For eight long years, I was married to Caleb Hayes, the man who was blind, all because I felt bound by a debt of gratitude. But the moment his cornea transplant bandages came off, he was instantly smitten by the nurse who removed them. To pursue Serena Vance, he recklessly disregarded every hospital protocol, letting an intern perform a critical surgery herself – a move that nearly cost a life. When I finally filed for divorce, I was hit with the crushing truth: our marriage certificate was a fake. He didn’t even spare me a glance, his voice chillingly flat as I confronted him: “You orchestrated the crash that took my sight. I, in turn, systematically tormented your youth for eight years. Seems perfectly fair, wouldn’t you say?” Blinded by rage, I unleashed a damning video of Serena Vance bullying others at his extravagant engagement party, shattering her pristine image overnight. That very night, Caleb Hayes brazenly replaced our son, Leo’s, life-saving medication with the cheapest saline solution he could find. As if that wasn’t enough to satisfy his cruel heart, he then had Leo and me shipped off to a war-torn country, leaving us to fend for ourselves, or die. The next time we met, his eyes fell upon my wedding gown, and he sneered, “All these years, and you’re still clinging to the pathetic dream of marrying me!” Little did he know, I – and his formidable stepfather, the man who truly pulled all the strings – were the actual stars of this new wedding.
“Still so high and mighty, even when you’re trying to make amends, Aurora.” “Too bad you’re out of luck. Blair and I are getting married any minute now.” Julian Thorne pulled the shy Blair Sterling closer, then shot me a contemptuous glance, as if daring me to find a flicker of sadness on my face. I was in my heavy wedding gown, ready to walk to the stage and announce my *own* wedding reception was abruptly called off. My fiancé’s flight was delayed; he wouldn’t make it back today. Seeing me move, Julian reached out, blocking my path, a frown on his face. “Aurora, are you deaf? I’m talking to you.” The murmuring guests instantly fell silent, turning to stare. “I remember Leo’s condition – only the specialized medication developed by Thorne Pharmaceuticals can keep it in check.” “Aurora,” he sneered, swirling the drink in his hand, then deliberately splashing it onto Blair’s gown right in front of me, “if you get down on your knees and *lick* that stain clean off her dress, maybe I’ll consider helping you.” When he saw me bend down, the fury in his eyes intensified. He gritted his teeth. “Looks like Leo means a lot to you!” I shook my stinging palm, my voice suddenly piercing. “Julian Thorne!” “Leo is *your son* too!” Julian’s lips curved into a smirk. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “Oh, really? I was blind back then, couldn’t see anything. For all I knew, you were messing around with anyone you pleased.” A wave of humiliated rage surged through me. I clenched my fists. Knowing this wasn’t the time to argue, I took a deep breath and walked to the center of the stage. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, today’s wedding reception has to be temporarily canceled. My apologies, everyone.” Before I could finish, the microphone was knocked over. Julian yanked my wrist hard, the atmosphere around him dropping instantly. “Aurora Vance! This is the Thorne family’s wedding! Don’t you think it’s childish to try and get my attention this way?” I looked at him calmly, a small laugh escaping my lips. “Is it?” “Don’t you know your stepfather, Marcus Blackwood, is marrying *me*?” My words landed like a bomb, and the entire room erupted in gasps. Everyone knew the story: how the former golden boy went blind saving me. And how I, a brilliant, groundbreaking surgeon, gave up my career and returned to family life for him. Blair quickly stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. “Ms. Vance, if you truly still love Julian, you shouldn’t be publicly humiliating the Thorne name in front of all these people.” “I’m not bringing up how you tried to frame me with that fake bullying video back then, switching out your face for mine. But now, for my sake, can’t you just—” *Agh!* “Aurora, are you insane!” Julian rushed to Blair, checking her reddened face, glaring at me with fury. “Your son’s specialized medication? The Thorne family would rather trash it than sell it to you!” “And don’t forget, Aurora, your parents are still in the nursing home under my name.” Seeing my silence, he assumed I was scared. A sneer touched his lips. “Get down and apologize.” “What choice do you have now?” I tilted my head back, forcing the tears away, suppressing the ache in my eyes. “My parents?” I roared, “My parents were used for drug trials and *killed* by your precious Blair Sterling!” “Julian Thorne, Leo almost died because of your so-called punishment. You sent Leo and me to a war-torn country where we nearly got blown to pieces.” “You think I still have feelings for you?” I scoffed, pulling out a brand-new marriage certificate and thrusting it at him. “This ‘old woman’ is now your legal stepmother!” “You touch me, and your stepfather won’t let you get away with it!” His fingers trembled as he snatched the certificate from my hand, shaking his head in disbelief. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his temple. Unfamiliar memories surged, and amidst the terror, the fragmented recollections began to overlap with my face.
