Darcey’s POV

The person I contacted was my fan club president, Jules Marchal.

After I went blind, he tried countless times to convince me to try the latest eye-replacement technology abroad.

But Alexis told me he had never heard of it and warned me not to trust Jules.

Now, I didn’t care anymore.

Even if there were serious side effects, I needed to see again.

Jules arranged everything almost instantly, like he had been waiting for me to say yes.

The next day, when they removed the bandages, I finally saw light.

My vision was still blurry, and everything overlapped, but I could barely make out people’s faces and shapes up close.

That small glimpse of clarity made me feel like I was losing my mind with joy.

Before I could call Jules to thank him, Alexis’s phone call came through.

His voice was frantic, full of guilt and worry.

“Babe, where are you? Why didn’t you come home last night?” he asked.

“I only found out you weren’t home this morning, and I nearly died worrying. What if something had happened to you? If you got hurt, I wouldn’t be able to survive,” he continued.

I held the phone, and my heart, burning from seeing light for the first time, was instantly doused with cold water.

Every word sounded sincere, like the love in his voice was real.

If I hadn’t heard what I heard last night, I probably would have melted again, like always.

After all, who could resist that kind of heartfelt love?

But now I only wanted to ask him one question.

Why?

How could he say he loved me and destroy my life at the same time?

I swallowed the words before I could say them.

I wasn’t going to get any truth from him anyway.

I took a deep breath and softened my voice back to the gentle, dependent tone he was used to.

“My eyes were uncomfortable last night, and I couldn’t reach you, so I went to the hospital myself,” I said.

His guilt deepened.

“I’m sorry, babe. I was at a work event last night. You were waiting at the hospital. I’ll come get you right now,” he said.

After hanging up, I sat in a chair in the hospital lobby and squinted as I contacted a lawyer friend I trusted to do me a favor.

I waited and waited, but Alexis never showed up.

Just as I was about to grab a cab, I saw two familiar figures on the other side of the lobby.

I pulled out my phone and turned on the camera.

There, in full view, were Alexis and Yasmine.

He was kneeling on one knee in front of her, holding her ankle, massaging it slowly and tenderly.

His movements were almost worshipful.

Pain shot up from my chest.

I thought of the countless times I had fallen during practice over the past two years.

Alexis would pick me up and call doctors to treat me.

But he had never once cared for me that gently.

Now, true love and fake love were standing right in front of me.

I could see exactly which was which.

Fake love was enough to fool a blind woman.

My heart tore in two.

Alexis suddenly looked up at me.

His expression shifted, but quickly relaxed.

Why was he tense? I couldn’t see him.

“Darcey!” he called.

He pulled me into his arms.

His voice trembled with fear.

“I’m sorry I’m late. Are your eyes still hurting?”

I had been soaked and numb from the rain all night.

Being wrapped in a familiar embrace made me crave it for a split second.

I nearly struggled to push him away.

Then a quiet gasp came from behind me.

“Alexis… my foot hurts even more,” Yasmine said.

He released me instantly and rushed to her side.

“Did I use too much force just now?” he asked.

I stood there, still feeling the warmth of him in my arms, and let out a bitter laugh.

He hurriedly explained while helping her.

“Darcey, Yasmine twisted her ankle while dancing. I’m taking her to get it checked,” he said.

“We grew up together. She’s like a little sister. Don’t read into it,” he added.

I interrupted softly.

“Go ahead,” I said.

I didn’t cling like I used to when I couldn’t see.

I didn’t beg him to stay.

He looked a little uneasy but didn’t question it.

He bent down in front of me and picked up Yasmine.

He carried her because I couldn’t see.

I clenched my hands slowly.

My nails dug into my palms.

Before, he would always try to hide things with “she’s like a sister” excuses.

I, blind as I was, had no choice but to trust him.

But now, seeing everything clearly, I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.

It wasn’t until late that Alexis finally came to pick me up.

Almost home, my phone buzzed.

A video from Yasmine came through.

It was her performance from earlier that day.

At the end of the video, Alexis walked onstage and kissed her amid the applause.

Then a voice message came through.

Yasmine’s soft, gentle voice said, “Sis, I stepped onto a new stage today. You’ll be happy for me, right?”

She added, “After all, I danced the choreography you created.”

I gritted my teeth.

I tried to ignore the video.

I asked Alexis with a trembling voice, “What does she mean, dancing the dances I choreographed?”

I stared emptily in his direction.

I still clung to a ridiculous shred of hope.

Maybe he would finally tell the truth.

Even just a little.

He didn’t even furrow his brow.

He answered naturally, “Since Yasmine found out you’re the genius choreographer ‘Butterfly,’ she’s admired you nonstop.”

“She’s been practicing the dances you made before,” he continued.

“She sent the video to let you feel her admiration, but I guess she forgot you couldn’t see yet.”

What a liar!

I almost couldn’t hold back my rage.

That dance was the one I had choreographed just a week ago.

Alexis had stolen my work and given it to Yasmine.

The second we got home, he pinned me against the door.

He kissed me, acting afraid and apologetic.

“Babe, don’t think about anything else, okay?” he said.

