The car crash left my mother and me clinging to life, the medical bills a mountain we could never climb. The man I loved? He saw that mountain and ran, straight into the arms of another woman. Only Philip, my childhood best friend, didn’t hesitate. He sold his company shares, scraping together seven million dollars to save us. But it wasn’t enough. My mother didn’t make it. And the surgery that saved me, stole my sight. Still, Philip stayed. He handled my mother’s funeral arrangements with a quiet strength that held me together. He then gave me a wedding so beautiful, it felt like a dream. In the years that followed, our love was a soft, warm melody. We were the couple everyone in our social circle envied. I never imagined that one night, after a party, I would overhear his friend ask him a question that would shatter my world. “Philip, what if Elara finds out? What if she discovers you gave her corneas to Lauren? That you let her mother die to save Lauren's? What would you do then?” Philip’s voice was a low, haunted murmur. “I’ve wronged her, I know. That’s why I’m giving her the rest of my life to atone. But I love Lauren. For her… I would drown in sin for all eternity, unforgiven for a thousand lifetimes, and I would do it gladly.” 1 “Elara, are you absolutely sure about this?” “Once you undergo the cryo-suspension, the Elara we know will be gone.” I nodded, listening to the professor’s regretful tone on the phone. I had one last request for him. “Please, do one more thing for me. Find out the truth about my mother’s death.” “I need to know who killed her.” Just then, Philip’s voice drifted in from outside the door, laced with a familiar, bittersweet ache. “Lauren may not love me, but I saved her mother. I gave her back her sight.” “I have no regrets.” “As for Elara and her mother… I’m repaying them with my life. That should be enough.” My fingers tightened around my phone. My sight, my mother’s life… and to him, it was all settled with a casual “that should be enough”? Even now, every word he spoke was for Lauren. There was never a moment for me. It was his best friend, Leo, who couldn’t bear it. “Was it worth it, Philip? Ruining their lives for a woman who doesn’t even love you?” Philip’s reply was instant, without a shred of doubt. “Of course. I’d do anything to make Lauren happy.” “I’d even die for her!” Leo sighed. “But you didn’t die, Philip. Elara’s mother did.” He trailed off, but the accusation hung in the air. Philip was silent for a moment before downing his drink in one go, as if to swallow any explanation. Their footsteps grew closer. I scrambled back to my room, a clumsy, panicked escape. My foot caught on nothing, and I crumpled to the floor, a heap of helplessness. Right. I’m blind. I can’t see the world. And I couldn’t see the hearts of men. I never, ever imagined that the architect of my misery was the man I loved most, the man who slept beside me every night. And my mother, the person I respected and loved more than anyone, had died as a casualty of his twisted devotion to Lauren. I had once seen him as my savior, the hero who had rescued my mother and me. I had paraded the scraps of his pity around, calling it happiness. How absurd. The front door clicked shut. Leo was gone. Philip came upstairs, calling my name a few times. When I didn't answer, his footsteps quickened. He found me on the floor, his voice thick with concern as he rushed to help me up. “What happened? Elara, you fell! Why didn’t you call for me?” I could tell his worry was genuine. But I also knew, with chilling certainty, that it was born from pity, not love. “It’s nothing. I just slipped,” I mumbled, pushing his hands away and pulling myself to my feet. I couldn’t see, after all. This wasn’t the first time. His concern only deepened into a pained tenderness. “You have to be more careful. Your vision… I’ll hire someone to be with you at all times.” “If anything else happens to you, it would break my heart.” He pulled me into his arms, his embrace as gentle and loving as it had always been. But this time, I felt no warmth. Only a profound, hollowing cold. To think a person could go to such lengths for another. Sacrificing his own happiness, the happiness of others, even their very lives. I closed my eyes, and the tears I could no longer control streamed down my face. That night, long after Philip had fallen asleep, I lay awake. With my cane, I crept into the spare bedroom and found the box. Philip himself had placed it here, where I could easily find it. It was filled with all the gifts he had given me over the years. Since I was leaving, there was no reason to keep them. Better to donate them, give them to people who truly needed them. I fumbled for the box, lifting it carefully. Suddenly, a voice sliced through the silence behind me. “Elara, what are you doing?” I jumped, clutching the box to my chest to keep its precious contents from spilling. Philip rushed over and snatched it from my hands. “Aren’t these the gifts I gave you?” he demanded, his voice edged with an odd tension. “What are you doing with them?” The irony was a bitter pill. I turned away from him and walked out, not offering a single word of explanation. The next morning, I took the gifts to a charitable foundation. I wanted to donate them to help others like me, people who had lost their sight, find their way back to the light. But the staff member who assisted me seemed incredibly hesitant. I offered a small smile. “It’s alright. Mr. Archer won’t be upset with you. Please, just donate everything.” “That’s not it, Mrs. Archer,” she stammered. “It’s just… all of these items, they’re promotional gifts. They… they don’t have any monetary value.” Her words hit me like a blast of arctic air, freezing me from the inside out. Impossible. These were