Chapter 2

Suppressing the deep grievance inside me, I pretended not to see Marcel piling food onto Evelyn's plate during meals.

I pretended not to hear their hushed laughter outside my door late at night. Rage and agony swirled together in my chest.

Taking advantage of a moment while they were out at work, I frantically searched every corner of the house. I unearthed an old phone I had saved three months of my own money to buy for Evelyn back in high school.

Perhaps because she had no reason to guard against me, there wasn't even a passcode set. But the moment I hit the power button, my heart skipped a beat.

The lock screen wallpaper showed Marcel's hand tightly holding Evelyn's, their fingers intertwined. Swallowing the heart-wrenching pain, I tapped open the photo gallery.

What met my eyes were photos and videos of them in various intimate poses. There were even videos of her wearing my pajamas in bed with him.

On social media, they co-managed a couple's account, filled with joint photos and a shared dating diary. Countless followers envied their sincere, passionate love, while my heart felt as though it were being ripped out of my chest while still beating.

Yet what broke me most wasn't those photos or horrific details. It was the betrayal of my beloved sister. If she had only asked, I would have gladly handed Marcel over to her.

But she chose to say nothing at all, leaving me to play the fool kept entirely in the dark. I didn't have to hold it in anymore.

Tears streamed down my face. Yet when I closed my eyes, all I could see was the image of them shielding me with their bodies during that car crash.

I suddenly couldn't tell which moment was genuine love and which was just a heartless act.

Right then, the front door swung open.

Panicking, I hid the phone, wiped away my tears, and lay back down in bed, pretending to sleep as though nothing were amiss.

"Evelyn, after the wedding, we can't do this anymore. You know I love her. I can't keep betraying her like this..." Marcel's voice held a note of inner conflict.

"But what if I can't help myself?"

"Alright, you know how I feel..." Before he could finish, his words were smothered by a wet kiss. "I really don't know what to do with you..."

Lying in bed, I bit down on my lip so hard it nearly bled.

Why? Why did they profess their love to me with their lips while doing things that shattered my heart into pieces?

I lost all control over myself. I grabbed everything within reach and hurled it onto the floor, ignoring the sharp shards flying everywhere.

Hearing the commotion, they halted immediately. Evelyn panicked in an instant.

"Clara, did you have a nightmare?" Marcel wrapped his arms tightly around me from behind.

Just as he used to do whenever my depression flared up, he stroked my back over and over, his voice dripping with heartache. "Tell me, what happened? Please don't do this."

Ever since losing my eyesight, I had hit the dead end. Life had gradually lost all meaning, and I fell into deep depression, breaking down and wanting to end my life at the slightest trigger.

I had slit my wrists, slammed my head against walls... I attempted suicide 99 times, and not once did I succeed. It was Marcel and Evelyn who stayed by my side through it all, giving me hope to keep going.

As I stayed silent, Marcel's embrace gradually loosened. A flicker of impatience crept into his eyes. "Clara, can you stop throwing these tantrums? I'm exhausted coming home to take care of you after a full day of work. Can you please stop adding to my burden?"

Evelyn squeezed his wrist gently. Only then did he let out a sigh, seemingly realizing his tone had been out of line. "I know you're in a lot of pain, but we're getting married tomorrow. Can you please just calm down?"

Just then, the voice in my mind blared once more. "Time remaining: 24 hours."

I pinched my thigh viciously, forcing myself back to composure. Yes, I must stay calm. I needed to hold on until the wedding ended tomorrow.