LOGINShare
Chapter 25
Related chapters
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 26
Tessa wasn't sure how much time had passed before the chaos finally died. Then, Zachary's voice cut through the quiet. He said, "It's over. Let's get out of here. I'll take you home.""Zac, what happened?" she asked, her voice uneasy.Zachary paused, then scooped her into his arms. Caught off guard, Tessa gasped and instinctively clung to his neck, her expression dazed. Without saying a single word, he carried her out.The bar manager, Ken Fielder, took in the scene around him. The group of wealthy young men was too badly hurt to get up, and the floor was littered with broken glass.A throbbing headache set in, and he immediately barked at his staff to clean up the mess.Derek was helped to his feet, his face bloodied as he spat out curses. "Damn it! Who the hell was that guy?"Ken hesitated. "We don't know. We've never seen him around before.""Why didn't you do a damn thing? You just stood there, watching it all happen, didn't you?" Derek snarled, grabbing Ken by the collar.
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 27
"What are you wearing? And why did you shower?" Ethan demanded, grabbing Tessa by the collar and pulling her close.Startled, she stumbled, nearly losing her balance.Furious at the sight, Zachary pushed himself up from the ground. He roared, "Ethan!"Ethan stared at Tessa and realized that her eyes were unfocused. He froze. "What's wrong with your eyes?"Tessa replied calmly, "I can't see. Will you let me go?""You—"Zachary lunged forward, shoving Ethan away and pulling Tessa behind him. "Haven't you hurt her enough, Ethan? You took her corneas to fix another woman's eyes, and now she's blind! What else do you want from her?"Ethan stood frozen, his gaze locked on Tessa in disbelief. "She's blind? That can't be. She's pretending, isn't she? What's wrong with her eyes?"Zachary sneered. "Pretending? What a devoted husband you've been. Her vision's been failing for a long time, and you never even noticed! Worse, you stole the corneas she'd been waiting for."Who in this world
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 28
Ethan struggled for air as he stared into Tessa's unfocused, tear-filled eyes. A crushing weight pressed against his chest, leaving him breathless."Can't you see that you're only making things worse for her?" Zachary yelled.Ethan whipped around to face him, his voice quiet but steely. "We're still married. Touch her, and you'll regret it."Without saying another word, he turned and left.Zachary stepped closer and slipped an arm around Tessa's shoulders. "It's okay. He's gone. You're safe now."She wiped her tears away but said nothing.Ethan stormed out of the elevator and rushed across the hotel lobby, already dialing a number. "Find out what's going on with Tessa's eyes. The hospital claimed that they didn't have her records, didn't they? Look into it again!"After steadying herself, Tessa turned toward Zachary with concern. "You're hurt, aren't you? I'm sorry, Zac. This is my fault.""Don't say that. That makes it sound like we're strangers."Blood streaked his face, but
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 29
Rosalie's voice trembled, thick with tears, as she said, "B-But this is too sudden. How are we supposed to find corneas in time? What do we do, Tess? What's going to happen to your eyes?"Tessa felt her nose sting when she heard Rosalie's choked words. She reached for Rosalie's hand.Zachary's voice was firm as he said, "I'll get you new corneas, Tess. You're not going blind, not while I'm here.""Thanks," Tessa replied, her smile sorrowful.After all she'd been through lately, she finally understood what it meant to accept fate. Sometimes, life had a strange way of working out.It seemed that certain things were never meant to be hers. She thought that perhaps blindness was just what she had to live with.…Ethan hadn't left. His car was still parked along the street outside Tessa's apartment. The window was rolled down, and a cigarette dangled between his fingers. The inside of the car was thick with smoke.The memory of Tessa's dull, sightless eyes kept replaying in his mind
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 30
Ethan needed to know the precise state of Tessa's eyes.At the hospital, Rosalie helped Tessa complete the required tests. Once finished, they waited for the results in silence. Rosalie turned to Tessa and said, "Stay here for a minute. I'll grab you some water.""Okay," Tessa answered, nodding.Since Tessa couldn't see, Rosalie worried about her safety and got a white cane from the hospital. Gripping the cane, Tessa remained quietly seated on the hallway bench.Sunlight spilled over her, and though her gaze was unfocused, her eyes remained bright and beautiful.Suddenly, a child sprinted past, catching his foot on her cane. He stumbled, causing the cane to clatter to the floor. He then quickly regained his balance and rushed off without saying a single word.Tessa was startled. She didn't know what had happened, only that her cane had been knocked away. Clutching the chair for support, she crouched and swept her hand across the floor, searching.The cane lay nearby, but she cou
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 31
Ethan's phone rang. He took it out and saw Charlotte's name on the screen."Ethan, there's an important meeting this morning. It's about to start. Where are you?" she asked.Only then did Ethan remember the meeting. "I'm on my way."He arrived at the office and stepped out of the elevator.Charlotte immediately walked up to him and said, "Ethan… Mr. Ziegler, you're finally here. Everyone's waiting for you in the conference room."Ethan's gaze met hers, her eyes looking beautiful and bright. But the fact that those corneas should have belonged to Tessa stirred a strange, indescribable feeling inside him."Mr. Ziegler, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Charlotte asked, growing uneasy under his intense stare."It's nothing," Ethan said flatly before walking toward the conference room.…When Tessa's medical test results came in, Rosalie's expression turned serious. The results were grim.Her prolonged silence told Tessa everything. She figured that her eye condi
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 32
Tessa found it odd that the nurse who was guiding her was walking so quickly. However, she assumed that the nurse simply didn't want to keep Rosalie waiting, so she stayed quiet.She wasn't sure how long they had been walking, but she noticed they'd moved from a busy area to a quieter one, then down a staircase.They went down three flights of stairs. Since they had started on the third floor, she realized that they were now on the first floor.Confused, Tessa asked, "Why would Rosie be on the first floor?"The nurse vaguely answered, "I'm not sure. Maybe she had something to take care of down here."The nurse kept leading the way, and before long, Tessa heard car horns blaring, traffic rushing past, and all kinds of street noise. That was when it finally hit her—she was by the roadside.But hadn't the nurse mentioned that Rosalie was waiting somewhere inside the hospital? Yet here they were, walking out of the hospital!Tessa flung the nurse's hand away and took two steps back.
