Chapter 3

I was somewhat bewildered.

Not until gasps arose around me did I realize I'd forgotten to put in my prosthetic eye.

I immediately lowered my head, even though the bright light made me tear up.

But my body was bumped by someone, and the purple prosthetic eye in my hand rolled to the ground.

Violet, who had rushed over, screamed and threw herself into Jackson's arms in fright.

"Jackson, the eyeball, the eyeball!"

Jackson immediately stuffed the jade into his pocket, scooped Violet up in a princess carry, and walked away.

Everyone whispered.

"My God, did you see that? She actually has a fake eye!"

"So terrifying, her eyelid is tightly shut. I've never seen someone like this before—I'll definitely have nightmares tonight!"

"Didn't Mr. Jackson say she saved him? I think she's just exploiting his gratitude! She probably figured she couldn't get married in the future so she latched onto Mr. Jackson!"

Mocking voices filled the auction hall.

Those with small courage didn't dare look at me, while the bold ones kicked my prosthetic eye around like a football.

Not until the waiter who had told me to find my seat roughly yanked me up from my chair, yelling at me to get lost, did I come to my senses.

My face burned as if I'd been slapped. I didn't even grab my shawl before turning and running.

The auction was held in a villa on a mountaintop in the suburbs. Without a car, I couldn't get back at all.

After running two miles, because I couldn't see on one side, my heel accidentally got stuck in the mud and I fell into a mud pit.

Holding back tears, I dialed Jackson's number.

The phone rang for dozens of seconds before being answered just as I was about to hang up.

His lazy voice came through.

"What is it?"

I choked out.

"Please, come pick me up. Everyone mocked me, I fell..."

Jackson's voice tightened.

"You fell? Where are you?"

But Violet's voice came through the phone.

"Jackson, I drank too much at the party and my head hurts terribly. My dad told you to take care of me—you wouldn't abandon me for a woman, would you?"

Jackson was silent for a moment.

"I'll transfer you money. Take a cab home. I'll come see you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Amy, you went too far. How could you take out your eye at such an important occasion?"

"Do you know that Violet is timid? She's even afraid of walking at night. Now she stepped on your eyeball—you really scared her to death!"

With that, he hung up and transferred me 100 dollars.

But he didn't think about the fact that this was a villa area halfway up the mountain. Apart from people specifically coming to the gala, where would I find a cab?

Cold and in pain, I tried to curl myself into a ball, leaning against a tree trunk and falling asleep.

The night dew was heavy. I was woken by the cold several times.

But each time I checked my phone, there was no call from Jackson.

Not until the next morning, when I saw a taxi that had just dropped off passengers at the villa area, did I rush out from the darkness and block the car.

My hair covered my face, and only the mottled stains on my clothes could be seen.

The taxi driver was startled.

"Damn, are you trying to die?"

I said carefully.

"I'm sorry, I got lost and slept outside all night. Please take me home. I'll pay you double, okay..."

The taxi driver looked at me and counted on his fingers.

"Fare is 300, car wash fee 500, emotional distress fee 200. If that works, let's go."

I nodded and pulled open the car door to get in.

The car sped all the way to the home Jackson and I shared.

I paid 1,000 before getting out of the car.

The moment my finger touched the handle, the fingerprint recognition opened the door.

What greeted me was a pair of familiar golden high heels, and Jackson's shoes beside them.