The day I found out I was pregnant, Ryan was tenderly cradling Chloe, who was supposedly blind. Then, he turned and *slammed* my pregnancy test report right into my face. “You abandoned me without a second thought when I crashed my car. If Chloe hadn’t given me her cornea, I probably would have died, left for dead in the middle of nowhere.” “Now you’ve gone to all this trouble to get pregnant with my child. You just want to use the baby to climb your way back into my life and resume your role as the lady of this mansion, don’t you? Let me tell you, forget it. Only Chloe deserves to be the wife of the CEO of *my* family!” Tears streamed down my face as Ryan’s hand clamped tightly around my neck, his voice a low growl. “I’ll give you a chance to make things right. All you have to do is seduce my older brother—the one who’s already married—and force him to marry you. Grandpa will definitely kick him out of the family business then, and I’ll be the sole heir.” But later, when the truth was finally revealed, and I became his sister-in-law, just as he’d wished… He knelt on the ground, begging for my forgiveness. I simply smiled, and took back the cornea I had once given him.
“Ava, weren’t you madly in love with me? How can you refuse to do even this small thing for me?” “You went to all this trouble to get pregnant with my child, just to force me to marry you and become the Ryan family matriarch you’ve always dreamed of, didn’t you? Two years ago, when I had that car accident, you ran faster than anyone. And after I woke up, you shamelessly came back and tried to claim the cornea Chloe donated to me. Is there a single truthful word that comes out of your mouth?” Ryan, seething with fury, hurled the pregnancy report at my face. I crumpled to the floor, powerless, passively enduring his baseless rage. Chloe, seeing this, melted into his arms like a wilting flower, coaxing him, her eyes betraying a smug triumph when she looked at me. “Oh, Ryan, Ava must have had her reasons for leaving you after the accident.” Chloe pretended to be blind as she fumbled to help me up from the floor, forcing a grateful smile. “Actually, I should thank you, Ava. If you hadn’t abandoned Ryan, how else would I have had the chance to come into his life?” I scoffed, my gaze fixed on Chloe’s bright, clear eyes. “That year, was it *really* your cornea you donated to Ryan?” Chloe shrank back into Ryan’s embrace, startled and flustered, sobbing heartbrokenly. “Ryan, is Ava still upset that I stole your affection by being with you? But after I lost my sight, you were the only person I could rely on. You’ve already been abandoned once; I don’t want to leave you and make you experience the pain of being deserted by someone you love again.” Ryan fumbled to console the woman in his arms with soft words. When he turned back to me, his expression instantly shifted to one of disgust, and he yelled, “Ava, haven’t you caused enough trouble?! That year, you were afraid I’d hold you back from marrying into wealth, so you turned and left without a hint of hesitation. I was bleeding on the ground, begging you, but you were completely indifferent. If Chloe hadn’t saved me, I probably wouldn’t even be standing here now, looking at your accusatory glare.” Chloe snuggled into Ryan’s arms, a sneer playing on her lips. “Ryan, since Ava is so certain, maybe your cornea really *was* donated by her.” Ryan scoffed, “I might have been blind to the truth back then, but I’m not an idiot. If she really gave me her cornea, then how did she regain her sight? How can she now stand here so boldly, accusing you?” A wave of bitterness washed over me. I clenched the bone ring on my finger, tears silently falling. All these years, no matter how much I explained, Ryan always unconditionally believed Chloe, constantly mocking me and giving me the cold shoulder, as if I were his mortal enemy. “Ava, I’m giving you a chance to make things right. You went to all this trouble to get pregnant with my child, didn’t you? Well, I might as well put you to good use. Grandpa is on his last legs, and my older brother, who’s been overseas for years, is coming back soon. I want you to seduce him, get into his bed, and then use the child in your belly to blackmail him into marrying you.” “Why? This is *our* child!” I stared at Ryan’s eyes, filled with longing, and spoke in disbelief. “Ava, stop faking that sentimental look; it’s disgusting. I told you, only Chloe is worthy of carrying my child. You’re not.” “Grandpa despises disloyal men above all else. Asher is a married man. If you seduce him, pretend to be pregnant with his child, and blow the whole thing up, Grandpa will never let him become the heir to the Ryan family. Then, the entire family will be mine.” “After it’s done, I’ll allow you to give birth to this child and let you stay by my side to attend to my needs. But give up your foolish dreams. The position of Mrs. Ryan will only ever belong to Chloe.” Watching the couple’s intense display of affection, I sneered. “Fine, Ryan. As you wish.” Second Chapter
Watching Ryan carefully lift Chloe and turn to leave, my tears finally burst forth, uncontrollable. Ryan and I met in high school. Back then, he was the distinguished adopted son of the powerful Ryan family, and I was just an orphan with no parents. He was the one who chose me, who pulled me out of the depths of despair. Later, I became a scholarship student sponsored by the Ryan family, gaining the opportunity to attend a prestigious university. I no longer had to worry about money or struggle to survive. Ryan and I naturally met, came to know each other, and fell in love. Everything felt so right. Ryan introduced me to his family, and we ended our long courtship, preparing to walk down the aisle. Just when I thought such a happy and peaceful life would continue forever, an accident shattered my utopian dream. Ryan and I were out for a drive in the countryside when we got into a car accident. In that split second, he shielded me with his body. His eyes were severely injured and required a cornea transplant, but there was no compatible cornea to be found in such a short time. So, I secretly donated my cornea to him. Immediately after the surgery, my mother had an emergency. I rushed back to our old family home in the countryside, missing the day Ryan regained his sight, which gave Chloe the chance to falsely claim credit. My mother, heartbroken that I would live in eternal darkness at such a young age, gave me her cornea on her deathbed. When I regained my sight and stood before Ryan again, I discovered he already had Chloe by his side. No matter how much I tried to explain, Ryan only believed Chloe’s version of events, convinced that I had abandoned him and left, and now, seeing that he had survived, I had shamelessly returned to try and reclaim my status as a wealthy lady. In truth, Chloe’s acting was terrible. She constantly forgot her blind persona, and her façade would crack more times than I could count over the years. Yet, Ryan chose to ignore it all, indulging her every whim and showering her with boundless affection. “Asher’s flight lands at 3 PM the day after tomorrow. Go pick him up at the airport.” My phone screen lit up with a message from Ryan. I gave a bitter smile. Ryan, I’m dying to know if you’ll regret your decision today when the truth is finally revealed.
