Chapter 1

The day I get my sight back just happens to be my birthday.

I plan to drop the good news on my wife, Mya Murray, during the birthday party she is throwing for me.

Instead, I end up discovering a "surprise" she prepared for me first.

Wrapped in a layer of gauze, my eyes are useless as Mya carefully takes my hand, leading me into the second-floor banquet hall.

She whispers thoughtfully in my ear. "Honey, I know how much you love surprises, so I had a batch of roses flown in straight from overseas to build you a flower bridge and hired your favorite live band.

"Every business titan and prominent media outlet in Hartwell is right here in this room to celebrate you. Do you like it?"

She stands on tiptoe to press a kiss against my cheek. "Don't worry. I promised you that even if you never see again, you'll still get everything you deserve."

She has no idea that my vision is back and that I can see every single thing in the room as clear as day.

Chapter 1

Zander's POV

Only a few dim lights illuminated the banquet hall. Tattered banners from a previous party still hung on the walls, and the faint scent of flowers drifted from a dusty diffuser in the corner.

A few staff members dressed as partygoers clinked champagne glasses with my wife, Mya Murray, offering forced pleasantries.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Byrne!"

"You and Ms. Murray make such a breathtaking couple."

I stood frozen. I couldn't even fake a smile.

Noticing my distress, Mya waved the actors away and helped me sit down. "What's wrong, honey? Are you tired? Just relax here and enjoy the live music."

Upbeat tunes blared from the surround-sound speakers. This was the "live band" she had promised.

Mya sat with me for a moment before making an excuse to step away with her phone in hand.

I clenched my fists and silently followed her down to the banquet hall on the first floor.

There, I saw the exact scene she had described earlier.

An elegant crowd gathered beneath a lavish crystal chandelier. A floral backdrop adorned the room, while a live band played and waiters wove through the crowd of guests.

It was a baby's first birthday party.

Mya, wearing a mask, strode to the center of the room. She stood beside a man holding a baby, allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulder as they laughed and doted on the child together.

They looked just like a happy family.

Then the man turned around. The moment I caught a glimpse of his face, my mind went blank. How could it be him?

My knees buckled. As I pressed my back against a massive pillar, a storm of suspicion flooded my mind, though I desperately tried to convince myself it wasn't true.

Then Mya walked over to a quiet corner to chat with a few of her close friends.

"Oh, come on, Ms. Murray. Doesn't it feel suffocating having to wear a mask to your own kid's birthday party?"

"Yeah, Mya. Zander's been blind for three years, and your child with Alfred is already a year old. How much longer are you going to hide this?"

"You guys don't get it. Back then, Mya was desperate to marry Zander because of the Byrne family power. She threw that massive fairy-tale wedding, making sure all of Hartwell knew they were tied together. Now she has to sneak around just to attend her own child's party."

The group sighed softly.

"Fair point. If Mya goes public with the kid, she'll have to cut ties with the Byrne family, and her company's image will take a massive hit. Guess you really can't have both love and success."

"Hey, I actually have an idea…"

One of them lowered her voice, a cold glint in her eyes. "Zander is blind anyway. If he suffered a little… accident, Mya could remarry without any backlash."

The others perked up and chimed in with excitement, "Right! The Byrnes moved abroad anyway. As long as it's done quietly, if something happens to Zander—"

"Shut your mouths!"

Mya clenched her fists, her icy gaze sweeping over her friends. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet.

"I married Zander because I truly love him. As long as I'm around, I won't let anything bad happen to him."

She looked off into the distance, a touch of melancholy settling over her face.

"When Zander had his accident, my heart broke for him. But I genuinely couldn't bring myself to let him touch me anymore. I even secretly aborted our baby.

"Alfred was the one who stayed by my side during my dark days, making me feel alive again. Now, our child is a year old, and I have to protect this family. So I want my career, I want Alfred, and I want Zander too."

Her friends exchanged glances, looking utterly bewildered.

I stood rooted to the spot. All the blood in my body seemed to rush from my head to my feet.

