Ivan noticed that Alison had become a shell of her former self.

She used to be full of life. Even though she couldn't see, she loved sitting in the courtyard sipping coffee, claiming it was her way of "feeling nature." She would build blocks with Josh, watch the news with him, and occasionally—even with the help of the nanny—cook a couple of dishes for the family.

She had once been radiant and free.

But now, aside from meals, she locked herself in the bedroom all day, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly at the sky. She looked like a flower on the verge of withering—drained of all color, stripped of all life.

Ivan grew increasingly uneasy seeing such a drastic change in her.

"Alison, what's wrong lately?" he asked anxiously. "Are you upset because I missed your last two appointments? Don't worry. Next time, I promise, I'll go with you. Please don't shut me out… I'm begging you."

By the end, his voice was trembling, almost choked with tears.

But if he was so afraid of losing her, why did he keep another woman? Why did he let them both live under the same roof, without even trying to hide it?

Just moments before speaking to her, he had come from Jessica's room, lipstick still smudged at the corner of his mouth.

Did he think that just because she was blind, she didn't deserve respect?

Had he forgotten why she went blind in the first place?

Alison raised her hand. Ivan instinctively reached out, placing her palm against his face.

She traced his features with her fingers. His face hadn't changed much, only matured with time. He looked steadier now.

But his heart was no longer the same.

He was no longer the boy she had once risked her life to save.

Just then, a crackle sounded outside the window. Fireworks burst in the sky.

The river was bathed in brilliant color.

From the lawn below, she vaguely heard Josh shout excitedly into Jessica's ear, "See that? Daddy set off those fireworks just for you, to celebrate that you're giving me a baby sister!"

A bitter smile tugged at Alison's lips. "Are those fireworks?" she asked. "I haven't seen them in ages."

Ivan looked at her tenderly. "When your eyes recover, I'll set off fireworks for three days and three nights, just for you. You'll see them to your heart's content. How about that? Don't give up on yourself, okay? Our son and I will always be here for you."

He pulled her into his arms, whispering comfort into her ear.

So that's what Ivan believed—that she was upset because her recent medical treatments hadn't gone well.

'But oh, Ivan… If you had come with me to the hospital even once, you would've known the truth. But you didn't. And that's why this chapter between us is coming to an end,' Alison thought.

With that thought, Alison gently pushed him away.

"No need," she said. "It's a waste."

Ivan tapped her nose playfully. "How could it be a waste? Don't you remember what I said? Whatever others have, you must have too. I want the whole world to know that I love you, that I can't live without you."

Alison said nothing.

Because she knew, the man whispering sweet words in her ear now would sneak downstairs at night and spend hours wrapped in another woman's arms.

Maybe sensing her lingering gloom, Ivan and Josh suggested taking her to a party.

She had no interest and was about to decline when Ivan had already called for the car and started picking out a dress for her.

Josh rummaged through her jewelry box, holding pieces up to her. "Mommy, wear this one! It's pretty!"

Ivan chuckled. "Your mom looks good in everything. Who needs fashion advice from a little rascal like you?"

They dressed her with care, helped her gently down the stairs, and escorted her into the car.

Along the way, Josh chattered about amusing stories from kindergarten, trying to lift her spirits.

Eventually, the car pulled into a grand estate.

Alison had been wondering why Jessica hadn't come… until she saw her.

Dressed in jewels and silk, with a slight swell in her belly, Jessica stood at the center of the crowd like the true hostess of the evening.

It wasn't until they arrived that Alison realized the party Ivan and Josh had brought her to was Jessica's birthday party.

Not only that, but Ivan's parents and friends were all here too.

She stared at the familiar faces from her memory, all gathered around Jessica, doting on her. So this was what Ivan meant when he said he wanted her to be happy?

They seated her near the sound system, handed her a bottle of water, and a small slice of cake.

"Honey, just rest here for a bit. I'll take our son to go around the room to meet the others."

Cold and composed, Alison watched as Ivan knelt before Jessica, kissed her stomach, and whispered something Alison couldn't quite hear.

Beside them, Josh bounced with excitement, calling Jessica "Mom."

Ivan's friends joined in, laughing and teasing Jessica and Ivan.

Ivan shot a quick glance in her direction, then raised a finger to his lips to shush them.

"Watch what you're saying. If Alison hears—"

Ivan's mom, who had once kept vigil by Alison's bedside for a whole week after she was injured saving Ivan, now slapped him on the arm with a scowl. "So what if she hears? What can she do? She's blind. Where could she possibly go without you? Besides, Jessica is carrying my grandchild now."

His friends chimed in with no hint of shame. "Exactly. It's common for men like us to have more than one woman! You've only taken one more; that's pretty generous toward Alison."

Ivan's face darkened. "Alison is my wife, and she will remain my only wife. None of you are to breathe a word of this outside."

They waved off his warning with casual promises.

"Sure, sure. Our lips are sealed. Besides, you keep Alison locked up at home. It's not like we ever see her."

They assumed Alison couldn't hear from where she sat near the speakers. But ten years of blindness had sharpened her hearing beyond that of an ordinary person.

Alison listened to their laughter in silence. It wouldn't be long now. Her escape was near.

What she hadn't expected was for Jessica to be brazen enough to approach her while Ivan and Josh weren't paying attention.

"Alison, do you even know who I am?" Jessica sneered. "Your darling husband, Ivan, climbed out of my bed just this morning. And now, you're sitting here at the birthday party he organized for me.

"Ivan's parents already see me as their daughter-in-law. And the son you suffered so much to bring into the world? He calls me 'Mom.'

