Ophelia’s POV

The moment I heard him, my eyes flew wide open in disbelief.

“What the hell are you talking about? How could the baby I’m carrying possibly be yours?”

The man on the other end sounded way too calm, slowly explaining, “I’m sorry, but the baby you’re carrying is indeed mine. The doctor made a mistake during the procedure… and this is the result.”

Then he added, almost casually, “Because of my family situation, I need a child—and a wife. And you… you could use my help right now.”

My heart dropped so hard it felt like it hit the floor.

In the dead silence, the only thing I could hear was my own strangled voice.

“Who the hell are you? And why do you know so damn much?”

He paused, then told me everything.

Because of my health issues, when Conrad said he wanted a baby with me, I was honestly thrilled.

But for some reason… years passed and I still couldn’t get pregnant.

I used to blame myself. Now, I see it clearly—everything had been planned by Conrad and Estelle from the very beginning.

Estelle didn’t want to go through pregnancy—too painful, too messy—so they decided to use me as their walking incubator.

That’s why I “mysteriously” failed to conceive for years.

Until this year, when I finally went to the hospital… and the doctor messed up and used Zane Montrose’s sperm with my egg. And that’s how this baby happened.

If I had heard this before, I probably would’ve lost my mind and aborted the baby on the spot.

But now that I know the truth—that this child isn’t Conrad’s—I actually felt… relieved. Lucky, even.

Zane said that if I agreed to become his contract wife, he’d help me take down Conrad and Estelle.

And honestly, on my own, I can’t fight them.

My family company has already been eaten away by Conrad. He’s just waiting for me to “have an accident” next month so he can swallow the rest.

Thinking about that, I didn’t hesitate for even a second. I agreed.

In one month, I’ll take my child and my new fragrance line and join Montrose Corporation.

And Hollowells Group? I’m going to burn it to the ground with my own hands!

That night, I prepared the divorce papers, ready for Conrad to sign them.

But even late into the night, he didn’t come home.

My body was stiff, but I curled my lips into a cold, silent laugh.

I was about to call him when my phone suddenly lit up.

A strange number sent me an address… and a message.

My phone’s auto-reader started playing it out loud.

“Your husband is here with another woman. Maybe you should come see. But honestly? You should just know your place and back off. After all… you’re just a blind woman.”

I didn’t need to think twice; this was definitely from Estelle.

I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction, but in the end… I still grabbed the divorce papers and went to the address.

Before I even stepped inside, I heard the laughter of Conrad’s buddies.

He was nothing like the “reserved, gentle husband” he pretended to be in front of me. In that private room, he was showing his real face.

“Bro, when are you gonna bring our Estelle home? Isn’t it time to get rid of that blind woman? Though… she’s pregnant. It's a bit of a problem.”

“The kid’s no issue. She can give birth, and then Estelle can raise it. Estelle is so kind-hearted. If it weren’t for that blind woman guilt-tripping Conrad into marrying her, the two of them wouldn’t have been separated in the first place.”

Just those two stupid sentences made all the blood in my body run backward, turning completely cold.

So everyone knew. Everyone knew about them. Everyone except me.

I gripped the divorce papers so tightly my hands were shaking. The anger and humiliation swallowed my chest whole.

And just then, my phone rang. It was Conrad.

In an instant, the private room went silent.

“Ophelia?”

He sounded unsure, almost nervous.

I didn’t even think; I turned and walked away.

He rushed out just in time to see my back. A back he knew too well—familiar enough to haunt him.

He almost chased after me. But then Estelle’s voice called him from inside the room.

He hesitated… just for a second. And in the end, under her increasingly urgent calls, he returned to the private room.

I didn’t even know how I made it back to the villa.

All I knew was, the second I stepped inside, Conrad’s call came through.

“Ophelia, why didn’t you answer earlier? Were you not home?”

His voice was still that same soft, gentle tone—but I could hear the suspicion under it.

I stayed quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, he sounded a little panicked.

“Did someone say something to you? Don’t listen to them. Whatever it is, I’ll explain when I get back.”

He sounded just as affectionate as he did in the beginning—like he was incapable of lying.

But the way he acted in front of Estelle? He was a completely different man.

Thinking about everything he’d done to me, I didn’t hesitate anymore. I just said, “When are you coming back? I have something to tell you.”

The moment he heard that, he said, “Wait for me,” and hung up.

A second later, a message from Estelle popped up.

[Did you really think calling him home like this means you’ve won? As long as I want him, all I have to do is curl my finger and Conrad will come running right back to me. You heard it yourself. Neither Conrad nor his brothers like you. If I were you, I wouldn’t even want to keep living.]

