Chapter 4
Gabriel interrupted her, a barely detectable guilt in his voice.
"Don't talk nonsense. Nora's blindness is only temporary."
Lily understood immediately, resting her head on my shoulder with a sweet voice.
"Right, I misspoke. Maybe tomorrow Nora's eyes will be better, and then she can wear her wedding dress and beautifully marry Mr. Knight as his wife. Nora, I'm so happy for you."
It was this innocent, harmless appearance that had fooled me.
The assistant brought the wedding dress. Only Lily and I remained in the room.
"Nora, I heard you designed this wedding dress yourself? It's so beautiful, but the size is too big for me."
The sound of fabric tearing was particularly jarring in the quiet hospital room.
I knew she had ruined my wedding dress.
"A blind woman has no use for such a beautiful wedding dress. That hospital gown suits you much better."
Splash!
A searing pain shot through my eye sockets, like they were being burned by fire.
The pain left me speechless, my hands trembling as I tried to wipe the liquid from my eyes with my sleeve.
Lily gripped my wrists tightly. Her voice, full of venom, came to my ear.
"Nora Harper, you're not blind because of a car accident. I never imagined that with just one casual remark, Gabriel would take your corneas for me. But I didn't even need them. I find them dirty."
"If you know what's good for you, leave on your own. Otherwise, do you think one word from me could make him take your life?"
The acidic liquid corroded my eyes, but it couldn't compare to even one ten-thousandth of my heartache.
Hearing the sound of dress shoes approaching, Lily roughly wiped the liquid from my eyes. She lifted my hand high.
Smack!
A burning pain spread across my palm.
Before I could react, a powerful force shoved me away. My head slammed hard against the wall behind me, leaving my ears ringing.
"Nora Harper! You're blind, not crazy. Why did you attack Lily? Her body is very weak right now!"
Though I couldn't see Gabriel's expression, his furious voice told me he'd lost control.
In all these years, this was the first time he'd been this angry.
Gabriel's voice, full of hostility, came from above my head.
"Apologize to Lily! Or tomorrow's wedding is canceled!"
He knew how much I longed for this wedding. My greatest wish these years had been to wear a wedding dress and marry him.
Just as he predicted, I lowered my head like I'd done something wrong, the liquid remaining in my eyes stinging painfully.
The pain made my voice tremble slightly.
"I'm sorry, Lily."
The man's cold voice came from the doorway. "I'll send someone to pick you up at eight tomorrow morning."
Gabriel didn't know that tomorrow's wedding, to me, was an escape.
It was the day I would leave him completely.