Darcey’s POV

Babe?

The word almost made me laugh.

I genuinely didn’t understand what kind of sick fucking composure Alexis had to look at a woman he had personally destroyed and still call her that.

“I came home today and you weren’t there. You really scared me.”

He leaned in, brushing against me in a soft, almost coaxing way.

There was a time when I couldn’t resist that.

His gentle kisses, his firm embrace, they always gave me the illusion that I was needed, that I was cherished.

Every time he got close like this, I would forget whatever I had been questioning him about.

All that remained was a softness I couldn’t control, and somehow, I would end up comforting him instead.

But this time, all I felt was disgust.

In my mind, the same image replayed over and over again: him standing on that stage, kissing Yasmine in front of everyone, as if I meant nothing.

My stomach churned violently.

I shoved him away without hesitation.

“I have a cold,” I said, my voice tight, though I forced it to remain steady. “I don’t want to get you sick.”

He clearly hadn’t expected that.

It was the first time I had ever pushed him away like that.

His brows furrowed instantly, a trace of displeasure flashing through his eyes. But when he heard my reason, that emotion gradually faded.

He sighed, his tone softening again.

“Why would I be afraid of catching something from you?”

The irony was almost laughable.

What he had told his friends the night before, that he had been “saving himself” for Yasmine, was complete bullshit.

He was a healthy, impulsive man. When things turned intimate between us, there was no way he had ever stopped midway out of some twisted sense of restraint.

I only realized the truth just now when I felt his body react earlier.

And the moment it clicked, a wave of nausea surged through me.

The thought that I had been nothing more than a clueless object, handled, shared, and used at their convenience, made my skin crawl.

It was so revolting I nearly threw up.

Fortunately, whatever desire he had was gone.

As if nothing had happened, he reached out and held my arm.

“Come on,” he said gently. “I’ve prepared a surprise for you.”

I didn’t resist. My vision was recovering. I couldn’t risk exposing it.

“I upgraded the dance studio,” he continued. “From now on, everything you choreograph can be recorded by an intelligent system.”

“We can upload it to the ‘Butterfly’ account.”

“Even if your eyesight doesn’t recover for now, your dances can still be seen.” He smiled faintly. “Do you like it?”

If this had been before, I might have been moved to tears.

For a dancer who had lost her sight, being able to leave her work behind in the world would have meant everything.

But now, all I felt was cold.

Because I knew exactly why he had rushed to upgrade the studio.

Six days later, on the day after our wedding, Yasmine would be competing for the position of principal dancer.

And “Butterfly’s” choreography was her greatest bargaining chip.

That account… was mine.

I created it before the Georgsens ever took me back, back when I was trying to earn money just to keep dancing. I hid my face, uploaded my choreography online and gained recognition almost overnight.

People in the industry were willing to pay an absurd price for a single piece from the so-called genius choreographer “Butterfly.”

But I had never intended to reveal myself. To me, choreography had always been something personal.

Now, Yasmine was using my work to build her reputation.

It was fucking absurd.

“I don’t want to choreograph anymore.”

He stiffened.

His voice dropped sharply, the irritation no longer concealed.

“If you don’t choreograph, what exactly are you going to do? Sit around and be useless?”

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake.

“I mean—”

He quickly corrected himself.

“Don’t you want to dance again at our wedding in six days? I’m preparing a custom stage for you. Even if you can’t see, you won’t fall. You can dance safely.”

Dance at our wedding?

I let out a silent, humorless laugh.

The one dancing that day would never be me.

Seeing that I wasn’t reacting the way he expected, his jaw tightened.

“And your adoptive father woke up recently, didn’t he?”

“Don’t you want him to see you dance again?”

I almost admired the audacity.

He was willing to use even my father as leverage just to make me choreograph for Yasmine.

Fine.

If that was what he wanted, then I would give it to him.

I let my voice waver slightly, as if I were hesitating.

“Then I’ll choreograph one more piece.”

He visibly relaxed.

“Good. I won’t disturb you.”

He turned and walked out of the studio.

Through the narrow gap of the door, I heard him make a call.

“Yasmine, she agreed. The studio’s monitoring system is already synced to you. At the wedding, you can claim that you’re ‘Butterfly.’”

“With the footage, you’ll be able to explain every movement in detail. There won’t be any inconsistencies. And the next day, your audition for principal will go much more smoothly.”

“After that, you’ll be the principal dancer.”

“And the genius choreographer. Butterfly.”

I bit down so hard I nearly drew blood.

So this was their plan.

They weren’t just stealing my choreography.

They were going to take my name, my identity, everything I had fought for.

Tears burned in my eyes, but I forced them back.

There were cameras in the studio.

So I continued practicing, as if I knew nothing.

Yasmine wanted to become Butterfly?

Then let’s see whether she’s actually worthy of it.

I stayed in the studio for an entire day and night.

My vision recovered quickly, the once-blurred world gradually sharpening into clarity.

And during that time, I didn’t forget to gather evidence.

Evidence that would ruin Alexis completely.

The next day, he suddenly pushed open the studio door.