the gifts Philip had bought for me over seven years. Each one was supposed to be priceless. Yesterday… his anxiety over this box. It wasn’t about the sentiment. It was about the secret. He was afraid I’d find out. He planned to keep me in the dark forever. I forced my voice to remain steady. “Then… where did the actual items, the ones these were gifts with, go?” The staffer thought for a moment, her expression growing even more apologetic. “These are all one-of-a-kind, custom pieces. According to our records, Mr. Archer, on behalf of his company, sent them all to a Ms. Lauren Vance.” Hearing her name was like a thunderclap in my mind. So that was it. For seven long years, he had made Lauren the brand ambassador for his company just so he could shower her with gifts. Every priceless jewel from every auction, sent to her in the company’s name, disguised as a token of appreciation for a ‘business partner.’ A man’s secret love, so ostentatious yet so discreet. It was hidden in every detail, each one a new thorn twisting in my heart. I let out a hollow, self-mocking laugh and didn’t ask any more questions. I had only five days left until the cryo-suspension. Five days to say goodbye to seven years. It was more than enough. 2 To prepare for the experiment, I followed the professor’s instructions and began the process of erasing my official identity. He sent over the first pieces of information about my mother’s death. My signature was indeed on her organ donation consent form. A perfect forgery, crafted by Philip. It turned out that while he was telling me he loved me, he was also practicing my handwriting until it was indistinguishable from my own. All to set this trap. My jaw clenched. When I returned home, Philip was there, a rare day off from work. He saw me come in, his expression a mixture of confusion and nervousness. “Elara, where have you been? And the jewelry I gave you… it seems to be missing.” His hypocrisy was so blatant I couldn't help but laugh. “I gave it away. I tried to donate it, but the foundation said it was all worthless junk.” “So I gave it to the lady who collects scrap metal.” My words made him even more frantic. He stammered, “Those people at the foundation, they don’t understand the value of custom pieces! They were just talking nonsense, don’t be angry.” “I’ll have my people track the jewelry down right now.” His earnest, panicked act only deepened my disgust. “Don’t bother. You can just buy me new jewelry later.” He visibly relaxed at my words, pulling me into a hug. “That’s right. My Elara has the kindest heart, always helping the less fortunate. We’ll just call it a charitable donation.” “I promise, darling. I’ll bring you something even more precious tomorrow.” He made the vow with such conviction. But then I remembered. Tomorrow was Lauren’s birthday. Of course I would be getting a gift. It would be the freebie that came with hers. I said nothing, just quietly moved to the dining table for lunch. The food was from my favorite hotel, the one Philip had arranged to cater my lunches, day in and day out, for seven years. I used to think it was a sign of his devotion. Now I saw it for what it was: a way to keep me occupied and out of his way. A moment ago, when he’d held me, I had smelled the faint scent of freshly cooked food on him. Who, I wondered, had he been cooking for? He really had thought of everything to keep me from disturbing Lauren. I scraped the entire meal into the trash and walked out the door. This seven-year charade was finally coming to an end. Erasing my identity wasn't enough. I had to divorce him. I wanted no connection, in any capacity, to this man. Leaving the lawyer’s office, I took the divorce papers to Philip’s company. As I stepped into the lobby, I was met with a buzz of excited chatter. “Ms. Vance is so beautiful! She and Mr. Archer make a perfect couple.” “She must be the mysterious Mrs. Archer everyone talks about. No wonder he keeps her hidden away.” “Definitely! Her bag and jewelry alone are worth millions. And it was all from Mr. Archer!” Before I could hear more, Philip’s assistant intercepted me and whisked me away. In the top-floor office, I heard a familiar voice from within. “How is Declan treating you? Are you two… doing okay?” Philip asked, his voice threaded with caution, as if he was afraid to hear she was unhappy, yet equally afraid to hear she was happy. Lauren’s tone was calm, with an undercurrent of sweetness. “We’re great. He just launched a jewelry brand for me a few days ago, as a surprise. Seven years and he’s still a romantic fool.” The "romantic fool" she spoke of, the man who cherished her so dearly, was Declan—my ex-fiancé, the one who had abandoned me after the crash. A wave of desolation washed over me. It seemed every man I had ever loved was truly in love with Lauren. And I was, and always would be, the one unworthy of love. My nails dug into my palms, mirroring the mangled state of my heart. Lost in my thoughts, I was startled when the assistant took a call and rushed to get Philip’s signature, pushing the office door open in front of me. Philip looked up and saw me, a flash of surprise in his eyes. “Elara? What are you doing here?” He started to rise, but his gaze flickered to Lauren on the sofa. Lauren smiled and stood up. “Elara, it’s been so long. You’re as beautiful as ever.” Her words were venom wrapped in silk. My clothes were dated, and my face had lost its light since I’d lost my sight. Lauren, on the other hand, carried a scent of expensive, elegant perfume. Though I couldn’t see her, I could imagine her, radiant and stunning. My fists clenched. In seven years, the campus beauty queen had become a blind, worn-out housewife. I was no longer her competition. This is what you wanted, isn’t it, Philip? Your precious