Chapter 1

The first thing I did after regaining my sight was to find Mia Sommers and share the incredible news.

But as I stood outside the VIP lounge at the gala, I overheard her joking with her friends about me.

"Mia, are you seriously going to marry that blind guy? He's not even the one you've been waiting for!"

There was a long silence before Mia finally answered, "Kaelen got hurt saving me. I owe him my life. Marrying him is the only way to take responsibility."

"As for Ro... let's just drop it. We were never meant to be. There's no point in bringing him up again."

"Then why are you still keeping that lucky charm he gave you? You're clearly not over him, are you?"

Mia stayed silent, offering no denial.

It was only later that I realized the lucky charm they were talking about was a childhood memento I had lost years ago.

Rowan Miller had found it and stolen my identity, taking the place in her heart that belonged to me.

1

I never imagined that the moment I regained my vision, this is what I would hear.

I was still clutching my white cane, the one I hadn't yet found the courage to throw away.

In my other hand, I held a small cake I had baked myself, step by painstaking step.

My legs felt heavy, as if they were made of lead, and I tilted my head slightly to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"But if you marry him, you'll never be happy! Don't be stupid, Mia!" her bridesmaids-to-be pleaded on her behalf.

The more I heard, the more my heart throbbed with a dull, aching pain.

I had truly believed Mia was marrying me out of love.

Only now did I understand that it was nothing more than a guilt-driven compensation package.

I bit my lip until it stung, then pushed the door open with trembling hands.

The room went dead silent the second I stepped inside.

Mia froze when she saw me, a flicker of genuine shock crossing her face.

"Kaelen? What are you doing here? The streets are so busy―how did you navigate all the way here on your own?"

"Didn't I promise you I'd be home tonight?"

The pain in my chest flared up again.

The string of the cake box dug into my palm, leaving a sharp, stinging sensation.

A cold chill crawled up my spine and settled in my brain.

When I was blind, Mia used to keep me tucked away at home, telling me to wait for her return.

I thought she was being protective, but now I realized she was just ashamed of me.

To her social circle, I was an embarrassment.

I was just a disabled man, a placeholder for the guy she actually wanted.

To her, I was a useless card she felt obligated to keep in her hand.

I stared at her for a long time before finally setting the cake down on a side table.

I had made this for her because she loved sweets.

While I was blind, I spent weeks learning how to bake, breaking countless bowls and wasting heaps of flour.

I had broken down so many times, ready to give up.

Back then, Mia would pull me into her arms and clean up the mess, whispering, "It's okay, Kaelen. I'll be your eyes. We can get through anything together."

When the bandages came off and I realized I could see, I was ecstatic. I wanted to run to her immediately.

But I forced myself to finish her favorite dessert first, wanting to see the joy on her face when I surprised her.

How pathetic. I was the only one moved by my own devotion.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm.

A bitter, cold smile touched my lips.

"Mia, I saved your life once, but I never intended to use that to trap you into a marriage."

"I don't want you to do something you hate just because you feel guilty."

"Since your heart belongs to someone else, let's just end this now. Go find your happiness."

I turned to her friends and gave them a slight, polite nod.

"You're right. Living a lie with someone you don't love is no way to spend a lifetime. Mia deserves to be with her Ro."

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They stared at me, mouths agape.

I didn't have the energy to look at their faces anymore. I leaned my cane against the wall.

Then, I tossed the cake into the trash bin and walked out without looking back.