Chapter 1

Nina's POV 

I was no longer blind.

For two long years, my world had been nothing but endless darkness. I had to rely on Steven for everything. But over the last few days, the heavy fog over my eyes began to thin. The pitch-black void softened into blurred shapes, then into soft sunlight, and finally into clear reality.

I stood in the center of my bedroom, turning around slowly as tears of pure relief filled my eyes. I could see the subtle pattern of the wallpaper, the light streaming through the curtains, and the faint reflection of my own face in the mirror. I was going to get my life back.

A wave of joy washed over me. All I thought of was Steven. His promises, and how he swore he would take care of me until we could finally stand together at the altar. I couldn't wait to surprise him. 

I picked up my wooden walking stick, running my fingers over the smooth surface. We were going to burn this stick together. It would no longer be a reminder of the dark times we had survived.

Then I heard the sound of his car pulling into the driveway.

My heart thumped with excitement. I gripped my cane, tapping it lightly against the floorboards as I walked out into the corridor, eager to throw my arms around his neck. 

But as I drew closer to his bedroom at the end of the hall, muffled sounds drifted out through the crack in his door.

Soft laughter. Low whispers.

I slowed my pace, stepping quietly up to the door and peering through the narrow opening.

Steven was sitting on the edge of his bed, his shirt half-unbuttoned and his hair messy. Wrapped tightly in his arms was a woman, her hands draped around his neck as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

It was Lacy.

My breath caught in my throat, a sudden weight dropping straight into my stomach.

Lacy was the woman who had pushed me into the freezing lake two years ago. My head hit a sharp rock beneath the surface, and when I woke up in the hospital, my vision was gone. Back then, Steven held my hands, wept by my bedside, and swore on his life that he had banished Lacy from the pack forever. He swore he would make her pay for what she did to me.

He lied. Every single promise had been a lie.

Not only was Lacy still here, but she was sitting right in his lap, under the exact same roof I was living.

My hands trembled violently around the handle of my cane. I pulled my shoulders back, wiped every trace of emotion from my face, and forced my eyes to go wide and blank.

"Steven?" I called out softly. I didn't have to fake the shake in my voice; my chest was burning with terror and heartbreak. I tapped my cane twice against the doorframe, deliberately fixing my gaze on the empty wall two feet away from where they sat. 

"Are you in there?"

Steven jumped. And there was clear panic on his face for a split second, he was looking like a thief caught in the middle of a crime. But just as quickly, he smoothed his expression over. 

That fake, gentle smile I used to adore spread across his lips. He didn't even push Lacy off. He just eased her slightly down his thigh, keeping one possessive hand resting on her hip.

"Nina," Steven said, his tone dropping into that smooth, sweet melody that now made my stomach turn. 

"Sweetheart, why are you out of bed? You should have called for me."

"I was looking for you," I whispered, pretending to fumble with my cane to find my balance. "I heard voices. Is someone with you?"

Lacy turned her head toward me. The moment she realized I was staring blankly past her shoulder, a cruel, triumphant smirk spread across her face. 

She didn't bother moving away from Steven at all. Instead, she slid her hand up his bare chest, her long nails dragging slowly over his skin, marking her territory right in front of my face.

Steven glanced down at her hand, then looked back at my useless, hollow eyes.

"It's just the maid, Nina," Steven said without a single second of hesitation. 

"She brought me my afternoon tea and she was helping me clean up some files on my desk."

A maid.

He looked me in the eye and called the very woman who ruined my life a maid.

 I felt like the floor was collapsing beneath my feet. I had given up everything for this man. When I lost my sight, I left my hometown, my roots, and everything I knew. I moved to his pack, isolated without friends, family, or anyone to protect me. I depended on him for my entire existence because I believed he was my protector.

And the whole time, he was sleeping with my abuser.

Lacy looked directly at me and blew a silent, taunting kiss through the air. She stuck her tongue out and made an ugly, mocking face, silently mouthing the words: 

“He is mine, blind girl.”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief second, forcing the hot tears back down my throat, before opening them to stare at the blank space beside her.

"Oh," I whispered, my heart breaking into a thousand sharp pieces. 

"A maid. Thank you for helping him."

Steven cleared his throat, nudging Lacy away just an inch, looking slightly uncomfortable under my gaze. 

"Are you feeling okay, Nina? Do you need something?"

"I feel weak today," I said, keeping my voice faint. "The kitchen was preparing that herbal soup for me. Can you ask the maid to bring a bowl up to my room when it's ready?"

Steven hesitated. Lacy scowled at him immediately, pointing at her own chest and shaking her head in annoyance. But Steven just patted her leg to quiet her down and looked back toward me.

"Sure, sweetheart," Steven said smoothly. "I'll have her bring it to you as soon as it's done. Go back to your room and rest. I'll come check on you later."

"Okay. Thank you, Steven."

I turned around and dragged my cane across the floor, making that familiar, soft tapping sound as I walked away. I took slow, hesitant steps, maintaining the performance of a weak, blind girl who couldn't find her way without help.

The moment I stepped past his threshold and pulled the door shut, I heard it.

Giggles.

Lacy couldn't even keep it in. Her high-pitched laughter burst out, followed by Steven softly telling her to shush, his own low chuckle trailing right behind hers. 

They were laughing at me. 

They thought I was an idiot trapped in eternal darkness, completely blind to the game they were playing behind my back.

A hot tear finally spilled over my lash line and rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly with the back of my hand.

I made it back to my bedroom and locked the door behind me. I leaned my back against the hard wood, my chest heaving.

 

The heartbreak was enough to run any woman mad, but as I looked across the room at my own clear reflection in the tall mirror, the tears stopped.

I stared at my face, seeing every trace of the pain they had caused me.

There was no way I was going to just sit around and let Steven keep fooling me.