So Mya really had another man behind my back and even had his child.

Tears blurred my vision as my hands shook uncontrollably.

The funniest part? She claimed she still loved me.

Maybe she did once.

Mya and I grew up together. For as long as I could remember, she had been by my side like a protective older sister.

She explored rock caves with me when we were kids and chased off unwanted suitors when we were teens.

When I competed in an international chess tournament, she traveled 10,887 miles through a snowstorm just to cheer me on.

Our only rift happened three years ago.

She sent her new assistant, Alfred Potter, to have a driver take me home late at night. I had no idea the driver was actually Alfred's sister, nor did I realize what she had planned for me.

She tampered with the car's air freshener. By the time I realized what was happening, a group of women had pinned me to a bed, trying to force pills down my throat.

In a panic, I ran to the window and jumped.

I survived, but I suffered two broken ribs and lost my sight due to optic nerve damage.

Everyone said the once-great heir to the Byrne family was now a useless cripple, but Mya stayed by my side through it all.

Ignoring Alfred's tearful pleas, she sent Alfred's sister to prison. Then she threw a grand wedding to show all of Hartwell where her loyalty lay.

Yet now, here she was, whispering to her friends, "Even though Zander never actually slept with those women, just thinking about them tearing his clothes off and touching him makes me sick…

"Honestly, it's better that he's blind. At least I can keep him in the dark and build a beautiful illusion for him."

It felt as though a hole had been torn open in my chest, letting the freezing wind howl through my soul.

As I looked at that familiar face in the distance, a wave of disgust washed over me. She was the one who was truly sickening.

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

I slipped away into the restroom and answered it.

My sister Alena Byrne's voice came through, filled with excitement. "Zander, I talked to Dr. Hooper! Since you don't want to come abroad, we're bringing her to you. She's a world-renowned eye specialist, so there's a great chance she can fix your eyes!"

"There's no need, Alena," I replied with a bitter smile. "Thanks for spending the last three years looking for doctors for me. I've made up my mind. Once I wrap things up here, I'm moving to Arleston to be with you and Mom and Dad."

Chapter 2

"What's wrong, Zander? You always refused to leave Hartwell because of Mya. Did something happen?" Alena asked.

Ever since my family's business shifted overseas, my family had mostly settled down in Arleston.

I was the only one who stayed behind in Hartwell, all for Mya.

During the three years of my blindness, they searched the globe for doctors who could help me.

Yet when they managed to contact Dr. Hooper, Mya was unwilling to let me go abroad for treatment.

Her excuse was that she couldn't bear to be so far away from me. She asked me to wait until she wrapped up her work at the company so she could accompany me to Arleston. Then, she just kept delaying it.

Now I finally understood that it was never about her being too busy. She simply didn't want my eyesight restored, because then I would discover her affair with Alfred.

"I'm fine, Alena. Actually... my vision came back. It just happened today. You, Mom, and Dad don't need to worry about me anymore.

"By the way, could you transfer 100 million dollars into my account? I have some personal matters to handle before I leave."

After hanging up, I looked at the bank notification confirming the transfer and let out a bitter laugh.

Since Mya couldn't choose between her company and Alfred, I'd give her a little surprise before I left and help her make the choice.

Wrapping gauze around my eyes, I grabbed my cane and headed back up to the second-floor banquet hall. I found Mya flying into a rage at the caretakers and staff, frantically searching for me.

When she saw me, she rushed forward and pulled me into a tight embrace, panic evident in her voice. "Honey, where did you go? I was so scared something might happen to you again..."

"I just went to the restroom."

"You should've had the caretaker go with you. Silly, you can't see. You can't wander off alone from now on."

My tone remained flat. "Mya, I'm tired."

She immediately took my hand. "Alright, let's go home."

Mya didn't take me home. Instead, she took me to the mansion she had spent a fortune building for me three years ago.

All the furniture inside had rounded edges wrapped in soft fabric, and the estate was equipped with a basic medical system and experienced caretakers. Every single detail was catered to a blind man.

