Lexi was grateful beyond what she could express. We quickly became inseparable best friends. But I never knew when she and Robert ended up in the same bed—or when he fell in love with her.

Robert gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his voice softer than ever. “Adalyn, can we still go ahead with the wedding tomorrow as planned? I can’t wait to make you my wife, my Mrs. Gu.”

The wedding I once dreamed of now felt like a nightmare.

I shook my head lightly. “No.”

Robert clearly hadn’t expected me to refuse. He let go of me, his tone unusually patient. “I know you’re scared, but trust me, I’ll handle everything. No one will dare say a word about you. Lexi will be your bridesmaid—she’ll be there for you.”

“And this time, the officiant will be Spencer, the head of the most powerful family in Ubragard. I promised you, didn’t I? I’ll give you the grandest wedding.”

The moment I heard my brother’s name, my hands instinctively clenched around Robert’s sleeve. The McLeods had no idea I was in Stormhavn. They certainly didn’t know that Robert’s fiancée was me.

Years ago, after refusing an arranged marriage with the most ideal young entrepreneur of Ubragrad’s elite, I fled from my family’s home and never looked back.

A bitter ache rose in my chest. I didn’t dare imagine what kind of expression my brother would have if he saw me like this—so helpless, so pathetic.

Suddenly, I felt a weight on my arm, followed by a crisp, anxious voice. “Adalyn, I was so worried about you! From now on, I’ll be your eyes—I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life…”

Robert cut her off, his voice carrying a barely noticeable trace of guilt. “Don’t talk nonsense. Adalyn’s blindness is only temporary.”

Lexi caught on immediately. She rested her head on my shoulder and spoke in that sweet, innocent voice of hers.

“Oh, right! That was my mistake. Who knows? Maybe by tomorrow, Adalyn’s vision will be back. Then she can walk down the aisle in her beautiful wedding dress and become Mrs. Bain. Adalyn, I’m so happy for you.”

That soft, harmless act of hers had fooled me completely.

Once the assistant delivered the wedding dress, only Lexi and I were left in the hospital room.

“Adalyn, I heard you designed this dress yourself? It’s gorgeous. But… it’s a little too big for me.”

The sharp sound of fabric tearing cut through the silence of the room, harsh and jarring.

I knew—she had destroyed my wedding dress.

“A blind woman like you has no use for something this beautiful. That hospital gown suits you much better.”

Rip!

A searing pain shot through my eye sockets, burning like fire.

The pain was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even scream. My hands trembled as I reached up, trying to wipe away the liquid from my eyes with my sleeve.

Lexi grabbed my wrist in a death grip, her voice laced with pure malice as she whispered in my ear, “Adalyn, your blindness wasn’t caused by the car accident at all. I never expected that just a few casual words from me would make Robert go so far as to take your corneas and give them to me. And guess what? I didn’t even need them. I found them disgusting. Even a dog wouldn’t want them.”

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk away on your own. If not… do you ever thought that another casual remark from me can make Robert take your life next?”

The acid burned my eyes, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

The sound of leather shoes echoed as someone approached.

Lexi suddenly wiped the liquid from my face—harshly, as if erasing evidence. Then, she grabbed my hand and lifted it high.

Slap!

A sharp sting exploded across my palm.

Before I could react, a sudden force shoved me backward. My head slammed into the wall, sending a wave of dizziness crashing over me as a relentless ringing filled my ears.

“Adalyn! You’ve lost your sight, not your damn mind! Why would you hit Lexi? She’s currently recovering and weak!”

I couldn’t see Robert’s expression, but from the sheer fury in his voice, I knew—he had completely lost control.

All these years, this was the first time Robert had been this furious.

His sharp angry voice rang above my head. "Apologize to Lex! Or the wedding is off tomorrow!"

He knew how much I had been looking forward to this wedding. My biggest wish all these years was to wear a wedding dress and marry him.

Just as he expected, I lowered my head, looking like someone who had done something wrong. The lingering tears in my eyes stung.

My voice trembled slightly. "I'm sorry, Lexi."

From the doorway, a man’s indifferent voice cut through the air. "I'll have someone pick you up at eight in the morning."

What Robert didn’t know was that for me, tomorrow’s wedding wasn’t a dream come true—it was an escape.

The day I would finally leave him for good.

***

Early the next morning, his assistant arrived to take me to the wedding. Just as Lexi had said, I showed up still wearing my hospital gown.

Her dress brushed against my exposed ankle as she placed a veil over my head. She let out a laugh.

"Happy wedding day, Adalyn. Did you really think putting on a veil would make you the bride? It’s just to cover your blind eyes so you won’t embarrass yourself."

When she didn’t see the despair she was expecting on my face, her expression darkened.

Robert’s was irritated as he shouted. "Where’s the wedding dress I had prepared for you? Adalyn, are you trying to get back at me on purpose? Do you actually plan to marry me looking like this?"

The assistant helped me toward the dressing room. Just as I was about to take off the hospital gown, an unfamiliar man’s voice, filled with excitement, sounded behind me.

"A blind girl, huh? But damn, you’re pretty. Be good and don’t scream, and I’ll take real good care of you."

Before I could react, rough hands yanked at my clothes. I struggled with all my strength, but no matter how hard I pushed, I couldn’t get him off me.

I bit down on his arm as hard as I could.

"You little bitch, you looking to die?!" Enraged, he flung me to the ground, his heavy breaths hot against my neck.

My clothes had just been violently torn apart when a sharp, shocked voice shrieked from the doorway.

"Adalyn! How could you do something like this at Mr. Bain’s wedding? Do you have no shame?" The man above me paused, then scoffed, panting.

"She threw herself at me first. Like hell I’d be interested in a blind girl." The moment he spoke, the room buzzed with accusations.

"I can’t believe Mr. Bain’s fiancée is actually blind!"

"No wonder she lost her sight—imagine cheating on Mr. Bain of all people."

"What a shameless slut!"

The words slithered toward me like venomous snakes, each one biting deep into my skin.

Panicked, I clutched at the remains of my torn clothing and curled into myself, burying my head in my knees. My whole body trembled violently.

Suddenly, the room fell eerily silent. The only sound left was heavy thuds of approaching footsteps.

"Adalyn, why are you betraying me?!" A hand soon clamped tightly around my neck. Robert’s eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging along his arms.

I struggled with all my strength, barely managing to choke out a few words. "I... didn’t..."

The suffocating pressure closed in on me, my vision growing hazy. Just when I thought I would pass out, Robert suddenly let go, only to grab my chin in an iron grip.

"After all these years together, you should know better than anyone—I despise betrayal. You must have lost your damn mind to be with a man like that. Since that’s the case, forget about the wedding."

He turned to the guards. "Take her to a psychiatric hospital!"

The moment I felt hands grab me, panic surged through my chest, sinking me into despair. If I got locked away in that hospital, I would never make it back to the McLeods.

That thought sent a jolt of adrenaline through me. I thrashed against their grip, breaking free, and bolted forward with everything I had.

"Catch her!"

Robert’s furious voice echoed throughout the walls, footsteps pounding closer with every second.

My heart slammed against my ribs. Everything was pitch black—I couldn’t see a thing—but stopping wasn’t an option. Running was my only choice.

Then, out of nowhere, I crashed into a warm embrace.

A familiar voice, breathless and anxious, rang above my head. "Ada!"