Chapter 1

“A blind man, good for nothing but eating,” my mother-in-law’s acidic voice pierced my ears. “Hurry up, you can’t even clean the floor properly. What use are you?”

I gripped the rag tightly, enduring it all.

“Mom, I’m sorry,” Claire’s voice chimed in, full of impatience. “Why are you bothering with this? We could just hire a maid.”

“I don’t like strangers in the house,” my mother-in-law replied coldly. “Besides, James isn’t doing anything else. A little exercise is good for him.”

“Whatever you say,” Claire sighed. I heard the sound of her bedroom door closing.

The last glimmer of light in my heart extinguished. She hadn’t said a single word in my defense.

I felt my way to standing, picking up the bucket of dirty water to empty it. Suddenly, a foot shot out, tripping me hard.

There was a loud splash as the icy, foul-smelling water drenched me. I lay sprawled on the floor, utterly humiliated.

My mother-in-law stood nearby, her tone mocking: “Useless as always. Can’t even do a simple task.”

Claire came out after hearing the commotion but showed no concern for me. I silently crawled to my feet, feeling my way around to clean up the mess.

Afterwards, I retreated to the kitchen. As I closed the door, I could clearly hear an argument breaking out.

“The company has to be mine. Don’t even think about interfering!” Claire shouted heatedly.

“I gave birth to you, raised you. How can the company not include me?” my mother-in-law fired back.

“I have my own plans. You’ll get your share,” Claire conceded reluctantly.

I numbly picked up a knife, feeling my way around the cutting board. The cold blade sliced my fingertip, drawing blood, but I felt no pain.

Claire pushed open the door and took the knife from my hand.

“Honey, why are you cooking when you’re sick?” Her voice was suddenly sweet. “Let Mom handle it next time. I want fish for dinner tonight.”

Claire gently stroked my hair. I froze, bitterness spreading through me. She hadn’t even noticed my injured hand.

“I made your favorite, stir-fried peppers and pork,” I said, my voice shaking.

Her hand that had been caressing my face suddenly withdrew. Her tone turned icy.

“Who likes that? James, do you not love me anymore? You won’t even make what I want to eat.”

Alarm bells went off in my head. I was afraid Claire would stop caring about me because of this. I frantically tried to grab her hand, my arms flailing in the air.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” I couldn’t catch her, so I fell to my knees, begging her not to leave.

“You’re acting like a lunatic now.” Claire’s voice was filled with undisguised disgust.

I knelt on the floor, listening to her departing footsteps. Suddenly I remembered how she used to snuggle in my arms, saying happily: “James, you have to make me stir-fried peppers and pork for the rest of our lives.”

I wished so badly that I could regain my sight right now. Then Claire wouldn’t despise me anymore.

At dinnertime, Claire’s family was gathered happily in the living room. They seemed to be expecting dinner guests tonight.

But none of this had anything to do with me.

I huddled alone in my room, silently eating leftovers. They said a blind man like me would be an embarrassment at the table.

A familiar voice that sent chills down my spine suddenly rang out by the door.

“Have you started eating? I guess I came at a bad time.”

My body instantly stiffened. That fear spread from my core to every inch of me.

It was my half-brother, Ethan - my father’s illegitimate son.

The cheerful chatter in the living room came to an abrupt halt.

Claire jumped to her feet, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“Ethan! You’re here!” The undisguised joy in her voice was a stark contrast to how she spoke to me.

Even my usually critical in-laws’ tones became warm and welcoming.

“Ethan’s here, come in and sit down!”

It was as if Ethan was the true master of this house.

Ethan laughed, “I saw the flowers in the yard and picked one for you.”

Those were the jasmine flowers I had planted. Claire said she loved the scent of jasmine.

I used to pick them one by one, drying them into tea cakes to brew her favorite floral tea.

“Oh, you,” Claire’s voice was coy and flirtatious. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”

I stood in the doorway of my room, completely out of place in this home.

Claire noticed me and her tone instantly dropped to freezing.

“James, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and welcome your brother!”

My feet felt nailed to the floor, anger and resentment churning in my chest. I couldn’t accept Claire telling me to welcome the man who had ruined my once-happy life.

It was because of Ethan and his mother’s interference that my own mother couldn’t accept the reality. Her heart condition relapsed, and her health deteriorated from then on.

Ethan spoke up in false concern, “Claire, don’t be like that. He’s my brother after all, and he’s still unwell. How can I let him wait on me?”

“Ethan, you’re too kind,” my mother-in-law immediately chimed in. “A blind man, clumsy as he is, what can he do anyway?”

“James, if you don’t go now, I’m really going to be angry,” Claire threatened.

My throat tightened as I desperately held back tears. I reminded myself this blindness was only temporary.

Afraid of upsetting Claire, I felt my way to the kitchen and grabbed a clean set of dishes. I walked over to Ethan and gently set them down beside him.

Ethan looked at me and sneered, “My brother is still so capable.”

I was in no mood to respond to him. A familiar scent had caught my attention.

It was Claire’s favorite perfume, with its cool, woody notes. But it was coming from Ethan.

I whirled towards Claire, grabbing her wrist. “Why does he smell like your perfume?”

