Chapter 1

After a long silence, Henry Young let out a quiet sigh.

“Anya Walt, look at your hands. They’re covered in calluses. Do you really think you can raise a child properly like this?”

“If you’re willing to apologize to Kate Miller, I can take you both back right now. I can give you a good life again.”

I didn’t move. I simply took out my phone and said calmly, “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Young. Just leave me a five-star review.”

Henry fell silent. His fingers tapped slowly against the tabletop.

Then his voice darkened as he said, “Anya, you’ve already lost your sight. What do you gain by insisting on living like this?”

I blinked my unseeing eyes and was about to answer when his phone rang.

Two young children were on the other end.

“Daddy, we miss you! When are you coming home? Mommy has a fever.”

“Yeah! Mommy feels awful today. Her eyes are all red. Come home and stay with us.”

Henry’s voice immediately softened.

“Daddy misses you too.

“Be good and take care of Mommy. I’ll be home soon.”

The call ended. I could sense his hesitation.

“Anya, I…”

I smiled faintly and stepped aside, deliberately making room for him to leave.

“Take care, sir.”

For a long time, neither of us spoke.

Then, finally, I heard him walk away.

When he reached the door, though, his footsteps stopped.

“Anya,” he said quietly, “I remember you weren’t like this before.”

Before?

My fingers brushed the corner of my eye, where the pain seemed to linger.

Back then, I had cried, begged, and caused scenes. I had even tried to use our child to keep him by my side.

Still, he never turned back.

In the end, I lost my child and my sight, and all he gave me was one cold sentence: “You reap what you sow.”

Only when I was certain he had left did I return to the treatment room.

One of my colleagues came over and nudged me.

“You know Mr. Young? That was Henry.”

I shook my head and replied, “Not really.”

Another colleague laughed.

“Not really? He just signed up for an annual package with you. Anya, you won’t have to worry about hitting your targets for the rest of the year.

“Besides, Mr. Young is so handsome. A good man like him is practically impossible to find.

“If I were his ex-wife, I definitely wouldn’t have made such a big deal out of things.”

I almost laughed, but I kept quiet.

That only encouraged them.

“I’m serious. What more could his ex-wife possibly want? The man was willing to spend a billion on her.

“And I heard he’s still single even now. That’s what I call true devotion.”

I was silent for a moment, then finally couldn’t help but speak up, “True devotion?

“Cheating on his wife and fathering twins with another woman is true devotion?

“Spending a billion on a mansion where his mistress lives is true devotion?

“Leaving the wife who stood by him for ten years unable to afford a cheap ice cream is true devotion?”

My colleagues gasped. “How do you know all that?”

I lowered my head with a faint smile before taking an old photograph and handing it to them.

“Do you think my eyes were pretty?”

They looked at the picture and nodded.

“They were. Very beautiful.”

I lifted a finger and pointed to the corner of my eye.

“This was blinded by Henry.

“Do you still think he’s such a good man?”

They fell silent, shocked.

I didn’t say anything else and simply went back to work.

That evening, after my shift ended, I took my white cane and bought a small bundle of treats and toys.

Then I went to the columbarium and lit some candles.

I listened as the flames flickered and came to life.

“My dear child… Are you doing okay over there?”

My fingers rested against the cold niche plaque.

“He came to see me today and mentioned you.

“But it’s a pity he’ll never get to see you for the rest of his life.”