Chapter 1

"Tess, the donor changed his mind. Talk to Ethan and have him figure out another way to help you before your eyes deteriorate even more!"

Tessa Langford was packing a suitcase for her upcoming hospitalization when her best friend, Rosalie Gray, called her. Tessa's heart leaped to her throat when she heard the bad news, and her mind went blank.

When she came to her senses, she gripped her phone tightly and asked anxiously, "Why did the donor change his mind? Maybe we could try to talk some sense into him. I… I…"

Tessa struggled to form a coherent sentence. She rubbed the hem of her shirt between her fingers, and her heart sank as Ethan Ziegler's indifferent expression flashed in her mind.

Ethan wouldn't help her. He loathed her after the incident from years ago. In the five years they had been married, he treated her as though she were invisible. She would be remiss to think that he would help her.

"Tess, I can't reach the donor," Rosalie said sorrowfully. "The donor wants his contact information to remain private and confidential, so… Talk to Ethan and have him help your case. You need to get the eye surgery next month at the latest."

The call ended at some point. Rosalie's words replayed in Tessa's mind, grating on her already-fraying nerves.

It wasn't until she heard the door open that she was pulled out of her thoughts. She noted Ethan's towering figure at the threshold. His eyes looked so dark and dangerous in the shadows that it sent a chill down her spine.

"Ethan." Tessa snapped out of her daze and rose to greet him. However, as she drew closer, she caught a strong whiff of alcohol on him.

Ethan lowered his gaze. He barely looked at Tessa before he pinned her against the wall. He reached for her, his palm hot against her skin. She shuddered at the heat. "You—"

But before she could finish speaking, he scooped her up in his arms and made a beeline for the bedroom. He kicked the door open and carelessly tossed her onto the bed. He hovered over her, pinning her down and nipping at her collarbone like he was taking his frustration out on her.

Tessa moaned in pain as Ethan stared at her imperiously. Fear crept over her when she saw the frigid look in his eyes. "Did something happen, Ethan?"

Ethan did not answer, but his movements grew rougher until black spots formed in Tessa's vision. Her eye condition was acting up again. It had been rapidly deteriorating recently. It used to flare up twice or thrice a month, but now, it flared up every couple of days. Not even the medication helped.

Tessa absentmindedly looked at Ethan, whose face blurred before her. It was as if a veil had been placed over his features, and all she could make out was the grim, impassive look in his eyes.

After what seemed like ages, he finally stopped tormenting her.

Drained, Tessa curled up on her side of the bed and waited for the pain in her eyes to subside. She must have looked fragile enough to stir up some of Ethan's sympathy, because instead of leaving right away as usual, he brushed the sweat-drenched locks away from her temples and mused, "We've been married for five years, but you act like this is the first time we've done it."

His expression darkened as a sudden thought crossed his mind.

Tessa closed her eyes. She knew that he must be thinking about the incident from years ago. The silence and tension stretched out between them, only to be cut off by the piercing ringing of his phone.

Ethan picked up his phone immediately, and Tessa glimpsed the number on the screen. It was painfully familiar and belonged to none other than his precious Charlotte Simmons.

"Ethan, I… I lost my vision again… I'm so scared," Charlotte wept over the phone as soon as she was put through. "What if I can't see your face ever again? Can you come over, please?"

Ethan hurriedly got up and placated her patiently. "Don't be scared. We've found a cornea donor for you. You should be able to get the surgery in two days."

A thought flitted through Tessa's mind, but she was too slow to process it.

Charlotte stopped sobbing as she said hesitantly, "I thought I was still on the hospital's waiting list."

"I'll have someone talk to the patient who came before you and tell them the donor changed his mind at the last minute," Ethan explained.

Realization dawned on Tessa. She felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her. As it turned out, the donor hadn't changed his mind—Ethan had hijacked the corneas that were meant for her!

Her eyes widened as she gaped at Ethan, who was putting on his clothes by the bed.

The dark gray trousers accentuated his long, sculpted legs, and the tailored fit of his suit flattered his perfect silhouette. He stood with his back to the light, looking both mysterious and terrifying as the shadows danced over his face.

"I'm on my way. Stay where you are and do not leave your place," Ethan said, then hung up and got ready to leave.

Shocked, Tessa got up to stop Ethan. "W-Wait! Did you take the corneas meant for someone else? How could you do such a thing?"

Ethan regarded her stonily as if waiting to see what stunt she would pull next. Tessa's thoughts were a mess, and her heart felt like it was being weighed down with lead. She could scarcely breathe as she continued in disbelief, "How could you do something like that? It's immoral! What if—"

"Immoral?" Ethan narrowed his eyes. He gripped her chin and snorted as he said, "What right do you have to say that? Lottie wouldn't be suffering from an eye condition if she hadn't taken the medicine produced by your family. So don't stand here and pretend you're such a saint, Tessa!"

Tessa shook her head vehemently but could not speak.

Three generations of the Langford family had dabbled in medicine, but the family prospered like never before during Tessa's father's generation. The family-owned company had researched and developed specialty drugs to treat over ten diseases, and their brand was popular among patients.

However, five years ago, it was discovered that the drugs produced by Langford Corporation contained substances that led to blindness. Adam Langford, Tessa's father, had also been accused of money laundering. As a result, the Langfords fell into dire straits, and Adam died from jumping off a building.

Charlotte had been a victim in that incident.

Tessa's lips curled bitterly as her emotions welled up in her. "Would you frantically search for a cornea donor for me if I were going blind?"

Ethan barked a contemptuous laugh when he heard this, and hatred filled his eyes as he answered, "No. If you become blind, I'd say you deserve it. Also, don't bother playing such meaningless mind games. You will never match up to Lottie."

Tessa's lips quivered slightly, and all the hurt she'd endured for the last five years finally cracked her heart open. She stared at Ethan blankly, then suddenly said, "Ethan, let's get a divorce."