Chapter 3

I turned my head, dodging his kiss, forcing out a bitter smile.

"I'm going to shower."

He didn't notice anything unusual and picked up his phone again.

Probably telling Melissa she didn't need to come put on a show tomorrow.

I entered the bathroom and slowly sank into the bathtub.

Five years ago, there was a lab explosion.

To save him, I recklessly rushed into the inferno and burned my eyes.

My father, not wanting me to risk myself again, resolutely decided to rescue Garrett in my place.

But he never came out of that sea of flames.

My mother fell ill from grief over my father's death and still lies in the hospital.

I still remember Garrett kneeling before my mother, vowing to take care of both of us for the rest of his life.

He said he would be my eyes, my mother's son.

And Garrett did fulfill his promises. He installed all kinds of safety equipment for the blind throughout the house and arranged the best hospital and doctors for my mother.

Every meal, he would pick out fish bones and foods I didn't like.

He was so attentive that even my mother didn't resent him.

And whenever I used the bathroom or showered, no matter how busy he was, he'd wait outside the door.

Five years, day after day.

But today, when I turned around and looked through the frosted glass, the doorway was empty.

At this moment, I even began to doubt whether the warmth of these five years had all been my blind imagination.

When I came out of the bathroom, Garrett was still on the sofa typing on his phone.

Normally, I would have thought he was just working too hard, always busy.

But now, seeing the smile lingering on his face, I knew-he was chatting with Melissa.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

Just as I reached for it, Garrett thoughtfully handed it to me, as careful as always.

"It's your best friend Rachel. I've already opened it and put it on speaker for you."

I took the phone and heard Rachel's urgent voice.

"Claire! Those photos of you were posted online by Melissa!"

"She even exposed your identity and address. Now people online are saying they want to buy you for a night..."

Rachel's voice echoed throughout the living room.

I watched Garrett's face turn dark instantly as he frantically began messaging Melissa.

Rachel asked. "Claire, what are you going to do? If this continues, those lunatics online will track down your mother's hospital."

Hearing that my mother might be harassed by internet trolls, my heart clenched. I immediately said:

"Call the police! Rachel, please help me..."

Beep beep beep.

The call was disconnected.

I looked at Garrett in disbelief.

He had reached over and hung up my call.

He held the phone, his face extremely dark.

"Claire, you can't call the police!"

"Melissa is still young. A police record would ruin her reputation. How could she face society in the future?"

"She's just playing around. Calling the police will only make things worse, and that won't be good for you either."

"I'll make her delete the photos right now."

I bit my lip, watching him desperately protect Melissa.

My nose stung with sourness. Melissa's reputation mattered, but what happened to me was just "playing around"?

Soon after, Garrett put down his phone and held my hand.

"Don't worry. I've already told Melissa to delete all the photos."

"And don't listen to Rachel. Melissa didn't post those photos-it was someone else."

Listening to his perfunctory lies, I looked down at his phone screen that hadn't turned off yet.