At the wrap party for my new show, I was drugged and exploited. My fiancé, Blake, disgusted with me, leaked the photos and publicly called off our engagement. When everyone was spitting venom at me, it was Caleb Blackwood who shielded me with his jacket. He paid a fortune to delete the photos and brought down Blake’s company. “You don’t deserve to marry Aurora if you can’t even trust the woman you claim to love! Aurora, I’ll protect you for the rest of your life.” His words moved me, and I agreed. Later, he was in a car accident and lost his sight. I willingly offered him my cornea. Everyone claimed Caleb treated me like the most fragile, precious gem, keeping me safe, adored. But when I secretly regained my sight, planning to surprise him, I went to find him. Instead, I heard ambiguous low moans coming from his study. “Caleb, that idiot actually believed you were in a car accident, didn’t she? If she hadn’t gone blind and couldn’t act, I never would’ve gotten her roles. But what *did* happen to her cornea?” Caleb chuckled, his movements not pausing, causing the person on top of him to giggle incessantly. “My cornea? Oh, I fed it to the stray dogs on the street.” Turns out, all that deep affection and love was just an empty dream. Yet, after I left, he broadcast across the entire city, searching for my whereabouts.
“The cornea, mixed with blood, smelled so foul even the dogs were disgusted.” “I told her not to go to the new show’s wrap party, but she insisted. I had no choice but to fake the car accident. She forced my hand.” The low, mocking voices from inside nailed me to the spot. The joy of regaining my sight transformed into a chilling dread that spread through every inch of my body. I stumbled back, my eyes falling on the countless bruises covering my hands and legs. For three years after donating my cornea, I refused to be a burden to Caleb. I stubbornly learned to navigate by memory, relying solely on my mind’s map. The long-term struggle had left my body covered in bruises, offering no benefit in return. I thought I had sacrificed my sight for the man I loved. In the end, it was just a nightmare woven from countless lies. Through the slightly ajar door, Vanessa Thorne, her dress half-slipped off one shoulder, was writhing on the chair, clearly engaged in something intimate. After a long while, she sighed, tracing Caleb’s hair, and asked curiously, “But was that ‘sleeping with someone’ rumor true?” Caleb’s eyes narrowed as he gently stroked Vanessa’s long hair, a slow, rhythmic motion. “She was so conservative, not as uninhibited as you are. How could it be true?” “I just paid her assistant a little money. Her assistant’s family was sick. Someone that desperate for cash will do anything. I didn’t even have to get my hands dirty.” I clamped a hand over my mouth, desperate to stifle my sobs. My heart felt like it had been violently hammered, a dull, aching throb. The butler called out to me from a distance, startling the people inside. Vanessa quickly slid off Caleb, their clothes disheveled as they walked out. I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat, forcing my eyes to remain vacant, and slowly walked along the wall. Vanessa kissed Caleb’s cheek; their affection seemed sickeningly sweet. As she left, she didn’t forget to roll her eyes at me. I pretended not to notice, watching her disappear into a room at the end of the hall. My blood ran cold. She had been living with us all this time. Caleb seemed to sense my stiffness. His voice was laced with concern and urgency as he helped me. “Aurora, didn’t I tell you to ring the bell if you needed anything, and I’d help you? What if you hurt yourself wandering around?” A faint floral scent clung to him, barely perceptible. The concern in Caleb’s eyes didn’t seem fake. My hands trembled as I clutched at his clothes. “Caleb, I want to accept the donation. Will you come with me?” He didn’t hesitate, embracing me with the same tender affection he had shown a thousand times before. “Aurora, donation surgery is very uncomfortable, and there will be all sorts of discomfort afterward. I don’t want to see you suffer.” “Has someone been upsetting you?” Then, his voice filled with fury, he yelled at the butler. “Replace everyone! Get me a whole new staff!” Normally, I would have begged him not to be angry, but this time, I said nothing. I simply loosened my grip on his hand. The light in my heart had completely extinguished. The idea of leaving him began to sprout within me. Caleb cleared his throat, a subtle, awkward sound, and escorted me back to my room to rest. Before leaving, he carefully pulled the covers over me. When his hand brushed against my icy cold feet, He gently cupped my feet, as if they were priceless treasures, warming them before putting on my socks. “Sleep now. I’ll be back soon.” Feeling him leave, I quietly followed. Around the corner, Vanessa was already wrapped around his waist, impatient. Caleb chuckled scornfully. “Even if she was once a celebrated actress, a blind woman is useless. Don’t worry, I won’t let her ever see again.” A buzzing filled my ears. The gentle, attentive Caleb of the past vanished in that moment. My best friend’s family had contacted me about donating a cornea. I’d asked them to keep it a secret, wanting to surprise him. If I had told him directly back then, would I have ever had the chance to see again? A rush of blood surged to my head. Dazed, I stumbled and hit the doorframe with a loud thud. Caleb’s face changed instantly. He pushed Vanessa away and rushed towards me. “Aurora, how are you feeling?!”
