My father suffered from serious manic depression.
When I was eight, my house was robbed and my mother was killed. I became blind while shielding my father from being stabbed.
I became the only solace for my father after that.
Anyone who hurt me would suffer my father's wrath.
When my classmate made fun of me for being blind, her thermos suddenly exploded a few days later and she was blinded. When the class bully targeted me, he was found lying in an alley the next day. Something had dropped on him from a high building that broke his limbs.
Not long after, my father achieved great success in his career. He was known for being a sharp businessman.
I continued to be the most important person to him. Whoever dared touch a hair on me was as good as dead.
I was lucky that a top medical research center overseas successfully came up with a treatment to restore my eyesight. On the day they removed my bandages, I received my father's wedding invitation.
[Rina, I found you a new mother. We'll both dote on you when you come home.]
My father told me how gentle and kind my new mother was and how much he looked forward to us meeting each other. I was touched and specially prepared a present for her.
However, she instructed her bodyguards to abduct me and bring me to an abandoned factory.
"Of all the things to learn in life, how dare a young girl like you learn to seduce another woman's husband? How shameless! How dare you steal something that belonged to my husband's late wife? I'll skin you alive!"
My present was flung to the ground and destroyed.
She ordered her bodyguards to force themselves on me and broke my bones. She skinned me alive and put plaster all over me to turn me into a statue. She then put me into an exquisite gift box to give to my father as a surprise.
"Sweetheart, this is the vixen you've kept hidden from me. I turned her into an angel statue. You can see her every night if you put her in your bedroom. You won't need to sneak out to see her.
Today was my father's wedding day.
When I got off the plane in my princess dress, the first person I saw was a charismatic woman who stood out from the crowd.
It was Brenda Sanders, who would soon be my stepmother.
My father had chosen not to remarry all these years because of me. I was very happy for him when he finally met someone he liked. Everyone said that she was a renowned sculptor. Her work was beautiful and gentle, just like how she looked.
It was a coincidence that she looked similar to my mother. The moment I saw her, I felt close to her.
I smiled, wanting to give her the present in my hand. However, I did not expect her to slap me angrily. "You sure have a pretty little face! Is that why you like seducing men publicly?!"
What did she just say?
She stomped on my present while I stood there, stunned. I stumbled and fell sitting on the ground.
Brenda gave me a vicious kick to the stomach.
"Urgh! What are you doing, Brenda?" I screamed in pain and questioned her while yelling her name.
She sneered and looked down at me with crossed arms. "How dare you call my name after being bold enough to seduce my man? Is it a habit of mistresses now to challenge a wife openly like this? You're a brazen one, aren't you, you vixen?"
Brenda raised her leg and stepped down hard on my face.
"I'm warning you! I'll be marrying Wilson Corman in a few hours. It doesn't matter how beautiful you dress up, you won't be able to take him away from me!"
"Mmph… I'm not…"
I was finally able to catch my breath after I scratched her calf. I yelled furiously at her, "What nonsense are you talking about?! Why would I seduce my own father?!"
This woman had to be crazy.
Brenda got angry again and ordered the bodyguards to press me onto the ground. The tips of her heels kept kicking at me. "Who are you calling your father, you little vixen?! This must be one of your tricks to get him into bed!"
She unlocked her cell while speaking.
My playful voice was heard saying, "Come on, Daddy. I just wanted to surprise you!"
My father laughed adoringly. "Alright, alright. I'll listen to everything my baby says."
It was my conversation with my father last night.
I had planned to make a sudden appearance at the wedding and surprise my father with the news of my eyes being able to see again, which was why I did not let him pick me up at the airport.
That was all.
I did not expect Brenda to misunderstand the situation.
Before I could explain, her best friend, Lily Smock, said unhappily, "Sounds like Mr. Corman likes this woman a lot. I've never heard him call you 'baby' before, Brenda."
Brenda's expression fell. She even looked a little savage. "Hmph. That's because she's young and coquettish!"
Brenda yanked my hair hard, and her nails dug deep into my cheeks. "Wilson has seen and experienced a lot in his life."
