Chapter 2 Pretending To Be Blind

In her hospital room, Isabelle sat upright on the bed while doctors and nurses gathered around, running checks on her condition.

She had pressed the call button to alert the nurses that she was awake.

Five years trapped in a coma was more than enough for her.

Now that she had regained consciousness, she knew exactly what she wanted-divorce.

Her younger years had already been stolen, but she was determined to take back what was hers-her wealth, her career, and most of all, her children. She refused to let Kolton, that two-faced monster, keep them.

Her endgame was to take away his custody rights and make sure he was left with nothing at all.

But after being absent for such a long time, she needed to bide her time and prepare carefully.

Out of the corner of her eye, Isabelle spotted Kolton's silhouette outside the doorway.

It was time to put her plan into motion.

"Dr. Ward, what about my eyes?" Isabelle asked, her voice trembling. "Why can't I see anything?"

Kolton stepped inside in time to hear her. He froze, a frown on his face, then hurried to her bedside, looking visibly shaken.

"Belle," he whispered softly.

The sound of his voice alone made her stomach turn.

"You're finally here, Kolton," she said, forcing back her disgust. She stretched out blindly, her unfocused eyes searching as she stumbled forward and collapsed into Kolton's arms.

Her nose immediately picked up the faint but unmistakable scent of another woman's perfume on him.

"I'm scared, Kolton. I can't see you," she whimpered.

Kolton wrapped his arms around her, soothing her with gentle words. "Don't worry, I'm here. I'll pay whatever it takes to make you better."

Roderick remarked reassuringly, "Mr. Reed, there's no need to panic. Your wife's eyes aren't damaged. After such a long coma, her optic nerves simply need time to recover."

Kolton asked curiously, "So how long until she makes a full recovery?"

Roderick hesitated, then admitted, "It depends on how her body heals. It could be two or three months, or much longer. But we can't say for sure."

Isabelle slumped lightly against Kolton, determination burning in her eyes without him noticing.

She could sense the stiffness in his body slowly relax.

It seemed her blindness made him let his guard down.

Taking advantage of the moment, Isabelle pleaded, "Kolton, I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to go home. When my sight returns, I want the first faces I see to be you and our children."

Roderick agreed, adding, "Mr. Reed, going back to a familiar environment might even help her recovery."

Kolton thought it over, then nodded. He would take her home.

Because her legs were still too weak to support her, Kolton borrowed a wheelchair from the hospital and wheeled her downstairs.

Thinking back to how he'd rushed to catch Joelle earlier, Isabelle couldn't help but find it bitterly ironic.

He was willing to hold another woman, yet he wouldn't hold his wife.

Inside the elevator, a mirror reflected their images. Hidden behind her sunglasses, Isabelle studied Kolton carefully.

Five years had done nothing to diminish him. If anything, he was more handsome than before, his striking face now burnished with maturity.

She, on the other hand, was a shadow of her former self-thin, drained, and lifeless.

Kolton had sucked her dry, taken everything she had, and left her hollow.

When they reached the lobby, Isabelle glanced around in secret. There was no sign of Joelle or the children; they must have already left.

Kolton wheeled Isabelle to the car and opened the passenger door. Right away, her eyes caught on an expensive lipstick tube sitting on the seat.

Kolton shot her a quick look, then smoothly scooped up the lipstick, tucked it into his pocket, and helped her into the passenger seat as if nothing had happened.

"Kolton, in the five years I was asleep, has another woman ever sat in this seat?" Isabelle asked softly once she was seated.

"Of course not," Kolton blurted out. Then, with a forced laugh, he added, "Everyone knows better than to cross you. You once faced a group of kidnappers with a gun."

The memory came rushing back.

Not long after their wedding, Kolton had been kidnapped. The police were moving at a frustratingly slow pace, and Isabelle was almost losing her mind with worry. Desperate, she pulled every string she could, using all her contacts until she finally uncovered where he was being held.

In the end, she showed up herself, armed with both cash and a gun, willing to gamble her own life to bring him back.

After she rescued Kolton, he had sworn never to let her down.

The traffic light ahead turned red, and the car rolled to a stop.

Kolton turned suddenly, watching her. "Belle, what was it like when you were in a coma?"

Behind her sunglasses, Isabelle's eyes went cold, but she kept her voice low and trembling. "Like being trapped in an endless dream. Nothing but darkness-no sight, no sound. Just terror."

Satisfied with her answer, Kolton squeezed her hand. "It's all over now, Belle. We're going home."

Isabelle gave a strained smile. "Yes, it's over."

It was over between her and Kolton. Now it was time for payback.

As the light turned green, Kolton stepped on the gas, and the car sped forward. A sleek black Maybach shot past, skimming dangerously close.

Inside, a man with a sculpted face sat shrouded in the shadows, looking cold and intimidating. His eyes narrowed instantly when Isabelle's face flickered across his view.

He rolled the window down, staring after her as the car pulled away.

Oliver Singh, seated in the passenger seat, turned to ask, "Mr. Gill, is something wrong?" He had never seen his boss look shaken.

"Nothing," Nathaniel Gill answered quietly as the Bentley disappeared into the distance.

He looked away, eyes settling on the towering Sky Group building glowing against the night.

He squinted, a faint, mocking smile tugging at his striking lips.

"Isabelle," he muttered, the name escaping his mouth coldly, yet filling him with an inexplicable nostalgia. "Was it worth it?"