On my third wedding anniversary to Garrett Windsor, I showed up at the hotel in the sheer bikini he’d requested. But it wasn’t Garrett waiting in the room. It was Melissa Lane, his childhood sweetheart. The room erupted in cruel, mocking laughter. Melissa poured her glass of red wine over my head. “How pathetic. You really will do anything he says, won’t you?” “A shame you’re blind. You can’t even see what a joke you look like right now.” I crouched on the floor, covering myself, enduring their humiliation. This wasn’t the first time, but Garrett always said Melissa was just joking and told me not to take it seriously. After Melissa and her friends finally got bored and left, I dragged my exhausted body home. When I arrived, Garrett draped a towel over my shoulders, his voice full of guilt. “Claire, Melissa used my phone to send you that prank message. I had no idea. I’ll make her apologize tomorrow, okay?” I nodded instinctively, then suddenly saw a flash of light before my eyes. The next second, I could vaguely make out a message from Melissa on his screen. “You promised me in bed last night I could do whatever I wanted to her today.”
This was the first time in five years I’d seen light, and it stabbed viciously into my eyes. My chest tightened, as if crushed under a heavy boot. I couldn’t breathe. My fingers trembled where they clutched the towel. II blinked hard, only for another photo from Melissa to fill my vision, captioned: “Who looks better in this sheer bikini-her or me?” The photo showed me, terrified, arms wrapped around myself. So that’s how pathetic I looked. Seeing another message from Melissa, Garrett immediately stopped drying my hair. Right in front of me, he replied to her. I even saw a slight smile curve at the corner of his mouth. “Alright, that was a bit much this time. Don’t do it again.” “But wait, didn’t I give you that sheer bikini?” Melissa quickly responded. “Because I wanted you to compare and see who has the better figure…” The rest became blurry. I reached up and felt tears overflowing from my eyes without my realizing it. I walked stiffly toward the bathroom. Only then did Garrett react, putting down his phone. He grabbed my wrist and affectionately picked up the towel that had fallen to the floor. “Wait, don’t forget the towel.” As he moved to drape it over my shoulders again, I stopped him for the first time, speaking softly. “It’s dirty. I don’t want it.” His expression shifted. He tossed the towel on the floor and pulled me into his arms with slightly forced tenderness. “Claire, don’t be angry.” “That’s just how Melissa is-headstrong. I already scolded her on the phone. She’ll come apologize tomorrow.” “She’s young and immature. You’re older than her, so don’t take this childish stuff to heart.” His warm breath hit my ear, tempting and familiar. If I hadn’t regained my sight, I might have believed him again. I might have believed Melissa was just being playful… I gently pulled away from his embrace and shook my head. “Since you say it’s just childish stuff, she doesn’t need to apologize.” I saw satisfaction flash in his cool eyes. He walked over, speaking with relief. “Claire, I knew it. You’re the kindest woman.” He leaned in as usual, ready to give me one of his perfunctory kisses.