"That's right! Everyone knows that his fiancée, Brenda, is the most important person to him aside from his late wife and daughter. Do you think you're good enough to be a part of high society?" Lily was helping Brenda put me down as well.
My mouth was filled with blood, and I could not escape from the bodyguards' clutches. All I could do was move my neck as hard as I could to avoid her kicks. That was when my sapphire necklace fell from my neck.
"That's the sea sapphire that belonged to my husband's late wife!" Brenda's expression looked contorted.
She jerked it hard from my neck and continued kicking me. "How dare you steal such a valuable piece of jewelry from my husband's late wife?! You ignorant thing! Aren't you afraid of paying the price with your life?!"
I coughed up blood. "T-This was left behind by my mom! Don't touch it!"
Brenda did not believe me.
She admired the sapphire greedily while gloating, "If your family really possessed such an inheritance, why would you still climb into my husband's bed? You're even making up stories about your mother being dead. What a disgrace for her to have a daughter like you. Your mother must have been a shameless woman too!"
"Don't you dare insult my mother!"
Anyone who laid a hand on me would earn the wrath of my father. As for me, anyone who insulted my late mother—who died to protect me—would earn my wrath.
That was how I went into a sudden rage and managed to struggle out of the bodyguard's grip. My hands reached out to grab Brenda's neck. However, a bat hit me at the back of my head.
I went into a daze because of the intense pain from the concussion and fell to the ground.
Lily berated the bodyguard with her hands on her waist, "How could you let that wretched girl escape? How embarrassing! Lucky for you I was quick enough to act or Brenda would've been hurt. Mr. Carson won't let any of you off if anything happens to her!"
The bodyguard quickly thanked her and apologized to Brenda.
"It's fine. It's not your fault."
Brenda was shocked by what happened. When she snapped out of it, she glared at me viciously.
I was trembling as I tried my best to reach out to my cell, which had fallen not far away from me. It was imperative that I called my father and told him not to marry her.
The thin heel of Brenda's shoes stepped hard on my hand. "What are you trying to do? Thinking of complaining to my husband?"
I screamed from the pain. "I'm Rina Corman! My father won't let you get away with treating me this way!"
Brenda paused and narrowed her eyes to look at me.
I thought she finally realized how similar my eyes were to my father. "If you don't believe me, make a video call to my father right now!"
She unexpectedly laughed as if she were looking at someone dumb. "Can't you make up better stories?"
Her heel forced down on my hand harder, and there was disdain in her eyes. "Everyone knows that Wilson's daughter went blind from saving him. Don't you find it funny how you're glaring at me with your eyes while claiming to be his daughter?"
I felt a chill overcome me as I trembled. I could not say a word. It never occurred to me that my surprise for my father would become the reason I was in danger.
A black hood covered my head.
"Let me go! You don't need to do this! I'm really Rina Corman!"
I struggled with all my might, but it was useless. The bodyguards stuffed me roughly into the boot of the car.
Brenda was pushing them to speed up. "Make it fast or I'll be late to change into my wedding dress."
The car sped up. The ride was bumpy, and I passed out during the journey.
Shrill laughter woke me up, and I slowly regained consciousness.
"What are you doing?! Go away!" I was frightened. I wanted to get up and run.
The sounds of laughter mingled with my hysterical screaming. All the while, Lily kept taking photos from the side.
"Wait a minute. Let me take a better photo of you before continuing. This is a brilliant idea, Brenda! Not only will this vixen be taught an eternal lesson, but it'll also serve as a reminder to Mr. Corman that this little vixen he's secretly keeping is a promiscuous woman. He won't dare cheat on you after you're married."
"It's only right of me as his wife to watch out for him."
I could not remember how long I was tortured. I could no longer see their faces clearly. My condition was like a ragged doll. I could barely move while lying on the ground.
"S-She won't die, will she?"
A bodyguard looked worried. "Miss Brenda, you'll be having your wedding soon. Maybe it's best not to do anything that might bring bad luck. Mr. Corman has always emphasized—"
His words upset Brenda, and she interrupted him with a side glare, "That's just superstition!"
She smiled creepily after that. "But now that you mentioned it, a good day like this might need a splash of red for luck."