The day my sight returned, I found a set of women’s lingerie in the bathroom that wasn’t mine. I kept it a secret, determined to figure out what was going on. In the middle of the day, Blake Caldwell came home again to cook for me. As usual, he played music while I ate. “Stella,” he said softly, “I know it hurts that you can’t see, and I hope the music brings you more joy.” But this time, through the deafening music, I saw a woman sitting on Blake Caldwell’s lap. His hands roughly tore at her strap, leaving angry red marks on her pale skin. His face, contorted with raw desire, was a horrifying mask – and it was pointed right at me. As I always did, I fumbled my way upstairs and dialed a number I hadn’t called in ages: “Julian Caldwell, I agree to be your white moonlight stand-in.” “But you owe me a favor.” On the other end of the line, the man’s deep voice answered without a hint of hesitation. “Alright.” I hung up and slowly made my way back downstairs. If I listened closely, I could make out the faint, frantic cries of a woman mingled with the chaotic music. Blake Caldwell had always told me it was just part of the music’s sound effects. So, when I reached the bottom of the stairs, I walked straight to the speaker and turned it off. Suddenly, the vast villa was filled only with the woman’s desperate pleas. I turned to face Blake Caldwell. My usually calm, expressionless eyes now reflected the panic blooming on his face. Blake Caldwell immediately clapped a hand over the woman’s mouth, shoved her aside, and then quietly got up, circling around behind me. He even stomped on the stairs a few times, pretending he had just come down. “Stella, are you full?” “Why did you turn off the music? Is it time for your nap?” His long arms wrapped around me from behind, his unbuttoned shirt exposing half of his chest, pressing tightly against my back. Warm and sickening.
I could even distinctly smell the scent of his arousal on him. “Yeah, I’m full. Feeling a little sleepy.” I lowered my gaze slightly, trying to keep my expression and voice natural. Because that woman was staring at me. Her eyes were filled with jealousy, and she rubbed her arm furiously where Blake Caldwell had pushed her. Among the scattered clothes on the floor, I noticed a doctor’s coat from St. Anne’s Hospital. A name tag was pinned to the collar, reading “Neurosurgeon Serena White.” I remembered that one of the doctors who examined my cranial hematoma back then had a surname similar to White. “Okay, then I’ll take my Stella to bed, alright?” Blake Caldwell gently wrapped an arm around my waist, guiding me slowly upstairs. As we ascended, he spoke softly, like he was coaxing a child: “Careful with the steps, one, two, three…” “Stella is so good. I’ll come home early tonight to make you something delicious as a reward.” I curved my lips into a silent, bitter smile. Three years ago, I’d taken a severe blow to the head from an assailant while saving Blake Caldwell. The cranial hematoma had pressed against my optic nerve, causing immediate blindness. During that time, Blake Caldwell, the CEO of a major corporation, had personally seen to my daily care. Three years had flown by, and he still maintained that habit. Gradually, everyone forgot I was Blake Caldwell’s savior. They only remembered how incredibly well he treated me. He was handsome, successful, and known as a devoted, loving, gentle man. Everyone envied me, and even I was deeply immersed in it, believing I was the happiest woman alive. If my sight hadn’t suddenly returned, I might still be lost in his sweet lies. He helped me to the bed, letting me recline against the headboard, while his other hand was busy texting on his phone. He didn’t know I could see again, so he didn’t bother hiding anything. I could clearly make out the conversation on the screen. The contact was saved with a pink heart emoji, and the profile picture was the face of the woman from downstairs.
