I was kidnapped by my own husband.

He wanted my cornea—for his first love.

He thought I'd never find out.

I was tied up, half-conscious, listening to their conversation.

"Mr. Cooper, why must you take Mrs. Cooper's cornea for Ms. Shaw?"

"Cathy lost her sight giving birth to my child. I owe her." Xander said, "She'll never recognize the child as ours unless Sharon goes blind. I have no choice."

His child?

So he didn't just cheat—he had a child with her.

Fine, let them think I'll never know.

Becasue when I wake up, I'd make sure they paid for it.

***

Just as I was starting to wake up, I heard a woman's voice.

"Xander, the doctor said the surgery was a success. I'll be able to see everything soon."

Xander replied gently, "Yes, you've been blind ever since you gave birth to Jason. You've never seen our son. He looks just like you.

Once Sharon wakes up, she'll realize she's gone blind. Then, I'll introduce you as the new nanny I hired, and you'll take care of her.

As for Jason, he'll be the orphaned son of an old friend and his late wife. It would make perfect sense to bring him home.

That way, you can stay here and watch Jason grow up. Sharon can't see—she won't notice anything."

But the woman didn't sound happy. Instead, she asked with concern,

"But Xander, what if you and Sharon have a child later on? Won't you forget about Jason? Sharon won't care about him either."

Xander replied softly, "That won't happen. Sharon isn't like that. But I understand your concern. From now on, I'll make sure she takes her pills every time. I promise you, Jason will be my only child."

Hearing his promise, the woman finally smiled, her voice turning sweet.

"Xander, you're the best."

From her voice, I realized the woman was none other than Xander's secretary—Cathy Shaw.

But Cathy had left a year ago. I thought she had gotten married. I never imagined she had been pregnant.

And the father of her child was my husband—Xander.

I had been married to Xander for five years, and in all that time, we'd never had a single argument.

No matter what happened, he always put me first. I truly believed he loved me, that I meant everything to him.

I never imagined it was all an illusion.

He didn't just steal my cornea—he planned to trick me into letting Cathy live in our home and raise their child.

The thought made my heart ache as if it were bleeding. I couldn't hold back my tears and let out a sob.

Xander, unaware, thought I was having a nightmare. He whispered to Cathy,

"Sharon's waking up soon. I'll take you back to rest."

The door opened, and the two of them walked out.

I lay in bed, crying uncontrollably.

When Xander returned and saw me in distress, he assumed I was still terrified from the kidnapping.

He rushed to me, pulling me into his arms.

"Sharon, it's okay. It's me, Xander. You're safe now. It's all right..."

The TV was broadcasting news of Xander mobilizing all his resources to search the city for me.

Lying in his arms, the scent I used to find comforting now felt completely foreign.

Through my tears, I asked, "My eyes… Xander, why can't I see?"

He paused for a moment before replying in a heavy voice,

"Sharon, the kidnappers took your corneas…

I'm so sorry. I failed to protect you. But don't be afraid. From now on, I'll be your eyes."

Xander's voice was as tender as ever.

But as I listened, all I felt was a deep, numbing cold.

Because Xander—it was you who took my corneas.

I didn't say a word—I just let my tears flow freely.

I had been there for Xander during his darkest days.

That year, his father passed away, the Cooper family business collapsed, and he worked himself to the bone, barely holding it together.

His uncle tried to take over his father's company, and everyone in Los Angeles avoided him like he carried a disease.

I was the only one who stood by him. I begged my father to help him.

Xander had been deeply moved. He swore he would bring the Cooper name back to its former glory. And when that day came, he promised, he'd give me the grandest wedding Los Angeles had ever seen.

I believed in him—and he didn't disappoint me. In less than three years, he staged a stunning comeback.

He not only took back the company from his uncle but also became the richest man in Los Angeles.

On his big day, he held a press conference.

There, he pulled out a diamond ring, knelt on one knee, and said:

"Sharon, I designed this ring myself. It was crafted by the top jewelry designer in France. It's one of a kind—just like my love for you.

Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today. But I'm not with you out of gratitude. I'm with you because I love you.

Sharon, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

That day, his proposal dominated the headlines.

I became the envy of every girl in Los Angeles.

Our love story became a city legend.

