Chapter 5

Early the next morning, the assistant came to take me to the wedding car.

Just as Lily had said, I arrived at the wedding venue wearing my hospital gown.

Lily's dress hem brushed my exposed ankles. She placed the veil over my head and laughed.

"Happy wedding, Nora. Did you think putting on a veil makes you a bride? It's just to cover your blind eyes so you don't embarrass everyone."

Unable to see the despair she wanted on my face, Lily was about to lash out.

Gabriel's displeased voice suddenly rang in my ear.

"Where's the wedding dress I prepared for you? Nora Harper, are you deliberately getting back at me? You're getting married to me looking like this?"

The assistant helped me walk toward the dressing room. I was about to take off my hospital gown when a man's excited voice suddenly came from behind me.

"A blind woman, but damn good-looking. Be good and don't scream. I'll take real good care of you."

The man's hands began roughly tearing at my clothes. I used all my strength but couldn't push him away.

I opened my mouth and bit down hard on him.

"You bitch, you're asking for it!" The enraged man threw me to the ground, his heavy breathing spraying on my neck.

My clothes had just been violently torn open when a sharp, surprised female voice came from the doorway.

"Nora! How could you do this at your wedding with Mr. Knight? How can you face him..."

The man in front of me stopped, breathing heavily and speaking brazenly.

"This slut threw herself at me. I wouldn't even want a blind woman."

As soon as he finished speaking, countless accusatory voices surrounded me. Those vicious voices were like venomous snakes attacking me.

"I never imagined Mr. Knight's fiancée was actually blind!"

"No wonder she's blind. She'd rather have an affair than Mr. Knight."

"What a shameless whore!"

I frantically clutched my torn clothes, burying my head in my knees, trembling violently.

Suddenly, the air grew quiet except for heavy footsteps.

"Nora Harper, you dare betray me!"

Someone grabbed my neck viciously. Gabriel's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging in his hands.

I used all my strength to force out a few words with difficulty.

"I... didn't..."

The suffocating feeling gradually surrounded me. Gabriel suddenly released his grip, instead grabbing my chin tightly.

"Nora Harper, after all these years together, you should know I hate betrayal most. You must have lost your mind to be with a man like that. In that case, you don't need to attend today's wedding."

"Someone, send her to a psychiatric hospital!"

As hands grabbed me, my heart plunged.

If they committed me to a psychiatric ward like this, I'd never make it back to the Harpers.

The thought sent a surge of panic through me. I fought wildly, wrenching myself free, and ran.

"Catch her!"

Gabriel's furious shout chased me, followed by a rush of footsteps.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Ahead was only darkness, a void I couldn't see. But I didn't dare slow down. My only chance was to run, blindly and desperately.

Then I collided with a solid, warm chest. A familiar, strained voice came from above me.

"Nora!"