I used to think she did all this out of love.

But in reality, she was just banishing me here so I wouldn't interfere with her actual family.

"Honey, go inside and get some rest. I'll come stay with you as soon as I wrap up this project."

After dropping me off at the front door and offering those parting words, Mya got into her car and sped away.

The caretaker guided me inside, but I paused mid-step. A vase plummeted from above, shattering on the ground just inches from my feet.

Moments later, the smell of smoke filled the air, and a maid ran downstairs shouting in panic, "Oh no! There's a fire!"

Having received the news, Mya rushed back immediately with Alfred right beside her.

When he saw me standing there safe and sound, a flash of surprise crossed his face.

Mya confronted the butler with a sharp voice. "How could a fire start out of nowhere? Did someone cut corners when building this place?"

Alfred quickly chimed in to cut her off, "Forget it, Mya. Now isn't the time to place blame. Since the mansion is ruined, why not bring Mr. Byrne back to live with us?"

Mya's face flickered in the glow of the firelight.

It wasn't until I cleared my throat with a faint cough that she frowned and offered a stiff explanation. "Zander, come home with me.

"Alfred's lease ended a while ago, so he's been staying at the house for the time being. It'll actually be convenient since he can help take care of you."

I let out a cold laugh and pressed deliberately, "Did he move in alone?"

Mya's expression darkened even further. She gave Alfred's hand a reassuring squeeze before turning to me. "He also has his one-year-old nephew staying with us for a bit. But don't worry. They'll leave once they find a new place."

But I knew the person she planned to pack off once a new place was found was actually me.

In the car, Mya took advantage of my "blindness" and blatantly texted Alfred on her phone. "Honey, you and the baby will have to bear with this for a little bit. I'll find Zander a new place as soon as possible."

Alfred replied almost instantly, "If I'm making sacrifices, do I get a reward?"

Mya gave a quiet laugh and typed back quickly. "Is making it up to you in bed enough?"

Alfred turned around from the passenger seat, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

Mya caught his wrist and pressed a soft kiss onto the back of his hand, mouthing four silent words.

"I love you, honey."

Little did she know, I saw every single thing.

Chapter 3

Mya guided me into the villa with utmost care, yet her free hand remained tightly laced with Alfred's.

The nanny rushed over from a distance, addressing Alfred. "Sir, you're finally back! The baby woke up earlier and wouldn't stop crying when he didn't see you—"

Mya cut her off with a slight frown. "Who are you calling 'sir'?"

Realizing I was there, the nanny slapped her forehead and quickly corrected herself. "I'm so sorry, sir! Look at me getting all confused. I had an urgent matter for Mr. Potter, and seeing you walk in made me slip up."

Mya threw her a sharp glare. "Get back to work. Make a stupid mistake like that again, and you can kiss your yearly bonus goodbye."

She then helped me down onto the couch. "Zander, rest here for a bit. I'll go check if your room is ready."

Instead of heading upstairs, she exchanged a knowing smile with Alfred. She gently took his hand as they walked into the nursery together.

I looked around the house I hadn't set foot in for years. The photos of our childhood trips, the postcards, gifts, and ornaments we had exchanged were all gone. In their place hung wedding photos of her and Alfred, along with pictures of their baby.

In the most prominent spot hung a family portrait of Mya, Alfred, and the child. They smiled so radiantly in the frame, looking every bit like a normal, happy family.

Suppressing the bitterness in my chest, I used a pinhole camera hidden in my button to capture all the evidence.

After some time, fireworks began crackling outside, and Mya and Alfred finally emerged from the nursery.

"Oh, the fireworks for Ethan's birthday!" Alfred wrapped his arm around Mya's waist, excitement clear in his voice.

As he passed me, he offered an invitation. "Mr. Byrne, why don't you come watch the fireworks with us—"

But he suddenly realized what he had said and covered his mouth in guilt.