The worry in his eyes was like a giant wave threatening to drown me, making it almost impossible to distinguish truth from lies. I could only clearly see Vanessa, leaning against the doorframe behind him, her expression a mix of triumph and pity, like she was looking at a pathetic bug. She reached out, tracing circles on Caleb’s back, over and over. There were still red marks on Caleb’s neck, a blatant declaration of her ownership. His body visibly tensed, and in the quiet air, I heard a distinct swallow. Caleb reached back, giving Vanessa a reassuring pat, his silent lips forming a promise for her to wait. Then he turned and carried me back to the bed. His voice was a little agitated, and his movements were a bit rougher. Looking at Caleb, who was clearly eager to leave, I reached out with a final trace of longing. “Caleb, can you stay and rest with me for a bit?” Caleb’s tone was dismissive, his feet already turned towards the door. “I need to take a shower. I feel dirty.” Before I could even respond, he was gone, his retreating figure radiating an unsettling joy. I sat and waited all night. He never returned. Finally, just before dawn, I sent a message to my former agent, Ms. Miller. “My eyesight is back. We can arrange work.” After getting a positive reply, I started packing my things. While searching for my documents, I noticed my laptop glowing faintly. I meant to close it but accidentally opened it. One glance felt like a sledgehammer to my chest. The screen displayed an unknown dark website, covered in countless photos of me. They were from all angles. Though my head was deliberately obscured, the butterfly tattoo on my shoulder confirmed it was me. All sorts of vile comments were mixed together. [She acts so proper, but when she lets loose, wow.] [More views next time, show her face.] I gripped the table tightly, my knuckles white, tears streaming down my face. I froze for a long moment before finally lifting my hand to delete the webpage, then, still weeping, splashed water onto the CPU. Black smoke billowed from the computer. Caleb returned just then, his face instantly contorted with rage. I feigned panic and helplessness, using the opportunity to let my tears flow unchecked. Caleb had no choice but to force down his anger and try to comfort me. But as he came closer, The pungent perfume on him made my stomach churn. I bent over and dry-heaved. “Doctor! Butler, call the doctor!” Surrounded by people checking on me, Caleb suppressed his impatience and asked the doctor to discuss the results outside. I secretly slipped my phone, which was making a call, into his pocket. Through my earpiece, I heard his gritted teeth. “Didn’t we give her the medication?! How could she still be pregnant?!” “Give me the pills! I don’t want this baby, it’s disgusting!” Even though I had already seen his true colors, I couldn’t help but feel a profound sadness. The doctor hesitated, trying to dissuade him. “The medication given to your wife before has already harmed her body. Forcibly aborting the child now could endanger her life.” “I don’t care! The mother of my child can only be Vanessa!” I hung up the phone, my pillow already soaked with tears. After a while, Caleb brought me the bitter medicine. Numbly, I drank it down, sip by agonizing sip. My abdomen throbbed with an unbearable, dragging pain, as if countless hands were pulling me down. I didn’t make a sound, silently enduring as my child left me. My silence, however, seemed to unnerve Caleb. “Aurora, the doctor said you have a bad stomach, so he prescribed a tonic. Is it too bitter?” “Shall I get you some candied fruit?” He offered me candy coaxingly, but in my mouth, it tasted endlessly bitter. For three consecutive days, Caleb stayed by my side, personally caring for me, even feeding me himself. Only I knew that Vanessa’s shadow was always present at the dining table. My dinner plate was replaced with a dog bowl, and Vanessa, propping her chin on her hand, watched me with a smirk, her eyes glinting with amusement. The once delicious food had become unrecognizable, spoiled for days. Caleb merely frowned, offering a helpless smile, his hands doing nothing. A chill enveloped me. My nose stung, and I couldn’t help but shed tears. Caleb finally stood up in a panic, wiping my tears. “What’s wrong, Aurora? Are you feeling unwell?” “How about we go on a trip tomorrow to clear your head?”