After everything I’ve been through, reading that message didn’t even stir anything in me.

I just closed my phone and waited calmly for Conrad to show up.

The trip should’ve taken thirty minutes. He shoved it into ten. When he rushed up to me, he was still out of breath.

He came over like he always did, gently steadying me.

“Ophelia, what did you want to talk about?”

I subtly moved away from his hand and handed him the divorce papers.

“Sign them.”

He froze for a second, then took the documents. “Is this the fragrance project contract?”

Right as he was about to open it, his phone rang.

Even though he grabbed the phone fast, I still clearly saw her name.

[Estelle]

He answered, and all I heard on her end was, “Conrad… I miss you so much…”

His expression shifted. He lowered the volume and whispered a few comforting words to her.

When the call finally ended, he didn’t even bother reading the papers anymore; he just signed his name quickly.

Then he grabbed his car keys, ready to leave again.

“Ophelia, something urgent came up at work. Go to bed early. And about the fragrance project, no need to rush.”

He tossed out a few lazy, half-hearted reassurances, then walked out without looking back.

I clutched the signed divorce agreement tightly in my hand, watching his back as he left, and tugged at the corner of my lips.

“Conrad…” I muttered, “starting now, we’re no longer a married couple.”

Ophelia’s POV

The next day, I took the perfume and went straight to the company.

Zane and I had already agreed—this perfume was going to be my “gift” for Conrad.

When the new product launch happens, he’s going to fall straight into hell.

After handing the perfume over to R&D, I walked toward the lab the same way I used to—slow, fumbling steps.

I kept some necessary equipment stored there. Even if I’m quitting, I’m taking every last thing that belongs to me.

I had barely started packing when the other R&D staff walked up to me, their faces full of disgust.

“Some people really have no shame,” one of them sneered. “Never contributed a damn thing to R&D but still comes to the lab every day pretending she’s doing something. If the director hadn’t let her turn in her perfume formulas every time, she would’ve been fired ages ago.”

Another one immediately jumped in, like they’d been dying to say, “Yeah, exactly. She’s blind, for god’s sake. And she still has the nerve to show up here and freeload off the department? Must be nice having connections.”

“And what’s even worse,” someone added, “is she doesn’t even know how to be grateful. The director lets her hand in her perfume work, and she repays her by going after her man. Everyone knows the CEO and the director are together.”

My nails dug hard into my palm.

From the day the company was founded, Conrad hid who I was to him.

He said it was so I could focus on creating.

And I believed him. I let him hide me for years.

But the moment Estelle walked into this company, suddenly, everyone thought they were the actual couple.

I was blind. Even if I overheard things sometimes, I never saw the full picture.

And every time I confronted him, Conrad always had some righteous, perfectly logical explanation. Because of that, I never doubted them.

But now? Turns out everyone in the company already knew they were together—and they all thought I was the mistress.

I didn’t bother responding. I tightened my grip on the things in my hands and got ready to leave.

But they just wouldn’t let it go. The moment they saw me heading for the door, someone grabbed the tools in my hand and yanked them away with a mocking laugh.

“What? You still don’t get that we’re talking about you? How can someone be this shameless? Stealing another woman’s perfume work, and trying to steal her boyfriend, too? Because of people like you, our entire R&D department’s reputation is rotting.”

Then, without warning, they shoved me hard.

I crashed straight into the sharp corner of a table, and blood immediately gushed from my waist.

I couldn’t hold it back anymore. Gritting my teeth, I said each word clearly. “Every perfume I submitted was my own creation. And Conrad and I are actually—”

Before I could finish, a fake, delicate voice sounded from the door.

“What are you all doing?” Estelle widened her eyes like she was oh-so-shocked.

Everyone instantly put on their most bootlicking smiles.

“Miss Estelle, we were getting along with Ophelia just fine, but then she suddenly threw herself on the floor. No wonder she’s good at stealing other people’s boyfriends, she sure knows all the tricks. Please, don’t let her fool you.”

Hearing that, Estelle frowned deeply.

She glanced at the R&D team and said, all gentle and disapproving, “Even if you’re joking, that’s going a bit too far. Ophelia is blind, after all. This isn’t a nice way to treat her. Though… she has caused the CEO some trouble, but…”

She let her voice trail off and looked at me with a helpless little sigh, performing for the whole room.

“Forget it. Ophelia, just don’t do this next time. Don’t worry, as long as I’m still in R&D, you’ll always have perfume formulas to submit. I’ll explain things to the CEO on your behalf, too.”

With that one speech, everyone started looking at her like she was some kind of saint.

She didn’t say anything directly, but she pushed everything onto me.

That I stole her work. That I hooked up with Conrad.