I turned my head, dodging his kiss, forcing out a bitter smile. “I’m going to shower.” He didn’t notice anything unusual and picked up his phone again. Probably telling Melissa she didn’t need to come put on a show tomorrow. I entered the bathroom and slowly sank into the bathtub. Five years ago, there was a lab explosion. To save him, I recklessly rushed into the inferno and burned my eyes. My father, not wanting me to risk myself again, resolutely decided to rescue Garrett in my place. But he never came out of that sea of flames. My mother fell ill from grief over my father’s death and still lies in the hospital. I still remember Garrett kneeling before my mother, vowing to take care of both of us for the rest of his life. He said he would be my eyes, my mother’s son. And Garrett did fulfill his promises. He installed all kinds of safety equipment for the blind throughout the house and arranged the best hospital and doctors for my mother. Every meal, he would pick out fish bones and foods I didn’t like. He was so attentive that even my mother didn’t resent him. And whenever I used the bathroom or showered, no matter how busy he was, he’d wait outside the door. Five years, day after day. But today, when I turned around and looked through the frosted glass, the doorway was empty. At this moment, I even began to doubt whether the warmth of these five years had all been my blind imagination. When I came out of the bathroom, Garrett was still on the sofa typing on his phone. Normally, I would have thought he was just working too hard, always busy. But now, seeing the smile lingering on his face, I knew-he was chatting with Melissa. Suddenly, my phone rang. Just as I reached for it, Garrett thoughtfully handed it to me, as careful as always. “It’s your best friend Rachel. I’ve already opened it and put it on speaker for you.” I took the phone and heard Rachel’s urgent voice. “Claire! Those photos of you were posted online by Melissa!” “She even exposed your identity and address. Now people online are saying they want to buy you for a night…” Rachel’s voice echoed throughout the living room. I watched Garrett’s face turn dark instantly as he frantically began messaging Melissa. Rachel asked. “Claire, what are you going to do? If this continues, those lunatics online will track down your mother’s hospital.” Hearing that my mother might be harassed by internet trolls, my heart clenched. I immediately said: “Call the police! Rachel, please help me…” Beep beep beep. The call was disconnected. I looked at Garrett in disbelief. He had reached over and hung up my call. He held the phone, his face extremely dark. “Claire, you can’t call the police!” “Melissa is still young. A police record would ruin her reputation. How could she face society in the future?” “She’s just playing around. Calling the police will only make things worse, and that won’t be good for you either.” “I’ll make her delete the photos right now.” I bit my lip, watching him desperately protect Melissa. My nose stung with sourness. Melissa’s reputation mattered, but what happened to me was just “playing around”? Soon after, Garrett put down his phone and held my hand. “Don’t worry. I’ve already told Melissa to delete all the photos.” “And don’t listen to Rachel. Melissa didn’t post those photos-it was someone else.” Listening to his perfunctory lies, I looked down at his phone screen that hadn’t turned off yet.
Melissa: “I’m not deleting them unless you come keep me company.” Garrett: “I’ll be there in an hour. If those photos of Claire are still online when I arrive, you’ll regret it.” Melissa: “Regret? Regret not draining you dry in bed?” Garrett: “That mouth of yours-I’ll come shut it up properly…” Seeing these obscene exchanges, I laughed. Now I finally believed that he married me out of guilt. In three years of marriage, he’d always been perfunctory with me physically. I’d always thought he was being gentle, that he couldn’t bear to hurt me. Turns out I just never appealed to him at all. Garrett carefully led me to the bedroom and laid me down. “Claire, there’s a problem at the lab. I need to go. I won’t be back tonight.” I suddenly gripped his sleeve tightly. “Don’t go. Stay with me tonight.” At that moment, I could see his phone vibrating nonstop. Garrett, who will you choose-me or Melissa? My palms were sweating as I held onto his sleeve. Perhaps because I rarely made such requests, Garrett froze. Just as I was about to let go of his sleeve… He turned off his phone and slipped under the covers, holding me tight. My heart pounded violently. I couldn’t believe he would abandon Melissa for me. I heard him whisper in my ear. “Alright, I won’t go then. I’ll stay and keep you company.” In the middle of the night, I was awakened by rustling sounds. Soon after, I heard Garrett by the door, making a quiet phone call. “Didn’t I come? Claire’s in a bad mood. I need to spend more time with her.” “Yes, I don’t love her.” “But she’s still my wife. I have to care for her.” “If I could choose, I wish her father hadn’t saved me. Then I wouldn’t have had to repay this debt by throwing away my entire life.” The door closed carefully. I lay in bed with my eyes open. Recalling how many times over the years he’d been “called away” in the middle of the night. In three years, he’d never even spent one birthday with me. More and more details surfaced. I realized I truly was blind. I couldn’t even see whether the man beside me loved me or not. If that’s the case, then let’s stop torturing each other, Garrett. At dawn, I sat at the desk, eyes red, finishing the divorce papers. Just as I set down the pen, the door opened carefully. Garrett looked startled seeing me sitting at the desk. He walked over worriedly, checking my body for injuries. “Why did you get up by yourself? Did you bump into anything?” Seeing no wounds on me, he sighed with relief and held up a blueberry cake. “Are you hungry? You were sleeping so peacefully, so I went to South Street to get this for you.” He clearly remembered. Blueberry cake was my favorite. But he forgot that South Street stopped selling blueberry cake long ago… I didn’t take the cake that had already gone cold. I handed him the divorce papers instead. “Garrett, sign this…” The next second, his phone rang. His expression changed dramatically. “What? I’ll be right there!” He threw the blueberry cake on the floor and turned to leave. I grabbed him and shoved the divorce papers into his arms. “Sign this first!” Garrett rarely got angry with me, but now he snapped. “Melissa suddenly had a rare disease flare-up. I need to save her! Can you stop being so petty!” “What is it this time-another guarantee letter or apology? I don’t have time to play your games!” I remained unmoved, just clutching his sleeve tightly. Left with no choice, Garrett snatched the divorce papers and signed without even reading them. He signed while gritting his teeth. “Claire Morgan, I really misjudged you.” He threw down those harsh words and left in a hurry, stepping on the blueberry cake and crushing it. Then my phone rang. It was Rachel. “Claire, your mother’s condition is critical!”