"I'm so sorry. I completely forgot you can't see anything…"

Amused by his guilty act, Mya gave his hand an affectionate squeeze, silently mouthing, "It's fine."

Only then did she bother to ask me, "Zander, should I help you upstairs to rest?"

I shook my head, using my cane to push myself up. "You two go ahead. I can find my way upstairs."

Wrapped up in Alfred's arms, Mya didn't insist on helping me. She called out behind me instead, "I left a glass of milk in your room. Don't forget to drink it."

Standing before the massive floor-to-ceiling window in my room, I watched the fireworks burst across the sky, tracing out a glowing stick-figure diagram of a family of three.

The pattern shifted into lines of text. "Happy first birthday, Ethan. May your life be filled with joy."

It was brilliant, dazzling, and deafeningly loud.

Just like the night Mya confessed her love to me.

Under a sky full of fireworks, her eyes had sparkled as she looked at me, her hands trembling with nervousness.

Once we made things official, she buried her face in my chest. Her voice trembled with excitement and warmth as she said, "I've made up my mind, Zander. If we have a baby, let's name him Ethan."

"Why Ethan?"

"Because it means enduring strength. I want to spend forever with you and our baby."

Yet our baby had been secretly aborted after my accident.

And the child she had with Alfred was also named Ethan.

The fireworks display went on for an entire hour. The milk Mya had laced sat cold beside me.

I got up and poured the liquid down the bathroom drain.

Stepping toward the bedroom door, I overheard hushed voices in the hallway. "Honey, be careful. Mr. Byrne is right in the next room. What if he hears us?"

Mya's breath was heavy, her voice raspy. "Don't worry, honey. He can't see a thing, and I slipped him a sleeping pill. I have all night to make it up to you."

The rustle of clothes filled the quiet space, but Alfred paused her again. "I didn't say I wanted this kind of compensation. Honey, my sister wants to start a business recently. Could you help invest in it?"

Mya scoffed faintly. "Your sister? Why are you still in touch with her? She did those despicable things to Zander three years ago. I spared her only for your sake. Isn't that enough? Now she's asking for money through you?"

My heart slammed against my chest.

Alfred's sister… the driver that night…

The buried memories of that night flooded back. She was the one who drove me into a corner and ruined my life.

Mya had repeatedly promised me she would bring her to justice.

She lied to me…

How could she lie to me about that?

My hands trembled uncontrollably.

The glass in my grip slipped and hit the plush carpet with a soft thud.

The conversation outside snapped to a halt. Mya's cold voice cut through the silence. "Zander?"

Chapter 4

Mya pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Seeing me lying peacefully in bed, supposedly fast asleep, with the glass on the nightstand completely empty, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Must have been hearing things."

"Honey, you gave me a heart attack. My heart is pounding so fast…" Alfred's voice was low and hushed.

Mya let out a faint, helpless sigh. "Have your sister write up a business plan. I'll evaluate whether her venture is worth investing in."

"Mya, y-you agree?" Excitement surged in Alfred's voice.

Mya gave a small laugh. "Not scared anymore?"

Alfred grabbed her face and planted a kiss on her lips. "Scared? Of course I am. Why don't you help give me some courage? Make it up to me tonight… right here in Mr. Byrne's room. Mmm—"

Mya cut off his remaining words with an overbearing kiss.

I opened my eyes and watched them treat me like a piece of furniture, entangled passionately on the soft carpet.

Clenching my hands into tight fists, I forced myself to watch the entire spectacle with self-destructive precision.

In the end, enduring the heart-wrenching pain, I pointed the hidden pinhole camera directly at their intertwined bodies.

The next morning, a wave of suffocating heat woke me up.

I opened my eyes only to find Alfred's sister, Selena Potter, pinning me down on the bed, impatiently unbuttoning my pajamas.

I shoved her away hard. "Get off me! Who said you could come in here?"

Selena froze for a second. "How do you know who I am? Wait, no… Alfred said you were blind…"

A foul smile spread across her face as something dawned on her. "Ah, I get it. You must still be obsessed with that night three years ago. The moment I touched you, you recognized me, didn't you?

