Chapter 1

I was in a car accident with Dylan, my wife's childhood sweetheart, on our trip to the shooting competition.

When I woke up, my eyes were bandaged. My wife Scarlett, who happen to be my attending doctor, told me my left eye was severely injured and I would be permanently blind.

Meanwhile, Dylan won the gold medal at that shooting competition. At the celebration dinner, slurring his words, he confessed, "If Scarlett hadn't transplanted Liam's cornea to me, I would have gone blind. I'd never have made it to that podium."

Scarlett hugged him tight, "Liam lost one eye, I can spend the rest of my life making it up to him. All I want is for you to be well, standing in the spotlight."

That's when I realized my blindness wasn't a cruel twist of fate. It was a deliberate, human evil.

A dull ache still pulsed behind my left eye, the wound not yet healed.

Yet the conversation flowed around me. Dylan raised his glass to Scarlett, "I've known I was an orphan since I was a kid. Scarlett grew up with me, she always looked out for me, giving me the best of everything."

"I never thought that in such a crucial moment before the competition, when my eye got injured, she'd be so generous as to transplant Liam's cornea to me."

"Scarlett, without you, my future would be nothing."

Scarlett, tears welling in her eyes, downed the wine in Dylan's glass and said, "Silly boy, who else would I help if not you?"

"I was Liam's attending doctor. I had to assess the situation at the time. If your eye hadn't received a cornea transplant then, you wouldn't have been able to compete."

"You trained so hard. How could I let your career be ruined?"

The family and friends inside murmured with admiration, "Your relationship is truly special. Scarlett is amazing to Dylan."

"Exactly. But Liam was also supposed to compete, wasn't he? I can't believe he was willing to donate his cornea to Dylan. That's unexpected."

"He practically gave Dylan his future."

Scarlett scoffed, "Liam's scores were nowhere near Dylan's. It was better to ensure Dylan's success. See? It just proves my decision was the right one."

Outside the door, I clenched my fists, a hollow, icy dread filling me. It felt like the dead of winter.

I remembered before we left for the pre-competition training, Dylan, who had just gotten his driver's license, insisted on driving. I disagreed.

Scarlett said, "You don't trust Dylan? I do. He does everything perfectly. If you're scared, just take a cab yourself. Dylan, let's go."

My wife pulled Dylan into the car. I had no choice but to get in with them.

Dylan, trying to show off for Scarlett, kept speeding and doing drifting maneuvers. Finally, at a sharp curve, we collided with a freight truck. I was knocked unconscious.

When I woke up, it was a few days later. Scarlett, wearing her white coat, sat by my bedside. My left eye was covered in thick bandages.

Before I could speak, Scarlett said with a pained expression, "Honey, don't worry. We were in a car accident, and both you and Dylan were injured. Your left eye... it's gone blind."

Scarlett hugged me, comforting me, "Honey, don't be scared. No matter what you become, I'll always be by your side."

At the time, even though I was devastated by the blindness, I felt a twisted sense of relief to have such a 'good' wife.

It never once crossed my mind that my blindness wasn't caused by the accident, but by human malice.

Scarlett's dad's booming voice filled the room, "Liam is such a clueless simpleton. His shooting scores are nowhere near as good as Dylan's. I never approved of him pursuing Scarlett. If Dylan hadn't been abroad back then, I would have preferred my daughter marry Dylan."

Scarlett blushed, "Dad, stop talking."

Dylan chimed in, "Sir, if you give me the chance, I promise I'll treat Scarlett well. I have the ability to give her happiness now. Liam is blind in one eye; how can he possibly take care of Scarlett?"

Scarlett whined playfully, "What are you saying? Liam and I aren't divorced yet."