Michael murmured to Kaelyn, his tone smug and assured, "Don't worry. That fake bastard won't be smug much longer. As soon as Alicia's shares are in my hands, I'll make him crawl at your feet in the most degrading way imaginable."

Their hushed voices seeped through the closed door like shards of glass, each word landing with cruel precision.

The room seemed to tilt beneath Alicia's feet, a shrill buzzing flooding her head until every coherent thought abruptly shut down.

A month into her marriage, the man who had stayed by her side all this time had never been Michael at all!

Every kiss, every shared night in bed—she had been giving them to a complete stranger...

"Are you feeling unwell?" the man inquired, his tone tightening with worry. "You don't look right."

His hand lifted toward her forehead, and instinct screamed at Alicia to pull away, but the reminder that she was still pretending to be blind locked her in place.

Cool fingers settled against her skin with unexpected gentleness, sending a faint shiver through her.

Leaning in, the man studied her closely; the icy sharpness in his gaze softened just a fraction, even as an unmistakable air of authority continued to cling to him. "Baby?"

The soft call snapped Alicia back to the present, the question "Who are you?" pressing against her throat before she forced it back down.

Restraint came quickly, sharp and necessary. Acting impulsively now would only invite disaster.

Nothing about this man's background was clear to her yet.

Letting slip that her sight had returned would only tighten the trap around her.

Drawing a steady breath, Alicia smoothed her expression and willed her nerves into stillness. "Baby, I'm feeling a little tired," she remarked in a low voice. "I think I'd like to lie down for a bit."

"Alright," he replied at once. "I'll put your medicine on first."

He turned away and reached for a vial resting nearby.

Alicia curled her fingers into tight fists, nails biting into her palms.

Night after night since the wedding, "Michael" had personally applied medicine to her eyes, never missing a single evening.

A sudden, unsettling thought surfaced—had her vision returned because of him?

Yet the idea felt absurd. Kaelyn just called him a beggar. How could someone like him wield skills like that?

"All done," the man murmured in a gentle voice.

With deliberate care, he eased Alicia back onto the bed and drew the blanket up around her shoulders.

Leaning closer, he brushed a light, almost reverent kiss across her forehead. "I'll be in the study next door. If you need anything, just call out."

"Alright." Rolling onto her side, Alicia stilled her breathing.

Moments later, his footsteps faded, and the door closed with a muted click.

The instant silence settled, Alicia's eyes flew open. After confirming he was truly gone, she reached for her phone and dialed Eliza Fletcher, the chairwoman of Summit Technologies.

From the other end of the line came the sharp scrape of a chair being pushed back.

"Aurora! You finally decided to call," Eliza exclaimed, a note of surprise sharpening her voice. "So—are you ready to step back into the venture capital world?"

"That's right, Eliza," Alicia replied, a small smile curving her lips.

Under Eliza's command, Summit Technologies had risen to become one of the world's foremost AI powerhouses.

In those years, Alicia—operating under the name Aurora—had stood at the very top of the venture capital field, funneling staggering profits into Eliza's empire. They had been more than business allies; they had trusted each other as friends.

Marriage, however, had pulled Alicia away from everything, and even now she could still recall the naked disappointment in Eliza's voice when she chose to retire.

Her eyes darkened as her expression cooled. "Eliza, I need you to help me audit my assets and draft a divorce agreement."

After a brief hesitation, she continued quietly, "And I want you to find out… exactly who it is I'm married to."

Silence stretched on the line for a heartbeat. Then Eliza answered in a steady voice, "Alright."

Not long after, Alicia received a detailed breakdown of her current finances.

The numbers were brutal—on paper, her remaining assets amounted to less than ten dollars.

Following their marriage, Michael had quietly shifted her properties into Kaelyn's hands and was already arranging to strip away her remaining shares in the Gill Group.

"Michael, you're one ruthless bastard." Her fingers tightened around the phone until her knuckles went white, her body shaking despite her efforts to stay still.

For his sake, she had walked away from the investment world and poured all her energy into their home.

Now, that devotion had turned into a sharpened blade, slicing cleanly through her without mercy.

