Refusing to donate my corneas to my husband's childhood sweetheart, Augustus flicked ash into my eyes as punishment, damaging my retinas. My vision blurred, but his cruelty didn’t stop there.

He threatened me with our unborn child.

"If you don’t give up your eyes, I’ll use our child's instead. After all, both of you rely on me, so what difference does it make if you can see or not?"

Khloe, the childhood sweetheart, chimed in pitifully, “Seraphina, you have Augustus to take care of you. I’m not like you. I still need to earn a living with my own hands. I can’t be without my sight.”

After four years of dating and three years of marriage, I finally saw the man lying beside me for who he truly was.

I chose to terminate the pregnancy, filed for divorce, and bought a ticket to Paris. It was time I started living for myself.

“Celeste, is there any vacancy in your company’s design department?”

My friend Celeste Taylor dropped everything she was doing at the other end of the call and practically squealed with excitement.

“Seraphina, you finally came around! Our boss was so impressed with you a few years ago and made you such a great offer, but you didn’t even consider it. You have such unparalleled embroidery skills, yet you chose to settle down for that man named Hernandez.”

At the mention of Augustus, a wave of emotions washed over me. I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and spoke without tears, “I plan to divorce him. I was blind before, wasting my love and time.”

She sensed my disappointment and quickly comforted me, before passionately exclaiming, “Everyone knew how good you were to him, and he dared to betray you! Stop talking about it and come to Paris immediately. There are plenty of people better and more attractive than him here. No need to tie yourself to one bad match!”

Efficient as ever, she arranged everything for my move to Paris; all I had to do was get on the plane.

As I hung up, Augustus walked in. He only heard me saying goodbye, rubbed his tired brow, and tossed his briefcase next to me with a question.

“Who was that on the phone? You didn’t even come to the door to help me take off my shoes.”

I casually opened the email Celeste had sent me about the job position, checked the salary, and replied, “Just a friend.”

In the past, he would’ve grabbed my wrist, demanding to know which friend—male or female. But now, his whole mind was on his sweetheart, Khloe, who was suffering from an eye condition and needed constant care. Lately, Augustus had been running back and forth between the office and the hospital, rarely coming home and looking exhausted.

He loosened his tie and walked into the living room, expecting, as usual, a table full of hot, delicious food.

Instead, the ornate glass chandelier reflected off a spotless white marble table, empty and bare.

The anger he’d been holding back since walking in finally erupted.

“Seraphina, I work hard to support you at home, and you do nothing all day. I mean, you can’t even manage the basics. I come home from the hospital, and there’s not even a hot meal waiting for me!”

“Marrying you was a waste; I should’ve married a maid. I asked you to give your corneas to Khloe. What's the issue? Your eyes would be a waste on you; she can use them to create value.”

I rose from the sofa and coldly stared at him. His face, twisted with anger, was a far cry from the Augustus I once knew.

“You don’t call, and when you suddenly come home, you still expect a feast? I know you’re always tending to Khloe, but can you tell her not to covet other people’s things so much? My eyes might be useless to you, but they’re mine.”

He paused, perhaps remembering the call he meant to make before returning home, which had slipped his mind during Khloe’s playful coaxing.

Staring into my dim, calm eyes devoid of their former brilliance, he cleared his throat, realizing he’d overstepped.

“I know you’re just jealous and saying things out of anger. I’m your husband for life. She’s just my sister; she went blind suddenly and needs someone around. You’re her sister-in-law and older. Can’t you be magnanimous?”

“We’ll talk about the eyes later. If we find a suitable donor, I won’t make you suffer through this.”

Then he changed the subject, asking with unexpected concern, “Is your eye okay?”

A few days ago, his attitude was different. He’d called demanding I come to a private hospital. Worried something had happened, I rushed down the stairs, sprained my ankle but hobbled quickly to the hospital.

I walked in to find him tenderly caressing Khloe’s pale face. He looked at me with disdain and demanded I give my eyes to Khloe.

When I refused, he punished me by gripping my chin, imprisoning me in his arms, forcing me to keep my eyes open as he flicked ash into them.

He didn't know the warmth of the ash left my vision blurry and ruined my journey home.

I didn't tell him anything, choosing instead to show my refusal through my actions. I turned back to the bedroom, gathering my belongings for the trip abroad. Soon enough, I heard Augustus’s voice in the living room, dripping with sweet talk. It was obvious who he was speaking to.

“Khloe, I'll be back at the clinic soon. Want some grapes? Let me peel them for you and feed them to my little darling myself.”

“Want to hear a story before bed tonight? Not in the mood for a story? Then I'll sing for you. I’ll stay by your side, I’m not going anywhere, and I'll make sure you sleep peacefully.”

