There are two boldest things Willow has ever done in her life. First, she dumped her cheating ex-boyfriend, Julian, and even beat him up. Second, she married Julian's rumored gloomy and paranoid uncle, Jude, in a flash. Each of them had a child from a previous relationship, which happened to form a new family. Willow originally planned to settle for a marriage of convenience—an agreement to make do with. But after the wedding, Jude made it clear through his actions that the agreement was nothing but a worthless piece of paper, and the so-called partnership was merely a cover. Not only did he clear every obstacle out of her path, but he also guided her step by step until she could stand firmly on her own. Then, one night, Jude knelt on one knee before Willow, looked up at her with tear-filled eyes, and begged, "Please, love me." Meanwhile, Julian remained delusional. He still believed that Willow had loved him desperately, that she had treated him as her very life, and that sooner or later she would obediently come back to him. After all, where else could she go without him? Who else would ever want her? As long as she softened and apologized, he wouldn't even mind keeping her on the side. The life he could offer her, he told himself, was one that people of her class could never reach in a lifetime. What Julian never knew, however, was that Jude had already transferred all of his billions in assets into Willow's name.

Chapter 1"Congratulations, your vision is fully restored."Willow Vance stood at the door of her house, the doctor's words still echoing in her ears.It had been a year.She could finally see again.She had sneaked out of the hospital, desperate to rush home and surprise Julian Jenkins.Her greatest wish in life was to marry him, become his wife, and build a family together.The moment she pushed the door open, her world stopped.The joy on her face instantly shattered.Under the crystal chandelier in the living room, the man who had held her while she was blind and swore to marry her once she recovered was now wrapping his arm around another woman's waist.The woman had her back to the door, her body pressed flush against Julian.Their arms were intimately entangled as they sipped from their wine glasses, so close that not even a sliver of air could fit between them.The provocative scene pierced her fragile eyes, causing a sharp sting as bloodshot veins surfaced, while her heart plummeted with a suffocating wave of despair.And that silhouette...She knew it all too well.A year ago, she had stood outside the courthouse with her documents, full of hope, waiting for Julian.Instead of him, she was met with this exact woman driving a car like a maniac, crashing straight into her.In that moment, she didn't just lose her chance at marriage—she lost her sight and her ability to ever hold a sketching pencil again.When her gaze landed on the two glaring marriage certificates resting on the coffee table, the room spun, and everything went black for a second.She gripped her white cane tightly, digging the tip into the floor just to keep her trembling body upright.So.She had been blinded, suffering in agonizing darkness for a year.And her fiancé had actually married her attacker?And they were celebrating in the very home she had meticulously decorated for their own wedding?Disgusting.It was absolutely sickening.Clenching her jaw, she reached a trembling hand into her pocket, fumbling until she pressed the quick-record button on her phone.Then, taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her cane and walked step by step toward that blinding light."My house...""Why does it smell like a cheap affair in here?"The two on the sofa whipped around in shock.At five-foot-seven, Willow had a naturally slender and graceful frame, but prolonged illness and suffering had withered her down to skin and bones; the white sweatsuit hung off her body as if draped over a hanger.Quinn Langley, on the other hand, was all stunning curves, draped in a fiery red dress and dripping with arrogance.Julian's wrist jerked, splashing two drops of wine onto the floor.His pupils constricted as his gaze locked onto Willow's eyes.Those eyes, once dimmed by a year of darkness, were now wiped clean, radiating a sharp, clear light.His heart skipped a terrifying beat.Stumbling forward, he reached out to grab her arm. "Willow, why did you sneak out of the hospital alone? It's dangerous. I was worried sick. Your eyes?"Willow saw the feigned panic on his face with absolute clarity; she dodged his touch, tapped her cane heavily against the floor, and kept walking forward. "What about my eyes? Who is in my house?"Julian felt a wave of relief wash over him.He exhaled sharply, then frowned as he took in her alarmingly frail figure.For a brief second, it dawned on him that he hadn't visited the hospital in three months.Couldn't she manage to eat a decent meal just because he wasn't around?He looked away, his tone