When in reality, the perfume was mine. And Conrad was my legal husband.

She reached her hand out to me with that soft, pitiful expression—except behind her lowered eyes, I saw the flash of mockery.

I was furious. I slapped her hand away hard.

“Estelle! Spare me the fake sympathy. Why don’t you tell them the truth? Tell them the perfumes I submitted are my work. Tell them what my relationship with Conrad actually is. Or are you planning to lie to my face right here?”

I glared straight at her. She panicked instantly, her eyes darting, stuttering as she failed to answer.

And right then, a voice came from the doorway. It was Conrad.

“What’s going on in here?”

Estelle’s eyes instantly went red, like she was about to cry.

And the R&D staff jumped right in, running their mouths nonstop.

“Sir, thank god you showed up. You won’t believe this—this blind woman almost bullied Estelle to death. She even said all of the director’s fragrances were made by her! And she claimed she was closer to you than Estelle—like even more intimate…”

When Conrad heard that, his face tightened.

He looked at the R&D group with this dark, cold stare.

Then he snapped, his voice freezing the whole room.

“Who the hell told you to call her a blind woman? I’m giving you three seconds. Pack your crap and get out!”

And then, he reached a hand out toward me, his eyes all soft and concerned like he suddenly cares.

The R&D staff instantly went pale. Their mouths opened, closed, opened again; no one dared talk back under his stare.

None of them expected he’d actually defend me, and they all started side-eyeing Estelle like they were doubting her then…

“Sir… isn’t the director your girlfriend? Is she lying to us? And those fragrances she keeps presenting… they’re exactly the same as the ones Ophelia submitted. Estelle told us the fragrances in Ophelia’s hands were hers.”

“So… is the director just lying to all of us?”

They were about to get fired anyway, so screw caution—they just said it straight out.

And instantly, everyone in the room started looking at Estelle with disgust.

Seeing that, she freaked and grabbed onto Conrad’s sleeve, looking at him with teary eyes.

“Conrad… they just misspoke. They didn’t mean it. Everything I told you is true. You can tell them that, right?”

Something flickered in Conrad’s eyes—struggle, guilt, whatever.

And the more desperate she looked, the guiltier he looked when he glanced at me.

And then, in the end, he did it. He pulled his hand back. He just let me lie there on the damn floor in front of everyone like some pathetic wreck.

Not once did he care that I’m still pregnant.

Or maybe he did care just… not enough. It meant nothing compared to her.

And I thought that humiliation was already rock bottom.

But she let go of his sleeve, wiping tears dramatically, and said, all pitiful, “Conrad… after everything that happened today, I really don’t have the face to stay here anymore. Thank you for taking care of me… but I just can’t…”

And the tears fell—giant, perfect, actress-level tears.

And that was it. He forgot everyone else existed.

He pulled her straight into his arms, holding her so tight you’d think she was his actual wife.

He whispered to her, soothed her, waited until she calmed down—then finally looked back at the R&D team.

“Ridiculous. Every fragrance Estelle submitted was created by her and no one else.”

Then he shot a tiny glance my way—barely there—and said, “And about my relationship with Ophelia, that’s all in your imagination. Nothing improper happened. Maybe I handled some things poorly and made her misunderstand.”

Perfect. If I were just some shameless woman chasing him, maybe I’d finally give up after that.

But I’m not. I’m his wife. And he just turned me into the other woman in front of an entire department.

At this point, I honestly just wanted to laugh. Everything felt like some sick joke.

I already knew he wouldn’t stand with me… but I didn’t expect him to cut me off this fast, this clean.

And just like that, everyone who was starting to doubt things went right back to glaring at me—this time even nastier, like I was some dirty homewrecker.

I sat there on the floor, head down, feeling blood drip from the wound on my waist.

When Conrad saw my empty, hopeless face, I saw him flinch just for a second.

He actually reached toward me—his hand moved.

But the moment he saw Estelle looking at him with tear-filled eyes… he dropped it in silent surrender.

Ophelia’s POV

Finally, everyone else was cleared out of the room.

My wounds hadn’t even been treated yet when I was sent to the CEO’s office.

Maybe it was because I was blind, but his desk had a photo of him and Estelle hugging intimately, just out in the open.

Sunlight hit him, and his eyes looked impossibly gentle.

I forced myself to act normal, pulling my gaze away, but my chest ached in sharp, stabbing waves.

Once the secretary left, Conrad finally looked at me.

Just one look, and I saw a flicker of concern in his eyes.

“Why didn’t they take care of your wounds?”

His voice softened, and he reached out carefully toward my injury.

I subtly moved away, without letting it show.

