Chapter 2

When the pen reached the name Chloe Reed, I raised my hand and threw it down.

"I'm not signing."

Adrian frowned.

"What's wrong?"

I fought hard to press down the sob in my throat and carved a few words into the braille paper.

"I don't want it anymore."

Coming to New York, going from an unknown newcomer to the position of chief designer, took me six years.

Everything I had now, I'd earned with my own two hands and my own blood and sweat.

But now, Adrian wanted me to hand it all to Chloe with my own hands.

Coming to New York, going from an unknown newcomer to the position of chief designer, took me six years.

Everything I had now, I'd earned with my own two hands and my own blood and sweat.

But now, Adrian wanted me to hand it all to Chloe with my own hands.

The impatience in his eyes was almost impossible to hide, but his tone softened anyway.

"Baby, I want to give you security. You can't see, can't hear, can't speak clearly. I'm afraid someone will take advantage of you later."

He was still lying to me.

Braille was my only way to communicate with the outside world.

And my outside world was only Adrian.

The night I was attacked, I endured the double agony of losing my mother and being tortured.

Back then, I even thought about slamming my head into the wall to go be with my mother.

It was Adrian who arrived when I was about to split my head open and locked me tight in his arms.

From that day on, he taught himself braille and taught me over and over, like teaching a newborn child.

I couldn't hear or see.

So the moment he told me in braille that the trial was won, I decided he was the one for life.

But now that I could finally see, could finally hear the truth, my heart ached like it was about to burst.

The living room was dead silent.

Until Adrian's phone rang.

The caller was Chloe.

He picked up, and Chloe's crying came through immediately.

"Adrian, please save me, okay? I'm begging you... he's going to beat me to death..."

On the other end, there were sounds of arguing and things being smashed.

A man was shouting.

"Didn't we say you'd trick a woman into having a baby for your brother within two years? Where is she?"

"Do you even care about your brother? He was born brain-damaged. I think your wings have grown now. I'll beat you to death today!"

Chloe screamed.

Adrian's face instantly darkened.

Chloe cried until her voice went hoarse.

"Adrian, Emma can't see or hear right now. Please help me, just one night."

"Just one night..."

Adrian clenched his fists.

In the end, he spoke.

"Okay."

That one word, "okay," was like an electric current through my body, nailing me in place.

I turned to run.

But it was too late.

Adrian grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms.

"Emma, haven't you always wanted a child? I'll give you one."

I raised my hand to push him, but he gave me no room to refuse, gripping my wrist and pulling me toward the bedroom.

Fear rose from the bottom of my heart, almost swallowing me whole.

Ten minutes later, Chloe pushed open the villa door and walked in.

Her face was covered in tears, her voice still shaking.

"My brother's already on his way. He'll be here any minute."

"Adrian, thank you, really..."

Still crying, she took a bottle of pills out of her bag.

"My brother's already on his way. He'll be here any minute."

"Adrian, thank you, really..."

Still crying, she took a bottle of pills out of her bag.

"Ovulation pills. Give them to her to drink, and she might conceive tonight."

Adrian took the pills, poured them into a cup, and held it to my lips.

"Milk. Drink it while it's warm. It's good for you."

He pressed the braille paper he'd written into my palm.

He was still lying to me.

But Adrian, did you forget?

I'm allergic to milk.

I shook my head.

Adrian paid no attention to my reaction at all. He pinched my chin and tried to force it down my throat.

"Enough!"

A rough, hoarse voice tore out of my throat.

I raised my hand and knocked the cup from his.

"How long are you two going to keep lying to me?"

In that moment, all the grievance I'd swallowed came flooding out like a broken dam.

The cup shattered on the floor.

Adrian almost instinctively shielded Chloe behind him.

Both their faces were full of disbelief.

"Emma..." Adrian stared at me. "You've recovered? You can see, and you can hear?"