Khloe stayed rooted to the spot, her fingers absently tracing the sting on her cheek.
At the far edge of the crowd, James sprawled across the couch, looking half-asleep as he scrolled through his phone. His posture only shifted when he caught sight of Khloe ringed by onlookers and mocked for everyone to see. A strange ache crept through him.
That was his name printed next to hers on that piece of paper, after all. To watch her treated like a joke—it was enough to make him bristle.
He moved to rise from the couch.
But before he could, the sound of Khloe's exaggerated sobs hit him, cutting straight through the noise of the hall. What was she doing now? Was it really that painful?
With tears pouring down her cheeks, Khloe's voice broke apart as she cried, "I didn't know anything! Leo brought me to the clerk's office. I couldn't see—I had no idea who I was signing for!"
Elsie pounced on the moment, fanning the flames. "Khloe, could it be that you've fallen for someone else and cooked up this whole mess to spite Leo?"
Paula stepped in, voice dripping with artificial comfort. "Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions. There's probably been some silly mistake at the office."
Khloe's lips curled up in a silent sneer. What a show—mother and daughter playing both sides just to paint her as the villain.
Jared turned to Leo, his face hard as stone. "You want to explain yourself? You went with her to get the paperwork done. How does the wrong name end up on the document?"
Leo's expression never faltered. He had planned to blow this secret wide open at the wedding anyway.
"Dad, I switched the names myself. She had no clue. The truth is, I never wanted to marry her. I have my own goals, my own future ahead of me. Why should I get stuck with someone who can't even see? She's just holding me back. It made sense to let James Elliott have her. It's not like she's missing out on anything."
For a moment, Jared just stared at his son, struggling to understand how anyone could be so cold.
"That's enough. Keep quiet," he snapped, his tone rough and unsteady.
Leo squared his shoulders, refusing to back down for Elsie's sake.
"No, I won't stay quiet. I'm in love with Elsie and I'm marrying her today. Khloe is now married to James—there's no changing it now."
No one could deny it. The trap had snapped shut, and nothing would undo what had been set in motion.
Out of nowhere, Jared's hand shot forward and struck Leo hard across the face.
The sound of the slap rang out, slicing through the chatter and leaving everyone stunned.
Corrine rushed to his side, grabbing his arm. "Please, don't work yourself up. Think about your blood pressure! It's over and done with now. We need to move on. Khloe will come around. Honestly, the Elliotts are hardly a step down, don't you agree, Khloe?"
But Khloe pressed her palms over her ears, shaking her head and letting out an even louder wail, refusing to listen or be silenced.
Her cries grew more dramatic with each breath, and if they wanted a scandal, she'd give them the performance of a lifetime. She refused to ignore what happened.
Cameras flashed from every angle as the photographers captured every second of chaos. What started as the year's most talked-about wedding had turned into a disaster for the morning papers.
Guests flocked around the Barnett family, voices lowered in urgent whispers as gossip and rumors swirled.
"You're unbelievable!" Jared roared, shaking so hard his fists curled at his sides. "Do you even remember why I fought so hard for you to marry her?"
Leo stared at him, his face burning where Jared had hit him. "What else could it be? Because she saved me once? Fine. I'll give her my corneas if that's what this is about. Does she even want them?"
Khloe's voice cut through the noise, clear and sharp. "I want them. If you and my sister want your happy ending, you can have it. But your corneas? Yes, I'll take them. I think that's only fair," she said, her words broken by a sniff.
Leo's mouth dropped open in shock. Who would have thought Khloe could stand her ground like this?
Off in a shadowed corner, James watched it all unfold, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. The tip glowed for a moment before smoke drifted across his face.
He couldn't help but smirk at her sudden transformation. "Now that's how you steal the spotlight."
His assistant complained, clearly annoyed, "Sir, you and Leo Barnett have been fighting since the day you could walk. And now look at this. You somehow ended up with the woman he refused to marry. She can't even see. What could someone like her possibly offer? She's nothing but extra baggage."
James only lifted a shoulder, his voice smooth. "Gold sometimes comes wrapped in the things everyone else throws away."
Jared's temper burst without warning. He swung his leg and kicked Leo hard enough to knock him flat. "You fool!"
"Jared, have you lost your mind?" Corrine let out a cry and rushed to help her son, her hands shaking as she touched his arm.
Jared's glare swept over the both of them before he faced Khloe, and the anger on his face gave way to an unexpected sincerity. "Khloe, our family has wronged you. I'll see to it that this mess is corrected. No matter how chaotic things look right now, you'll be Leo's wife. Once everything settles, would you consider handing me the formula for Illusia?"
Leo jerked upright, stunned into silence.
Illusia—the perfume that could blur reality and leave the mind floating. The Barnett Group had poured years and a fortune into that research, all without producing a single successful batch.
How could she be the one holding the key?
Perfume had built their empire. It was the heart of Jared's life's work. And Leo had tossed away a treasure without even knowing.
Khloe lifted her chin slightly. "I don't want to stand in the way of what your son feels for my sister. They belong together."
Another breath passed before she added, her tone turning cold and steady, "I'm willing to give you the formula. But I want something in return."
Jared answered her instantly, "Tell me what you want. Whatever it is, I'll agree."
Khloe spoke softly, yet every word cut clean through the air. "I want my sight back."
The room froze. Leo felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at his father. "Dad... I'm your son!"