casual. "It's just me here. No one else."With that, he turned his head, shooting Quinn a covert glance.Keep quiet and leave.Quinn met his gaze but clearly couldn't care less.She tipped her head back, downing the rest of her wine, then pulled a lipstick from her purse, painting her already plump lips into a blazing, seductive red.Stowing the tube, she rose to her feet and sauntered over to stand right beside Julian—directly in front of Willow.She shot Willow a look of pure disgust.The next second.She suddenly reached out, grabbing Julian's tie and forcing his head down.Rising onto her toes, she pressed her crimson lips against his.Julian instinctively turned his head to dodge, but a smear of vibrant red still caught the corner of his mouth.Quinn mouthed the words, "Why are you hiding? She's just a blind bitch. She can't see anything."But Willow saw it.She saw the sickening lipstick stain on his mouth.She saw the venomous triumph and naked provocation plastered across Quinn's face.She even watched as Quinn casually picked up another brimming glass of red wine.Then, she raised it, tilting the rim slightly right over her own head...Just as the liquid was about to pour out—Whack.Willow tightened her grip on her cane, found her mark, and viciously struck Quinn's wrist."Ah!"Quinn let out a piercing shriek as the glass slipped from her grasp.Splash!The entire glass of red wine dumped over her meticulously styled hair.The liquid cascaded down her strands, flowing over her widened eyes, ruining her vibrant lip makeup, and soaking her dress.It was a complete mess.Clutching her wrist, Quinn hadn't even recovered from the shock and pain before a second strike landed."Ugh!"This time, the cane struck her shoulder mercilessly.Then came her waist, her stomach, her back..."Ah! Get away! You lunatic!"Quinn screamed, dodging and thrashing wildly, her elegance completely gone."That's right... I am a lunatic..."Willow's voice was hoarse and trembling.The next second, she raised her voice, fueled by immense hatred. "A lunatic who only beats shameless sluts!"With that, she gripped the cane, gathered all her strength, and swept it fiercely at the back of Quinn's knees.Quinn shrieked as she pitched forward.Crash! Shatter!She slammed headfirst into the table.Instantly, glasses and plates tumbled, sending wine flying everywhere.Her makeup was entirely ruined, her dress was drenched in wine, one of her shoes had fallen off, and her pantyhose were torn, exposing scraped skin.She scrambled on her hands and knees in the wreckage, looking like an absolute clown."Enough!"Julian finally snapped out of his daze.His face turned ashen as he grabbed the descending cane in a vice grip.Willow looked up at him.A suffocating wave of despair rushed to her eyes, burning until her vision blurred.This was the man she had loved for five years, the man she would have risked her life for.Yet in this moment, he was using his own hands to protect the very person who had nearly destroyed her sight.She couldn't speak; her bones trembled uncontrollably.Quinn lay sprawled across the ruined table.Realizing Julian had stopped Willow, she snapped her head up, a vicious glint in her eyes, and snatched a heavy glass tumbler from the table.She hurled it violently at Willow's face.Smash!The glass shattered against Willow's temple, sending sharp shards flying.Warm liquid instantly trickled down her brow bone, mixing with cold wine and blurring her vision.She wrenched her cane free from Julian's grip, raised it high again, and swung at the recovering Quinn...But a figure swiftly blocked Quinn.It was Julian.Without hesitation, he used his broad back to shield Quinn completely.The cane struck his back with a sickening thud.He flinched but held Quinn even tighter, shouting furiously, "Are you done throwing this tantrum?"Willow froze, gripping the cane tight.When she was with Julian, she knew he had a bitter rival.The heiress of a top-tier wealthy family, she was arrogant, ruthless, and acted like she was entirely above the law.So, aside from the year she was blind, Quinn's bullying toward her had never stopped for four solid years...The worst incident was unforgettable.Quinn had her thrown into the deep mountains, laughing, "I just want to see how tough you really are."She had stayed in a pitch-black, damp cellar for two full weeks, holding a broken glass bottle to her throat just to keep the filthy hands of rural men from ruining her.The glass shards pierced her flesh time and time again, scabbing over, only to tear open again.Even now, the crooked scars on her neck still ached and itched on rainy days.Every time she was bullied, Julian would hold her frantically, wishing he could merge her into his very bones, swearing with red-rimmed eyes, "I'm so sorry, Willow. I'll make her pay."Yet his so-called "revenge" only resulted in Quinn recklessly running her over and blinding her.She still remembered that day when Julian pinned Quinn by