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.

Today was Alison's hospital appointment.

It was also the day she had chosen to leave.

When Alison came downstairs, fully dressed, Ivan had just stepped through the door. Behind him were Josh and Jessica.

She had known Ivan would rush back to accompany her for the eye consultation. After all, her recent changes in behavior had already made him uneasy.

"Honey, we're home!"

Ivan opened his arms, trying to spin her around in the living room, but Alison gently pushed him away.

There was no trace of joy on her face at their return.

Ivan's smile faltered. "Honey?"

"Mom." Josh eagerly shoved a model building into her hands. "This is your souvenir. Feel it. Do you like it?"

Alison set it aside without a glance. Her voice was distant and cool. "I'm heading to the hospital. We'll talk later."

Ivan wrapped an arm around her. "I'll go with you."

Josh clung to her leg. "Me too! I feel like I haven't spent time with Mom in forever."

Before getting into the car, Alison turned to glance at the villa one last time.

Ivan asked with concern, "What is it?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Just... saying goodbye to the place she had lived in for the past ten years.

The Hardman Medical Hospital was located on the outskirts of the city, near the sea. The car cruised down the wide highway.

Josh grinned. "Daddy rushed all the way back just to take you to the doctor."

Alison turned to look out the window. "Weren't you on your school research trip? How did they let you come back early?"

Realizing he'd said too much, Josh quickly shut his mouth.

Ivan held her hand. "Yes, we came back early. I promised I'd be there for you. Promises should be kept."

Just like how he once promised to love her forever, to never betray her.

So many promises… Perhaps that's why he forgot some of them.

Alison didn't respond.

The car fell into silence.

Suddenly, Ivan's phone rang loudly. Without even checking, he hung up.

But the caller was relentless and kept calling, one call after another—over a dozen times.

Alison said, "Pick it up. What if it's something urgent from the company?"

Ivan rolled down the window, letting the roar of traffic flood the car.

Whatever was said on the other end made his face go pale. He snapped at the driver, "Stop the car!"

The vehicle screeched to a halt.

Ivan softened his tone and turned to her. "Alison, something urgent came up at the company. I have to go now. Josh will wait with you by the road. I'll send another driver to take you guys to the hospital."

As he spoke, he opened the door.

But Josh was quick to catch on. He knew that in his father's eyes, no business matter could outweigh his mother. So it must be something to do with Jessica!

Josh immediately made up an excuse. "I want to go too! I'm the future heir of Hardman Group. I should start young!"

"But what about your mom?"

The wind tugged at Alison's skirt as she said, "It's fine. Go."

Ivan hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. "Honey, just stay right here and don't move. The driver will be here in ten minutes."

Without waiting for her to nod, he turned to leave.

Just as he reached the door, Alison tugged at the corner of his shirt.

"Can you... not go?"

Ivan pried her hand away. "Alison, this is really important. Be good and stay put, okay?"

And with that, he shut the door. The car sped off down the road.

From that same direction, a large truck approached. The driver climbed out and unloaded the body of an unidentified woman.

As he prepared to drive over it, a hand suddenly covered Alison's eyes.

She pulled the hand away, only to see a broken, mangled corpse and blood staining the pavement.

She wondered, 'What will Ivan and Josh feel when they return to see this scene?'

They would believe that while chasing after another woman, they had abandoned a blind wife and mother on the side of the road, and she had died in a tragic car accident.

Today would be the last time they ever saw her.

For the rest of their lives, the memory of this moment would haunt them. Grief would devour them, and regret would tear at their hearts.

"Don't look. I'll take you away now."

Alison nodded and walked away, head held high.

From this day on, under boundless skies and across endless seas, she and Ivan would never cross paths again.