Xander did love me—but he still betrayed me for the thrill of someone new.

He cheated on me with Cathy.

And for her, he didn't hesitate to hurt me.

He was no longer the man I once knew.

Seeing that I had calmed down, Xander asked gently,

"Are you feeling okay? Or are you hungry? Should I make you some soup? You've always loved the one I make."

He used to spoil me. He knew I had stomach issues and was picky with food, so he often cooked for me himself.

No matter how late it was, if I said I was hungry, he'd get up right away and cook for me.

Back then, I would've accepted with a smile.

But now, hearing those same words made me feel nothing but disgust.

He was just a guilty man trying to ease his conscience.

Still, I agreed—just to get him out of the room.

Even though I was in a hospital, I knew this was Xander's private VIP suite. It had everything I might need.

As he went to the kitchen, I reached for a phone.

Worried he might come back suddenly, I turned the volume down, activated the voice assistant, and switched on blind mode.

I opened WhatsApp, planning to message my best friend, who was pinned at the top of my contacts.

But as soon as I tapped on the pinned chat, a voice message played by accident.

"Xander, he just called me ‘Mama' for the first time. His little voice was so cute! Let him say ‘Dada' for you, okay?"

Hearing Cathy's voice, I realized—I was holding Xander's phone.

And the pinned contact at the top wasn't me.

A sharp pain pierced my chest.

From the kitchen, I could still hear him chopping vegetables. He hadn't noticed anything.

I played the next voice message.

"Can he call me ‘Dada' now? That's such a big moment! Of course I want to hear it in person! I'll put Sharon to sleep and come to you right away."

His voice was filled with excitement and joy.

I could hear how much he cherished Cathy and their child.

My mind drifted back to the night before I was kidnapped.

I'd gotten up in the middle of the night to get some water and saw that Xander wasn't beside me.

I thought he was in the study working, and didn't think much of it.

I had no idea he was with another woman.

I still remembered our wedding night.

After our first time together, I lay in his arms and said,

"Xander, since I married you, I want to stay with you for life.

If one day you stop loving me, I'll leave—and I'll make sure you never find me again."

Xander had looked into my eyes and sworn,

"I promise I'll love only you in this lifetime. If I ever betray you, may I live out my days alone."

Footsteps came from the kitchen. I quickly turned off the phone and put it back where I found it.

Xander came in with a bowl of soup and sat beside me. He said softly,

"The soup's ready. Let me feed you."

He blew on the soup to cool it and brought the spoon to my lips.

Just then, his phone rang. After a brief hesitation, he answered.

"Mr. Cooper, the client just finalized the contract. You need to come to the office and sign it."

I sneered inwardly.

What kind of client signs contracts at 11 p.m.?

Besides, all of Xander's assistants were men.

That voice was clearly Cathy's.

There was no contract—just their secret code for meeting up.

Xander hesitated for two seconds. Then, I heard a baby crying through the phone.

He immediately replied, "Okay, I'll be right there."

He hung up, placed the bowl in my hands, and said gently,

"Sorry, Sharon, something urgent came up. The soup..."

I smiled. "It's fine. I can eat by myself. Go ahead."

Xander looked surprised. He had expected me to cry, to beg him not to go.

But I agreed without hesitation.

Though confused, he was more worried about the baby. He patted my head and said,

"You're so understanding, Sharon. I'll be back soon."

I nodded. "Go."

As the door closed, I was finally alone.

This time, I found my own phone.

I sent a voice message to my friend, Kaylen Rollins, in France—asking her to schedule a corneal transplant for me.

I also asked her to book the earliest flight for the day after tomorrow.

I used to believe in love with all my heart.

But love can change in an instant.

Xander broke his promise, choosing Cathy and their child over me again and again.

If that was the life he wanted—then I would give it to him.

Xander, I don't want you anymore.

The next day, I woke to find it was already noon. The hospital room was eerily silent.

I groped my way out of bed, intending to go to the bathroom. But I still wasn't used to navigating the world without sight. I stumbled hard into a table, gashing my leg and drawing blood.

I collapsed to the floor, wincing in pain, gritting my teeth.

Just then, Xander walked in. The moment he saw me, he rushed over, panic in his voice.

