Blaire's POV
I couldn't believe what was happening to me. Whenever I thought Henry couldn't sink any lower, he surprised me with just how far he'd go. It wasn't enough that he had manipulated me into donating my cornea to his mother.
Now, he was pushing me to step aside for Vivian, just like he had done everything else. I didn’t even know how much more of this I could take.
“No,” I said firmly, my voice steady even though my insides were a mess. “I’ve already trained a successor. Both Amelia and Carol are great candidates for the role. Vivian isn’t qualified to take over.”
But Henry wasn't listening. He completely ignored my refusal and kept pushing, insisting I go to a party at Vivian’s house.
“Vivian just got back from abroad,” he said casually, as if that somehow made everything okay. “Our friends are throwing a welcome party for her. She’ll sing a few songs. You should come. Trust me, she’s better than your successor—maybe even better than you.”
I didn’t want to go. I really didn’t want to go, but Henry wouldn’t drop it.
So, three years after our last encounter, there I was, facing Vivian again.
She walked in like she owned the place, her haute couture dress sparkling under the lights. Her jewelry glinted as if it was its own damn light source. She was radiant, commanding every pair of eyes in the room, completely opposite me.
And here I was, playing the part of the blind woman in my sunglasses and leaning heavily on my cane. My steps were deliberate, and I kept my expression vacant, like I was trying my best to stay lost in the world I was pretending to live in.
Then she saw me. And the look on her face? Pure disdain.
“Well, look at that,” Vivian mocked. “A blind person in our midst. Blaire doesn’t sing opera anymore? Did she switch to Moonlight Over Sonata now?”
The laughter that followed from Henry’s friends felt like nails being driven straight into my heart.
Through the dark lenses of my sunglasses, I saw Vivian casually slide her arms around Henry’s neck and plant a kiss on his cheek, right in front of me. I’m sure she thought I couldn’t see, and that made her all the more bold.
Vivian even dared to smile haughtily, sticking her tongue out at me.
Willing participant in her game, Henry stroked her hair as they exchanged those affectionate little gestures. Their chemistry was so obvious that it practically suffocated me.
A sharp, aching pain gripped my chest. I could feel it burning, raw and intense. It felt like my heart was bleeding.
But I couldn’t let it show.
Not now. Not in front of them. I had to keep up the act.
“W-What’s going on?” I asked, gripping my cane tighter, my voice faltering as I feigned confusion.
Henry, unfazed by their little show, leaned in and kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Nothing. Let’s just go listen to Vivian sing.”
My heart twisted, but I kept my mouth shut.
As he pulled away, I quickly wiped the spot where his lips had just touched my skin, trying to scrub away the disgust that was rising in me. It was like I couldn’t escape the filth of it all.
Vivian sang two songs, and although she lacked any real vocal talent, I couldn’t sit there and pretend everything was fine.
I had to speak the truth.
“Your breath control’s weak,” I said, my voice remaining professional, detached. “Your high notes are too sharp, your low notes tremble. Your foundation is lacking. You know it yourself when you don’t practice for a day. When you don’t practice for three days, your peers notice. When you don’t practice for ten days, the audience notices.”
Vivian’s face immediately turned red with fury. She laughed, but it was forced, cold. “I see. Not only are you blind, but your ears must be broken, too, huh? Hey, guys, tell me—does my singing sound good?”
Her friends, predictable as ever, chimed in unison, “Yeah! It’s fucking amazing!”
Vivian turned to Henry, her eyes glinting with almost sinister satisfaction. “So, what do you think, Henry?”
There was a long pause before Henry finally spoke, his voice flat and dismissive. “You sing very well. Anyone who says otherwise must have something wrong with their ears.”
Vivian smirked and turned back to me with a cruel smile. “Did you hear that? Henry thinks your ears are the problem. Maybe you should get them checked.”
The laughter that followed was deafening, but I didn’t flinch.
Without warning, they escorted me to the hospital and locked me in a cold, metal room for a hearing test. The moment the door slammed shut, a sharp, jarring sound blared into my ears, like firecrackers going off at full volume.
I instinctively covered my ears, but it only got worse.
The sound intensified.
Nails scraping on a blackboard.
Screams.
The relentless sound of the water dripping.
I felt like my head was going to explode from the pressure.
A mechanical voice cut through the noise. “Please answer, what sounds are you hearing? Please answer, what sounds are you hearing?”
Then I realized that this wasn’t just some test. They weren’t just torturing me physically or trying to break me. They wanted me to lose my mind and to make me deaf.
Panicking, I screamed, pressing my hands harder against my ears, desperately trying to block out the nightmare. Through the thin window of the metal room, I saw Vivian standing outside, watching with cold amusement.
Her laughter echoed.
“Why the long face?” Vivian teased, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “What? You feeling sorry for Blaire?”
Standing beside her, Henry immediately relaxed. His frown melted into a fake nonchalance. “No, not at all. I just… think this is a bit much. It could have some serious consequences.”
Vivian sneered. “You don’t trust my cousin’s skills? Don’t worry, she’ll be fine.”
Her ear specialist's cousin adjusted some equipment, chuckling as he worked. “She won’t die, don’t worry. The sound is only at 85 decibels. She won’t go deaf for at least another hour.”
Then, they turned to leave.
“Let’s go grab dinner,” Vivian said with a laugh, as if everything was just a joke.
Inside the room, I screamed Henry’s name with all my might. “Help me! Please, let me out!”
But the only thing I saw as I cried out was Henry’s back, walking away, leaving me to endure the torment alone.