Sadness surged up her throat, and she bent forward, retching as tears flooded her eyes and blurred her vision.

What had once been profound love had curdled into searing pain—and then into pure, unrestrained rage.

After a steadying breath, Alicia forced herself to calm down.

Having once stood at the peak of the venture capital world, she knew all too well that if she wished, men far better than Michael would line up at her door.

That scumbag wasn't worth a second glance.

As for everything Michael and Kaelyn had done to her, she intended to collect that debt—with interest.

At the same time, Jared Nelson flipped through old photo albums, his gaze dark and contemplative as fragments of Alicia's recent, abnormal behavior surfaced in his mind.

After a moment, he reached for his phone and placed a call. "How's the investigation coming along?"

"Mr. Nelson, Mrs. Barton does have another identity—and uncovering it wasn't easy."

A slow arch lifted Jared's brow, interest sparking in his eyes. "Go on."

The assistant wavered, an unusual pause stretching out before he finally spoke. "She is… Aurora—the legendary top venture capitalist who once dominated the international financial world. And neither Michael nor the Gill family has any idea this identity exists."

Realization flickered through Jared's eyes in a sharp, focused glint.

He had known it—there was nothing ordinary about the woman who had caught his attention.

"Mr. Nelson," the assistant ventured cautiously, "why agree to pretend to be Alicia's husband? You've got better tools to deal with Michael."

A lethal chill settled over his gaze as Jared snapped, "Watch your mouth. She's not a tool against Michael!"

"Got it, Mr. Nelson."

With that, Jared cut the call and fell silent, his fingers tightening around the glass hairpin resting in his palm as his thoughts drifted.

In a twisted way, Alicia had once been the person who saved his life.

Years earlier, after his mother's sudden, brutal death, a single distress message Alicia sent to his aunt overseas had pulled him back from the edge of murder at the hands of his father's mistress, Emily Barton.

From that day on, he discarded the Powell surname he had been born with and took up his mother's maiden name, Nelson instead. Almost every remaining tie to the Powell family had been cut cleanly and without regret.

But Emily's son, Michael, who was nothing more than an illegitimate child with no right to the Powell name, still schemed to exploit Frank Powell, his grandfather, during his critical illness, trying to use the Gill family's power as a stepping stone for his own ambitions.

And on top of that, he had the audacity to treat Alicia that way!

The memory of Alicia being deceived and betrayed by Michael and Kaelyn flashed through Jared's mind—her unfocused eyes, her bloodless face—and a cold, murderous fury pooled in his darkened gaze.

Although Alicia no longer remembered who he was, his resolve to shield her never wavered.

A violent shudder tore through Jared's body as he pressed a trembling hand to his chest, the pain there sharp enough to steal his breath.

At that moment, a knock sounded against the door.

Forcing himself to steady his breathing, Jared gritted his teeth and said hoarsely before he finally collapsed, "Come in."

The door creaked open, and Alicia stepped inside, only to find Jared sprawled on the floor.

"Honey, what's happening?" Alicia asked, taken aback.

"I'm okay," Jared replied. His words came out weak and unsteady, and even as he answered her, his consciousness was already slipping away.

Seeing him black out completely, Alicia sprinted over, dropped down beside him and reached for his shoulder, shaking him carefully but urgently. "Talk to me. What's wrong? Open your eyes."

Something felt seriously off, and she did not hesitate. She pulled out her phone and called for an ambulance right away.

Jared had collapsed because of a pneumothorax, and he was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Alicia refused to leave his side for a whole night. While she was sitting beside the bed, his phone slid out of his suit pocket and landed near her feet.

She picked it up without thinking, and her breath caught. The lock screen showed a photo of her.

Alicia froze, shock washing over her.

Wasn't he only supposed to be a stand in?

Why would he keep a picture of her on his phone?

"What are you staring at?" Jared's sudden voice broke the silence.

The sound startled her so badly that she flinched. She quickly looked away and drew in a slow breath, forcing her racing heart to settle. "What would someone like me even be able to look at? Your phone fell on the floor."

