Chapter 4

Lying alone in the big, empty bedroom, Noemi couldn't stop replaying that nightmare from two years ago.

Her family had set her up with Daniel, and she had no clue he was already head over heels for someone else—Ivanna.

The second their engagement went public, Ivanna dipped. Daniel had chased her all the way to the airport, wrecked his car, and came out blind.

Noemi had stayed by his hospital bed, watching him sleep, feeling like her chest might cave in from the weight of it all.

She even flew across the globe to find Ivanna—only to catch her getting married.

Noemi had begged her. Promised to back off if she'd just come home and take care of him.

But Ivanna had stared her down, stone-cold.

'He's blind. Why the hell would I go back?'

That look? Burned into Noemi's brain.

Now Ivanna was back. Just like that. Why?

Noemi rolled over, checked the time, and got up to fix Daniel's meds.

She paused outside the study—voices. One was Daniel. The other? Raul Pedron, his childhood best friend.

"Ivanna's back. Will you get a divorce?"

Daniel snorted. "Yeah. Surgery's in three days. Time for a new chapter."

He sounded almost relieved. Like freedom was just around the corner.

Noemi's chest tightened. Even after everything, it still hurt.

Raul sighed, clearly fed up. "You could've fixed your eyes ages ago. Why now?

"You ever think about what Noemi's been through?"

Daniel laughed, cold. "I couldn't stand looking at her. She didn't deserve a healthy husband. I wanted her trapped—begging, miserable, just like me."

Pain slammed into her chest like a truck.

He'd stayed blind just to mess with her. For two freaking years.

Sure, she got what she wanted—being by his side. But at what cost? Every day was a guilt trip.

She popped melatonin every night, but the nightmares still came—Daniel crying blood, choking her like some raging beast.

'Noemi, you should just die!'

She'd wake up drenched in tears.

And now? All that pain? Totally avoidable.

Her wrist shook. The glass slipped and shattered on the tile.

"Who's there?" Daniel's hearing had gone razor-sharp since going blind. He caught the noise instantly.

Raul opened the door and greeted her.

Noemi froze, fumbling. "Daniel, I brought your meds... Dropped the glass by accident."

"You're useless," he snapped. "Tell Paulina to clean it."

Paulina was the housemaid.

Noemi crouched down fast. "No need."

Tears blurred her vision. She reached for the shards—then came the nosebleed. Her knees gave out. Everything spun.

Raul's voice was the last thing she heard before blacking out.

When she came to, Daniel's face hovered close, stiff with worry.

"Daniel..."

"Raul said you lost a lot of blood. What's going on?"

Her heart pounded. The certainty she'd clung to was gone. She was scared—of everything, especially losing him.

"I... I'm sick."

His brows pulled tight. "What kind of sick?"

"I..." She started, but his phone went off.

A ringtone she knew all too well.

He picked up without thinking.

Ivanna's broken voice came through.

"Daniel, I'm going into surgery... Noemi met me at the restaurant, then pushed me. I was bleeding so bad. The doctor says I need a kidney. I'm scared..."