Stumbling, I finally left the villa neighborhood with difficulty. However, I realized I had nowhere to go.

During the three years I was with Chester, I lost contact with my family and friends, disconnecting myself from everyone else. Alas, that was how I ended up.

I felt my way around, feeling lost. Just then, a strong alcohol stench engulfed my senses, and the next moment, coarse hands pulled me into an embrace.

A man reeking of the disgusting stench touched me all over. I screamed, "Help!"

However, all I got in return was the man's wicked cackle.

Finally, he pressed me down against the cold, hard floor. Trembling, I pleaded for mercy. "P-Please don't touch me. I have money… I can give you any amount you want…"

The man was interested. He chuckled in a repulsive way. "Really? You'll give me any amount I want?"

"Yes." I nervously swallowed. After telling him Chester's number, I begged, "Call him. You can ask for any amount you want."

The call got through, and the man turned on the loudspeaker. I heard the sound of a movie; Chester and Yvette had started watching a movie.

Feeling around, I made my way to the phone. In a quivering voice, I said, "Help me! C-Chester, someone's trying to violate me. C-Can you pay him some money to let me go?"

There was an odd silence on the other end. Then, I heard Chester's scornful laugh.

He teased, "What's wrong, Riley? Regret breaking up with me already? I never expect you to put on an act like this as an excuse to get back together with me. Do you ever think whether or not I'll buy it."

The man took the phone away, furious. "Turns out he's your ex-boyfriend! And I thought I'd really get some money! How dare you lie to me!"

He slapped me, and my head spun. I coughed out a mouthful of blood.

However, Chester laughed even louder. "Oh yes, sure, please go on. You're only a blind woman, yet you think you're oh-so-great.

"Now that you've run away without a penny on you, unable to afford even a bottle of water, you finally understand how much I'd pampered you, huh? Is this how you're planning to get money? By pulling this disgusting trick to swindle money off me?"

He didn't bother hiding the mockery in his tone, and my heart sank even further.

When I spoke again, my face was in my hands. With difficulty, I uttered, "I'm not lying…"

Yvette's voice came through the receiver. It sounded distant. "Chester, don't make it difficult for her. her. Riley, how much do you need? I'll transfer the money to you. You're but a woman, and a blind one at that. If you're really sexually assaulted, it'll make it harder for you to find yourself another partner."

The man's hand was pressing down on my waist. Feeling numb, I asked, "R-Really?"

"Of course!" Yvette paused before giggling evilly. Then, she continued, "As long as you beg me. How does that sound?"

I trembled all over as the man leaned closer. He was starting to get impatient.

"Am I going to get the money?" His face was now at my neck. "If I'm not getting anything, you should at least let me enjoy myself!"

My tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably. Casting my pride aside, I pleaded in a quivering voice, "I beg you… I beg you, Yvette, please—"

"Enough," Chester interrupted.

At that moment, I felt hopeful. I thought he would speak up against Yvette's unreasonable demands.

Unexpectedly, he said coolly, "Why would you waste your money on her? She'll come back defeated when she can't take it anymore. I'm not giving her money to teach her a lesson so that she knows who's been providing for her these past years. Out there, a blind woman like her is worthless."

Hearing those words killed all the hope in me. My eyes widened in disbelief, and my body shook vigorously.

The next moment, I heard Yvette's giggle. "You're so cruel, Chester."

A shriek escaped my lips, and I couldn't hold in my emotions any longer. "Chester Caldwell, I'm not lying!"

Frantically, I reached out to grab the phone. With my eyes filled with tears, I screamed in anger and desperation, "Have you forgotten everything? If I hadn't given you my corneas, you'd never be able to inherit Caldwell Group. For all I know, you might now be picking up trash for a living!"

Hopeless and exasperated, I shouted, "How could you do this to me!"

The other end of the receiver was silent.

Moments later, I heard Chester sneer. "Are you still faking it, Riley?"

My breathing was labored. Upon hearing that, I felt puzzled.

He continued, "Back then, you set up the car accident and pretended to help me so that you could marry me. If it weren't for that, how would I have lost my eyesight?"

Those words hit me like a cannonball. Bewildered, my eyes widened as I asked, "What are you talking about? I never—"

"Stop pretending! Even if you're assaulted, you had it coming!"

In the end, he called me revolting before hanging up on me.

The man beside me slapped me hard across the face and threw himself at me. "You shameless woman, I shouldn't have wasted my time on your nonsense!"

That day, my sister, Ruby Seafield, was the one who picked me up. Upon hearing her familiar voice through the phone, I burst into tears.