the throat, roaring with bloodshot eyes that he would kill her.He had been truly enraged back then.But now.He had taken a hit for her attacker and was scolding her for throwing a tantrum?Willow suddenly laughed, tears mixing with blood as they rolled down her face. "Julian, she blinded me and left me in darkness for a year. I just swung a cane at her a few times... and you call this a tantrum?""She was a little impulsive that time."Julian frowned, looking down at her with condescending impatience. "But she already stood stubbornly in the pouring rain for three hours, which even triggered her heart condition."He paused, then added, "She's taken her punishment, and she promised me she wouldn't cause you trouble this past year. Willow, let the past remain in the past..."He stared at her, enunciating every word, "Don't hold onto this."Let the past remain in the past?Don't hold onto this?Willow trembled violently, a suffocating agony tearing her heart to shreds.Her lips quivered as she struggled to form a coherent sentence. "So... what you're saying is... I just lost my sight, but she... she had to stand in the rain for three hours and got sick, right?"Julian instinctively avoided Willow's gaze."Tsk."Quinn clicked her tongue mockingly from within his embrace.She lifted her stunning, malicious face, looking right over Julian's shoulder at Willow, a smirk playing on her crimson lips. "What he means is, me running you over and blinding you wasn't really a big deal.""After all...""It was just a little bet between him and me.""Back then, your precious Julian was so protective, saying you were his bottom line and that if I touched you again, he'd kill me."Quinn giggled. "I didn't believe him, so I made a bet—I bet that if I ran you over, we'd see if he killed me first or fell in love with me first."She glanced at the marriage certificates on the coffee table. "Well, you can see the results for yourself."A loud ringing erupted in Willow's ears, like a gong striking inside her skull.Her throat seized as a metallic taste surged up, burning her esophagus.She clenched her teeth, forcing the mouthful of blood back down.A bet?She remembered how Julian had caressed her blind eyes and whispered, 'Our families can't afford a complete fallout yet. But I won't let her get away with this. This was the last time.'She had believed him.She had believed his scalding tears when he held her, believed his unquestionable "love" when he supposedly donated a kidney to Agatha right after she went blind.She had even believed that to cure her eyes, he had mobilized every connection to find the world's top specialists, even giving up his position as chairman during a critical power struggle within the Zenith Group.Back then.He had gently applied medicine to her eyes and chuckled, 'Losing the chairmanship is nothing. If your world stays dark, everything I look at for the rest of my life will just be black and white.'And the reality?The reality was that it was all just a bet.Her stomach plummeted as if plunged into ice water.How could they... how dared they... treat her life, her pain, and her countless nights of desperate survival as a twisted game?It was so cold.A cold that cut deeper than the damp cellar, more despairing than the endless nights of blindness.Quinn's grating voice echoed again."Willow, you can see now, right? So, how do you like the little surprise we prepared for your recovery?""Oh, right. I have a few more surprises for you.""Why did your gambling addict of a father force you to sign that Liability Waiver? Julian went to see him personally, you know.""While you were in the hospital getting treated for a year, Julian and I were busy falling in love.""Why didn't Julian visit you these last three months? Because I had a tiny cold, and he was so worried he stayed by my side the whole time."Quinn admired Willow's ashen face, her red lips stretching into a malicious grin. "And the biggest surprise of all is... sweetheart, your grandmother's kidney didn't come from Julian. Someone with a perfect match approached us, and Julian was just the buyer who paid the bill while letting you fall over yourself in gratitude."Willow listened as the words burrowed into her ears, twisting like burning, dull blades inside her organs.Chapter 2"Congratulations, your vision is fully restored."Willow Vance stood at the door of her house, the doctor's words still echoing in her ears.It had been a year.She could finally see again.She had sneaked out of the hospital, desperate to rush home and surprise Julian Jenkins.Her greatest wish in life was to marry him, become his wife, and build a family together.The moment she pushed the door open, her world stopped.The joy on her face instantly shattered.Under the crystal chandelier in the living room, the man who had held her while she was blind and swore to marry her once she recovered was now wrapping his arm around another woman's waist.The woman had her back to the door, her