing. David felt like his whole world was spinning.
For 2 years, he had trusted Catherine with his life, his health, and his happiness. He had believed that she loved him and wanted to help him get better. But instead, Catherine had been deliberately making him sicker and weaker every single day. “Why?” David asked, his voice breaking like a little boy’s. Catherine, why would you do this to me? I trusted you. I loved you. Catherine realized there was no point in lying anymore.
Her secret was exposed and everyone could see the truth. But instead of feeling sorry or ashamed, Catherine felt angry that her plan had been ruined by a stupid little girl. “You want to know why?” Catherine said, her voice turning cold and mean. Because you’re pathetic, David. You were never going to get better. You were never going to be the strong, powerful man you used to be.
You were just going to be a burden on everyone around you for the rest of your life. Isabella gasped and covered Elena’s ears, trying to protect her from Catherine’s cruel words. But David stared at Catherine in complete shock. This woman, who had told him she loved him everyday for 2 years, was now saying the most hurtful things he had ever heard.
So, I decided to make the best of a bad situation,” Catherine continued, her voice getting louder and more vicious. “I figured if you were going to be helpless anyway, I might as well benefit from it. I’ve been taking care of you, managing your money, running your life. I deserve to be compensated for all my hard work.” “Compensated,” David repeated, still unable to believe what he was hearing.
Yes, I’ve been slowly transferring money from your accounts to mine. By next month, I would have had enough to disappear and start a new life somewhere far away from here. But this little brat had to ruin everything. Catherine pointed angrily at Elena, who was still hiding behind her mother. But Elena wasn’t scared anymore.
She looked straight at Catherine and said, “My mama says people who hurt other people are called bullies. You’re a bully.” Isabella knew they had to call for help immediately. Catherine had just confessed to poisoning David and stealing his money. This was a job for the police. “Mr.
Sterling,” Isabella said firmly. “We need to call 911 right now.” But Catherine wasn’t finished with her evil plan. She realized that if the police came, she would go to jail for a very long time. She had to find a way to escape. “Nobody is calling anyone,” Catherine screamed. suddenly pulling out a small knife from the kitchen drawer.
I’ve worked too hard for too long to let a little girl destroy my future. Isabella immediately pushed Elena behind her, protecting her daughter from Catherine’s knife. David couldn’t believe his eyes. The woman he had trusted with his life was now threatening to hurt a 5-year-old child and her mother.
“Catherine, put the knife down,” David said, trying to sound calm even though his heart was beating like a drum. This doesn’t have to get worse than it already is. Oh, it’s already worse, David. Catherine laughed. But it wasn’t a happy laugh. It was the laugh of someone who had lost their mind.
Do you know how tired I am of pretending to love you? Do you know how disgusting it’s been to take care of someone who can’t even walk to the bathroom by himself? Each word hit David like a physical blow. But strangely, instead of making him feel weaker, Catherine’s cruelty was making him feel stronger and angrier than he had felt in two years. “Isabella,” David said quietly.
“Can you reach the phone on the counter behind you?” Isabella nodded slightly, understanding that David was trying to help her call for help without making Catherine more angry. But Elena, who had been quietly listening to everything, suddenly had an idea that surprised everyone in the room. Lady,” Elena said, stepping out from behind her mother despite the danger.
“If you put the knife down and say sorry, maybe the police won’t be as mad at you.” Catherine stared at the little girl in amazement. Even while Catherine was threatening her with a knife, Elena was trying to help her make better choices. For just a moment, Catherine’s face softened, and she looked like she might actually listen to Elena’s advice.
But then Catherine remembered how much money she would lose if she got caught and her face turned mean again. “I’m not saying sorry to anyone,” Catherine yelled. “Especially not to a little girl who ruined my life.” That’s when David Sterling did something that surprised everyone in the room, including himself.
He grabbed the wheels of his wheelchair and rolled forward as fast as he could, putting himself between Catherine and the little girl who had saved his life. If you want to hurt Elena, you’ll have to go through me first, David said, his voice stronger and more determined than it had been in 2 years. Catherine laughed mockingly.