The room fell deathly silent.

“James!” Claire yelled at me. “You’re being paranoid again! Can’t you act normal for once? It’s exhausting being with you!”

Ethan sighed, adding fuel to the fire. “Claire, don’t be angry. James has always been like this, prone to overthinking. Now that he’s sick, it’s normal for him to be sensitive and suspicious.”

But my instincts told me this wasn’t just my imagination. At the same time, I prayed that I really was overthinking things.

Claire, I only wish you wouldn’t choose Ethan.

Claire’s voice was full of disgust. “I don’t want to argue with you. There’s an urgent project at work. I need to go on a business trip.”

I reached out, trying to grab her, but only grasped air.

“Claire…” I was at a loss. It was my blindness that made her despise me so much.

I had to win back Claire’s heart, which meant I needed to regain my sight.

When she returned from her trip, I wanted to surprise her with a husband who could see again, who was healthy.

Claire left on her business trip the next day. I immediately contacted my childhood friend to arrange a corneal transplant.

Luckily, my surgery was successful. When the bandages came off, the light stung my eyes and brought tears.

My mind was filled with thoughts of how to win Claire back, of the happy life we would have together.

But fate had other plans.

Before I could fully take in the world around me, my phone buzzed with a message.

It was from Ethan: “Too bad you’re blind, little brother. Otherwise you’d be able to see your woman in my bed right now.”

A photo was attached to the message.

Claire lay on her side in bed, hair disheveled, covered by a sheet that revealed only her shoulder, marked with kiss marks.

The implications of the photo were crystal clear.

The background was the master bedroom of Ethan’s apartment. That bed - I had gone with Claire to pick it out. She said it was a gift for a friend.

My heart ached so badly I could hardly breathe.

Just then, my assistant called.

“Mr. Song, Mrs. Song has ordered the preparation of CEO appointment documents.”

Hearing those words, the world was no longer dark, but my heart felt colder than when I was blind.

“I’m coming back now.”

I locked myself in my office for five days and nights.

The desk was piled high with documents, the floor littered with coffee cups and cigarette butts.

On the fifth day, my mother-in-law called.

“James! I see you’ve grown too big for your britches. Where the hell have you been?”

I hung up without a word.

Immediately after, Claire’s number lit up my screen.

“James, have you lost your mind? What are you playing at now?” Her voice was shrill and grating.

“Oh right, you’re not capable of running the company now. Just transfer all the stocks to me.”

“Otherwise don’t even think about coming back to this family!”

I replied calmly, “Alright.”

My calm demeanor caught her off guard.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m staying at my friend’s place to clear my head. I won’t be coming back for a while.”

On the other end of the line, I could almost hear her sigh of relief.

“You… you understand then.” Her tone shifted to one of command. “Since you’re free anyway, Ethan’s been so busy he hasn’t eaten dinner yet. Go bring him something to eat.”

I arrived outside the CEO’s office.

The door was ajar, and Ethan’s voice drifted out.

“Claire, don’t blame James. He’s become sensitive and paranoid since losing his sight.”

“Once I take over the company, you won’t have to work so hard anymore.”

As I listened to Ethan’s voice, my blood suddenly ran cold.

After hitting me, the driver had rolled down his window to make a phone call.

It was this very voice.

I pushed open the door.

Seeing me enter, Ethan didn’t realize I had regained my sight.

He smirked provocatively, wrapping his arm around Claire’s waist and kissing her shamelessly.

Claire showed no shame in doing this in front of me.

Perhaps they had done this countless times before in my presence.

They were so engrossed in their kiss that Ethan only noticed my empty hands when he finally looked up.

He released Claire, frowning in displeasure.

“Where’s the food?”

“James, I’m warning you, stop playing games. Otherwise Claire really will leave you.”

I grabbed the glass from the desk and smashed it against his head.

Blood trickled down from Ethan’s temple.

Claire screamed.

Ethan was stunned too, clutching his head and staring at me in disbelief.

“You can see?!”

“Security! Get this madman out of here!” he shouted towards the door, while shielding Claire behind him.

“Claire, you go out first!”

Two security guards rushed in. Having not exercised in a long time, I was quickly overpowered.

In the chaos, I lunged at Ethan, grabbing a shard of glass and pressing it against his carotid artery.

“Nobody move!”

The guards froze.

Ethan’s face turned ashen.

“James, let go of me!”

I ignored him, my gaze fixed on Claire who was making a call outside.

After a moment, Claire walked up to me and played a video.

“James, look at this.”

On the screen, my mother with her heart condition was strapped to a bungee jumping platform.

“If you let go of Ethan now, I’ll have them stop the machine.”

With each rise of the platform, my mother’s face grew paler as she clutched her chest in pain.

“Let go. Kneel down.” Claire’s voice was ice cold, devoid of any emotion.

A searing pain shot through my chest. I coughed up blood.

I released Ethan and fell to my knees.

Claire put away her phone with satisfaction and took Ethan’s arm.

“Take him away.”

I was brought to an auction hall.

Claire stood on the stage.

“The position of CEO of Song Corporation, starting bid one million dollars.”

She smiled, looking down at my disheveled form like I was a dog.

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