She was admitted to the hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding. However, when she heard me cry, she immediately pulled out the indwelling needle and came to get me without hesitation. She didn't even know what happened to me when she did so.

I was in a terrible state. Pulling me into her arms, she asked, heartbroken, "Riley, why didn't you tell us what happened to you? How would Mom and Dad really be mad at you? They just thought it was embarrassing to take the initiative to contact you!

"How dare he bully my family! I must make him pay!"

Although the Seafield family wasn't as rich as the Caldwell family, which had been affluent for generations, we were wealthy nonetheless. Otherwise, my parents wouldn't have been so mad back then. They didn't understand why I was so lovesick when I was well-provided for and well-loved.

I couldn't understand what I was thinking back then too. Fortunately, I had the chance to start anew.

Ruby arranged for me to travel. For half a month, I experienced severe emotional withdrawal symptoms. However, I strictly kept myself in check and didn't contact Chester even once.

Finally, one evening, he remembered me. He sent me a text message instead of a voice message, as though he forgot I couldn't see anything.

On the train, I got someone to read out his message to me. "That's enough. Stop acting up. We've been together for all these years. Why do you have to behave like this? Our wedding is in a few days. If you're going to make a scene, do it after the wedding!"

I didn't reply to his message. Seemingly angry, he sent me an angry text. It read, "Many of our friends and family will attend our wedding. Are you going to humiliate me like that?"

I couldn't help but sneer. It turned out he never took my message to break up seriously. It was as though he was sure I wouldn't leave him. He had a point. I was blind. How would I be able to survive without him?

I thanked the stranger and felt around the keypad to type, "I'll come."

I could already imagine his expression when he read that. He must be full of himself, thinking that I was too easy to persuade.

…

The wedding preparations went on as usual. I'd already decided what flowers to go with when the wedding planner company called. "Let's go with yellow roses. That's Yvette's favorite flower."

Not knowing who Yvette was, they agreed in a vague manner.

Ruby told me that Yvette was delighted to see the yellow roses on the day of the wedding.

She heard Yvette telling Chester happily, "Chester, I knew you still love me. This act will be over when you marry her to preserve her dignity before others for what she's done for you. After that, you can divorce her in a few years' time. I'll always wait for you."

As Chester smiled, he looked at the entrance. It was almost time, yet I, the bride, was nowhere to be seen. Panic crept into him. He started calling me frantically, only to realize I'd blocked him.

Guests started congratulating him. "I heard you were able to see again thanks to your virtuous, supportive partner, Mr. Caldwell. You two are truly a match made in heaven."

"You didn't forget your partner who went through thick and thin with you even after expanding your business. You're truly worthy of our admiration!"

Amid their words of flattery, Chester slowly lost his patience.

He went to Ruby and asked demandingly, "Where is Riley? Have you and your family kept her hidden away?"

His face was flushed, and he was clearly furious. According to Ruby, he was never that frantic even when he missed out on a deal worth tens of millions of dollars.

It felt thoroughly invigorating to me.

Ruby admired the look of panic on him before asking in feigned surprise, "Riley? Haven't you two broken up already? I thought you were marrying Yvette today! Look—all her favorite flowers are here!"

There was an uproar among the crowd.

Even Chester's father, Harold Caldwell, strode up to him. Without asking further, he gave Chester a hard slap. "What's going on?"

His mother, Linda Barnes, also roared, "We'll only acknowledge Riley as our daughter-in-law. How dare you substitute her for this tart!"

The bystanders murmured among themselves.

"Does that mean he's got his mistress to be his wife instead?"

"I used to think he was loyal. To think he eventually lost to temptations."

"Alas, that young lady from the Seafield family gave up her eyesight for him!"

…

The wedding ended with everyone criticizing Chester. Under their gazes, his face paled, and he grew flustered.

He was at his wits' end, and his anxiety gave into anger. Snatching Ruby's phone, he dashed into a room and called me.

In a grim voice, he demanded, "Riley Seafield, what are you up to? Is this how you're taking your revenge?"

He was tremendously resentful. His labored breathing slowed down in the prolonged silence.

Eventually, he inhaled deeply. As though he'd made a resolve, he said, "Alright, stop this nonsense. I apologize, okay? Hurry up and come back. We must carry on with the wedding, or the Caldwell family's reputation will be in ruins!

"You ran away from home and pretended to have been sexually assaulted. Now you didn't even show up at our wedding. Haven't you done enough?"

There was a loud bang as Ruby barged in. Her eyes were bloodshot as she snatched the phone from him and threw it on the floor.

Pointing at him, she scolded, "Are you even human, Chester Caldwell? Do you know Riley had really been violated that night?"

Chester froze, and his expression changed. For a long time, he didn't say a word.