What are you going to do, David? You can’t even stand up. You’re helpless. But David wasn’t feeling helpless anymore. The medicine that Catherine had been giving him was finally wearing off, and his mind was clearer than it had been since the accident. More importantly, David realized that even though he couldn’t use his legs, he still had his arms, his voice, and his courage.
And right now, a little girl who barely knew him was counting on him to protect her. Elena, David said without taking his eyes off Catherine. I want you to do exactly what I say. Can you do that for me? Elena nodded bravely. Yes, sir. I want you and your mama to walk slowly toward the back door. Don’t run. Just walk normal.
When you get to the door, I want you to run to the neighbor’s house and tell them to call 911. Can you remember that? Call 911. Elena repeated. I can remember. Good girl. Now go. Isabella took Elena’s hand and they started walking slowly toward the back door, just like David had told them to do. But Catherine realized what was happening and became even more angry.
Nobody is leaving this house. Catherine screamed, waving the knife in the air. I won’t let you ruin my life. Catherine started running toward Isabella and Elena. But David did something that shocked everyone, including himself. He reached up from his wheelchair and grabbed Catherine’s wrist, stopping her from chasing after the little girl and her mother.
“Let go of me!” Catherine yelled, trying to pull her arm free from David’s grip. But David’s arms were stronger than anyone realized. The medicine Catherine had been giving him had made him feel weak, but it hadn’t actually damaged his muscles. Now that the medicine was wearing off, David felt stronger than he had in months. “Isabella, Elena, go now!” David shouted.
Isabella and Elena ran out the back door as fast as they could, heading straight for the neighbor’s house to call for help. Catherine was furious. She tried to stab David with the knife, but David used his other hand to grab her second wrist, holding both of her arms so she couldn’t hurt him or anyone else. “You ruined everything,” Catherine screamed, tears of anger streaming down her face. “I had the perfect plan.
I would have been rich and free. Your plan was to poison me and steal my money,” David said, looking straight into Catherine’s eyes. “That’s not a plan, Catherine. That’s evil. For the first time in two years, David felt like himself again. He felt strong, brave, and proud. Not because he could walk, he still couldn’t do that, but because he had protected an innocent child from a dangerous person.
He realized that being a hero had nothing to do with being able to walk. Being a hero was about doing the right thing, even when it was scary or difficult. 5 minutes later, David could hear sirens getting closer and closer to his house.
Catherine was still struggling to get free from David’s grip, but she was getting tired, and David was getting stronger as the last of the medicine left his system. “The police are coming, Catherine,” David said calmly. “It’s over. Your plan failed.” Catherine finally stopped struggling and started crying. Not because she was sorry, but because she knew she was going to jail. This is all that little girl’s fault,” Catherine said bitterly.
If she had minded her own business, none of this would have happened. David shook his head. “No, Catherine, this is your fault. Elena saved my life. She’s a hero.” When the police officers arrived, they found David still holding Catherine’s wrists to keep her from hurting anyone. The officers immediately arrested Catherine and took the knife away from her.
Isabella and Elena came back into the house with the police officers. Elena ran straight to David’s wheelchair. “Are you okay, mister?” Elena asked, her big brown eyes full of worry. David smiled at the little girl who had saved his life. “I’m better than I’ve been in 2 years. Thanks to you, Elena.” But the most amazing part of the story was still to come.
As the police officers were taking Catherine away in handcuffs, one of them said something that made David’s heart skip a beat. Mr. Sterling, the paramedics are here to check on you. They want to make sure you’re not hurt and that the medicine in your system isn’t dangerous. When the paramedics examined David, they made a discovery that would change his life forever. Mr. Sterling, the head paramedic said with excitement in his voice, “We need to get you to the hospital right away.
