Alexander quickly arrived at a place filled with chaotic sounds. It sounded like a nightclub. I heard a woman's sweet voice through the earpiece and recognized it as Alexander's first love, Kayla Mitchell.

"Alexander, everyone's been waiting for you forever. What took you so long?"

The sound of rustling fabric followed, probably him embracing Kayla.

"Must've been held up by that temptress at home. Alex, you'd better make it up to Kay."

"Well, that's only natural. I mean, remember Lydia's face, and that body... Damn. When will Alex let us have some fun too?"

A burst of raucous laughter erupted, and Alexander spoke carelessly.

"Sure, once Lydia pays off the debt for me, you guys can have your turn. Can't say I'm not looking out for you guys."

I listened to them fantasizing about me without restraint until Kayla's voice cut through. "When are you planning to tell her the truth, Alexander? You're not seriously going to marry her, are you?

"How about we play her video at the wedding? Give her some fame."

"No!"

Alexander's voice suddenly rose, rejecting Kayla without hesitation. The atmosphere on their end fell silent. Seeming to realize his overreaction, Alexander began explaining.

"My grandpa loves Lydia for some reason. If he finds out about this and strips me of my inheritance, Kay would suffer too. After the wedding, using Lydia to get you more jewelry is much more profitable. The guys are all for it, right?"

"Yeah, Kay, tell us what you want. We'll see how long we need to sleep with Lydia to make it worthwhile. That tiara we bought you last time cost Alex a whole year with Lydia."

Kayla laughed again, her voice sweet and soft.

"Well, I'll have to think carefully. She's really getting off easy. She's probably enjoying herself."

More laughter erupted from their end. As I listened to their conversation, my thoughts drifted.

I came from Blessing Valley, a village where all the women were beautiful and extremely fertile. Elliot somehow discovered the village. He built a golden statue for the village's sacred goddess, asking only for the most fertile woman in the village to bear a child.

I was the unlucky one chosen. Elliot had Alexander marry me simply because Alexander had been diagnosed as unable to have children.

Alexander treated me well at first, sleeping with me every night. I thought he used protection because he wanted to wait until after marriage to have children.

I never imagined I was just a tool for him to release his desires when Kayla wasn't around. After Kayla returned, he couldn't wait to give me away as a gift. My feelings for him were nothing but a joke.

Too impatient to listen any longer, I turned off the monitoring device. Alexander didn't come home all night, but that other man came in the evening.

Even though we couldn't be intimate anymore, he still showed up. This child really was important to him.

I pretended not to know anything as I drank the soup he made for me. Alexander would never cook.

"Alexander, when are we going to announce this baby?"

The man's breathing grew heavier for a moment as he touched my belly. "Soon. I'll make sure my child has legitimacy."

I smiled with satisfaction. From the very first day they switched, I knew Alexander was deceiving me.

Although I was born blind, years of blindness had made my sense of smell and hearing exceptionally sharp.

That day when I returned to the house, someone eagerly embraced me. I initially thought it was Alexander, but when I turned around and caught an unfamiliar scent, I knew it was a stranger.

I struggled and refused to let him succeed, and the man indeed stopped touching me. But our villa had excellent security. When could such a predator have gotten in?

So the next day, I tested Alexander. "Alexander, why were you so impatient yesterday? My period wasn't even finished."

Knowing that a stranger had taken liberties with me, Alexander should have been furious. But he fell silent for a moment and then accepted responsibility.

"Well, you're just too tempting, Lyddie. I couldn't control myself."

I understood then that Alexander was aware of it. That man was someone Alexander had let in.

Fighting back tears, I forced a smile in front of him. So, this was what it felt like to have your heart truly betrayed.

Elliot's deal with the village only lasted until I gave birth to a child. But he never specified who the father had to be. Since Alexander had given me to someone else, I wouldn't refuse either.

So the next night, when the man appeared again, I no longer reacted violently. Instead, I walked over and leaned into his embrace, removing my clothes piece by piece.

"Alexander, we don't need protection anymore. Let's have a baby."

Day after day, this deceptive relationship between the man and me continued for an entire year. I pretended not to know he wasn't Alexander, and he pretended to be Alexander.

Alexander during the day, this man at night. They coordinated so perfectly that they never appeared in front of me at the same time.

Every time Alexander held my hand during the day, the man would exhaust me even more thoroughly that night, leaving me unable to get out of bed the next day. He forced me to say I loved him over and over again in bed, and he would respond each time that he loved me too.

He wouldn't let me call him "Alexander", only allowing me to call him "honey" in the darkness. I heard his murmurs when he thought I was asleep.

"Why do you have to marry him? Do you love him that much? You can't even tell the difference."

Actually, I wanted to ask him the same thing. Why was he deceiving me along with Alexander? I didn't even know who he was.

When I thought of him as Alexander, what did he think of me as? I was afraid I'd hear that he only saw me as a tool, too, so I didn't dare ask.

The next day, Alexander came home early. He said Elliot's party tonight specifically requested my attendance. I was dressed up like a doll, with people fussing over me, until Alexander finally helped me into the car.

When the door closed, my body tensed. There was another person breathing in the car.

