Chapter 1

Five years ago, my husband's recklessness nearly cost me both my son and my eyesight.

Five years later, a freak accident turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It brought my vision back.

I rushed home, bursting with excitement, ready to share the news with my husband and son.

But what I saw made my heart drop. My husband was locked in an embrace with my son's piano teacher.

My husband gently stroked the piano teacher's cheek. "You're so much better. I'm sick of tiptoeing around a blind woman. These past five years have felt like a prison to me."

My son threw himself into the piano teacher's arms. "Leyla, I wish you were my mom. Then I wouldn't have to get laughed at because of that blind woman."

Standing at the doorway, I felt a chill run from my head to my toes.

I quietly took out my phone and snapped a picture of this loving family of three, then dialed a number without saying a word.

With my voice steady, I said, "About that research trip to Forhulland you mentioned before, I'm in."

Listening to the voices coming from inside the house, it felt like my heart was being shredded, piece by piece.

Just a minute ago, this was the happiest day I'd had in five years because I could see again.

I went from total darkness back to normal, just like that.

There were no words for how excited and over the moon I was.

But then I saw Robert Baker, who I hadn't laid eyes on in five years, holding Leyla Dunlap close.

They were kissing on my own couch like the world revolved around them, not even sparing a glance at my son sitting right there watching TV.

Right then, I almost wished I was still blind.

I never imagined Robert and my son would ever speak about me with such disdain.

Watching Robert and Leyla get more and more intimate, I was just about ready to burst in and stop them from going any further with their shameless behavior.

But right then, my son suddenly yelled, "Dad, I want some water!" That snapped them out of it.

Robert dragged himself up, clearly unwilling, and went to pour my son a glass of water.

After taking a sip, my son just curled up in Leyla's arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Leyla, you haven't been here for a whole week. Why don't you stay and be my mom?" my son said.

Leyla didn't reply, just looked at Robert with a smile.

Robert got the message and pulled her closer. "It won't be long now. We were married, after all. After her birthday next month, I'll ask for a divorce. Then you'll get to be Eugene's new mom."

"Whoa, I'm gonna have a new mom," Eugene shouted.

He laughed out loud, couldn't stop jumping around the living room, totally thrilled.

Meanwhile, Robert and Leyla just cuddled together, smiling as they watched him.

It was as if they were the real family.

Numbly, I watched them through my phone's lens from outside the door.

I felt like a sneaky thief who didn't belong there, spying on their happiness.

Have they really forgotten that I became the 'blind woman' he mocks, all because I risked everything to save them?

Five years ago, Robert's company scored a massive deal.

He was on top of the world that day, knocking back drinks left and right.

When it was time to head home, I reached for my phone to call for a ride, but he wouldn't let me.

He insisted the hotel was just a few minutes from home, saying nothing bad could possibly happen.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me straight into the car.

Right as we pulled up to our place, he floored it and crashed right into a stone post in the underground garage.

In the chaos, I instinctively shielded Eugene, who was strapped into his car seat.

When I woke up the next day, all I saw was darkness.

The doctor said I lost my sight because bleeding in my brain was pressing on my optic nerve.

Surgery was incredibly risky. If anything went wrong during the operation, I might never see again.

But if we just waited it out, maybe the bleeding would clear up on its own someday.

As for how long that would take, it could be a month, a year, or maybe it would never happen at all.

Back then, Robert felt awful about what happened.

He knelt in front of me and promised he'd be my eyes from now on.

Every morning, he'd help me get up, guide me to the bathroom, wash my hair, even help me shower and dry my hair. He made sure I was taken care of, down to the smallest detail.

He looked after me like I was the most precious thing in the world.

Not for a second did I ever question his love.

I always believed that these five years weren't just hell for me. Robert felt every bit of my pain too.

The moment my vision came back, all I wanted was to rush to him and share the news first.

But in the end, while I spent five years trapped in darkness, he was just fed up with it all.

He called me the blind one, saw me as nothing but dead weight.

He even said living with me was like being locked up in a cage.

Wasn't life just laughably cruel?

But I still pulled out my phone and started recording, almost torturing myself with every second.

I told myself I'd shove this right in Robert's face later.

I'd make him look me in the eye and explain why he did this to me.