body pressed flush against Julian.Their arms were intimately entangled as they sipped from their wine glasses, so close that not even a sliver of air could fit between them.The provocative scene pierced her fragile eyes, causing a sharp sting as bloodshot veins surfaced, while her heart plummeted with a suffocating wave of despair.And that silhouette...She knew it all too well.A year ago, she had stood outside the courthouse with her documents, full of hope, waiting for Julian.Instead of him, she was met with this exact woman driving a car like a maniac, crashing straight into her.In that moment, she didn't just lose her chance at marriage—she lost her sight and her ability to ever hold a sketching pencil again.When her gaze landed on the two glaring marriage certificates resting on the coffee table, the room spun, and everything went black for a second.She gripped her white cane tightly, digging the tip into the floor just to keep her trembling body upright.So.She had been blinded, suffering in agonizing darkness for a year.And her fiancé had actually married her attacker?And they were celebrating in the very home she had meticulously decorated for their own wedding?Disgusting.It was absolutely sickening.Clenching her jaw, she reached a trembling hand into her pocket, fumbling until she pressed the quick-record button on her phone.Then, taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her cane and walked step by step toward that blinding light."My house...""Why does it smell like a cheap affair in here?"The two on the sofa whipped around in shock.At five-foot-seven, Willow had a naturally slender and graceful frame, but prolonged illness and suffering had withered her down to skin and bones; the white sweatsuit hung off her body as if draped over a hanger.Quinn Langley, on the other hand, was all stunning curves, draped in a fiery red dress and dripping with arrogance.Julian's wrist jerked, splashing two drops of wine onto the floor.His pupils constricted as his gaze locked onto Willow's eyes.Those eyes, once dimmed by a year of darkness, were now wiped clean, radiating a sharp, clear light.His heart skipped a terrifying beat.Stumbling forward, he reached out to grab her arm. "Willow, why did you sneak out of the hospital alone? It's dangerous. I was worried sick. Your eyes?"Willow saw the feigned panic on his face with absolute clarity; she dodged his touch, tapped her cane heavily against the floor, and kept walking forward. "What about my eyes? Who is in my house?"Julian felt a wave of relief wash over him.He exhaled sharply, then frowned as he took in her alarmingly frail figure.For a brief second, it dawned on him that he hadn't visited the hospital in three months.Couldn't she manage to eat a decent meal just because he wasn't around?He looked away, his tone casual. "It's just me here. No one else."With that, he turned his head, shooting Quinn a covert glance.Keep quiet and leave.Quinn met his gaze but clearly couldn't care less.She tipped her head back, downing the rest of her wine, then pulled a lipstick from her purse, painting her already plump lips into a blazing, seductive red.Stowing the tube, she rose to her feet and sauntered over to stand right beside Julian—directly in front of Willow.She shot Willow a look of pure disgust.The next second.She suddenly reached out, grabbing Julian's tie and forcing his head down.Rising onto her toes, she pressed her crimson lips against his.Julian instinctively turned his head to dodge, but a smear of vibrant red still caught the corner of his mouth.Quinn mouthed the words, "Why are you hiding? She's just a blind bitch. She can't see anything."But Willow saw it.She saw the sickening lipstick stain on his mouth.She saw the venomous triumph and naked provocation plastered across Quinn's face.She even watched as Quinn casually picked up another brimming glass of red wine.Then, she raised it, tilting the rim slightly right over her own head...Just as the liquid was about to pour out—Whack.Willow tightened her grip on her cane, found her mark, and viciously struck Quinn's wrist."Ah!"Quinn let out a piercing shriek as the glass slipped from her grasp.Splash!The entire glass of red wine dumped over her meticulously styled hair.The liquid cascaded down her strands, flowing over her widened eyes, ruining her vibrant lip makeup, and soaking her dress.It was a complete mess.Clutching her wrist, Quinn hadn't even recovered from the shock and pain before a second strike landed."Ugh!"This time, the cane struck her shoulder mercilessly.Then came her waist, her stomach, her back..."Ah! Get away! You lunatic!"Quinn screamed, dodging and thrashing wildly, her elegance completely gone."That's right... I am a lunatic..."Willow's voice was hoarse and trembling.The next second, she raised her voice, fueled by immense hatred. "A lunatic who only beats shameless sluts!"With that, she gripped the cane, gathered all her strength, and