Chapter 1

In the third year of our marriage, I discovered I was pregnant. With my husband away on a business trip in another state, I had no choice but to go to the hospital for a check-up alone.

Little did I expect to see my supposedly out-of-town husband outside the examination room, fingers intertwined with his pure love.

I dialed his number once more. He answered, lowering his voice in irritation:

"Faye, are you incapable of understanding English? How many times do I have to tell you I'm in a meeting! A meeting!"

"You may be blind, but you're not deaf!"

A wave of sorrow washed over me as I slowly spoke:

"Where's this meeting? What kind of meeting?"

"If you're sick, go to the hospital. Stop acting crazy here."

He rudely hung up the phone, then turned to Pure Love's inquiry with a gentle smile.

"Just a blind woman. She's nothing compared to you."

The moment he turned and our eyes met, River's smile froze on his face.

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I remained in the posture of making a phone call, only managing to force a smile at the corner of my mouth.

Out of love, I had donated one of my corneas to him, yet now he was calling me a "blind person" in front of others.

The moment our eyes met, countless words churned in my heart, but when they reached my lips, I couldn't utter a single one.

River quickly masked the flash of panic on his face, striding forward to grab my wrist and impatiently demand answers.

"Faye! Are you disgusting? Are you following me?"

My wrist throbbed and went numb in his grip. What a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

"You're the one who told me I was sick and should come to the hospital. How did that turn into me following you? Besides, didn't you say you were at a conference out of state?"

"Stop making a scene!" River's eyes flashed with anger as his lie was exposed.

I tried to free my wrist, but he only gripped tighter until I cried out in pain. Only then did he mercifully let go.

"Am I the one making a scene, or are you the one with a guilty conscience?"

Serenity stepped forward and took my hand, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice pitiful and helpless.

"Faye, please don't blame River. I wasn't feeling well, and I just got back to the country without any friends around. That's why I asked River to accompany me to the hospital.""River shielded Serenity behind him before I could speak, as if I were some unreasonable beast about to devour the little white rabbit whole.

"Serenity, don't pay her any mind. She must have checked my schedule to find us here."

Serenity feigned surprise, covering her mouth:

"Oh my! Faye, how could you do such a thing? If you love someone, you should set them free."

When words fail, laughter often follows.

Yet as I laughed, my remaining vision gradually blurred.

I clenched my fists, trying to use the pain of nails digging into my palms to control my emotions.

"Freedom? Haven't I given you enough freedom, River?"

In our three years of marriage, he'd been flying all over the country, spending precious little time with me. We hadn't even celebrated a single anniversary.

If this wasn't freedom, I honestly didn't know what was.

River froze, about to respond when the nurse interrupted.

"Congratulations, ma'am. Your wife is seven weeks pregnant."