A sharp sting in my eyes made me understand. My mother had been quite old and suffering from many complications when she gave me her cornea, so the transplant had left me with lingering side effects. I needed monthly check-ups and treatment at the hospital. Today was my scheduled appointment. “Ms. Yu, our examination shows a risk of retinal detachment in your eyes. You need a new transplant as soon as possible.” I gently shook my head. If finding a new pair of corneas were that easy, then Ryan wouldn’t have fallen for Chloe’s deception all those years ago. Seeing my indifferent expression, the doctor frowned, earnestly trying to persuade me. “Ms. Yu, you can’t take this surgery lightly. If you delay treatment, there’s a risk of permanent blindness.” The doctor sighed heavily. “I’ll start conservative treatment for now. Please go pay the fee.” Ten thousand dollars, a mere dinner bill for Ryan, became the last straw for me. I returned to the Ryan family mansion. The moment I opened the door, I saw Ryan, his eyes sparkling with delight, gazing at Chloe, who was surrounded by towering piles of luxury goods. I clenched my hands, lowering my head as I walked towards him. Third Chapter “Ryan, the doctor said there’s a problem with my cornea. I need ten thousand dollars for treatment. Could you please…?” “Enough!” Ryan impatiently cut me off. “Chloe was right. You’re just a greedy, unscrupulous woman who’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants. You’re only with me for my money, aren’t you?” I opened my mouth numbly, feeling utterly speechless. Chloe pouted, snuggling into Ryan’s arms and whimpering. “Ryan, if Ava wants it, just give her ten thousand dollars. That amount isn’t even enough to buy the cheapest bag I’m holding.” “But, Ava, you shouldn’t just lie to get money. Today, I clearly saw you getting into a strange man’s luxury car. How could you have been going to the hospital?” Chloe produced a blurry photo, a face barely discernible. Ryan’s anger instantly flared. “Ava, have you ever told me a single truth? A money-hungry, unfaithful woman like you—if you weren’t still somewhat useful, I’d be disgusted just looking at you.” Ryan seemed to recall something, and he suddenly clamped his hand around my throat, staring intently at my slightly swollen belly. “My child? Is that *my* baby in there?” I incredulously raised my head, my voice cold as ice. “Ryan, is that truly how you see me? As some kind of fickle, dishonest woman?” I remembered that night. Ryan had burst into my room, reeking of alcohol, clutching my waist like a large dog, burying his head in my neck. A few hot tears had fallen onto my skin, searing my heart. He’d held me tightly, pulling me into a deep, desperate embrace. It wasn’t until the heavy rain outside had finally stopped that he allowed me to catch my breath. I had thought that night was the turning point in our relationship, a naive belief that we could go back to how things were, that we were still the only ones in each other’s worlds. But I never imagined that what I’d perceived as sweet, uncontrollable passion was just his drunken mistake. If it hadn’t been me, it would have been anyone else. “Ava, since you want this money so badly, then open your eyes and watch me and Chloe make love.” With that, he pulled Chloe closer and kissed her passionately. Ryan’s strong, bony hands roamed over Chloe’s body, stripping off her clothes in a few swift movements. I watched their entwined bodies in the distance, listening numbly to the intimate gasps. I don’t know how long it lasted. As dawn broke, Ryan finally wiped his lips with a sated expression, then slammed a card down in front of me, his voice laced with venom. “Ava, for money, you actually watched me make love to another woman right in front of you.” “Take my money, then do what I tell you. You need to handle seducing Asher perfectly, or don’t even think about staying by my side.” I slowly picked up the bank card he had trampled under his foot. My heart felt like a gaping wound, a cold wind sweeping through, leaving behind an empty, hollow ache. Ten thousand dollars. Enough to sever our past and all our grievances. I had already repaid Ryan’s financial support with a pair of corneas. From now on, I owed him nothing. I opened my phone and scheduled an abortion for tomorrow. I gently stroked my slightly swollen belly. I had thought this child was the crystallization of Ryan’s and my love. Now, it seemed it was anything but. I didn’t want my child to come into this world burdened with stigma and humiliation. Mrs. Jenkins, the housekeeper, her face filled with pity, helped me up from the cold floor and then went to the kitchen to make me a warm mug of tea. “Ms. Ava, have some to warm yourself up.” I hadn’t cried when Chloe falsely accused me, nor when I endured Ryan’s baseless accusations and humiliation. But at that moment, receiving a long-overdue act of kindness, I felt an overwhelming urge to cry. Mrs. Jenkins sighed. “I’ve seen everything between you and the young master all these years. He has a sharp tongue, but a good heart. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed you to stay by his side for so long.” I gave a faint, bitter laugh and shook my head. “No, he has no heart. No matter how much I burn myself, I still can’t warm him.” “I’ve decided to give up. To let him go, and to let myself go too.”
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