swept it fiercely at the back of Quinn's knees.Quinn shrieked as she pitched forward.Crash! Shatter!She slammed headfirst into the table.Instantly, glasses and plates tumbled, sending wine flying everywhere.Her makeup was entirely ruined, her dress was drenched in wine, one of her shoes had fallen off, and her pantyhose were torn, exposing scraped skin.She scrambled on her hands and knees in the wreckage, looking like an absolute clown."Enough!"Julian finally snapped out of his daze.His face turned ashen as he grabbed the descending cane in a vice grip.Willow looked up at him.A suffocating wave of despair rushed to her eyes, burning until her vision blurred.This was the man she had loved for five years, the man she would have risked her life for.Yet in this moment, he was using his own hands to protect the very person who had nearly destroyed her sight.She couldn't speak; her bones trembled uncontrollably.Quinn lay sprawled across the ruined table.Realizing Julian had stopped Willow, she snapped her head up, a vicious glint in her eyes, and snatched a heavy glass tumbler from the table.She hurled it violently at Willow's face.Smash!The glass shattered against Willow's temple, sending sharp shards flying.Warm liquid instantly trickled down her brow bone, mixing with cold wine and blurring her vision.She wrenched her cane free from Julian's grip, raised it high again, and swung at the recovering Quinn...But a figure swiftly blocked Quinn.It was Julian.Without hesitation, he used his broad back to shield Quinn completely.The cane struck his back with a sickening thud.He flinched but held Quinn even tighter, shouting furiously, "Are you done throwing this tantrum?"Willow froze, gripping the cane tight.When she was with Julian, she knew he had a bitter rival.The heiress of a top-tier wealthy family, she was arrogant, ruthless, and acted like she was entirely above the law.So, aside from the year she was blind, Quinn's bullying toward her had never stopped for four solid years...The worst incident was unforgettable.Quinn had her thrown into the deep mountains, laughing, "I just want to see how tough you really are."She had stayed in a pitch-black, damp cellar for two full weeks, holding a broken glass bottle to her throat just to keep the filthy hands of rural men from ruining her.The glass shards pierced her flesh time and time again, scabbing over, only to tear open again.Even now, the crooked scars on her neck still ached and itched on rainy days.Every time she was bullied, Julian would hold her frantically, wishing he could merge her into his very bones, swearing with red-rimmed eyes, "I'm so sorry, Willow. I'll make her pay."Yet his so-called "revenge" only resulted in Quinn recklessly running her over and blinding her.She still remembered that day when Julian pinned Quinn by the throat, roaring with bloodshot eyes that he would kill her.He had been truly enraged back then.But now.He had taken a hit for her attacker and was scolding her for throwing a tantrum?Willow suddenly laughed, tears mixing with blood as they rolled down her face. "Julian, she blinded me and left me in darkness for a year. I just swung a cane at her a few times... and you call this a tantrum?""She was a little impulsive that time."Julian frowned, looking down at her with condescending impatience. "But she already stood stubbornly in the pouring rain for three hours, which even triggered her heart condition."He paused, then added, "She's taken her punishment, and she promised me she wouldn't cause you trouble this past year. Willow, let the past remain in the past..."He stared at her, enunciating every word, "Don't hold onto this."Let the past remain in the past?Don't hold onto this?Willow trembled violently, a suffocating agony tearing her heart to shreds.Her lips quivered as she struggled to form a coherent sentence. "So... what you're saying is... I just lost my sight, but she... she had to stand in the rain for three hours and got sick, right?"Julian instinctively avoided Willow's gaze."Tsk."Quinn clicked her tongue mockingly from within his embrace.She lifted her stunning, malicious face, looking right over Julian's shoulder at Willow, a smirk playing on her crimson lips. "What he means is, me running you over and blinding you wasn't really a big deal.""After all...""It was just a little bet between him and me.""Back then, your precious Julian was so protective, saying you were his bottom line and that if I touched you again, he'd kill me."Quinn giggled. "I didn't believe him, so I made a bet—I bet that if I ran you over, we'd see if he killed me first or fell in love with me first."She glanced at the marriage certificates on the coffee table. "Well, you can see the results for yourself."A loud ringing erupted in Willow's ears, like a gong striking inside her skull.Her throat seized as a metallic taste surged up, burning her esophagus.She clenched her teeth, forcing the mouthful of blood back