“Mrs. Gable, please arrange for the guests to leave shortly.” I removed my veil, tapping on my phone to send a message to Marcus, but it vanished into thin air. This sight, to Blair Sterling, only solidified her belief that I was putting on an act. She spoke, her voice laced with saccharine sweetness and thinly veiled digs. “Ms. Vance, this is a Thorne family event. I don’t think you have the authority to order the staff around, do you?” “I get that you’re angry, but how could you debase yourself like this just to spite Julian? Mr. Thorne is nearly fifty, Aurora. Don’t throw away your dignity over spite, getting involved with a man like that…” Blair batted her eyelashes, her words dripping with fake sympathy. Julian’s knuckles were white as he swallowed a pill. Once he composed himself, he stared at me like a predator locking onto its prey. “Blair Sterling, I’ve already cleared the path. What’s wrong? You still haven’t managed to marry Julian?” The air instantly congealed, like a frozen glacier. It was utterly silent. Blair’s face contorted with rage, yet she couldn’t utter a single word in rebuttal. The incident where she almost *killed* someone back then, though Julian had suppressed it, meant the Thorne family, with their long-standing legacy in pharmaceuticals, would *never* accept someone like her into their ranks. I let out a soft laugh and confidently strode towards Marcus’s study, knowing the way intimately. As I walked away, Julian kept his gaze fixed on me, afraid to confirm the suspicion forming in his mind. Soon, the guests began to leave. Just then, I received a call from the hospital: Leo was having an episode! “I’ll be there as fast as I can!” I hung up, barely thinking as I sprinted to the garage. Just as I opened the car door, Blair blocked it, her eyes red and swollen. “Ms. Vance, I know you hate me and think I stole Julian away.” “But have you ever considered that the person in Julian’s memories was always me? The eight years of happiness you had with him—weren’t they just stolen years that belonged to me?” I frowned, pushing her hand away. I didn’t have time for her melodrama right now. But she wouldn’t let go, grabbing my wrist and suddenly dropping to her knees in front of me. “Aurora, I’m begging you.” “Please stop bothering Julian. We’ve already missed eight years; can’t you just let him go…?” “Are you done or not!” I pushed her away coldly and quickly slipped into the car. “Aurora Vance!” Blair crumpled precisely into the arms of Julian, who had just arrived. He glared at me, then froze when he saw the familiar license plate. He asked, his voice hoarse, “This car… why is it with you?” I scoffed, a humorless laugh escaping me. “I’m Marcus’s wife. Where else would his car be?” With that, I pressed the ignition. As I prepared to rush to the hospital, Blair suddenly shrieked, her entire body trembling violently. She backed away, then knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy. “Aurora, I’m sorry, I won’t fight you for Julian anymore, please don’t hurt me…” Classic trauma response. Julian instantly flew into a rage. He yanked me out of the car, pulled me violently, and shoved me to the ground. “Julian Thorne, Leo’s having an episode! I need to get to the hospital *now*!” He remained unmoved. I took a deep breath and called Mrs. Gable. “Mrs. Gable, Julian is blocking me, not letting me leave. Marcus said that if anyone tries to stop me, the bodyguards are to intervene immediately!” Mrs. Gable hesitated for a long time, not saying a word. Suddenly, a strange noise echoed from the garage. All the bodyguards from inside the mansion stood in orderly rows behind Julian. He pinched my chin, sneering. “Aurora Vance, that bastard Marcus married the heiress of the renowned Vance medical dynasty, not some stray Phoenix like you!” “There’s a limit to how much you can lie. Looks like the punishment I gave you back then was still too light.” Soon, the bodyguards blocked all my exits. Thinking of Leo’s pale face, I grabbed Julian’s hand and pleaded. “Leo really needs me. Please let me go to the hospital, okay?” “I’m begging you, Julian Thorne…” Our eyes met. He laughed softly, lifted my chin, and in my hopeful gaze, his voice was as cold as ice. “Aurora Vance, you make a mistake, you pay the price.” “Hurting Blair crosses my line!”