I had no time to feel hurt by Garrett’s attitude. I hastily shoved the divorce papers into my pocket and took a cab to the hospital. Rachel was a nurse at the hospital and had been taking care of my mother all along. When she saw me, she grabbed my hand and told me: “Claire, don’t be scared. Your mother’s condition is serious, but it’s treatable.” “I heard Garrett just developed a new drug that could treat your mother’s symptoms.” “Go find Garrett quickly and get him to bring the medicine! I’ll watch over your mother in the emergency room!” I nodded frantically and was about to pull out my phone when I saw Garrett walking into a hospital room. I quickly put away my phone and ran to the room, pushing the door open. There was Melissa nestled in Garrett’s arms, their intimate posture painfully obvious. Seeing me enter, Garrett instinctively wanted to push Melissa away. But he paused, probably remembering I was blind, and pulled Melissa closer instead. His tone was impatient. “Claire? What are you doing here?” I turned my face away from that jarring scene and got straight to the point. “Garrett, give me your new drug. My mother is dying. She desperately needs it.” Garrett’s expression darkened instantly. “Claire Morgan, are you doing this on purpose?” “There’s only one dose of this drug. I specially saved it for Melissa.” “You saw she needs it, so you’re lying about your mother? You just can’t stand seeing Melissa happy, can you?” Melissa nuzzled against him. “Garrett, if I don’t use this drug, I’ll really be paralyzed. You can’t bear to see me suffer, right?” Garrett immediately softened his tone. “Don’t worry. This drug is yours.” Watching his gentle demeanor, then thinking of my mother’s life hanging by a thread, I finally broke down. “Please, I’m begging you both! Give me the medicine. My mother is really dying!” Melissa laughed lightly. “You want the drug? Fine. Get on your knees and slap yourself ten times. Then I’ll give it to you.” Garrett frowned, about to tell me not to do it. But I had already raised my hand and slapped myself hard across the face. I mechanically kowtowed, my forehead hitting the cold floor again and again. Blood soon seeped out. “Enough! Claire!” Garrett stood up to pull me away, but Melissa yanked him back by his sleeve. “Garrett, it’s not enough yet. She’s begging me-who begs this halfheartedly?” I kept slapping myself without stopping, until a familiar shout echoed in the hallway. “Claire!” I scrambled to my feet and saw Rachel stumbling in, tears streaming down her face. “Claire, your mother… she didn’t make it. She’s gone!” My whole body froze. My blood turned to ice. I gripped Rachel’s hand tightly. “Take me… take me to see my mother!” Garrett’s face went deathly pale. He shoved Melissa aside and came toward me. “Claire, you can see?” My eyes looked at him with utter despair. “Let go of me!” His face turned ashen as he pulled out the drug and pressed it into my hand. “I… I didn’t know… The drug is here. Let’s go try it on your mother…” I shoved him away. The vial fell to the ground, pills scattering everywhere. “Don’t. And you’ve lost the right to act like her son-in-law.” Panic flashed across Garrett’s face. He seized my hand, his apologies tumbling out in a rush. “I’m sorry, Claire. This is all my fault. But we’re still married…” I pulled the crumpled divorce papers from my pocket. My voice was flat, final. “Not anymore. We’re nothing.” Garrett took them, his hands trembling.
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