down.A bet?She remembered how Julian had caressed her blind eyes and whispered, 'Our families can't afford a complete fallout yet. But I won't let her get away with this. This was the last time.'She had believed him.She had believed his scalding tears when he held her, believed his unquestionable "love" when he supposedly donated a kidney to Agatha right after she went blind.She had even believed that to cure her eyes, he had mobilized every connection to find the world's top specialists, even giving up his position as chairman during a critical power struggle within the Zenith Group.Back then.He had gently applied medicine to her eyes and chuckled, 'Losing the chairmanship is nothing. If your world stays dark, everything I look at for the rest of my life will just be black and white.'And the reality?The reality was that it was all just a bet.Her stomach plummeted as if plunged into ice water.How could they... how dared they... treat her life, her pain, and her countless nights of desperate survival as a twisted game?It was so cold.A cold that cut deeper than the damp cellar, more despairing than the endless nights of blindness.Quinn's grating voice echoed again."Willow, you can see now, right? So, how do you like the little surprise we prepared for your recovery?""Oh, right. I have a few more surprises for you.""Why did your gambling addict of a father force you to sign that Liability Waiver? Julian went to see him personally, you know.""While you were in the hospital getting treated for a year, Julian and I were busy falling in love.""Why didn't Julian visit you these last three months? Because I had a tiny cold, and he was so worried he stayed by my side the whole time."Quinn admired Willow's ashen face, her red lips stretching into a malicious grin. "And the biggest surprise of all is... sweetheart, your grandmother's kidney didn't come from Julian. Someone with a perfect match approached us, and Julian was just the buyer who paid the bill while letting you fall over yourself in gratitude."Willow listened as the words burrowed into her ears, twisting like burning, dull blades inside her organs.Chapter 3"Congratulations, your vision is fully restored."Willow Vance stood at the door of her house, the doctor's words still echoing in her ears.It had been a year.She could finally see again.She had sneaked out of the hospital, desperate to rush home and surprise Julian Jenkins.Her greatest wish in life was to marry him, become his wife, and build a family together.The moment she pushed the door open, her world stopped.The joy on her face instantly shattered.Under the crystal chandelier in the living room, the man who had held her while she was blind and swore to marry her once she recovered was now wrapping his arm around another woman's waist.The woman had her back to the door, her body pressed flush against Julian.Their arms were intimately entangled as they sipped from their wine glasses, so close that not even a sliver of air could fit between them.The provocative scene pierced her fragile eyes, causing a sharp sting as bloodshot veins surfaced, while her heart plummeted with a suffocating wave of despair.And that silhouette...She knew it all too well.A year ago, she had stood outside the courthouse with her documents, full of hope, waiting for Julian.Instead of him, she was met with this exact woman driving a car like a maniac, crashing straight into her.In that moment, she didn't just lose her chance at marriage—she lost her sight and her ability to ever hold a sketching pencil again.When her gaze landed on the two glaring marriage certificates resting on the coffee table, the room spun, and everything went black for a second.She gripped her white cane tightly, digging the tip into the floor just to keep her trembling body upright.So.She had been blinded, suffering in agonizing darkness for a year.And her fiancé had actually married her attacker?And they were celebrating in the very home she had meticulously decorated for their own wedding?Disgusting.It was absolutely sickening.Clenching her jaw, she reached a trembling hand into her pocket, fumbling until she pressed the quick-record button on her phone.Then, taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her cane and walked step by step toward that blinding light."My house...""Why does it smell like a cheap affair in here?"The two on the sofa whipped around in shock.At five-foot-seven, Willow had a naturally slender and graceful frame, but prolonged illness and suffering had withered her down to skin and bones; the white sweatsuit hung off her body as if draped over a hanger.Quinn Langley, on the other hand, was all stunning curves, draped in a fiery red dress and dripping with arrogance.Julian's wrist jerked, splashing two drops of wine onto the floor.His pupils constricted as his gaze locked onto Willow's eyes.Those eyes, once dimmed by a year of darkness, were now wiped clean, radiating a sharp, clear