"Ivan and I have been together for nearly two years. I moved into your villa a year ago. Every night, we roll in the sheets right downstairs while you lie in bed upstairs, blind to the way he looks at me with obsession. Just now, he even kissed my belly and teared up—so moved he could hardly speak.

"I was willing to stay quiet. After all, compared to you, I've always lived more like Mrs. Hardman. But now I'm pregnant. I want a name for my child.

"If you're smart, you'll step down and hand over the title. Do that, and maybe, just maybe, I'll convince Ivan to set you up in a nice apartment and keep you like a discarded pet out of pity for the fact that you lost your sight saving him."

Alison stared at Jessica's smug, victorious expression, her lips sealed in perfect silence.

Jessica seemed surprised by her calm. "You don't believe me? I—"

Before she could finish, hurried footsteps approached. Ivan glared sharply at Jessica, then forced a relaxed tone as he spoke.

"Honey, what are you two chatting about?"

Alison offered a faint smile. "Nothing much. Jessica was just saying how much her husband loves her. I was feeling a little envious, that's all."

Ivan visibly relaxed.

A trace of mockery flickered in Alison's eyes. Ivan believed she was still the same woman who couldn't tolerate betrayal. If Jessica had truly said something offensive, he expected Alison would've already confronted him about it.

But he'd forgotten she was no longer the same woman from ten years ago. People change.

Ivan pulled Alison into his arms. "There's nothing to envy. Haven't I treated you well enough?"

Alison didn't answer.

"I want to go home. I'm tired."

…

Later that night, Ivan went to shower.

A voice message popped up on Alison's phone.

"Do you really think Ivan still loves you? It's all just an act. He's already promised to make it up to me."

Alison didn't respond. Instead, she reread a message from Elise.

Elise: [Everything's ready. My brother will pick you up at the agreed time.]

A sudden voice above her made her jump. "What are you doing with your phone? Can't find your book?"

Ivan's voice was right overhead. Alison quickly locked the screen and pretended to fumble around with her hands.

But instead of handing her the book, Ivan scooped her into his arms. His warm breath brushed against her neck.

"Honey…"

A wave of nausea surged. Alison instinctively furrowed her brows and pushed him away coldly.

"I'm tired."

What did he mean by this?

Was it because Jessica was pregnant, and he didn't want to exhaust Jessica?

In the middle of the night, Ivan got out of bed and went downstairs.

Soon after, sounds began echoing from the bedroom below—the deliberate, exaggerated moans of a woman, followed by muffled gasps, the kind made when someone covered her mouth.

The next morning, Josh threw himself into Alison's arms, pouting sweetly.

"Mom, our kindergarten is organizing a study tour, and they said parents have to come along. Can Daddy and I go?"

So this was what Jessica meant by Ivan "making it up" to her.

Alison lowered her gaze. In her arms, her son was chattering excitedly while secretly making faces at Jessica.

When he finished, he affectionately rubbed his cheek against hers.

She gently cupped his face, her fingers tracing the soft curves. This was her son. Aside from his mouth—so much like his father's—everything else was a reflection of her.

If Ivan had cheated for the thrill, then what about Josh?

Back then, she couldn't see a thing. Every time the doctor described her baby during a prenatal check-up, she would quietly imagine what he might look like.

Because of her blindness, she had to be ten times more cautious than other expectant mothers. To avoid any mishaps, she'd even sacrificed her dignity—refusing to use the bathroom unless the nanny was right there, as she was terrified of bumping into something.

After all the months of carrying Josh, she finally brought him into the world. And now, her son was calling the mistress "Mom" behind her back.

If it weren't for the striking resemblance between his face and hers, she might've suspected someone had swapped her child.

Sensing her silence at last, Josh finally looked up at her. "Mom?"

Ivan chimed in from the side, "Traveling and seeing the world in person is always better than just reading about it. And this trip is organized by the kindergarten. It's not something we can just skip. If your eyesight weren't an issue, we'd never leave you behind."

They'd come up with the one reason she couldn't possibly reject.

Confident in her answer, Ivan had already instructed his secretary to book the tickets.

So much for asking her opinion. It was just an official notice.

Alison glanced at the destination. It was that European town she'd always wanted to visit, back when she could still see.

"It's fine. You two go ahead," she said.

Before leaving, Ivan gathered all the nannies and gave them detailed instructions, like he were preparing to hand over a billion-dollar project.

"Put a glass of water on Alison's bedside table before she goes to bed. Make sure she won't get thirsty at night."

"Help her take a walk around the garden every day. She needs the exercise."

"Feed her blueberries and other essential fruits by hand. She might hurt herself using a fork…"

He went on like this for half an hour.

Finally, he gave her a quick kiss.

"We're leaving now. If anything happens, call me. I'll come back right away. The study tour won't last long. We'll be back in time for your next eye treatment."

Josh clutched her hand. "Mom, I'll bring you a present!"

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Alison watched Ivan holding Jessica in one arm and leading Josh with the other.

They really looked like the perfect happy family.

Ignoring the sympathetic glances from the nannies, she turned away and went back to her room.

From what she could tell, her husband and son were having the time of their lives.

Before, when Ivan worked a full day at the office, he'd call her ten times. Now, she hadn't heard from him once.

Even Josh seemed to have forgotten her.

The only person who seemed to remember her at all was Jessica, who took every chance to gloat.

"Today, Ivan kissed me in front of a priest at the church. He said he loves me."

"Your precious son keeps calling me "Mom." Everyone at the hotel thinks we're a perfect family."

"Even though I'm pregnant, Ivan can't keep his hands off me. We ran out of protection, and he had to go buy more."

Every word was a show of how deeply Ivan loved her.

But none of it stirred the slightest emotion in Alison anymore.

She was waiting for the day she'd already planned… to leave.

It was almost here.