Chapter 2

The comments suddenly erupted into an argument for some reason:

【I think Maya made the right choice. Who doesn't want a rich guy? Who'd want a boyfriend who's both blind and broke? Even if Liam wanted to test her loyalty, playing games like this is totally unnecessary.】

【Let's be real, Maya might be selfish, but she's just lucky. Once she and Liam make up, she'll become Mrs. King, and Liam will still spoil her rotten.】

【Exactly. Good girls finish last, bad girls get everything.】

Reading those comments, I thought they were completely ridiculous.

Growing up, my parents always favored Maya over me.

She stole my toys, my clothes, my scholarships.

After I started working, I pulled all-nighters every day, and they'd take my paycheck to pay for Maya's expensive dance lessons and designer stuff. They wanted me to prop her up, make sure she succeeded.

Now they'd won $300 million in the lottery.

Not only did they abandon me with mountains of debt, but they wanted to use my life to pave her way too.

Why should she get everything while I die like a dog?

Resentment coiled around my heart like a poisonous vine.

I'd always picked up Maya's leftovers anyway.

Since Liam was one of her castoffs,

I might as well take him and use him. My next run-in with Liam happened sooner than I expected.

As I walked out of the hotel where I worked part-time, completely worn out,

I looked up and saw Liam standing across the street.

A cigarette hung from his lips, and a white cane leaned against his leg.

The rich really have the strangest hobbies. Maya was gone, but Liam King was still keeping up his little act.

Not far away, a guy seemed to recognize him and approached with a fake smile.

I called out suddenly, "Liam!"

I marched right over to him.

Before he could say anything, I grabbed his wrist.

"Come with me."

I spoke quickly, lowering my voice:

"I saw someone suspicious approaching you. Probably debt collectors."

"My sister took out a huge loan before she left, and since you were her boyfriend, they'll definitely come after you. You can't see—you'll be in danger."

"You got hurt saving my sister, so I'll look out for you in her place."

"Don't worry. As long as I'm around, I won't let them hurt you."

"I'll never leave you."

My voice was so sincere it almost sounded religious.

"Will you trust me?"

I don't know what part of that got to him.

Liam hesitated, then took a lazy step forward.

He let me lead him, and I took him back to my place.

And I kept my word, taking care of him like he was my own family.

When his stomach acted up, I'd get up in the middle of the night to buy him medicine.

Since he couldn't see, I'd hold his hand and guide him to feel his way around, over and over until he knew where everything was.

Even when I was starving myself, I'd spend every cent I had to take him to eye doctor appointments.

Through it all, Liam would just look at me coldly, a hint of amusement sometimes flashing in his eyes.

At the hospital, the doctor shook his head and said there was no improvement.

I could barely hide my disappointment and heartache.

Walking out of the exam room, Liam suddenly laughed bitterly:

"I heard you sigh. Is this really worth it? You're not the one who's blind—why are you so upset?"

I stopped and suddenly cupped his face in my hands.

Liam's eyes flickered with surprise, barely hidden.

"You mean a lot to me," I said, looking straight into his eyes.

"So your pain hurts me too."

"You have such beautiful eyes. I won't give up on them."