The perfume was sickeningly sweet. It had to be Kayla. Was she really this impatient?

Halfway through the drive, the sticky sounds of kissing began, followed by Alexander's muffled groans as his zipper was pulled down. This made it impossible for me to pretend nothing was happening. After all, I was only blind, not deaf.

"Alexander, are you feeling alright? I thought I heard you making some noise."

"No... Ah... Lyddie, you heard wrong... I... mm... might have a slight cold."

I knew Kayla was trying to provoke me, but I really didn't want to listen to their live performance.

"Did you catch a chill last night? I told you we shouldn't have done that by the window..."

I pretended to be shy, and Alexander's side went quiet. He probably pushed Kayla away. Well, nobody likes hearing about being cheated on.

We soon arrived at the party, where Elliot led me around for introductions. Most people were polite for a moment before leaving.

I knew they looked down on me. My background was already humble, and I was blind on top of that.

"Mr. Hayes Senior has excellent taste. This young lady is quite beautiful."

A male voice spoke, and my pupils trembled slightly. It was that man.

"Elliot, who's this?" I asked with feigned curiosity, and Elliot laughed heartily.

"This is the head of the Foster family, Vincent Foster. Let me tell you, Vincent is exceptionally capable.

"At the same age as Alexander, he's already taken the Foster family to new heights. If only Alexander could learn from him, then I'd have peace of mind."

Vincent seemed to have only come to say hello. After exchanging pleasantries, he left. Midway through the party, I followed a server to the restroom, but the server was nowhere to be found when I came out.

Unfamiliar with the layout, I felt my way forward. Just as I reached a corner, someone wrapped an arm around my waist.

A hand covered my scream, and I caught his scent. It was Vincent.

"Did I scare you? How can you not even recognize your own honey?"

He was incredibly bold, daring to impersonate Alexander at such a crowded party. Seeing my silence, Vincent simply chuckled softly and kissed me.

Vincent didn't release me until I was dizzy and breathless.

"I really hope this baby is born soon. It's starting to interfere with our relationship."

I raised an eyebrow slightly. Hadn't he only bought me for a year? Was he planning to renew?

"Take me back down. If I don't return soon, Elliot will start worrying."

Vincent reluctantly hugged me a bit longer, then called over a server. "I'll have him escort you back. I still have some business to handle, so I need to leave first."

Of course, he wouldn't dare show himself. This debt repayment game needed to end. Once I gave birth, the deal would be over and I'd be free. I didn't want to be deceived by either of them anymore.

The server led me back to the main hall through the garden. I happened to run into Alexander and his friends there. When Alexander saw me, his voice immediately changed pitch.

"What happened to your mouth?"

It seemed Vincent had smudged my lipstick. How vicious of him.

"Didn't you just kiss me, Alexander? Are you finished with your business?"

I couldn't see Alexander's expression, but I heard his friends' suggestive laughter.

"Alright, stop laughing. Don't let her catch on!" Alexander scolded his friends in a low voice, but he clearly hadn't realized how sharp my hearing was.

"I never knew Alexander had this side to him. But Ms. Walker, you should be careful. Since you can't see, you might not notice if someone takes advantage of you."

Kayla's voice rang out softly, filled with malice.

"That's none of your concern. Alexander and I are getting married soon. You're welcome to attend.

"I wonder when you plan to get married, Ms. Mitchell. You shouldn't keep hanging around with men like this. It's bad for your reputation."

"You!" Kayla was furious, choking back a sob as she ran off.

"Did I say something wrong? I'm so sorry, Alexander. You should go check on her. I hope Ms. Mitchell doesn't get into any trouble."

I looked completely innocent, and Alexander eventually ran after Kayla. He didn't come home for the next few days. I knew he was busy consoling an angry Kayla.

Vincent, on the other hand, came every single day without fail. Even when I ignored him, he didn't get angry.

Now that I was pregnant, I was too lazy to maintain appearances. When Vincent tried to kiss me, I pushed him away.

"Are you feeling moody because of the pregnancy?"

He started appearing during the day occasionally as well, cooking, bringing gifts, and trying various ways to cheer me up.

Seeing that I remained unmoved, he worried and wanted to take me to the hospital. I was also concerned something might happen to the baby, so I obediently let him take me.

I was examined from head to toe at the hospital. The results were normal. I was healthy, and the baby was developing well.

But I still showed no signs of happiness, so Vincent crouched in front of me and asked, "What exactly is making you unhappy, Lyddie? Tell me, and I can fix it."

I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say.

What could I say? That I knew he wasn't Alexander, and that I wanted to know why he kept deceiving me?

Even now, I couldn't be sure whether he cared about me or just the child in my belly. I sat there in the hospital garden listening to him blame himself, but he still wouldn't come clean.

In the distance, I thought I heard Kayla's and Alexander's voices too. The footsteps grew closer, and she spotted me.

"Well, if it isn't Ms. Walker? What are you doing at the hospital? What's that in your hand..." Her voice cut off abruptly.

The pregnancy test results in my hand were too obvious, and Alexander suddenly shouted, "You're pregnant? How can you be pregnant?"