” The muscle relaxers and sedatives in your system may have been preventing your body from healing properly. Now that they’re wearing off, we’re seeing muscle responses in your legs that we need to investigate immediately. David’s eyes widened. What does that mean? The paramedic smiled. It means that little girl might have been right about more than just the poison. She said you would heal if you stopped drinking that juice.
We need to find out if your paralysis was being caused by the medicine rather than your original injury. Elena clapped her hands together with joy. I told you. I told you he would get better. And as the ambulance drove David to the hospital with Elena and Isabella riding beside him, David realized that sometimes the smallest people can make the biggest difference in the world.
But would Elena’s prediction come true? Would David really heal now that he wasn’t being poisoned anymore? 3 hours later, David Sterling lay on a hospital bed surrounded by the best doctors in the city. His blood had been tested, his spine had been x-rayed, and his legs had been examined more carefully than they had been since his original accident.
Elena and Isabella sat in chairs next to his bed, waiting nervously for the results. Elena was coloring in a book that one of the nurses had given her, but she kept looking up at David with worried eyes. Don’t be scared, Elena. David said softly. Whatever the doctors find, you already saved my life. You’re my hero. Elena smiled shily.
I just wanted you to feel better, mister. My grandma always said that when people are mean to you, you should still try to help them feel better. But the lady wasn’t sick. She was just mean. Dr. Roberts, David’s main doctor, walked into the room with a clipboard full of test results and the biggest smile anyone had ever seen on his face. “Mr.
Sterling,” Dr. Roberts said, barely able to contain his excitement. “I have news that’s going to sound impossible, but it’s absolutely true.” David’s heart started beating faster. “What kind of news, doctor? The medicine Catherine was giving you the muscle relaxers and sedatives.
They were preventing your nervous system from healing properly. Your original spinal injury damaged some nerves, but it didn’t completely sever your spinal cord like we thought. Isabella leaned forward in her chair. What does that mean in simple words, doctor? Dr.
Roberts knelt down so he could look Elena in the eyes as he explained, “Elena, do you remember when you told Mr. Sterling that he would heal if he stopped drinking the bad juice. Elena nodded seriously. Well, you were absolutely right. The bad medicine was like a wall blocking the messages between Mr. Sterling’s brain and his legs.
Now that the medicine is out of his body, those messages are starting to get through again. Elena’s eyes got as big as saucers. So, he’s going to walk again. It’s going to take time and a lot of hard work, Dr. Roberts explained. But yes, Elena, Mr. Sterling will very likely walk again. The room went completely silent for about 5 seconds.
Then Elena jumped up from her chair and started clapping and dancing around the room. I knew it. I knew it. I told everyone he would get better. Elena sang happily. David started crying, but they were happy tears. The first truly happy tears he had cried in 3 years. Elena, David said through his tears. How did you know? How did a 5-year-old girl know something that all the doctors missed? Elena stopped dancing and looked at David with her big, wise eyes.
Because I listened with my heart, not just my ears. My grandma taught me that when grown-ups are scared or sad, sometimes they can’t see the truth that’s right in front of them. But kids can see it because we’re not scared of hoping for good things. Isabella hugged her daughter tightly. She had never been more proud of Elena than she was at that moment.
Over the next 6 months, David worked harder than he had ever worked in his life. Every day, he went to physical therapy where doctors and nurses helped him learn to use his legs again. At first, he could only wiggle his toes a little bit. Then he could move his feet. Then his knees started working again. The process was slow and sometimes painful.
But David never gave up because he knew that Elena believed in him. And Elena was there for every step of the journey. Isabella had quit her job cleaning houses because David offered her a much better job taking care of his house and helping him with his recovery. But more than that, David asked Isabella and Elena to live in his mansion as his family. “I don’t have any real family left,” David explained to them.
“But Elena saved my life, and you both showed me what real love and loyalty look like. Would you consider letting me be part of your family?” Isabella cried happy tears and said yes immediately. Elena clapped her hands and hugged David tightly. Every morning, Elena would help David with his exercises. She would count while he lifted weights with his arms.