I was confined to the Thorne mansion by Julian. Seeing Marcus’s message that he had landed, the anxiety in my chest finally eased. It seemed what he set out to do was successful. Catching sight of the gentle expression on my face, Julian snatched my phone. He tried his birthday, then all our anniversaries, but it eventually locked itself. “Julian Thorne, illegal detainment is a jail offense.” He toyed with my phone, then violently pinned me beneath him. “Aurora Vance! Would it kill you to just give in once?” I froze, his bloodshot eyes reflected in mine. “Yes, I hurt you back then, but if you hadn’t orchestrated that car accident, I wouldn’t have been blind for eight years trying to save you.” He sighed, a note of weariness in his voice. “Aurora, why can’t we ever just *talk* properly?” “You know, for years, there’s been a blurry figure in my mind. And Blair was the first person I saw when I regained my sight. I just wanted to figure out who that person in my head was, but you, you’ve hurt her time and time again.” “She’s innocent. Nothing happened between us.” Sensing eyes outside the door, I met Julian’s intense gaze and smiled. “I believe you.” Julian’s face lit up, his eyes instantly filled with lust, and he lowered his head to kiss me. *This* was the man’s ‘punishment’? It was absolutely disgusting! I closed my eyes, counting down from three. Before I could even reach one, a startled cry came from outside. “Master, something’s wrong! Ms. Sterling was agitated again and tried to kill herself!” Julian released me with lightning speed. As he opened the door, he hesitated, a conflicted look on his face. “Aurora, it was your bullying in high school that left her with such severe trauma.” “I can’t just ignore her.” I said nothing. This flimsy lie, only he would believe it. In high school, I was rarely at school, spending every spare hour, 24/7, studying at the hospital. How would I have time to bully someone I didn’t even know? Soon after, crashing sounds came from outside. Gradually, the noise subsided, replaced by the maids’ suggestive whispers. “Looks like Master and Ms. Sterling will be making things official soon. I wonder when we’ll have a little master running around.” Recalling Julian’s earlier closeness, a wave of nausea washed over me. I looked around. The furnishings were the same, but there were more pill bottles. Remembering Julian swallowing pills earlier, I sharply noticed something was off. He was taking what looked like ordinary pain relievers, but these were for treating neurological conditions. The only person who could have access to these was Blair Sterling. “Julian Thorne, if that’s how it is, then I’ll send you a grand gift.” After swapping the pills, I walked to the window. I knew this place well; even if I jumped, I’d only suffer a fracture. My immediate priority was to get to the hospital. I tied up my hair and opened the window. As I braced my arms and tried to hoist myself up, *clatter!* My body suddenly lost its balance. I flexed my twisted ankle, getting back up. The air around me was abnormally cold. Perhaps it was instinct, but I stepped towards the foul-smelling room ahead. Yet, just a step away, A familiar, chilling voice came from behind me. “Aurora, what are you doing?”
Seeing my silence, Julian’s demeanor darkened again. My peripheral vision scanned the surroundings, but there was nothing to help me escape. I hid the disgust in my eyes, then looked up at him with a smile. “I didn’t realize you had a hobby of setting up secret rooms.” “Julian Thorne, it’s the twenty-first century. This kind of thing is quite creepy.” Noticing my unnatural ankle, he let out a helpless chuckle, then swept me into his arms and carried me out. I leaned into him slightly in his embrace. Julian’s entire body tensed instantly. Seeing that he hadn’t grown suspicious, I slowly curved my lips. My little test just now seemed to have no effect on him. But judging by his reaction, he was clearly very familiar with this secret room. After that day, I learned my lesson. I stopped openly defying Julian, and instead, subtly provoked Blair Sterling from time to time. One day, I again proposed visiting Leo. Julian, surprisingly, didn’t refuse. Instead, he dressed very formally. “Aurora, today will be a very special day.” I didn’t understand. I watched him take a large handful of pills before leaving. By my count, this should be his fifth course of treatment. With enough external stimulation, he could be forced back to his original state. Finally, the suffering he inflicted upon me was about to come back to bite him. “Ms. Vance, wait a moment.” Seeing my frown, she rattled the vegetable juice in her hand. “I haven’t thanked you for the drink you sent me. I love it.” “And my baby loves it too.” Her boasting was obvious, instantly sending Julian into a panic, especially since he’d kept this from me. He quickly looked at me, wanting to explain. “Aurora, about this…” I smiled, shaking my head. “I trust you.” Perhaps it was sheer confidence, but Julian firmly believed I still loved him. All the way, he subtly observed my expression, until we got into the car. Since his eyes were now fine, I was driving. Following the route I remembered, I headed towards the outskirts. Halfway there, Julian received a SnapChat call from Blair. Her voice was filled with pain. “Julian, I’m so sorry…” “Ms. Vance definitely didn’t mean to hurt my baby. My stomach hurts so much… Julian, I think our baby might be gone…” *Bang!* Julian’s mind felt like it exploded. He glared at me fiercely. So, that was Blair’s plan. “Stop the car!” “Turn around right now! Blair needs me!” I pressed my lips together, silent. This quickly angered Julian, and he reached to snatch the steering wheel. With a screech of brakes, the car slammed into the guardrail. Julian, clutching his dizzy head, unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped out, getting into a taxi. The very next second, *BOOM!* The car exploded, engulfed in flames. The familiar scene sent sharp pains through Julian’s head. He stared at the burning car. Suddenly, he stumbled out of the taxi and ran towards it, collapsing to his knees with a guttural roar. “I remember everything! I remember it all…” “The person I forgot was Aurora… it was eighteen-year-old Aurora, not Blair Sterling…” His eyes unfocused, he walked towards the burning car. Just as his outstretched hand was about to touch it, A cold metallic sound. Handcuffs, glinting, clamped around his wrist. A police officer’s voice was frigid. “Julian Thorne, you’re being arrested in connection with a murder.”
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