Lauren is safe from me now. I pose no threat at all. 3 Shaking myself from my reverie, I ignored Lauren’s taunt and spoke calmly. “Philip, I have a couple of documents for you to sign as well.” I slipped the folder into the stack of contracts his secretary had brought in. Without a second glance, he signed everything and handed it back. He seemed eager for me to leave, anxious not to have me interrupt his reunion with Lauren. I smiled. “Well, if that’s all, I’ll head out. You two continue your chat.” But for some reason, he hesitated. Leaving Lauren behind, he came out and stopped me. “Elara, Lauren is the company’s brand ambassador. She was just here to discuss work.” The lie was so blatant, so unnecessary, it was almost comical. “I know,” I said. “You focus on work. I’ll be waiting for you at home.” He finally seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and had his assistant escort me downstairs. In the underground garage, as I was about to get into the car, someone rushed up from behind and shoved me to the ground. “Elara, you really are blind, aren’t you?” “I have to hand it to Philip. I never thought he’d have the guts to do this for me.” Lauren’s voice, no longer warm and gentle, was now a vicious, triumphant cackle, like a demon crawling out of hell. Her words made my eyes fly open in shock. “What are you talking about? What do you mean, ‘for you’?” Before I could finish, Lauren just laughed, then brought her stiletto heel down, grinding it into my palm. “You still don’t know, do you? That car crash seven years ago, the one with you and your mother? Philip arranged the whole thing.” “He couldn't stand to see me cry, so he found a convenient victim in you.” “You poor, pathetic thing. Sleeping next to your own enemy for seven years.” Her every word was a shard of ice stabbing into me. I froze. I already knew Philip had stolen my mother’s organs. But the car crash… that it was also his doing? The agony in my heart dwarfed the physical pain. A surge of furious strength propelled me upward. I scrambled to my feet and swung my cane, slapping her across the face. But I was blind, my aim was off, my strength was nothing. Yet somehow, Lauren threw herself backward, slamming against a concrete pillar with a sickening thud. “Lauren!” Before I could process what had happened, Philip was there, shoving me aside with brutal force. My cane clattered to the ground. As I was frantically feeling for it on the concrete, the man who was supposed to care for me ran past, his polished shoe crushing my already injured hand. First Lauren's heel, now Philip's shoe. A sickening crack echoed in my head. My hand felt… obliterated. I cried out in pain, but the Philip who had once doted on me was blind to my suffering. His only concern was Lauren. “Elara! Are you insane?” he roared at me. “Lauren was just worried about your eyes! How could you attack her?” A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips. “How could I not?” “Philip, do you really think she had nothing to do with my mother’s death? With my eyes?!” I clutched my broken hand and screamed at him. For a moment, he looked stunned, then he rushed to explain. “Elara, what are you talking about?” “What does Lauren have to do with what happened to you and your mother?” “You’ve lost your mind! You’re just spouting nonsense!” “Apologize to Lauren right now, and I’ll let this go!” Before I could respond, Lauren spoke up, her voice weak and trembling. “It’s not Elara’s fault. It’s mine. Declan broke off his engagement to her to marry me… she has every right to be angry.” “Elara, I know you hate me. But Philip loves you so dearly. You shouldn’t blame him.” Her false sincerity was nauseating. Philip, however, was completely consumed with checking her for injuries. “Lauren, stop. Don’t worry about her. Let’s get you to a hospital.” Loves me so dearly. Who was he really talking about? I smiled, a bitter, broken thing. Seven years of love had just turned to ash. Philip and I were well and truly over. A kind stranger took me to the hospital. Later, I received a text from Philip. “Lauren is our brand ambassador. You hurting her is bad for the company. Making you apologize was just a strategic move, for show. Don’t overthink it. I’ll make it up to you tonight when I get home, okay? Don’t be sad, my love.” Whether it was an act or the truth, it no longer mattered. I had nothing to do with him anymore. I just wanted to leave this place, leave him. I placed the divorce papers he had signed on the coffee table, in the most conspicuous spot in the house. The next morning, the car from the laboratory arrived to pick me up. The man who had promised to come home and make things right never appeared. I smiled. This home I had never truly seen, this man I had never truly understood… they were no longer a part of my life. Upon arriving at the lab, the professor looked at me with deep sorrow. “Elara, the investigation you asked for is complete.” “Your mother’s death…” He couldn’t bring himself to say more. Instead, he played the audio from the private investigator’s video file for me. “Besides the forged signature, the car crash involving Miss Elara and her mother seven years ago was deliberately caused. The car that came speeding out of the right lane, the one that caused the crash… the registered owner was Philip Archer.” Philip… It was really him. The name that had once made my heart flutter was now fused with my own blood and tears. Seven years. Seven years I had loved him, been grateful to him. It was all a joke. From beginning to end. I made one final request of the professor. “Please, send a copy of this investigation to every major news outlet in the city.” “I want everyone to see this man for who he truly is.”
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