She fumbled slightly as she stood, then quietly set the phone back on the table beside his bed.

After that, Alicia lowered herself into the chair beside Jared. "Baby, the doctor said you suffered a pneumothorax. When did this even happen? Why didn't I know anything about it?"

No reply came from Jared. He shifted instead, leaning slightly closer to her.

A sharp intensity settled in his gaze, like he was trying to see straight through her.

Alicia's chest tightened without warning.

Sweat gathered in her palms as her nerves spiked.

Did he notice something was wrong?

"Why are your hands so sweaty, baby?" Jared lifted his hand and brushed it against her skin, as if to wipe the moisture away.

The instant he touched her, Alicia jerked back, fear flashing across her face.

She rushed to cover it up. "It's probably just the heat. The room feels stuffy."

Jared studied her reaction closely, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Anxiety churned inside Alicia, and she could not shake the feeling that he was testing her.

Without lingering, she reached for her cane and pushed herself to her feet. "Honey, I'll go look for a nurse."

Turning away, Alicia swept the cane carefully along the floor ahead of her, continuing the act as she moved forward, feeling her way like a blind person navigating the path.

Once Alicia vanished down the corridor, Jared slowly pulled his attention away from the doorway.

...

Alicia reached a quiet corner of the hospital.

A shaky hand pressed against her chest as she released a long, controlled breath.

No matter how hard she tried, the look in Jared's eyes kept replaying in her mind.

Right then, her phone buzzed in her hand.

The investigation she had quietly arranged earlier finally sent back results.

As she read through the message, fury flared in her eyes.

The man who had officially registered the marriage with her was Michael. Yet the groom standing beside her at the ceremony had been switched.

Everyone believed she had married a jobless man with nothing to his name.

Worse still, Michael had taken advantage of his position as her legal husband and transferred all of her assets away.

Alicia clenched her jaw and forced herself to stay calm while she continued scrolling through the file.

The name listed there was Jared Nelson. He was twenty-nine years old, homeless before moving in with her.

Both of his parents were deceased, and he had been raised by his aunt in Grarmont from a young age.

He dropped out of high school, later moved to Orefield to look for work, and after being deceived by a friend into taking on massive debt, he had ended up begging to survive.

Everything in the report painted Jared as someone who grew up with nothing, which made it seem like his connection to Michael was driven by money alone.

"Is that really all?" Alicia went over the file again and again, but nothing new surfaced.

Disappointment settled into her chest, slow and heavy.

Was it possible that he truly was just an ordinary man?

After deleting the data, Alicia tucked her phone away and turned back toward the hospital room.

She had barely taken a few steps when she collided with someone head on.

"Can you not see where you're walking? You just ran into me."

The sound of that voice made Alicia lift her head at once.

Standing in front of her were Kaelyn and her mother, Jennifer Gill, and what they were holding made Alicia freeze. It was a pregnancy test result.

"Alicia, I got pregnant. Looks like I got there first," Kaelyn said softly, satisfaction thick in her voice, even as her eyes burned with hostility. "You've been married to Michael for a whole month now, but there's still no baby news at all."

She deliberately slowed her words, savoring each one. "Or is it that Michael isn't exactly doing his part?"

A violent shiver ran through Alicia's body.

Her stomach twisted hard, and nausea surged up before she could steady herself.

Jennifer cut in sharply before turning her attention away. "Why waste your breath on her?"

Stepping closer, she wrapped an arm around Kaelyn, her expression soft with care. "Kaelyn, what do you feel like eating? I'll make whatever you want."

The warmth vanished the instant her eyes landed on Alicia. Disdain flashed across her face, and she pulled Kaelyn nearer, as though Alicia posed some kind of threat.

Pain spread through Alicia's chest.

Right then, Michael's voice cut through the tension. "Kaelyn."

He walked straight past Alicia without sparing her a glance and reached out to pull Kaelyn into his arms.

Something inside Alicia shook violently.

Jennifer and her husband had taken her in before she even turned two, back when they believed they could never have children.

Not long after that, Jennifer became pregnant with Kaelyn.