【Blake, why aren’t you coming down yet?】 【I can’t take it anymore! If you don’t come down and help me out, I’m coming up to find you!】 Blake Caldwell’s fingers moved incredibly fast, his practiced motions showing no difficulty despite being semi-reclined on the bed with one hand pinned. 【Stella needs to sleep. You are not allowed to disturb her. Don’t test my limits. If you upset her, you’ll never step foot in this house again.】 The other side immediately fell silent, clearly understanding Blake Caldwell meant business. But Blake Caldwell, if you truly didn’t want her to disturb me, if I truly was your bottom line… Why did you bring her to our home? Why did you let her appear in our relationship? Which was real, which was fake? I couldn’t tell anymore. And I couldn’t trust anything either. Five minutes later, Blake Caldwell gently pinched my cheek. “Stella, it’s time for your nap. I’m going to the third-floor study to work.” I lowered my eyes and nodded. Pretending I hadn’t seen the latest message he’d sent Serena White on his phone. 【Go wait for me in the third-floor study. Be quiet.】 Blake Caldwell helped me lie down, placing his large hand over my head to prevent me from bumping the headboard. Before he left, he tucked me in and placed a light kiss on my forehead. “Good afternoon, Stella.” His movements were smooth and practiced, perfectly fitting his persona as a gentle, attentive boyfriend. I rolled over, turning my back to him. Once I heard the bedroom door click shut, tears finally streamed down my face, unstoppable. For the past three years, after helping me settle for my nap, he usually stayed in the third-floor study to work instead of going to the office. I once believed he did it to spend more time with me. But now, standing outside the third-floor study, all I heard were incredibly sultry gasps.
“Blake, can’t I carry our baby? Why does it have to be your and Stella’s fertilized embryo that goes into my womb?” His voice was laced with a ragged breath, yet his words cut through the air, chillingly firm. “My child can only be Stella’s. Don’t ask that question again.” “As long as you safely give birth to the baby, you’ll always be my woman. After all, I don’t want my child to be born by a blind woman.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I suddenly remembered that before I lost my sight, we’d decided to put off having kids for Blake’s career. I’d even gone to freeze my eggs. So now, the baby in Serena White’s belly was, in essence, my child from before I went blind. My gut immediately twisted into knots. I hadn’t eaten much earlier, and now, back in my room, I was hunched over the toilet, throwing up until I was dizzy. It felt as if only physical agony could ease the torment in my heart. Blake Caldwell, you’ve deceived me so cruelly. “Stella, Stella?” The bathroom door was kicked open. Standing outside was Blake Caldwell, who had come downstairs at some point. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” His voice was filled with frantic concern. But I suddenly remembered him calling another woman’s name in a hazy voice outside the study. Unable to stomach it, I threw up again, this time on Blake Caldwell, who had knelt down to pick me up. The foul, bitter liquid from my stomach splattered all over Blake Caldwell’s pristine white shirt. But he acted as if he didn’t see it, still holding me and rubbing my back. Yet, through the reflection in the glass, I saw his other hand pull out his phone and snap a photo – a messy me and a perfectly composed him. After a quick rinse, he carried me back to bed, then meticulously sat beside me, blowing on the medicine he had just prepared to cool it for me. “Stella, the medicine’s cooled. Drink some.” Blake Caldwell brought the small spoon to my lips. I didn’t open my mouth immediately. I stared blankly in his direction, then let out a sudden laugh. “Blake, what if I told you… I can see again? Would you be happy?”
The spoon trembled, spilling medicine onto the pink bedspread. Blake Caldwell’s face flickered with panic for a split second, but he quickly composed himself, feigning delight. “Really? Stella?” “Fake.” I dropped the single word, still staring at him, my eyes utterly vacant. Three years of blindness had taught me how to perfectly feign it. Blake Caldwell nervously scrutinized my eyes, as if trying to confirm something. After a long moment, he finally seemed to let out a sigh of relief, speaking softly: “Don’t worry, Stella. I’ll find the best doctors to cure you.” He was about to continue feeding me the medicine when his phone vibrated continuously with incoming messages. Blake Caldwell still didn’t try to hide it from me. One was from his assistant. 【Mr. Caldwell, your youngest uncle from the main Caldwell family suddenly announced his wedding tonight.】 The other few were from Serena White. 【Blake, you won’t take Stella to the wedding, will you? She’s blind, what if she embarrasses you at the Caldwell family event?】 【How about you take me? The baby and I promise not to embarrass you.】 Blake Caldwell’s hand hovered in the air for three seconds before he finally placed the cup on the bedside table. “Stella, something came up at the office. I might not be back tonight.” “When I return, I’ll bring you a gift. I’ll have Mrs. Davis come over to take care of you, don’t worry.” His phone was still vibrating, and Blake Caldwell’s movements quickened. He even forgot to wait for my response before leaving the room completely. As soon as he left, I pulled out the phone I’d hidden under the blanket. A new message had just popped up. 【The wedding is set for tonight. I’m coming to pick you up now.】 Julian Caldwell arrived quickly. So quickly, in fact, that as I sat in the passenger seat, we passed Blake Caldwell driving in the opposite direction. He had a smile on his face and wasn’t looking our way. In his passenger seat sat Serena White, holding a large bouquet of roses.