Caleb personally packed the luggage, and I sat obediently by his side. Convinced I couldn’t see, he brazenly packed all sorts of peculiar items into the suitcase. My hands, gripping the bedsheets, gradually tightened, my breathing becoming shallow. Recalling the online comments, a chilling realization hit me: this ‘trip’ was just Caleb’s way of satisfying some sick desire to humiliate me. Caleb noticed my agitation and asked considerately, “What’s wrong, Aurora? Are you feeling unwell?” I lowered my eyes, silently shaking my head. When we left, the butler led me to the passenger seat. Caleb naturally opened the back seat door. “Sit in the back. I’ve put pillows there; it’ll be more comfortable.” I obediently sat down. The “pillows” were just a pile of Vanessa’s designer bags. Vanessa got into the passenger seat, and they held hands, ignoring me completely. They even fed each other snacks occasionally. I had no pain left, only numbness. By the sea, Caleb put his arm around me, carefully draping a coat and scarf over me. He cupped my hands in his, breathing warmth into them. Fireworks erupted across the sky. Caleb’s voice was soft in my ear. “Aurora, thank you for everything you’ve done for me all these years.” “Even though you can’t see, I still arranged these fireworks for you.” “I want you to know, you’ll always be the most brilliant firework in my life.” I looked up at the sky, and there, emblazoned in light, were words: “VANESSA THORNE, I LOVE YOU!——” His phone vibrated relentlessly. Caleb’s expression changed, and he quickly settled me on a long bench. “Aurora, I have an online meeting. Wait here for me.” Without waiting for my reply, he immediately left. Watching his retreating figure, I suddenly remembered when we first got together, before I lost my sight. Caleb had also set off fireworks for me on an island; back then, they spelled my name. When passersby secretly photographed me, he would stand up for me. When I got seasick during a boat trip, he didn’t care about the mess and even used his hands to catch my vomit. I was embarrassed, but he only worried about my health with all his heart. In the distance, under the fireworks, Vanessa stood in a pristine white gown. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. Photographers swarmed around them, instructing them to get closer, to press their cheeks together, looking like a perfect couple. Passersby beside me were excitedly discussing. “Are they taking wedding photos? They look so good together!” “Is that the famous actress who’s been so popular these past few years? No wonder she was shy when everyone kept asking about marriage; turns out they were already engaged in private!” “I envy them, standing together like that. Is the person on this bench blind? How miserable to be all alone.” I smiled sadly. The truth, it turned out, was far more unbearable than I had imagined. This “vacation” he’d coaxed me into was actually Vanessa and Caleb’s photo shoot. I was just an afterthought. Caleb had grandly proposed to me, but then he’d said, “Aurora, with all the scandal, now isn’t the right time for us to get married. I don’t want to expose you to public scrutiny again and see you hurt.” He’d smoothed my hair. “As long as our hearts are together, a piece of paper doesn’t really matter, does it?” I, foolishly, had believed him, convinced that our bond was the most sincere vow. Reality, however, had just delivered a brutal slap to the face. I stood up and walked towards the sea, step by painful step. In the last moment before the fireworks faded. I stood in the ocean, looked up into Caleb’s shocked eyes, and smiled directly at him. He dashed towards me, his hand outstretched as if to pull me back. “Aurora, don’t do anything foolish! I can’t live without you!” I slowly spread my arms and fell backward. My lips silently formed one word: “Goodbye.” The icy waves swiftly swallowed me whole, carrying me away with the current. On the distant shore, Caleb, holding the report confirming my recovered sight, looked utterly insane. “Aurora, come back! Everyone, get in there and find her!”