He bent his knuckles, explaining gently. “What happened earlier… Don’t be upset. Estelle’s been in R&D for years, it’s not easy for her. The upcoming fragrance project depends on her, too. I had no choice in what I said. Once this is all settled, I’ll make your identity public, okay?”

His voice was as calm as always, but my throat felt clogged with cotton.

Looking at his face, I whispered, “Conrad… do you still remember what you said when I first handed you my fragrance?”

He frowned and hesitated for a moment before replying, “Of course, I remember. It’s just… recently, things at the company haven’t been easy. Today was a lot with the R&D department. For your own good, don’t come to the office for now. Once things calm down, I’ll reinstate your position.”

My face was drained of color inch by inch. Even though my goal today was to resign, after seeing him so easily choose to give me up, it felt like being stabbed straight through the heart.

Over a decade of feelings felt like rotting flesh over a wound—something I should have cut away long ago, but it still hurt like hell.

And Conrad had already forgotten the promises he made to me.

When I first handed him my fragrance, he had promised that no matter what, the credit would always be mine.

He wouldn’t sell a single patent related to my fragrance.

But ever since Estelle joined the company, every fragrance I made had her name on it.

The man who once loved and protected me… had long since changed.

I took a deep breath, shoved down the storm of emotions, and handed him the resignation papers.

He frowned as he took it. “Is this also related to the fragrances? For now, let Estelle handle this part.”

Before I could respond, a commotion erupted outside the door.

“Sir! Something’s wrong! Miss Estelle has been taken away!”

His face went pale, and he turned to run out of the office.

I grabbed his hand tight, my voice neutral. “Sign first.”

He glared at me, clearly not expecting me to do this at this time.

But with people urging outside, he finally shot me a look of disappointment, quickly signed, and rushed out.

I carefully tucked the resignation papers away, ready to leave, when Conrad suddenly spun me around and grabbed my wrist like he was trying to snap it off.

Dragging me forward, his voice cold as ice, he demanded, “Ophelia, what the hell are you trying to do? The R&D team said Estelle left with some guy and didn’t come back—and that guy used your name!”

I froze in shock. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t!”

His eyes burned red. “That guy used your name. Just now, you even had a fight with Estelle. If it wasn’t you, then who else? Who else would go through all that trouble just to frame a blind girl like you?”

Before I could even explain, he shoved me to the floor in one brutal motion.

“You’ve got a problem with me? Fine, take it out on me. But why the hell are you attacking Estelle?!”

I crashed hard again, this time my stomach hitting the floor. A sharp, stabbing pain shot through me instantly.

I screamed, trembling, reaching out. “Conrad! Take me to the hospital! My stomach hurts so much!”

When he saw the blood pooling beneath me, panic flashed in his eyes, and he scooped me up immediately.

Right then, the secretary came rushing in, phone in hand, mid-call.

“Sir, we’ve located Miss Estelle, but the kidnappers say they’ll only release her if Ma’am Ophelia comes in person…”

She hesitated, then, under Conrad’s red-hot stare, spilled everything.

“They said only you could pay them. They won’t release Miss Estelle unless you personally tell them to…”

Hearing that, Conrad’s face went completely dark. His eyes on me were ice-cold.

The secretary continued, “Oh, and… Miss Estelle isn’t in good shape. She’s in shock, having trouble breathing. We sent doctors, but the kidnappers refused to let her get treated. At this rate… it could—”

That was all it took. Conrad made up his mind.

He changed direction and started running toward the parking lot with me in his arms, telling the secretary to send the location.

I gritted my teeth against the pain, panicked. “Conrad! Where are you taking me? I already told you—I didn’t send that guy! Just take me to a hospital… for the baby’s sake, please!”

I practically begged through tears.

But he ignored me completely, pressing harder on the gas.

All the way there, I pleaded, I explained, I screamed, I cursed. But he didn’t care.

All I could do was feel the life inside me slipping away.

When we reached the abandoned factory, Conrad’s panic was palpable as he dragged me out.

Inside, the kidnapper had a knife to Estelle’s throat. She was gasping for air, her face frozen in terror.

Conrad’s eyes softened for a fraction, a flicker of pain, but when they landed on the kidnapper, they went cold again.

“I brought her here. You can let Estelle go now, right?”

The kidnapper sneered. “How do I know you’ll keep your word? Here’s the deal: you put that woman into the factory so I can ‘talk’ with her. Don’t worry—three minutes later, Estelle is yours.”

Conrad’s brow furrowed hard. He gripped my hand, trembling, and I clutched my stomach, struggling with everything I had.

I didn’t send this kidnapper. And now, he wants me inside the factory? This has got to be Estelle’s trap.

If I go in, I’m done for.

I fought harder, my fear and rage fueling me.