Chapter 5

Darcey’s POV

“Apologize,” Alexis demanded.

Every word was sharp, leaving no room for argument.

“Darcey, apologize to Yasmine.”

I froze in place, feeling the blood drain from my body.

I was the one who had been hurt.

Yet I was the one forced to compromise.

I forced myself to speak.

“The ring didn’t fit. She was going to put it on me anyway. I just pushed her, and she fell herself!”

“Enough!” Alexis snapped.

His face was dark as iron.

“Are you seriously trying to accuse Yasmine? She’s about to compete for the principal position. How could she possibly hurt herself just to frame you?”

“Or are you just jealous that she’s about to become the ballet company’s principal and want to ruin her?”

I almost laughed out of anger. Me, jealous? Of a thief? Over my dead body!

“I’m not jealous of someone who’s clearly less capable than me,” I said coldly.

“Darcey!” he roared.

His anger and his blatant defense of Yasmine were impossible to miss.

Sure, I’d known all along that his love for me had been an act.

Even so, seeing him protect her without hesitation while withholding trust from me made my chest ache, making it hard for me to breathe.

Alexis lowered his head toward Yasmine, his voice concerned.

“Where does it hurt, Yasmine? Tell me.”

She pressed her lips together, speaking quietly.

“My hand hurts a little.”

Her fingertip was only slightly red.

But Alexis immediately turned to me with a stern expression.

“Darcey, you hurt her out of jealousy. You must be punished for what you did.”

My heart sank as he pulled a pen from his suit pocket and handed it to Yasmine.

His voice was frighteningly cold.

“Yasmine, poke the finger that hurts on her. Only when she feels the pain will she understand that hurting you is wrong.”

I froze, unable to believe what I was hearing.

I turned to leave, but it was too late.

With Alexis’s help, Yasmine caught my wrist, looking hesitant.

The next moment, the pen jabbed toward my ring finger.

But just before it touched me, her hand twisted suddenly.

“Ah!”

The pen plunged straight into the center of my palm.

Pain exploded instantly.

I couldn’t control my scream.

My entire palm was a bloody mess.

Yasmine seemed terrified, letting go and stepping back with tears.

“I’m sorry… I was scared, and my hand shook…” she sobbed.

Alexis clearly didn’t expect this to happen.

There was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, but Yasmine had already supported me first.

On the surface, it looked like she was helping me.

But from an angle Alexis couldn’t see, her sharp nails dug into the bloody hole in my palm!

Pain ripped through me, leaving me voiceless.

It was then that all the hate and anger I’d held back finally exploded.

I swung my hand and slapped her across the face.

Alexis’s face went pale.

“Darcey! Are you crazy?!” he yelled.

Before I knew it, he had already shoved me hard.

I stumbled and slammed into the glass display case in the jewelry store.

With a crash, the glass shattered instantly.

Sharp fragments cut into my back, arms, and legs, exploding with pain. In that instant, blood soaked my clothes.

While I trembled from the pain, Yasmine’s eyes flashed with anger.

She dove into Alexis’s arms, playing the victim.

“Alexis… I just wanted to check her wound, but she suddenly hit me…”

“Maybe she’s frustrated from being blind for so long… and took it out on me.”

“I’m fine. But what if she goes crazy at the wedding and hurts someone?”

Alexis’s face darkened completely.

He looked at me as if I were insane.

“Darcey, your mind is twisted. Since you’ve lost control, a psychologist will treat you.”

Yasmine spoke softly.

“She still has dances to choreograph. Maybe… bring the doctor home?”

Just like that, they decided my fate.

That day, the psychologist Alexis hired moved into the villa.

The “therapy” was nothing but needles, intimidation, and humiliation.

Any resistance was met with hair-pulling and slaps until I submitted.

The scars I had from my breakdown after losing my sight were treated as sins by the goddamn psychologist.

He ground off the skin layer by layer with a file.

The raw flesh burned with pain. I was sweating cold, pinned down, unable to move.

Until the old scars were covered in fresh blood, leaving a red, blurred mess of skin.

Only in the dance studio, while choreographing, could I escape him.

I practiced with hatred, pushing myself to the limit.

I choreographed dances for Yasmine by day and my own by night.

Only in the bathroom could I secretly contact my lawyer for a moment.

Three days later, I had lost a lot of weight.

The old scars were gone, replaced by countless fresh needle marks and bruises.

Alexis hadn’t come home in days.

Meanwhile, Yasmine’s socials were updated every day.

She was trying on wedding dresses, choosing flowers, checking the venue, setting up decorations.

In every photo, Alexis was by her side.

They were brazenly preparing their final revenge, knowing I “couldn’t see.”

Of course, I was preparing, too.

That night, Alexis finally returned.

He stopped in his tracks, clearly surprised at how much weight I had lost in just three days.

A flicker of pity crossed his eyes.

He walked over and held me in his arms.

“Why have you gotten so thin?” he asked.

I said lightly, “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

His body stiffened with concern.

The next moment, he kissed me.

The kiss was soothing, but I resisted with all my strength.

He thought I was sulking and hugged me tighter, helpless.

“I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t think he would be so harsh on you.”

He handed me a glass of milk.

“Drink some milk to calm down. Tonight, I’ll be with you, okay?”

Seeing the milk, I realized immediately what he wanted.

He was trying to get Christoph, that idiot, to “comfort” me in bed for him again!

I refused immediately, saying, “I’m not feeling well. You don’t need to stay tonight.”

Alexis frowned, clearly thinking I was throwing a tantrum.

Next thing I knew, that psycho was forcing the milk into my mouth!