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 33
"When did Tess go missing? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ethan asked. He quickly strode toward the elevator.Charlotte noticed he was about to leave and rushed after him. "Mr. Ziegler, you have a meeting later—""Cancel it. There's an emergency!" Ethan snapped as he stepped into the private elevator reserved for the CEO.Charlotte watched helplessly as the elevator doors closed. She stamped her foot in frustration."What do you mean? Didn't you send someone to take Tess?" Rosalie asked over the phone, confused.Ethan's voice turned cold. "No. I'm sending people to find her. Contact me immediately if you hear anything."After hanging up, he quickly called his team of bodyguards and ordered them to start the search. The bodyguards arrived at the hospital as quickly as possible and reviewed the surveillance footage.They discovered that a woman in a cap had led Tessa away. The woman's cap was pulled low enough that her face was obscured.Once Tessa was brought to the curb, a car
Latest chapter
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 70
Tessa and Jaxon went to see the same doctor as before—Sean.The moment Tessa stepped into the room, a soft hand reached out and grabbed hers. She recognized the touch instantly. It was Rosalie."Rosie!" She quickly reached back and held on."Yeah. It's me," Rosalie replied and guided her to sit down. "It's a good thing you remembered. I thought you forgot and were about to leave.""Sorry. You know it's not exactly easy for me to get out these days," Tessa said apologetically.Rosalie scolded, "Ethan is such an ass! Restricting your freedom like this is illegal! My brother's a lawyer. Do you want me to ask him to take your case? You'd definitely win the divorce."But Tessa shook her head. "Let's wait a little longer."Ethan's threat to get Rosalie fired was still fresh in her mind. She couldn't afford to take that risk. Before she had concrete evidence, she didn't want to drag Rosalie or her brother into this."What about the pills? Did you find anything wrong with them?" Tessa a
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 69
Tessa's stoic face looked even more formidable than before her blindness.Ethan was a bit surprised, but seeing her stand up for herself like that felt like progress to him.David's face darkened. "Alright, alright. Take Shannon home and teach her a lesson properly! Bring her back only when you've taught her well. Until then, she doesn't need to come again!"His words were harsh.Cameron and Aliana immediately paled. They wanted to plead for Shannon, but the look on David's face was enough to silence them. They hurriedly took Shannon and left.David pulled Tessa to his side. Holding her hand, he said guiltily, "Tess, I'm sorry you had to go through that. Don't worry. I'm on your side."Tessa smiled faintly. "I know, David. I wasn't upset."David sighed and looked at Ethan. "Have the corneas been found yet?"Ethan hesitated. "Not yet, but I believe we'll find them soon."Corey watched Tessa thoughtfully."Alright. Get it done as soon as possible. It's getting late, and Tess is
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 68
"You think just because Ethan's got your back, you can do whatever you want?" Shannon snapped."Shannon!" Aliana's face was stern. "Watch your mouth! Tessa hasn't even said anything yet. Where are your manners?"Tessa used to bite her tongue to preserve the family's harmony. But not anymore. She was done tolerating this nonsense.Shannon had twisted the truth so far. Tessa inwardly applauded Cameron and Aliana for raising a truly "good" daughter."You called me blind, said my father was a murderer, and said I deserved to go blind—that it was karma." Tessa's voice was cold and steady. "And you think I shouldn't have hit you?"The room fell into stunned silence. Every face in the room shifted.Lana watched Aliana and Shannon with glee.Who would've thought that the daughter-in-law she'd always despised actually had some use in a moment like this?"You're lying!" Shannon burst out. "I never said any of that! Tessa, you're an adult. How can you make up such horrible lies about me?"