"You're pretty handsome, you know. Since no one's home right now, why don't we make up for what we missed back then?"

She lunged at me again.

I grabbed my cane and slammed it onto her head with all my strength, taking advantage of her moment of pain to sprint downstairs.

I didn't know if she had left another strange diffuser in my room, but my body felt completely drained. Halfway down, my foot slipped, and I tumbled down the staircase.

Selena caught up immediately. She grabbed my wrists and pinned me back onto the floor.

My hand brushed against a fruit knife. "Don't touch me!"

Irritated, she raised her hand high to strike me. "A woman is taking the initiative here. What are you acting so timid for?"

I stared at her, eyes wide, and thrust the knife violently into her arm.

A sharp cry of pain echoed through the hall as blood splashed onto my face.

Selena clutched her arm in agony and collapsed off of me.

Forcing my weak body off the ground, I pointed the blood-dripping blade at her trembling figure.

That was when Mya and Alfred finally walked through the door.

Taking in the scene, Alfred shrieked and charged forward, shoving me away with all his force. "Selena! What happened?"

The impact sent me crashing backward. The base of my head slammed hard against the sharp edge of the coffee table.

Warm blood trickled down my neck. The searing pain made my head spin.

Before blacking out completely, I saw Mya rush to Alfred's side, softly comforting him with an expression full of panic and distress.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital room.

Mya was watching over my bed. Seeing me wake up, she immediately asked, "Honey, you're awake! How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?"

I pushed myself up with my arms, but a sharp sting shot through my forearm, making me wince in pain.

"What happened to my arm?"

Mya held me down gently, offering a quick explanation. "I was in such a rush bringing you to the hospital that I accidentally scratched your arm. It's already bandaged up, though. Don't worry, honey. It's just a tiny scrape."

Little did Mya know, my sight was back.

I could see her darting eyes as she lied to me, and I could see that "tiny scrape" bleeding right through the thick layers of white gauze.

Chapter 5

However, that wasn't what concerned me most.

I asked Mya seriously, "Didn't you tell me you put Selena behind bars? Why was she in our house?"

And more than that, how did she have the nerve to lay a finger on me?

Mya froze for a second before replying, "Selena… She behaved well in prison, so she got an early release. But don't worry, honey. This was the first and last time. I'll make sure security is tightened. She'll never show up in front of you again."

As she said that, her phone chimed with a text. Whatever was on that screen brought a faint smile to her lips. Mya stood up immediately and said, "Honey, something urgent came up at the office. I have to go handle it. Just tell the nurse if you need anything."

As she turned around, I caught a crystal-clear glimpse of the name at the top of that chat—Alfred.

Enduring the aching pain in the back of my head and forearm, I propped myself up and got out of bed. On the side table, I stumbled upon my medical record, which the nurse had forgotten to put away.

Right there, it stated that two hours ago, I had undergone a full-thickness skin graft donor procedure on my forearm.

Skin donor? What skin? My skin? And who was it harvested for?

A horrifying thought struck me, making my eyes widen in sheer disbelief. Grabbing my phone, I rushed straight to the security room.

Only one elderly guard was on duty inside. I slid a bank card across the desk to him without hesitation. "There are five million dollars in here. Step out and let me check something, and it's all yours."

The old man grabbed the card, practically beaming, and hurried out the door.

I sat down at the console, dragging the security footage timeline back until I found the conversation between Mya and Alfred while I was unconscious.

On screen, Alfred pointed at my unconscious body on the hospital bed, whining to Mya, "How could Mr. Byrne do this? Just because Selena made a mistake in the past, he gets to stab her with a knife? Is there any justice left in this world?"

Mya's face looked dark.

She turned Alfred by the shoulder and said with a frown, "Zander has always been gentle. Besides, he's blind. How could he suddenly attack Selena out of nowhere? There has to be more to this.