She was smiling brightly, radiant and sunny, just like I used to be. But now, my eyes were vacant, lifeless. A strong hand suddenly gently gripped my chin, forcing my gaze to turn in another direction. Julian Caldwell’s expression was grim, but his thin lips uttered something flippant: “Don’t look at him. Look at me.” I just glared at him, yanking my chin free. Silence returned to the car as it sped towards a private custom bridal shop. It wasn’t until I put on the wedding dress and appeared before Julian Caldwell that the man, usually so composed, felt his pupils tremble slightly, uncontrollably. He looked down at me, his eyes filled with an unreadable, tender emotion. “Beautiful. This is the one.” I nodded, acting like a mere prop, following the instructions. After all, in my eyes, this was just a transaction. I would be Julian Caldwell’s white moonlight stand-in. He would help me deal with Blake Caldwell. After all, I couldn’t pretend to be blind forever. Blake Caldwell would find out I’d recovered eventually. Even if he now had another woman by his side, he would never let me go easily. I was crucial to his image, just like he would ignore my vomit and post a heartfelt photo of us online, only to make himself look good. He reveled in everyone’s praise, but I refused to be his stepping stone any longer. Just before the wedding began, I looked down from the private transparent box on the second floor of the banquet hall. The main Caldwell family’s influence was immense. Even with short notice, many guests had rushed to attend. Even though Blake Caldwell carried the Caldwell name, he was merely a distant cousin, far removed from the main branch. His small business couldn’t compare to most of the people present, so he and Serena White sat at a table in the corner. He pulled out his phone and called me. “Stella, I’m in a big meeting with various investors. I’m secretly calling to check in.”
He deliberately held the phone up and turned it around, as if to let me hear the noisy background. “Listen, isn’t it crowded?” “Alright, I have to get back to work. Stella, take care of yourself.” Blake Caldwell was clever. He knew exactly what I wanted. He gave me tenderness, companionship, and a sense of security. But he forgot to give me sincerity. I opened my mouth to call his name, stopping him from hanging up immediately. I watched his side profile, which naturally curved into a smile as he spoke to me, and asked, as if possessed: “Blake Caldwell, are you truly in a meeting?” He blurted out “Yes,” then hesitantly asked: “What’s wrong, Stella?” I didn’t answer him, only said to myself: “Blake Caldwell, I’m getting married.” He didn’t seem to understand what I meant, only thinking I was pressuring him to propose. The day of the attack, we had been trying on wedding dresses, preparing for our engagement. Later, when I was hospitalized, he said we’d get engaged once I was discharged. When I was discharged, he said we’d get engaged once his company was more stable. Every time this topic came up, he always found a flawless excuse to put it off. It was the same now. “Blake Caldwell, let’s break up.” I hung up the phone directly and turned to walk towards Julian Caldwell, who had been waiting for me at the door. The lights in the entire hall suddenly dimmed, obscuring Blake Caldwell, who was momentarily stunned by my words. I linked my arm with Julian Caldwell’s and slowly descended the stairs. The host’s voice echoed through the banquet hall: “Welcome everyone to the wedding of Mr. Julian Caldwell and Ms. Stella Caldwell.” A spotlight abruptly fell, illuminating Julian Caldwell and me standing on the spiral staircase. My peripheral vision also caught Blake Caldwell’s shocked face in the corner. I looked at him, my eyes curving into a smile. He seemed flustered, rising to walk towards me. “Stella, you can see?” “How are you my uncle’s bride?” Julian Caldwell didn’t give Blake Caldwell a chance to approach me. A few men, dressed as waiters but exceptionally burly, appeared and firmly blocked Blake Caldwell from our path.
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