Clarissa's POV
I risked my life saving Alfie Bowen from a fire, and as a result, I temporarily lost my sight.
He swore he would take care of me for the rest of his life, that he would never leave me.
Thankfully, five months into my pregnancy, my vision unexpectedly returned. But before I could tell him, I saw him bringing his female assistant home for the New Year’s Eve dinner.
At the table, she deliberately mouthed the words to him, "Your wife is so ugly. Just looking at her bloated face makes me want to throw up."
Adding fuel to the fire, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law burst into laughter.
Humiliation burned through me and I couldn’t sit there any longer.
However, just as I set down my chopsticks, Alfie shot me a cold glare.
"Shirley is having dinner with us for the first time. Who are you giving that attitude to?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the air. "Eat if you want. If not, get the hell out."
On New Year’s Eve, he kicked me out of the house. As I stood outside, shivering, I could still hear him boasting inside.
"So what if she's pregnant? I'm not about to start pampering her. Besides, who else would want a blind woman besides me?"
"Don't mind her, she won’t go far," he scoffed. "Just wait. She’ll come crawling back, crying and begging for forgiveness."
But he was wrong.
That night, dressed in nothing but thin layers, I took a cab to the hospital to schedule an abortion.
I didn’t want the child. I didn’t want him either.
——
On the last night of the year, while other families celebrated together, I sat across from the on-call doctor and booked the procedure.
Afterward, I drifted back home like a ghost. The house was dark. Not a single missed call on my phone.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
New Year’s Eve—a time for families to be together. And yet, I was the loneliest person in the world.
Exhausted, I slowly made my way upstairs, feeling my way through the darkness.
But just as I reached for the bedroom door, a woman’s sultry voice drifted out.
"Not so rough… Mr. Bowen, when are you finally going to divorce her?"
My heart plummeted. My hand froze in midair.
I felt like I’d been struck by lightning, unable to move, unable to breathe.
"She went blind saving me," Alfie replied, his tone indifferent but laced with hunger. "I can’t divorce her… not right now."
Then, with a low chuckle, he added, "Besides, doesn’t this make it even more exciting?"
Shirley Crawford giggled, a teasing lilt in her voice. "I wish she could see you like this—so desperate for me. But, oh well… she’s blind."
Laughter rang out, smug and taunting.
I couldn’t listen anymore.
Fury and humiliation surged through me. My vision blurred, and my hands trembled.
Before I knew it, I was downstairs, stumbling in the dark. My hip then hit the table, knocking over a lamp.
The crash shattered the silence and footsteps soon thundered down the stairs.
Within seconds, the entire living room flooded with light.
Alfie emerged from the hallway, wearing nothing but his pajama pants.
His eyes darkened when he saw me.
"You actually came back?" he sneered.
His voice dripped with irritation. "Shirley came over for New Year’s, and you just had to make a scene. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for me?"
I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. Words clogged my throat, but none came out.
Shirley’s first time visiting, and she called me ugly in front of everyone. Her first time here, and she was already in my husband’s bed. Just because I was blind… was I supposed to sit at the dinner table and let them humiliate me? Was I supposed to obediently leave so they could continue their affair in peace?
Alfie glanced at the broken lamp, his annoyance deepening.
"You didn’t help with anything all night, and now you’re causing trouble? What, you think you can throw tantrums just because you don’t have to clean up?"
"Clarissa, you’re getting more unreasonable by the day," he added.
Before I could respond, Shirley sauntered over. She reached out and brushed her fingers against Alfie’s arm, causing him to stiffen momentarily. But after a while, he threw her a fierce glare.
However, Shirley was unshaken by it and even pretended to be surprised, saying, "Oh dear, what a mess. Let me help clean it up."