"Also, I said I would look over her business plan, but I never gave her permission to drop by the house and look for me directly."

Alfred stared at her in utter shock and resentment. "So you're saying this is all Selena's fault? My fault? The maids saw it with their own eyes! They said Mr. Byrne went crazy and stabbed her the moment he recognized her voice! Are you saying you don't believe them either?"

Mya sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"That is exactly what you meant!" Alfred shoved her away, his emotion boiling over.

"Right, I almost forgot. Mr. Byrne is your legal husband. It's only natural for you to side with him! I'll take the baby and Selena and leave Hartwell right now. We won't ever bother your little happy family again!"

He turned to walk away, but Mya caught him from behind in a tight embrace. "I believe you! Okay? I believe you!"

Where no one could see, Alfred's lips curled into a faint smile, though he still complained, saying, "Then, shouldn't Mr. Byrne compensate Selena for assault? The cut on her arm is huge. The doctor said it'll leave a permanent scar. Make Mr. Byrne give up some skin to graft onto Selena, and then I'll believe you're actually being fair."

Hearing that, Mya instinctively glanced back at my unconscious body on the bed. But she didn't hesitate for long before answering him in a raspy voice, "Fine. Whatever you want…"

As the footage ended, every single piece of the puzzle regarding the bandage on my arm fell into place.

My hands shook as I closed the player. Even though I already knew Mya's true colors, my chest still twisted in agonizing pain.

This was the wife I had carefully chosen and loved for so many years.

While I was lying unconscious, she let people slice off my flesh to graft it onto my enemy.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Suppressing the rising disgust and bitterness, I quickly copied the security footage and saved it to my drive.

It didn't matter.

It wouldn't be long before every last piece of this evidence was exposed to the world. I would strip away the hypocritical masks she and Alfred wore little by little.

On the way back to my room, I continued tapping my white cane, pretending to be blind. Yet I kept getting the distinct feeling that someone was tailing me.

Before I could turn around to check, a blunt force struck the back of my neck. Darkness instantly swallowed my vision, and I collapsed onto the floor.

Chapter 6

I was jolted awake by a bucket of ice-cold water. When I opened my eyes, I found my hands and feet tightly bound.

And the two people who had abducted me… were none other than Alfred and Selena.

"Why do I get the feeling he can see us? Did his sight come back?" Alfred squinted, stepping closer to wave a hand in front of my face.

But I merely stared blankly ahead, not even blinking.

Selena stepped forward with a knife, a sinister smile curling her lips. "How can you tell if he's really blind doing that? Watch this."

She lunged, driving the blade straight toward my eyes.

When the tip of the knife stopped less than an inch from my cornea, Alfred quickly grabbed her arm. "Watch it! We're just here to give him a lesson. He's a useless cripple, but we don't need to actually destroy his eyes. If Mya looks into it, we're in trouble."

Selena snorted, tossing the knife aside. "I'm not stupid. I was just testing him. Looks like he's genuinely blind. He didn't even flinch with a blade right in his face. Hahaha!"

I lay on the cold ground, my chest heaving violently, shouting at them, "Alfred! Selena! You actually abducted me?"

Alfred looked slightly surprised. He walked over step by step and planted his foot firmly on my bandaged forearm before grinding his heel into my raw wound. "Recognized our voices already? Too bad the fun's just getting started."

He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me toward a massive water trough, kicking me hard behind the knees.

"Ah!"

I slammed onto the dirt floor, my knees taking the full brunt of the impact. Cold sweat instantly broke out across my forehead.

Before I could recover, he yanked me up by my hair and shoved my head straight into the water.

Whatever was mixed into the liquid burned my eyes, forcing tears out instantly. I swallowed a mouthful of the foul water, sending a searing pain straight down my throat.

They watched me struggle frantically, waiting until I was on the brink of drowning before dragging me up by my hair for a two-second breath, only to shove me right back under.

They repeated this torture until they finally grew bored.

I was thrown hard onto the ground, utterly drained. My eyes felt swollen, and every breath sent a searing pain through my throat.

