Chapter 2 Their Marriage Was A Transaction

Madelyn's unwavering feelings for Noah could be traced back to a single, pivotal moment in her childhood.

At just eight years old, she and her mother had been swallowed by an avalanche. With her last ounce of strength, her mother pushed Madelyn out from beneath the crushing snow.

Lost and frozen with fear, Madelyn had nearly given in to hopelessness.

What stood out most was a hand-strong and steady-breaking through the blizzard to drag her out of certain death.

Through the chaos, a steady voice rang out. "You're going to be alright. I've got you."

From that day on, Madelyn never stopped searching for her mysterious savior, the memory of those kind eyes haunting her dreams.

Years later, when Noah's father handed her a photograph, she knew at once-Noah had been the boy who saved her.

Determined to repay that debt, Madelyn sacrificed everything: the Owen family's wealth, part of her sight, and years of silent devotion.

She once believed Noah's arrival in her life was a blessing, never realizing he would become the architect of her heartbreak.

As the sound of running water faded, footsteps echoed closer.

Madelyn instinctively turned toward the door. Her vision blurred, but even in the shadows, she could sense the icy distance in Noah's gaze.

What else could she possibly give? She had already poured every ounce of herself into loving him, yet he met her with nothing but resentment. Was surrendering her very life supposed to earn his affection?

The closet door swung open, hangers clattering as Noah changed into fresh clothes-he never spent the night here.

With a strained smile, Madelyn asked, "It's the 9th today. Why did you decide to come back before the usual time?"

Their marriage was nothing but a transaction-Noah's father had twisted his arm by using the woman Noah truly loved as a pawn. Afterward, his father demanded that Noah return home on the tenth of each month to keep up appearances with Madelyn.

"Sadie has returned. I have to see her," said Noah, his tone sharp and unfeeling. That alone made everything clear.

The truth struck like a blow. Sadie Barnett was the woman he had fought to shield in the past, yet she had chosen five million over him.

Oblivious to the truth, Noah always believed Madelyn had orchestrated the betrayal, and that belief kept his hatred alive.

Bitterness welled up inside Madelyn. Before she could form words, Noah's warning cut through the silence. "Stay away from her. If you interfere with her again, I swear you'll pay for it."

He was already dressed to leave, but not before throwing one last glance at her pale features.

"Look at yourself. Doesn't the sight in the mirror make you sick?" His voice dripped with contempt.

Her whole body shook. His cruelty left her gutted. She knew she looked frail and pitiful, and to him, there could be no pity in that weakness-only disgust.

...

Once Noah walked out, sleep came in restless fragments.

By midnight, the throbbing in her skull grew unbearable. She stumbled toward the medicine cabinet, desperate for relief, but the moment she swallowed the tablets, her body rejected them.

Wave after wave of nausea tore through her until bile burned her throat. Clutching the bathroom sink for support, she caught sight of her ghostly reflection, and hot tears spilled unchecked.

Determined not to collapse, Madelyn forced more pills down. At last, near dawn, the searing pain dulled beneath the medication's grip, though her spirit felt hollowed out.

Closing her eyes, she surrendered to sorrow.

A few hours later, her alarm dragged her from a fragile slumber. Dizzy and unsteady, Madelyn pushed herself upright and began to tidy her appearance, piece by piece, as though patching together a mask for the world.