I paused in the midst of folding clothes, suddenly recalling the first time I learned about Khloe's existence. One night, a nightmare jolted me awake. Turning over, I realized the warmth beside me on the vast bed was gone, and from the balcony, I heard Augustus's agitated voice barking orders.

“I don’t care how much it costs, get the doctor here from Europe now! Khloe is an heir to a great tradition of tapestry weaving, and she ruined her eyesight preserving this cultural heritage. I will not allow such a talented girl to have her future destroyed.”

“Send more bodyguards to keep an eye on her. Don’t let her have any more dangerous thoughts. I’m on my way!”

I sat on the cold bed, calling after his retreating figure, “Augustus, I had a nightmare…”

He didn’t even turn around, just clicked his tongue with impatience. “Why are you being so dramatic? We have a real crisis here; we can deal with your issues later.”

So, I sat there through the night, not daring to fall asleep for fear of returning to those terrifying dreams. In the dreams, I was abandoned in a pitch-black night, endlessly chasing after a shadow I could never reach.

From that day on, the dreams seemed to seep into reality. Khloe was settled in a private clinic where Augustus held shares, attended by an expert team dedicated solely to her. Daily, he personally cared for her without fail. Even on our anniversary and my birthday, he was with Khloe.

When Khloe complained about the smell of disinfectant, Augustus bought her a villa next to the clinic, ensuring her every comfort and emotional need was met. I protested and questioned him, convinced that his actions went beyond those of normal friendship. He, however, remained unfazed, scrutinizing me with narrowed eyes.

“Seraphina, you’ve changed. You used to be generous and kind, always caring even for stray cats. Why are you now jealous of a blind woman?”

“Were you faking all that kindness? Or do you not love me at all, and by extension, dislike my sister?”

His repeated challenges to my love struck a chord as I glanced at my red, swollen hands, managing only a bitter smile. I cared for his sensitive stomach, cooking for him every day, only for him to pass it all to Khloe.

Once, Khloe realized the meal wasn’t made by the housekeeper but by me, and she ended up vomiting, claiming it was poisoned. Augustus, without discerning the truth, stormed home and submerged my hands in icy water, accusing me of being unhygienic.

With numb, swollen hands, I scrolled through memories of our love on my phone, silent tears streaming down my face when Khloe called, her voice frail and apologetic.

“Sister, I’m sorry. I didn’t know Augustus would get so angry. It’s just my stomach acting up, but he was so concerned he gave me a diamond ring as your apology. Thank you, sister, I love it.”

After the call ended, a picture arrived: her delicate hand adorned with a dazzling black diamond. Augustus had bought it at auction last week, saying it was my anniversary gift, but he had given it to Khloe instead.

Behind me, Augustus returned late and continued to scold me.

“I see Khloe only as a sister. Now that she’s lost her eyesight, as her brother, it's my duty to care for her. I spared you from worrying about these trivial matters out of concern, knowing you wouldn’t handle looking after a patient.”

He ambled over, noticing the large diamond ring on my phone screen, and sheepishly rubbed his nose.

“That ring, well, your hands are swollen and it wouldn't look good on you right now. It would be a waste if it doesn't fit, so I gave it to the young girl since she loved it.”

I took a deep breath of the stagnant air on the balcony, the chill biting. There were many questions I hadn’t voiced, knowing it would be in vain. If he truly saw her as a sister, why feed her by hand, why fasten her undergarments, why cradle Khloe to the bathroom?

I shook my head, trying to shake off the somber mood, suppressing the sharp pang in my chest as I clutched the Victorian-style nightgown I was folding. Just a month ago, I had tried to be thoughtful, baking a spiced honey cake to bring over and check on Khloe's health.

However, what I found was laughter echoing from the mansion in the Alps, where Augustus's old friends had gathered to cheer Khloe up with a party. They played games, constantly nudging Augustus and Khloe closer together.

Amid the lively music, a friend chuckled, "Augustus, remember when you were a kid and wished for Khloe to be your girlfriend? Has that wish come true now?"

Standing outside on the lawn, concealed by shadows, my body trembled as I hoped for him to clarify, to say something that would allow me to delude myself—that Augustus was just honoring an old friendship. But he didn't.

When Khloe tightened her grip on his arm, he smiled and nodded.

The room erupted in celebration, with everyone raising their glasses in a toast, urging the two to share a kiss. My blood rushed to my head in a heated fury, and I pressed the doorbell forcefully.

The door swung open to Augustus's frown. "What are you doing here? Didn't I say I wouldn’t be home tonight? Don't ruin the vibe," he muttered with disdain.

Turning back to wave off the curious glances from his friends, he shut the door on my wounded expression.

When asked who I was, he merely took a sip of red wine, his long lashes casting a shadow over his indifferent face. "Just someone asking for directions," he replied nonchalantly.