"Sharon! How could you be so careless? If you needed to go to the bathroom, you should've called me.I just stepped out to buy something—how did you manage to hurt yourself?"

Liar.

There wasn't even a trace of cold air on him. He clearly hadn't been outside at all.

Once again, Xander had broken his promise. He never came back last night.But this time, my heart didn't ache anymore.All that remained was a cold, unending hatred.

If he hadn't taken my cornea, I wouldn't be hurting like this.

I answered coolly, "It's nothing. Go on with whatever you were doing."

Xander gently patted my head. "Nothing is more important than you."

If he had said those words a few months ago, I would've believed him without question.

After all, back then, Xander would rush home from overseas trips the moment I said I wasn't feeling well.He knew exactly when my period pains would hit, and every month, he canceled all his appointments just to be with me.He remembered my cycle better than I did.

That thought made a chill run down my spine.

Ever since I woke up, I had been trying to figure out why Xander chose to kidnap me that particular day.

Then it hit me—it was because my period was just a few days away.

Surgery during menstruation carries the risk of excessive bleeding.Even though he wanted my cornea, he didn't want to endanger my life.

He used to love me—or at least, I thought he did.

But not anymore.

I let out a bitter laugh but didn't respond.

Xander helped me to the bathroom, then asked gently what I wanted for lunch.

I ignored his question and instead said, "Xander, I'm feeling better now. I want to go home."

He hesitated. "But your eyes…"

I let out a cold snort. "What, do you think I can see better in a hospital? I'm not familiar with this place—of course I'd bump into things. But at home, I've lived there for five years. I know every corner. Even without sight, I can move around just fine.Xander, I want to go home."

He considered it for a moment, then relented with a soft voice, "Alright. I'll take you home now."

After completing the discharge paperwork, Xander drove me back to the villa.

By the time we arrived, it was already late. I sat on the sofa, silently planning how I would leave without him noticing.

Then Xander suddenly said, "Sharon, there's something I need to tell you. A friend of mine… his wife passed away during childbirth. Yesterday, he got into a car accident. By the time I got to the hospital, he was already dying.He begged me to raise his child. It was all so sudden, and I couldn't bring myself to say no.The baby is still in the hospital, but I want to bring him home."

Xander was a good actor.If I hadn't already known the truth, I might've believed his story.

I calmly took a sip of water and replied flatly, "That's very kind of you. Bring the child home tomorrow."

Xander beamed and pulled me into his arms. "I knew it. My Sharon is the most understanding woman. I knew you'd get it.From now on, the three of us will be a happy little family."

I smiled faintly, but in my heart, I thought: Starting tomorrow, I'll have nothing more to do with you.

Xander made dinner for me, but I had no appetite. I forced myself to eat a few bites, just enough not to draw suspicion.

Seeing how little I ate, he asked softly, "Why are you eating so little? Do you not like the food? You need to eat more.If there's anything else you want, I'll make it for you."

It wasn't the food. It was everything else.

I shook my head. He seemed ready to insist—but just then, the doorbell rang.

Xander went to open the door, and to my surprise, it was Cathy.

He glanced back at me briefly, then lowered his voice and asked, "Didn't we agree you'd come tomorrow morning? Why are you here already? Where's the baby?"

"He's with Mary. He's fine," Cathy replied softly. "Xander, I don't want to stay at the hospital anymore. Can I move into the villa now? I get so scared when you're not around. I can't bear to be away from you—not even for a second."

There was a tremble in her voice, the hint of tears. Xander's tone immediately softened.

"Alright, alright. Don't cry. You just had surgery—if you start getting emotional, it might delay your recovery."

Their entire conversation drifted clearly to my ears. But I acted as if I hadn't heard a thing.

Raising my voice, I asked, "Xander, who's at the door?"

Ah, so we're playing games now?

I could play, too.

Xander led Cathy over and gently took my hand.

"This is the nanny I hired—for you and the baby. Her name is Cathy. You've met before—she used to be my secretary.

She got married last year and had a child, but now she's back. She can help with breastfeeding, handling house paperwork, and looking after you."

He paused, then added, "Unfortunately, she recently had an eye infection and can't see right now. But once her vision recovers, she'll be your eyes around the house."

My eyes?

Weren't those my eyes to begin with?

Xander really was a convincing liar.