She would cheer when he was able to stand up for a few seconds. She would hold his hand when the physical therapy was difficult and painful. “Remember, Mr. David,” Elena would say in her serious 5-year-old voice. Heroes never give up, even when things are hard. And David never did give up.
3 months after leaving the hospital, David was able to stand up from his wheelchair for a whole minute. For months later, he could take three steps with the help of metal crutches. 5 months later, he could walk across his bedroom without any help at all.
And 6 months after Elena knocked that poison juice out of his hands, David Sterling walked out of his front door and into his garden without any wheelchair, crutches, or help from anyone. Elena ran beside him, laughing and cheering. “You did it, Mr. David. You did it. You’re walking.” “No, Elena,” David said, stopping to kneel down so he could look into her eyes. “We did it. We did it together.
” While David was learning to walk again, Catherine Wells was learning what it felt like to be in jail. The judge who heard Catherine’s case was shocked by how evil her plan had been. Catherine had not only poisoned David for 2 years, but she had also stolen over $500,000 from his bank accounts. Mrs. Wells, the judge said during Catherine’s trial, you deliberately harmed a man who trusted you completely.
You stole his money, poisoned his body, and nearly destroyed his life. If it weren’t for a brave 5-year-old girl, Mr. Sterling might have died from your actions. The judge sentenced Catherine to 15 years in prison and ordered her to pay back all the money she had stolen from David. Catherine tried to appeal the sentence, claiming that she had only been trying to help David and that Elena had misunderstood what she saw.
But during the trial, the doctors testified that the amount of medicine Catherine had been giving David could have eventually killed him. The police found receipts showing that Catherine had been buying the dangerous drugs illegally for over 2 years. And the bank records proved that Catherine had been stealing David’s money and hiding it in secret accounts.
Elena even testified at the trial, though the judge made sure she didn’t have to be in the same room as Catherine. The lady put bad medicine in the man’s juice every day. Elena told the judge in her clear, honest voice. She didn’t do it to help him. She did it to hurt him. I could tell because her voice was mean when she thought nobody was listening. The judge was amazed by Elena’s intelligence and bravery.
Elena, you saved Mr. Sterling’s life by being observant and courageous. You should be very proud of yourself. Elena nodded seriously. My mama says that when you see someone being hurt, you have to try to help them. even if it’s scary. Catherine was taken away to prison where she would spend the next 15 years thinking about the terrible things she had done. But Catherine never felt sorry for her actions.
Even in prison, she blamed Elena for ruining her perfect plan. Catherine never understood that there was nothing perfect about a plan that involved hurting innocent people. One year after the day Elena saved his life, David Sterling was completely healthy and walking normally again. But more importantly, he was happier than he had ever been in his entire life.
Isabella had become like a sister to him, helping him manage his business and his house. She was no longer a poor single mother working three jobs. Now she was David’s business partner and family member with enough money to give Elena everything she needed. And Elena had become like the daughter David never had.
Every morning, David and Elena would eat breakfast together in the kitchen where Elena had first discovered Catherine’s evil plan. But now, instead of poisoned orange juice, David drank fresh juice that Elena helped him make from real oranges. “Mr. David,” Elena said one morning while they were squeezing oranges together.
“Are you glad that the bad lady is gone?” David thought about this question carefully before answering. Elena, I’m sad that Catherine chose to do bad things instead of good things, but I’m very glad that she can’t hurt anyone anymore, and I’m especially glad that you were brave enough to stop her.” Elena nodded wisely.
“Mama says that when people do bad things, it’s because they forgot how to love other people. Maybe someday the lady will remember how to love, and then she won’t want to hurt people anymore.” David was amazed by Elena’s wisdom and kindness. Even after everything Catherine had done to him, Elena still hoped that Catherine could become a better person.
“Elena,” David said, “you have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. You teach me something new every day about how to be a good person.” Elena giggled. That’s because I’m little, so my heart has to be extra big to make up for my small