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.”

Darcey’s POV

“Apologize,” he said.

Every word was sharp, leaving no room for argument.

“Darcey, apologize to Yasmine,” he ordered.

I froze in place, feeling the blood drain from my body.

I was the one who had been hurt.

Yet I was the one forced to bow.

I forced myself to speak.

“The ring didn’t fit. She was going to put it on me anyway. I just pushed her, and she fell herself!”

“Enough!” Alexis snapped.

His face was dark as iron.

“Are you seriously trying to accuse Yasmine? She’s about to compete for the top spot. How could she possibly hurt herself just to frame you?”

“Or are you just jealous that she’s about to become the ballet company’s lead and want to ruin her?”

I almost laughed at how ridiculous that was.

I would never be jealous of a thief.

“I’m not jealous of someone who’s clearly less capable than me,” I said coldly.

“Darcey!” he roared.

His anger and his blatant defense of Yasmine were impossible to miss.

Even though I’d known all along that his love for me had been an act.

Even so, seeing him protect Yasmine without hesitation, while withholding trust from me, made my chest ache as if it had been ripped open.

Alexis lowered his head toward Yasmine, his voice soft.

“Where does it hurt, Yasmine? Tell me,” he asked.

Yasmine pressed her lips together, speaking quietly.

“My hand hurts a little,” she said.

Her fingertip was only slightly red.

But Alexis immediately turned to me with a stern expression.

“Darcey, this behavior of hurting someone out of jealousy must be punished,” he said.

My heart sank as he pulled a pen from his suit pocket and handed it to Yasmine.

His voice was frighteningly cold.

“Yasmine, poke the finger that hurts on her,” he said.

“Only when she feels the pain will she understand that bullying is wrong.”

I froze, unable to believe what I was hearing.

I turned to leave, but it was too late.

With Alexis’s help, Yasmine caught my wrist, looking hesitant.

The next moment, the pen jabbed toward my ring finger.

But just before it touched me, her hand twisted suddenly.

“Ah!”

The pen plunged straight into the center of my palm.

Pain exploded instantly.

I couldn’t control my scream.

My entire palm was shredded.

Yasmine seemed terrified, letting go and stepping back with tears.

“I’m sorry… I was scared, and my hand shook…” she sobbed.

Alexis clearly didn’t expect this to happen.

There was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, but Yasmine had already supported me first.

On the surface, it looked like she was helping me.

But from an angle Alexis couldn’t see, her sharp nails dug into the bloody hole in my palm.

Pain ripped through me, leaving me voiceless.

All the hate and anger I’d held back finally exploded.

I swung my hand and slapped Yasmine across the face.

Alexis’s face went pale.

“Darcey! Are you crazy?!” he yelled.

He shoved me hard.

I stumbled and slammed into the glass display case in the jewelry store.

With a crash, the glass shattered instantly.

Sharp fragments cut into my back, arms, and legs, exploding with pain.

Blood soaked my clothes quickly.

I trembled from the pain.

Yasmine’s eyes flashed with anger.

She dove into Alexis’s arms, pretending to be pitiful.

“Alexis… I just wanted to check her wound, but she suddenly hit me…” she said.

“Maybe she’s frustrated from being blind for so long… and took it out on me.”

“I’m fine. But what if she goes crazy at the wedding and hurts someone?”

Alexis’s face darkened completely.

He looked at me as if I were insane.

“Darcey, your mind is twisted,” he said.

“Since you’ve lost control, a psychologist will treat you.”

Yasmine spoke softly.

“Sis still has dances to choreograph. Maybe… bring the doctor home?”

Just like that, they decided my fate.

That day, the psychologist Alexis hired moved into the villa.

The “therapy” was nothing but needles, intimidation, and humiliation.

Any resistance was met with hair-pulling and slaps until I submitted.

The scars I had from my breakdown after losing my sight…

Were treated as sins by the psychologist.

He ground off the skin layer by layer with a file.

The raw flesh burned with pain.

I was sweating cold, pinned down, unable to move.

Until the old scars were covered in fresh blood, leaving a red, blurred mess of skin.

Only in the dance studio, while choreographing, could I escape him.

I practiced with hatred, pushing myself to the limit.

I choreographed dances for Yasmine by day and my own by night.

Only in the bathroom could I secretly contact my lawyer for a moment.

Three days later, I had lost a lot of weight.

The old scars were gone, replaced by countless fresh needle marks and bruises.

Alexis hadn’t come home in days.

Meanwhile, Yasmine’s social media was updated every day.

Trying on wedding dresses, choosing flowers, checking the venue, setting up decorations.

In every photo, Alexis was by her side.

They were brazenly preparing their final revenge, knowing I “couldn’t see.”

Of course, I was preparing, too.

That night, Alexis finally returned.

He stopped in his tracks, clearly surprised at how much weight I had lost in just three days.

A flicker of pity crossed his eyes.

He walked over and held me in his arms.

“Why have you gotten so thin?” he asked.

I said lightly, “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

His body stiffened with concern.

The next moment, he kissed me.

The kiss was soothing, but I resisted with all my strength.

He thought I was sulking and hugged me tighter, helpless.

“I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t think he would be so harsh on you,” he said.

He handed me a glass of milk.

“Drink some milk to calm down. Tonight, I’ll be with you, okay?”

Seeing the milk, I realized immediately what he wanted.

He was trying to get that idiot Christoph to “comfort” me in bed for him again.

I refused immediately.

“I’m not feeling well. You don’t need to stay tonight,” I said.

Alexis frowned, clearly thinking I was throwing a tantrum.

He took a sip of the milk. Next thing I knew, he was fucking forcing it into my mouth.