light.His heart skipped a terrifying beat.Stumbling forward, he reached out to grab her arm. "Willow, why did you sneak out of the hospital alone? It's dangerous. I was worried sick. Your eyes?"Willow saw the feigned panic on his face with absolute clarity; she dodged his touch, tapped her cane heavily against the floor, and kept walking forward. "What about my eyes? Who is in my house?"Julian felt a wave of relief wash over him.He exhaled sharply, then frowned as he took in her alarmingly frail figure.For a brief second, it dawned on him that he hadn't visited the hospital in three months.Couldn't she manage to eat a decent meal just because he wasn't around?He looked away, his tone casual. "It's just me here. No one else."With that, he turned his head, shooting Quinn a covert glance.Keep quiet and leave.Quinn met his gaze but clearly couldn't care less.She tipped her head back, downing the rest of her wine, then pulled a lipstick from her purse, painting her already plump lips into a blazing, seductive red.Stowing the tube, she rose to her feet and sauntered over to stand right beside Julian—directly in front of Willow.She shot Willow a look of pure disgust.The next second.She suddenly reached out, grabbing Julian's tie and forcing his head down.Rising onto her toes, she pressed her crimson lips against his.Julian instinctively turned his head to dodge, but a smear of vibrant red still caught the corner of his mouth.Quinn mouthed the words, "Why are you hiding? She's just a blind bitch. She can't see anything."But Willow saw it.She saw the sickening lipstick stain on his mouth.She saw the venomous triumph and naked provocation plastered across Quinn's face.She even watched as Quinn casually picked up another brimming glass of red wine.Then, she raised it, tilting the rim slightly right over her own head...Just as the liquid was about to pour out—Whack.Willow tightened her grip on her cane, found her mark, and viciously struck Quinn's wrist."Ah!"Quinn let out a piercing shriek as the glass slipped from her grasp.Splash!The entire glass of red wine dumped over her meticulously styled hair.The liquid cascaded down her strands, flowing over her widened eyes, ruining her vibrant lip makeup, and soaking her dress.It was a complete mess.Clutching her wrist, Quinn hadn't even recovered from the shock and pain before a second strike landed."Ugh!"This time, the cane struck her shoulder mercilessly.Then came her waist, her stomach, her back..."Ah! Get away! You lunatic!"Quinn screamed, dodging and thrashing wildly, her elegance completely gone."That's right... I am a lunatic..."Willow's voice was hoarse and trembling.The next second, she raised her voice, fueled by immense hatred. "A lunatic who only beats shameless sluts!"With that, she gripped the cane, gathered all her strength, and swept it fiercely at the back of Quinn's knees.Quinn shrieked as she pitched forward.Crash! Shatter!She slammed headfirst into the table.Instantly, glasses and plates tumbled, sending wine flying everywhere.Her makeup was entirely ruined, her dress was drenched in wine, one of her shoes had fallen off, and her pantyhose were torn, exposing scraped skin.She scrambled on her hands and knees in the wreckage, looking like an absolute clown."Enough!"Julian finally snapped out of his daze.His face turned ashen as he grabbed the descending cane in a vice grip.Willow looked up at him.A suffocating wave of despair rushed to her eyes, burning until her vision blurred.This was the man she had loved for five years, the man she would have risked her life for.Yet in this moment, he was using his own hands to protect the very person who had nearly destroyed her sight.She couldn't speak; her bones trembled uncontrollably.Quinn lay sprawled across the ruined table.Realizing Julian had stopped Willow, she snapped her head up, a vicious glint in her eyes, and snatched a heavy glass tumbler from the table.She hurled it violently at Willow's face.Smash!The glass shattered against Willow's temple, sending sharp shards flying.Warm liquid instantly trickled down her brow bone, mixing with cold wine and blurring her vision.She wrenched her cane free from Julian's grip, raised it high again, and swung at the recovering Quinn...But a figure swiftly blocked Quinn.It was Julian.Without hesitation, he used his broad back to shield Quinn completely.The cane struck his back with a sickening thud.He flinched but held Quinn even tighter, shouting furiously, "Are you done throwing this tantrum?"Willow froze, gripping the cane tight.When she was with Julian, she knew he had a bitter rival.The heiress of a top-tier wealthy family, she was arrogant, ruthless, and acted like she was entirely above the law.So, aside from the year she was blind, Quinn's bullying toward her had never stopped for four solid years...The worst incident was unforgettable.Quinn had her thrown into the deep mountains, laughing, "I just want to see how tough you