Clearly, this story had been rehearsed.

Cathy played along smoothly. "Yes, ma'am. From now on, I'll be taking good care of you and the baby."

She stressed the word "care" with deliberate emphasis—an obvious provocation.

But I didn't rise to the bait. I simply replied, coolly, "Thank you."

Cathy didn't respond. Then, moments later, I heard the unmistakable sound of lips meeting.

Xander's breathing grew heavier. The sofa creaked with their movements.

Cathy, frustrated that I hadn't reacted, decided to escalate—kissing Xander right in front of me, knowing I couldn't see.

I couldn't help but think of the old Xander—the one who used to pull me onto that same sofa.

My skin was always sensitive, and the old fabric had been rough. Every time we made love on it, I'd break out in hives.

So one night, I bought some yarn, and Xander and I stayed up until dawn, knitting a blanket together.

Xander, how could you?

How could you stoop so low?

It was revolting.

I could feel my expression twisting. I stood and excused myself, heading upstairs.

Stumbling into my room, I collapsed to the floor, barely able to breathe.

My stomach lurched.

I gagged uncontrollably.

Maybe the noise I made finally interrupted their little performance.

I heard footsteps. Xander came upstairs.

"Sharon? What's wrong?" he asked, touching my shoulder. "Are you not feeling well?"

The moment his hand landed on me, the nausea worsened.

Then Cathy's voice floated up, filled with suspicion: "Wait… could she be pregnant?"

Xander froze.

He looked at me. "Sharon… did you get your period this month?"

I shook my head.

It was always regular. I'd assumed the delay was from the trauma I'd been through.

Seeing my response, Xander hesitated, then muttered to himself, "How could that be? I was careful. The doctor said Sharon wasn't likely to conceive…"

Then, louder: "Sharon, I'll take you for a checkup right now. If you are pregnant, we'll have to terminate it immediately."

Cathy laughed—mocking, triumphant.

He had gone so far as to blind me to protect her child.

But now, at the possibility that I might be pregnant, he wanted to get rid of the baby?

I let out a bitter laugh.

"Why do we have to terminate it?" I asked, voice cold.

"Because…" Xander stammered, unable to come up with a reason.

But I knew.

He'd promised Cathy they'd only have one child—Jason.

And that meant he could never allow me to carry one of my own.

I was not Cathy.

And my child would never be like hers.

All those years of love?

They meant nothing.

I felt like a complete fool.

After a long silence, Xander finally offered a clumsy excuse:

"I promised my old friend I wouldn't have children of my own until his son was grown. I said I'd dedicate myself to raising his boy…"

He really thought he was clever.

But that was the most pitiful lie I'd ever heard.

I couldn't even bring myself to argue.

"I'm not pregnant," I said flatly. "If you don't believe me, get a test kit. I'm tired. I want to sleep. You two can go."

I kicked them out of the room.

Then I lay on the bed, utterly drained.

So tired.

Before long, I sank into a deep, heavy sleep.

When I woke again, it was already morning.

Feeling a little hungry, I decided to head to the kitchen. But as I passed the guest room, I heard soft moans—low, intimate sounds exchanged between a man and a woman.

How vigorous.

Shamelessly indulging in their desires in broad daylight.

Maybe Xander just enjoyed the thrill of sneaking around.

Disgusting.

I instantly lost my appetite. Turning on my heel, I went back to the bedroom and took a gulp of cold water to fight the rising nausea.

I had no interest in eavesdropping on their twisted pleasure. I just wanted to wait for Xander to leave, so I could quietly disappear from this suffocating house.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened.

The abrupt sound made me jump. "Who is it?" I asked.

Cathy's voice came, light and playful. "It's me, ma'am."

Realizing who it was, I replied coldly, "What do you want?"

"I just helped Sir change his clothes. He's gone to the hospital to pick up the baby. I thought I'd check in and see if you needed anything."

Cathy, seeing I hadn't broken down after yesterday, had come today with the sole purpose of provoking me.

"I'm fine," I said curtly. "You can go."

But she stepped closer and grabbed my hand. Her tone turned vicious.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss me, Sharon Channing. Don't you want to know what I did with your husband on the sofa yesterday? Or what we just did in the guest room?"