I swam to a dark spot, then peeked my head out, watching the frantic crowd on the beach. This was the best gift I could leave Caleb. I swam to the other side of the shore. Ms. Miller, my agent, wrapped a towel around me and ushered me into the car. Outside the car window, rescue teams passed by one after another. In the distance, Caleb was still desperately trying to rush into the sea. His distraught expression was sickening. Ms. Miller looked at me worriedly. “Are you sure you want to do this? You might offend Blackwood Group.” I took a deep breath and nodded silently. “If I want to return to the public eye, I can’t do it without a bang. He used me to elevate Vanessa; it’s time he paid the price.” The next day, my news was trending across the city. [Former Actress Announces Comeback! Tune in for Live Broadcast Today!] [Five Years Out of the Spotlight, Is She Still as Beautiful? What Led to Her Return?] [Was the Former Actress’s Scandal Real? What’s the Truth Behind the Scandal?] Along with this came an onslaught of hate comments. [She’s been out of the industry for so many years, her face must be wrinkled like an old lady’s. Why is she coming back to grab money?!] [Can she please just disappear and let my Vanessa shine alone? Is she trying to steal Vanessa’s award at the Starlight Gala?! Don’t be so obvious!] [I knew it. If there was any truth behind that old scandal, why wait until now to expose it? Don’t tell me she spent five years fabricating fake evidence?!] I calmly scrolled through the comments. Thankfully, compared to the pain of being kept in the dark all these years, I preferred to stand in front of people and reclaim my former glory. Rather than disappear from the world as a useless person. My phone rang relentlessly. Caleb Blackwood’s name flashed wildly on the screen. “You dared to fake your death and leave me?! Who gave you the guts to do that?!” “Do you know I’ve been looking for you all night! Aren’t you being a bit too much? I don’t care what you heard or found out, or who helped you regain your sight.” “You better get your ass back here and apologize! Make me happy, and I won’t hold it against you!” I didn’t hesitate to block his number and looked at the live stream studio in front of me. There were five minutes left until my stage time. The screen showed the number of scheduled viewers was already close to breaking platform limits. The waiting room door was violently slammed open. Caleb, filled with fury, pushed past the staff and stood before me. “Do you think you’re so tough now? You had the nerve to hide all this from me?” “Who performed your surgery? Do you really want to leave me that badly?” I didn’t understand why he was angry. He was the one who was so sweet with Vanessa. I calmly met his gaze. “Did you expect me to do nothing and let you deceive me for a lifetime?” Caleb’s anger vanished instantly, replaced by terror, and he reached out to grab my hand. “What do you know?” I promptly shook him off and walked towards the live stream. After the host’s smiling pleasantries, she asked the most frequently scrolled question in the live chat. “Ms. Hayes, it’s been five years since you announced your retirement. Many fans speculated you might have married and had children. Could you tell us why you decided to make a comeback now?” Having not faced a camera for so long, I forced myself to suppress my nervousness. All the past pain flashed before my eyes. I calmly laid everything bare. The host’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you saying the scandal back then was manipulated, and your subsequent blindness was also a calculated plot?” I took a deep breath and nodded, then played the recording I’d made outside the study. Caleb and Vanessa’s conniving faces were exposed for all to see. The live chat began scrolling wildly. [Is that Vanessa’s voice?! I’ve followed her for so long; I couldn’t be mistaken!] [Oh my god, I thought it was redemption, but it was a deep abyss. If it were me, I’d have completely broken down. She’s so brave to stand up and expose her wounds!] [I knew it. With Vanessa’s qualifications back then, how could she have been nominated for such a big award? So, the real star was set up with a scandal. The industry is so messed up!] [I know that guy. He was exposed a few days ago, taking wedding photos with Vanessa by the sea. Aurora Hayes is so pitiful, completely played for a fool!] “That’s not how it is!” Everyone’s attention shifted as Caleb burst in. His eyes were full of menace, but I remained calm. “If anyone is skeptical, I’m willing to publicly go to the hospital for an examination to confirm if I’ve had a recent miscarriage.” “And that abortifacient, Mr. Blackwood, you personally fed it to me.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298881”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic
Leave a Reply