From then on, she understood where she stood and never once allowed herself to want more.

Still, she never imagined Jennifer would treat her like a stranger, or worse, stand by while Kaelyn took Michael from her.

A metallic bitterness filled Alicia's mouth as her heart felt like it was being ripped apart piece by piece.

Everything she believed in, her love and the family she clung to, collapsed in that moment.

It had all been a lie.

Jennifer shifted her attention to Michael and spoke without lowering her voice. "So when are you planning to make things official with Kaelyn?"

Her eyes hardened as she continued, "Kaelyn's reputation is spotless. You should deal with any loose ends before you marry her."

Her pointed glance flicked toward Alicia.

With Kaelyn held firmly against him, Michael's expression softened with indulgence. "You don't need to worry, Jennifer. I'll marry Kaelyn no matter what. No one is going to stop that."

The three of them carried on as though Alicia did not exist at all.

Pain burst through Alicia's chest, and her hands curled into tight fists as she fought to breathe through it.

They had no shame. How could they say such things right in front of her?

Was it because they think she was blind?

Anger surged hot and uncontrollable. Alicia tightened her grip on her cane and swung it forward. The impact landed hard, leaving red marks across both Kaelyn's and Michael's faces.

"Ah! My face!" Kaelyn cried out as pain flared across her cheek. Rage twisted her expression as she charged forward. "Alicia, have you lost your mind? How dare you hit me?"

A sharp knot formed in Alicia's chest, but before she could react, strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

"I'm sorry I got here so late, baby," a man's voice said softly at her ear.

At the same moment, Kaelyn lost her balance and fell hard onto the floor.

"Kaelyn!" Jennifer rushed to her side, panic written all over her face. Only after confirming she was not injured did she turn on Alicia, fury blazing in her eyes. "You horrible woman. How could you lay a hand on Kaelyn?"

Alicia tilted her head slightly, her voice steady. "I can't see anything. What happened to Kaelyn?"

"Don't be scared, sweetheart. You only brushed aside a couple of idiots by accident." Jared tightened his hold around her and reassured her, his tone sharp with restrained anger, and his narrowed eyes swept over them with open contempt.

"You useless piece of trash," Kaelyn hissed, her glare filled with hatred as she stared at Jared.

Without raising his voice, Jared spoke again, calm and detached. "I wonder how many people would be interested to know what the two of you were doing in our home."

Shock locked Kaelyn's features in place.

Rather than respond, Jared looked away and drew Alicia closer to his chest. "This place is too loud. Let's go home."

With one arm wrapped securely around Alicia, Jared guided her away from the scene.

Kaelyn shook with fury as she clutched Michael's arm, her voice breaking under the strain. "I can't take this anymore. How long are you going to keep lying to Alicia?"

Jennifer let out a harsh laugh, contempt clear in every word. "I never should have taken that woman in. Because of her, Kaelyn is carrying your child without even a proper marriage. Say something already."

Michael stayed silent, and both women fixed their eyes on him, waiting.

His gaze lingered on the figures growing smaller in the distance, tension creasing his brow. Only when Kaelyn tugged at him impatiently did he snap back. After a pause, he spoke at last. "Please don't be mad, Jennifer. I care about Kaelyn too much to leave her without a marriage by my side."

Every word carried over to Alicia.

Tears gathered before she could stop them, spilling down despite her effort to hold them back.

In that instant, clarity struck her hard. Family or love, none of it had ever truly belonged to her. It had all been something she imagined on her own.

Worried she might make a sound, Alicia clamped down on her lower lip until pain flared. Her nails dug sharply into her palm.

Jared noticed the blood at once, and a dangerous chill settled in his eyes.

Without giving her room to resist, he tightened his grip and led her back toward his hospital room, steady and unyielding.

"Does your hand hurt?" Jared asked quietly, his gaze dropping to her palm stained with blood.

Alicia gathered her courage, reached out, and caught hold of his sleeve before lifting her face toward him. "Jared."

A sharp glint flashed through his narrowed eyes as his voice dropped. "You can see again?"