Chapter 3

Back home, I was far calmer than I would have imagined.

"When did this happen?"

"Three years ago, I was set up, and I happened to run into her," Brent said. "I'm sorry, Tabby…"

He tried to come over and hug me, but I pushed him away.

"If I hadn't caught you, were you planning to hide it from me for the rest of my life?"

"I'm sorry, Tabby. Don't worry, no one can threaten your position. I'll settle her somewhere far away," Brent said. "That coffee shop, I'll make her give it back…"

I reached out and slapped Brent across the face.

"Are you crazy?"

Brent shoved me to the ground.

"I'm sorry, I…"

Slumped on the floor, I wiped away my tears. "Brent, let's get a divorce."

"What?" Brent seemed almost unable to believe it.

My voice was firm. "I went blind saving you back then, and you took care of me for five years.

The debts cancel out. We don't owe each other anything."

"You're nothing but a blind woman. Where could you go if you left me?" Each word drove into my heart.

"I already apologized to you, didn't I? And no one is going to fight you for the place of Mrs. Perez!"

"I don't want it!" I staggered to my feet and groped my way into the bedroom. "I'll move out tomorrow, and I'll find a lawyer…"

Before I could finish, Brent came in, snatched away my phone, and flung me onto the bed.

The door slammed shut with a bang.

"I'll treat everything you said today as talk out of anger." Brent's voice came from outside the door. "Until you've thought it through, you're not leaving this house!"

I forced myself up and pounded on the door. "Are you going to lock me up for the rest of my life?"

"You can't see anyway, so it makes no difference where you are."

Brent's voice was colder than I'd ever heard it.

I slid weakly down to the floor, sobbing quietly. "Do you love her that much?"

"She's a lot like you were five years ago."

His footsteps gradually faded away.

I murmured his words over and over, and couldn't help laughing until I cried.

Even I had nearly forgotten how I'd been five years ago — bright and full of life, my eyes curving into a smile.

…

I fell into a deep sleep, and when I woke again, I could feel the warmth of the sunlight. It must have been morning.

The door suddenly opened, but the person who came in wasn't Brent.

Smelling the perfume, I frowned without thinking. "Louisa?"

Louisa walked in slowly. "I really never expected that you'd be Brent's blind wife."

I stood up. "Let me out, and I'll divorce Brent and make way for you!"

"Do you take me for a fool?" Louisa's voice was mocking. "As long as you're alive, Brent will never let go of a dead weight like you!"

"What do you want?"

A bad feeling rose up in me.

Because I hadn't had a drop of water and my body was weak, Louisa dragged and hauled me all the way to the balcony.

"This is the second floor. Are you insane?"

She pushed me back against the railing, and I was terrified.

Louisa smiled. "Tell me, in Brent's heart, which of us matters more?"

I stayed silent.

"That day in your living room, you heard everything, didn't you?" Louisa went on. "Aren't you his wife? How is it you don't even have the courage to confront him?"

I bit down on my lip. "What exactly do you want?"

Louisa let out a cold snort, and suddenly her grip went slack.

"What are you two doing?"

It was Brent!

I was about to call out to him when I heard Louisa scream.

"Brent, save me!"

There came the sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

I stood frozen in place, and instinctively tried to explain, "No, it wasn't me…"

I wanted to say more, but out of nowhere I was in terrible pain, and everything went black.