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 67
"Tessa hit you? That's impossible," David said, frowning. "I know what kind of person she is. She's very kind. She wouldn't hit anyone without a reason. Did you say something that upset her?"Shannon sobbed. "I swear I didn't, Grandpa! It was just the two of us there. Who else could've hit me other than her? Why would I make this up?"Aliana quickly wrapped her arms around Shannon and looked at Ethan. "I believe Tessa isn't that kind of person either, but Shannon's telling us what happened. So what's going on here?"Ethan looked at Shannon calmly. "You left her there alone and came back by yourself?"Shannon froze. "What?"Ethan didn't say another word. He stood up and walked out of the living room.Out in the hallway, he spotted Tessa standing near the edge, facing the garden.The soft light wrapped around her like a veil. Her expression was unreadable, but Ethan could feel her turmoil. He knew that she was hurting.Suddenly, he realized that maybe forcing her to this family di
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 66
Once they reached the empty hallway, Shannon immediately let go of Tessa's hand."Ugh, how disgusting! Who knows if I'll catch some virus from you and end up blind too?" Shannon snapped as she wiped her hands and clothes as if they were tainted.Tessa's expression darkened, and she spoke coldly. "You really have no common sense, do you? Do more reading. What kind of virus can be transmitted through contact to make someone blind? You can say whatever you want to me, but don't go talking nonsense outside, or people will laugh at you."Shannon fumed. "Stop mocking me like you're so smart. You think I don't understand? You deserve this, you know? It's karmic retribution."Do you know how many people got hurt by your father's drugs? Derek's sister died because of your father's medicine! You're nothing but a criminal!"Shannon had a thing for Derek, and since he despised Tessa, she followed suit and hated her too."My father is innocent. But I know you won't believe me. Say whatever you
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 65
This was exactly why Tessa hadn't wanted to come to the family dinner.Cameron's family had long believed that David favored Corey's side, fueling constant tension between the two branches. They were always throwing subtle jabs.Tessa was utterly sick of it.Before long, Corey and Lana arrived. Everyone chatted for a bit, then it was time to eat.Halfway through dinner, Cameron suddenly brought up that Isaac was about to graduate from college and wanted to intern at Ziegler Group. He casually asked for both David's and Ethan's thoughts.The company belonged to David, but years ago, he had split his assets equally between his two sons. Cameron, however, mismanaged his share, and it saw little growth.Corey, on the other hand, had a sharp business mind and grew Ziegler Group to more than twice its original size.Corey himself largely built Ziegler Group's success. And after Ethan took over, he expanded it even further.By now, David had no real say in Ziegler Group's operations. C
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 64
Tessa let out a cold laugh but said nothing as she pulled her hand free from Ethan's grip. "I'll walk by myself," she said.She tapped her cane on the ground and took slow, deliberate steps forward.Ethan's words meant nothing to her. Not a single one was worth believing.Frowning, Ethan lifted her in his arms, placed her in the car, and told the driver to head off. Neither of them spoke during the drive.When they arrived at the Ziegler residence, Ethan helped Tessa out of the car.David was already waiting. When he saw them, he grinned widely. "Ethan, Tess, you're here!"David took Tessa's hand and asked, "Tess, how have you been? Has Sophie's cooking been to your liking?"Tessa smiled. "I'm fine, David. Sophie's cooking is delicious. I think I've put on a little weight lately.""Really?" David chuckled. "A little extra weight is good. You're too thin now. Come. Let's go inside."The evening wind was picking up. David was concerned Tessa might catch a cold from being outside.
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 63
"I don't feel like going," Tessa said coolly.David truly had been kind to her, but the idea of facing so many unpleasant people at the family dinner made Tessa hesitate.Especially Cameron Ziegler and his family—Ethan's uncle.They had never gotten along with Ethan's family. To make matters worse, his cousin, Shannon Ziegler, couldn't stand Tessa. Whenever they met, Shannon would inevitably give her a hard time.Back then, Tessa believed that being Ethan's wife meant giving her all in every way. She even tried to win over Cameron's family, but all she got in return were cold shoulders.Now, with her mind set on divorcing Ethan, she had no desire to attend any family dinner."I'll visit David some other time," she said."Some other time?" Ethan continued slowly, "After this, you'll leave only if I allow it. If I don't, do you think you'll get to leave too?"Tessa smiled. "So, you won't let me leave even if I want to see David? Is that what you're saying?""I'm taking you to the
Blinded for Your Sake: Stolen Matches and Hollow Tears Chapter 62
Tessa was stunned. She asked, "What?"Charlotte sneered. "I drugged the wine for myself, but you ended up drinking it. And somehow, it brought you and Ethan together." Her face twisted with resentment. "Tell me. How do you get so damn lucky?""It was you!" Tessa hissed through clenched teeth. "It was actually you!"Because of that wine, Ethan and the entire Ziegler family had misunderstood her. She'd carried the blame for years, and no one ever believed that she was innocent.Not even she knew what had happened that night. It turned out that it had been Charlotte all along."But so what if you married Ethan? He still despises you. He doesn't love you. To him, you're invisible. He even leaves to sleep alone every night." Charlotte continued casually, "And now you're blind. Honestly, I almost feel bad for you. I guess that's your karma for stealing what was supposed to be mine.""Karma?" Tessa laughed coldly. "You schemed first, failed, and then blamed me for the fallout. Don't you