"I'll tell you—since I'm feeling generous," she sneered. "We played right there on your sofa, in your house. Xander said he likes women like me. Bold. Adventurous.

"Sharon, if I were you—blind and betrayed—I'd just bash my head against the wall."

She leaned closer, whispering with twisted glee, "Oh, and the child he's picking up? That's mine. You'll be raising my kid from now on."

But instead of getting angry, I laughed.

Cathy froze, confused. "What are you laughing at? Laughing at yourself?"

I stopped laughing and said calmly, "Cathy, do you really think I don't know what you've done?"

"You used the child to tie Xander down, hoping to crawl your way to the top by hijacking his life. But tell me... are you really so sure the child is his?"

Her breath caught. "W-What are you saying?"

Was she pretending, or did she truly not understand?

I didn't bother explaining. I reached out and lightly brushed my fingers over her face, smiling.

"How does it feel to use my eyes, Cathy? You'd better behave. Don't provoke me. I'm not a bunny."

I bit back.

People had spent so long calling me Mrs. Cooper that they forgot—I was born a Channing.

Cathy must have felt the threat in my voice, because the next moment, I heard the crash of shattering glass and her sudden scream.

Xander came rushing upstairs, panic in his voice. "What happened?"

Cathy collapsed into his arms, crying, "It's nothing. I just brought hot water. Ma'am got upset and yelled. She smashed the glass. Please don't blame her—she's still emotionally unstable."

Cunning. She didn't repeat our conversation but spun a lie that made her look like the victim.

Xander looked at her tear-streaked face, heart aching. "Your eyes just started healing—don't cry, Cathy."

Then he turned to me, his voice sharp. "Sharon! Cathy's eyes aren't fully recovered, and she still brought you tea. Your blindness isn't her fault—why are you taking it out on her? You're being completely unreasonable!"

Unreasonable?

I let out a cold laugh.

"Xander, do you really not know whose fault it is that I'm blind?"

His expression faltered. Guilty. He looked away, avoiding my eyes.

"Think about it yourself," he muttered. "I'm taking Cathy to pick up the baby."

And just like that, he turned and walked out, carrying Cathy in his arms.

As I listened to their fading footsteps, all I felt was a cold, hollow amusement.

Xander, so desperate to protect Cathy.

What would he do when he discovered just what kind of woman she truly was?

But I couldn't waste time wondering. First, I had to get my sight back.

So I could watch every one of them fall.

I picked up my phone and dialed. "Kaylen, is the plane ticket ready?"

She laughed. "Everything's arranged. I'll send someone to pick you up now."

"Good," I said. "Also prepare the divorce agreement. And keep my location a secret."

"Got it," she said, then hung up.

Not long after, Kaylen's driver arrived with the divorce papers.

I signed them and slid the documents into the villa's doorframe.

Then I had the driver help me pack a few things—my mother's keepsakes—and left the house for good.

At the airport, the driver asked, "Ms. Channing, would you like me to switch your phone to airplane mode?"

I nodded.

Just then, my phone rang. I accidentally answered it.

Xander's voice came through. "Sharon, I picked up the baby. I'm on my way home. Do you want anything to eat? I can get you something."

I didn't reply.

"I know I said something stupid today," he continued. "Don't be mad—"

"I want something from Sunrise Bakery," I said flatly.

I didn't actually want the pastries. I just needed time.

Xander sounded relieved. "Okay. I'll stop there now!"

I hung up and handed the phone to the driver.

"Block and delete all of Xander's contacts," I instructed. "Then switch it to airplane mode."

He nodded.

I felt the plane begin to ascend, and slowly, the weight on my chest began to lift.

Goodbye, Xander.

Meanwhile, Xander returned to the villa with pastries in one hand, the child in the other, and Cathy by his side.

As he opened the door, a few sheets of white paper fluttered to the ground. He barely noticed them.

"Mary," he called to the maid. "Pick those up and toss them—probably junk mail."

He walked inside.

"Sharon, I brought your favorite pastries!" he called out.

Silence.

He called again.

Still no answer. Only the sound of his own voice echoed back.

Unease crept into his chest.

Just as he was about to go upstairs, Mary's panicked voice came from the hallway.

"Mr. Cooper! These... these aren't junk. It's... it's the divorce agreement ma'am left for you—"