Fortunately, my hand brushed against my phone, which had slipped out during the struggle. I hid it behind my back and dialed my emergency contact.

"You bastard, still trying to play tricks?"

Hearing the subtle chime, Selena snatched the phone from behind my back. Just as she raised her arm to smash it, Alfred cut in.

He picked up the phone and saw that I was calling Mya. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips. "Zander, who do you think Mya will pick up if I call her right now?"

He pulled out his phone and dialed her without hesitation.

Within two seconds, my call was rejected, and Mya's voice came through Alfred's speaker. "Honey, I was just in a meeting. What's wrong?"

Alfred threw me a triumphant look before faking a panicked tone. "Honey, I was driving, and one of my tires blew out. What should I do?"

"Where are you? Don't panic. I'm coming to get you right now!"

The sound of a chair scraping back rang through the receiver. Alfred smirked and ended the call.

"Let's go, Selena. Time to go set up the accident scene."

Before leaving, Selena gave my chest a vicious pinch, grinning wickedly. "Handsome, let's play again real soon."

I glared at their retreating backs, lacking even the strength to crawl to my feet.

Rain began to drizzle outside. I had no choice but to slowly wear through the ropes against a sharp edge, then limp my way back to the villa.

The entire time, Mya didn't call back once.

Inside, bathed in the warm yellow light of the living room, Alfred—now changed into clean clothes—sat with his arm around Mya, watching television.

Seeing me stumble through the door, he put on a shocked expression and rushed over. "Oh my god! What happened? How did you end up looking like this?"

He reached out to grab my arm to inspect my injuries.

The very next second, I caught his wrist, pulled him forward, and slammed my fist directly into his jaw.

Both Alfred and Mya froze in total shock.

Chapter 7

"Cut the act," I said coldly. "Didn't you and Selena abduct me today?"

Clutching his bruised cheek, Alfred shook his head at Mya. His eyes turned red with tears. "I don't know what Mr. Byrne is talking about…"

Mya frowned, her tone laced with severe chill. "Zander, what kind of madness is this? Alfred blew a tire today, and he and Selena were stuck on the highway all afternoon! How could he possibly abduct you?"

She glared at me with a sharp, icy gaze, looking at me as if I were a hardened criminal.

It instantly brought back the words Alfred had sneered into my ear before leaving.

"You'd better swallow today's incident whole. You're just a blind cripple anyway. You have zero proof we did a thing. If this gets blown out of proportion, Mya will only think you're some crazy lunatic spouting nonsense."

Sure enough, Alfred put on a picture-perfect face of innocence. "Mr. Byrne claims he was abducted, but he can't even see who took him! How can he just pin this on Selena and me?"

A cold laugh escaped my throat. "What if I tell you I have proof?"

Ever since my birthday, I had kept a voice recorder on me at all times, with it set to record automatically. The tiny device had captured every single word he uttered this afternoon.

Before I could even reach into my pocket to pull it out, Mya stepped in and shoved me back.

She stared at me coldly. "Alfred told me earlier that your therapist said you were losing your mind, but I didn't want to believe him. But you stabbed Selena, and now you're pulling wild accusations out of thin air. Zander, what on earth are you trying to do?"

"Ms. Murray, please don't be too hard on Mr. Byrne…"

Frowning, Alfred chimed in, "His blindness has clearly shattered his mental state. At this point, the only thing we can do for him is get him proper medical help."

My hands curled into tight fists. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, my voice dropping.

Mya shot a glance at me, then let out a soft, heavy sigh before turning to Alfred. "Let's wait a little longer. I'm afraid those people might treat Zander harshly."

"Don't worry, Ms. Murray," Alfred cut in smoothly. "I've already spoken with the staff at the psychiatric ward. They assured me they will use the gentlest methods possible to treat Mr. Byrne."

A psychiatric ward…

Mya had actually been plotting with Alfred to commit me to a psychiatric ward behind my back.

