“Yes,” Warren said, his voice gentle, filled with warmth. “Thanks to you, I met Belinda. She has always encouraged me, supported me, and celebrated my success without hesitation.”
His tone was exactly the same as the one he used to reserve for me, back when I was the one by his side.
Ignoring my presence, the two of them openly flaunted their love.
“Look at this huge diamond ring.” Belinda stretched out her hand in front of me. “It cost a million. Warren said only a diamond this big could match his love for me.”
My vision was too blurry to make out the ring, but I was sure it was dazzling. And I was sure Warren adored her.
After all, I had once told him, If I ever get married, you must give me a big diamond ring.
Back then, he had looked at me so seriously. Then I’ll give you one at my award ceremony, so everyone will know how much I love you.
Belinda’s voice pulled me back to the present. “Warren and I are getting married next month. You’re welcome to come.” She stuffed something into my pocket. “The address is on this card.”
As I withdrew my hand, something else caught onto my sleeve and slipped out.
Belinda instinctively bent down and picked it up.
She read the words aloud, her voice full of confusion.
"Instructions for Use of Implanted Artificial Cornea."
A tense silence followed.
Warren stiffened. His brows furrowed. “Your cornea…”
Then, as if snapping out of it, his expression twisted in anger. “Are you playing the sympathy card now?” His voice rose, sharp and accusing. “Do you expect me to believe your cornea is damaged? Do you love money that much?”
His words struck harder than I expected.
“You left me for money, and now you’re spinning this ridiculous lie to scam me?”
"Ivy, you’re so cruel—"
Warren yanked a check from his pocket and flung it at me. The paper was weightless, but it felt like a slap across my face.
"Isn’t it just money? Fine, take it!"
The check fluttered to the ground, but the sting of his words lingered.
"Warren, don’t be mad," Belinda cooed, slipping her arm through his.
"Maybe my sister is really struggling. Let’s think of it as charity—an act of kindness for our unborn child." She sighed dramatically. "After all, we once met a generous person who donated money. But Ivy… now she suddenly appears here, claiming to have the same condition you did years ago. What a coincidence, don’t you think?"
Warren’s expression darkened, his gaze turning sharp as ice.
"People like her—those who look down on the poor and chase after wealth—deserve to be blind." His voice was filled with disgust. "The blind should stay blind forever. Let them rot in darkness, locked away in their own misery!"
With that, he pulled Belinda close and strode away toward another department in the hospital.
I didn’t chase after him.
Instead, I slowly sank to my knees, tears slipping down my face.
So he had remembered my claustrophobia.
But he never realized—
The corneas he saw the world with were mine.
And for the past few years, I have been drowning in an endless, inescapable darkness.