“Take a break today,” he said. “I’ll take you to pick out a wedding ring.”

I tried to refuse, but he had already led me outside.

By the time we reached the car, someone was already seated in the passenger seat.

Yasmine turned around, her smile soft and gentle.

“Darcey, Alexis said you can’t see well, so he asked me to help you choose a ring.”

She tilted her head slightly, her tone sweet, almost sickening.

“You don’t mind, do you?”

Darcey’s POV

I got into the back seat without a word.

As if afraid I might misunderstand, Alexis explained, “Darcey, Yasmine’s about your age. You two have similar taste, so I asked her to help pick out the ring.”

Taking advantage of the fact that I was “blind,” Yasmine leaned closer to him, her fingers slipping over to idly play with the hand he wasn’t using to steer.

“Darcey, I really envy you,” she said sweetly. “You have a fiancé who loves you this much. He’s even this attentive when choosing a wedding ring.”

Their movements were subtle, practiced.

It clearly wasn’t the first time they had flirted right in front of me.

A dull ache spread through my chest, but my expression didn’t change.

“You have plenty of admirers,” I said evenly. “If you want to get married, there’ll always be someone lining up to pick out a ring for you. There’s no need to envy me.”

Her smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before returning.

“When would I even have time to get married?” she said lightly. “I’m about to compete for principal dancer.”

She paused, as if suddenly realizing something.

“Oh, did I say the wrong thing?” Her voice softened with feigned concern. “Darcey, I’m sorry. Did I touch a nerve?”

Before I could respond, Alexis reached out and gently patted her hand in reassurance.

“Don’t overthink it,” he said calmly. “Your sister isn’t that fragile. She won’t mind.”

My heart still lurched despite myself.

There was a time I would have fallen for exactly this.

Back when I first lost my sight, everyone thought I was finished.

He was the only one who held my hand again and again, telling me, “Darcey, you won’t stay down forever. You’ll stand on that stage again.”

Back then, I thought he understood me, believed in me, and held me together.

Now, every word felt like a fucking joke.

The car stopped in front of a jewelry store.

The moment we stepped inside, Yasmine became noticeably more animated.

“This one’s pretty.”

“Oh, this one’s nice too.”

She picked out several rings in a row, but never once placed one in my hand. Instead, she slipped them onto her own fingers, turning her wrist under the light, then lifting her hand toward Alexis.

“Alexis, does this look good?”

He answered her with patience.

At first, he still glanced at me out of habit. But when he saw my blank expression, like I truly couldn’t see anything, he gradually relaxed.

He reached out and lightly patted her head, his voice soft.

“Take whichever one you like.”

The indulgence in his tone was barely concealed.

The sales associate smiled at me.

“Oh, so you’re here accompanying your younger sister and her fiancé to pick out rings?”

Yasmine immediately waved her hand with a laugh.

“No, no. My sister can’t see, so I’m helping her and my brother-in-law choose.”

When she said “brother-in-law,” she enunciated it just a little too clearly.

The sales associate hesitated, then gave an awkward smile.

“In that case, would you like to try one of our new designs? It was just created by the well-known designer Windy.”

“It’s very beautiful and one of a kind. I think you’ll like it.”

She took out the ring and was about to help me try it on.

But Yasmine’s hand reached out first.

“I’ll try it.”

She slipped the ring onto her own ring finger, then raised her hand toward Alexis.

“Alexis, look. Does it suit me?”

The sales associate couldn’t help but murmur,

“Isn’t it usually the bride who tries it on for the groom? It’s not like the groom can’t see…”

The words struck like a needle.

Yes. The groom could see.

It was just that the person he wanted to look at had never been me.

Alexis cleared his throat lightly and turned to me.

“Darcey, do you want to try it?”

Before I could answer, Yasmine had already taken the ring and walked over.

She stood close enough for me to clearly see the undisguised malice in her eyes.

I instinctively tried to pull back, but she had already grabbed my hand.

“Darcey, let me put it on for you.”

The next second, she forced the ring onto my finger.

The size fit her perfectly.

On me, it was too small.

The sharp edge scraped against my skin instantly. Pain shot through my finger, and I flinched, reflexively shaking her off.

I hadn’t used much strength.

But she let out a sharp scream and fell backward dramatically.

“Ah!”

At the same time, the ring was dragged off with her movement, scraping hard across my finger.

A thin line of blood split open immediately.

But Alexis didn’t even notice.

All he saw was her falling.

“Yasmine!”

His expression changed instantly as he rushed to check on her. After confirming she wasn’t hurt, he turned on me, anger flashing in his eyes.

“Darcey, what the hell are you doing? She was just trying to help you pick a ring. Why did you push her?”

His voice was sharp, urgent.

“What if she hurt her leg? She has a competition coming up!”

My finger was still bleeding.

He didn’t even glance at it.

Yasmine leaned weakly against him, her voice trembling with grievance.

“Alexis… forget it. This is my fault. It seems like my sister still doesn’t like me. I shouldn’t have tried to help her with the ring.”

She lowered her head.

“If I got hurt and couldn’t dance anymore, maybe my sister would feel a little better.”