Noticing Mya's silent hesitation, Alfred said with concern, "Last time he stabbed Selena. Today he accused me. Next time… who's to say he won't target Ethan? Are you really going to sit back and watch him hurt Ethan?"

Mya's resolve cracked.

After a brief silence, she turned her eyes back onto me. Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "Honey, pack your things. You're sick. You need to go to the hospital."

My mouth parted in complete shock, and my voice trembled violently. "Just because of Alfred's little story, you're calling me insane and shipping me off to a psychiatric ward?"

Mya remained entirely silent. But I knew that was her final answer.

Chapter 8

Because Alfred had already "pulled some strings", the staff at the psychiatric ward locked me in a storage room right next to the bathroom.

Every single day, they forced massive doses of "medication" down my throat. Whenever I refused, they dragged me straight to the shock therapy room.

I finally realized that Alfred wasn't just trying to torment me. He wanted me dead.

That afternoon, after they forced the pills into my mouth, I waited for them to leave before jamming my fingers down my throat and vomiting every last bit onto the floor.

I had barely cleaned up the mess when a nurse opened the door to announce that Mya had arrived to visit me.

Seeing me unwashed, exhausted, and completely gaunt after just three days, Mya looked surprised.

Yet, having likely been briefed by Alfred beforehand, she showed no further reaction.

She simply slid a food container toward me. "You must have been through a lot these past few days. I brought you some food the maid made. Have a few bites."

As I devoured the food like a starved animal, a flicker of pity crossed Mya's face.

She slid a document in front of me. "Honey, I know you're suffering right now. That's why I'm transferring a few properties in the south suburb to your name. Just sign this and cooperate with your treatment. Once you're cured, I'll take you back home, okay?"

She flipped the document to the final page and placed the pen in my hand, guiding it toward the signature block. "Honey, sign right here."

Relying on the idea that I was a "blind man", she assumed I couldn't read the bold header at the top of the page—Divorce Agreement.

So, she couldn't wait another second to marry Alfred.

Which suited me just fine. Cutting my final tie to Mya before I left was exactly what I wanted.

I signed my name quickly and discreetly slipped the fountain pen into my sleeve.

Before Mya walked out, I asked her in a quiet voice, "Even after seeing me tormented like this, you're still going to keep me locked in here just for Alfred?"

"Don't say silly things."

Mya squeezed my fingers and brushed me off as casually as she always had. "I still have work to handle at the company. Just focus on your recovery, honey. I'll drop by more often from now on."

A faint smile touched my lips, and I gave her a calm, solemn nod. "Alright… Goodbye, Mya."

There would be no next time. Today was the last time she would ever see my face.

That night, an orderly brought in my medication and roughly shoved the "me" under the covers.

"Hey, wake up and take your meds!"

He frowned and pulled back the covers, only to find a doll lying underneath.

Before he could react, I appeared behind him, clamping a hand over his mouth while pressing the tip of Mya's pen against his carotid artery.

"Don't move. Drop the tray and put your hands up."

The orderly who had treated me like an animal for days now trembled uncontrollably.

He raised his hands as instructed, and the next second, I brought the side of my palm down hard against his neck, knocking him out.

I quickly changed into his uniform and searched him for the key to the storage room.

Keeping my head low to dodge the hallway cameras, I retrieved my phone and personal belongings before slipping out of the facility.

Sitting in the airport departure lounge, I edited all the evidence I had collected. It contained footage of Mya and Alfred's illegal skin-graft harvesting, her marital infidelity, and the full recording of my abduction and torture by Alfred and Selena.

Then I sent the file directly to the police department and every major news outlet and media house in Hartwell.

I dumped the entire 100 million dollars Alena had wired me into promoting the story.

I wanted Mya and Alfred's filth projected onto every massive public screen across the squares of Hartwell. I wanted them utterly ruined.

With that finished, I slammed my laptop shut and walked toward the boarding gate without looking back once.

The plane cut through the clouds, carrying me far away from a land built entirely on lies and betrayal.