really are."She had stayed in a pitch-black, damp cellar for two full weeks, holding a broken glass bottle to her throat just to keep the filthy hands of rural men from ruining her.The glass shards pierced her flesh time and time again, scabbing over, only to tear open again.Even now, the crooked scars on her neck still ached and itched on rainy days.Every time she was bullied, Julian would hold her frantically, wishing he could merge her into his very bones, swearing with red-rimmed eyes, "I'm so sorry, Willow. I'll make her pay."Yet his so-called "revenge" only resulted in Quinn recklessly running her over and blinding her.She still remembered that day when Julian pinned Quinn by the throat, roaring with bloodshot eyes that he would kill her.He had been truly enraged back then.But now.He had taken a hit for her attacker and was scolding her for throwing a tantrum?Willow suddenly laughed, tears mixing with blood as they rolled down her face. "Julian, she blinded me and left me in darkness for a year. I just swung a cane at her a few times... and you call this a tantrum?""She was a little impulsive that time."Julian frowned, looking down at her with condescending impatience. "But she already stood stubbornly in the pouring rain for three hours, which even triggered her heart condition."He paused, then added, "She's taken her punishment, and she promised me she wouldn't cause you trouble this past year. Willow, let the past remain in the past..."He stared at her, enunciating every word, "Don't hold onto this."Let the past remain in the past?Don't hold onto this?Willow trembled violently, a suffocating agony tearing her heart to shreds.Her lips quivered as she struggled to form a coherent sentence. "So... what you're saying is... I just lost my sight, but she... she had to stand in the rain for three hours and got sick, right?"Julian instinctively avoided Willow's gaze."Tsk."Quinn clicked her tongue mockingly from within his embrace.She lifted her stunning, malicious face, looking right over Julian's shoulder at Willow, a smirk playing on her crimson lips. "What he means is, me running you over and blinding you wasn't really a big deal.""After all...""It was just a little bet between him and me.""Back then, your precious Julian was so protective, saying you were his bottom line and that if I touched you again, he'd kill me."Quinn giggled. "I didn't believe him, so I made a bet—I bet that if I ran you over, we'd see if he killed me first or fell in love with me first."She glanced at the marriage certificates on the coffee table. "Well, you can see the results for yourself."A loud ringing erupted in Willow's ears, like a gong striking inside her skull.Her throat seized as a metallic taste surged up, burning her esophagus.She clenched her teeth, forcing the mouthful of blood back down.A bet?She remembered how Julian had caressed her blind eyes and whispered, 'Our families can't afford a complete fallout yet. But I won't let her get away with this. This was the last time.'She had believed him.She had believed his scalding tears when he held her, believed his unquestionable "love" when he supposedly donated a kidney to Agatha right after she went blind.She had even believed that to cure her eyes, he had mobilized every connection to find the world's top specialists, even giving up his position as chairman during a critical power struggle within the Zenith Group.Back then.He had gently applied medicine to her eyes and chuckled, 'Losing the chairmanship is nothing. If your world stays dark, everything I look at for the rest of my life will just be black and white.'And the reality?The reality was that it was all just a bet.Her stomach plummeted as if plunged into ice water.How could they... how dared they... treat her life, her pain, and her countless nights of desperate survival as a twisted game?It was so cold.A cold that cut deeper than the damp cellar, more despairing than the endless nights of blindness.Quinn's grating voice echoed again."Willow, you can see now, right? So, how do you like the little surprise we prepared for your recovery?""Oh, right. I have a few more surprises for you.""Why did your gambling addict of a father force you to sign that Liability Waiver? Julian went to see him personally, you know.""While you were in the hospital getting treated for a year, Julian and I were busy falling in love.""Why didn't Julian visit you these last three months? Because I had a tiny cold, and he was so worried he stayed by my side the whole time."Quinn admired Willow's ashen face, her red lips stretching into a malicious grin. "And the biggest surprise of all is... sweetheart, your grandmother's kidney didn't come from Julian. Someone with a perfect match approached us, and Julian was just the buyer who paid the bill while letting you fall over yourself in gratitude."Willow listened as the words burrowed into her ears, twisting like burning, dull blades inside her organs.