My Blind Husband

For a bride price of one hundred and eighty thousand, I married a blind man.

Since he couldn't see, I did whatever I wanted, living as wildly as I pleased.

Until one day he said helplessly, "You don't even close the bathroom door. Do you really think I'm blind?"

1.

That day, passing by the matchmaking corner, a well-dressed woman stopped me. "Miss, looking for a match?"

I wasn't looking for a match at all. I was looking for a job.

And I'd always been排斥 dating, even decided never to marry. I didn't want to find anyone!

Just as I was about to refuse, the woman dropped a bombshell: "My son has excellent conditions. He's six-foot-two, has an eight-pack, is more handsome than any celebrity. And we're offering one hundred and eighty thousand as a bride price, plus a villa and a Porsche."

"Auntie, you really have sharp eyes. I *am* looking for a match. To be honest, I come here every day, hoping to find a good family." I enthusiastically took her hand.

"Auntie comes every day too. You're the most beautiful girl I've seen. Where are you from? What's your education?" She beamed.

"I'm from Chengdu, went to a top university in Beijing. Just graduated."

"Chengdu is great! A top university is great!" She was even happier now. She pulled me to sit down for a detailed chat, asking many questions, growing more pleased with each answer.

Finally, she made a decision: "Auntie really likes you. If you don't mind my son, I'll arrange for you to meet tomorrow!"

Like I would mind.

"Do you have a picture of your son?" I asked, my heart racing.

She pulled out a photo. I stared, my eyes going wide.

The man in the picture was cool and handsome, with short, neat hair that made him look both sunny and mature. With that devastatingly handsome face, he was pure walking pheromones!

"Auntie, I'll marry him!" I agreed immediately.

But she hesitated. "Miss, my son has a problem. I don't know if you can accept it. Actually, this is last year's photo. This year, he went blind."

Blind?

I was stunned. Before I could speak, she continued, "Miss, don't say no right away. My son is really excellent. You can try it out first, think of it as a trial period. I'll even pay you for the trial. How about fifty thousand a month?"

"Auntie, it's not about the money... How many months are you thinking for the trial?" I swallowed hard.

"Three months. If you're not compatible after three months, I won't make things difficult for you." She sighed, her face full of worry.

2.

I agreed immediately.

Fifty thousand a month for three months? That's one hundred and fifty thousand!

Only a fool would say no. Besides, her son was incredibly handsome. Just looking at him was a pleasure.

It was settled. She added, "Ever since my son went blind, he's been in a slump. He often doesn't speak a word all day and hates having servants or a butler around.

"So when you go, it'll just be the two of you living alone. You'll have to be patient with him, cheer him up. Auntie thanks you in advance."

So she was looking for someone to keep him company. That was easy. I love keeping handsome men company.

We set a time to meet the next morning at nine in the coffee shop next door for a formal introduction.

The next day, I planned to wake up early to put on makeup and dress up, but I overslept. When I opened my eyes, it was already eight-thirty.

No time to get ready. I figured since he was blind, there was no point in dressing up. So I went bare-faced.

I tied my hair back, put on a casual autumn outfit, and headed out.

At the coffee shop, his mother was already waiting.

Next to her sat a man in sunglasses. He was unsmiling, aloof and proud, as if isolated from the world.

But he was undoubtedly the center of attention in the whole café. Countless girls were sneaking glances at him, some even taking photos.

I was drawn to him too. So handsome! Handsome right down to my core.

I quickly walked over. His mother stood up to greet me. "Claire, you're here. This is my son, Lucas."

Lucas didn't move. He didn't acknowledge me.

I didn't mind. After all, he was blind. He couldn't see me even if he wanted to.

After I sat down, his mother slipped away, leaving me alone with Lucas.

Awkward. How was I supposed to interact with him?

I had no experience, and he was blind.

"Hello?" I forced a smile while admiring Lucas's stunning face.

He gave a slight nod in response.

So awkward.

I asked if he'd had breakfast. He said yes.

My brain short-circuited, and I blurted out, "Haha, I haven't. I'll just have my breakfast first."

I regretted it immediately. Why did my foodie nature have to kick in now?

Lucas nodded again, motioning for me to go ahead.

Fine, I wouldn't be polite. Awkward small talk was torture, and I was hungry. Better to eat.

The breakfast at this café was amazing. I couldn't stop eating. Since Lucas couldn't see me anyway, I didn't care about my image.

So I wolfed it down. One serving wasn't enough, so I secretly called the waiter over and ordered another.

After two servings, I was stuffed.

"So full. The breakfast here is really worth it. Half a serving would have been enough," I said, trying to make conversation.

The corner of Lucas's mouth seemed to twitch.

I froze. Was he laughing?

I looked closer. No, he wasn't. He was still cold and aloof, not saying a word.

So we sat in awkward silence until his mother came back.

He whispered something to her, then was helped out by a driver waiting at the door.

My heart sank. Had I failed the test? Was my one hundred and fifty thousand flying away?

But to my surprise, his mother grabbed my hand happily. "Claire, great news! My son said you're fine. He's willing to give it a try."

Huh?

I was confused. "He didn't say a word the whole time. He was so cold. How could he have taken a liking to me?"

"I don't know either. I've brought him to meet people seven or eight times before, and he was always like this. But this time, he actually likes you." She was still beaming.

I couldn't figure out what Lucas saw in me, so I stopped thinking about it.

I just wanted that one hundred and fifty thousand!

3.

His mother transferred the full one hundred and fifty thousand to me on the spot, grinning from ear to ear.

I was grinning even wider. I'd been having trouble finding a job lately, and I was really short on cash.

Living alone with Lucas for three months meant not only money but also time to improve myself. A win-win!

That same day, I packed my bags and moved into Lucas's villa, a luxurious mansion on the outskirts of the city.

I'd never seen such a big villa. It must have been at least eight thousand square feet. There were several cars in the yard, including a Porsche and a Ferrari, probably ones Lucas used to drive.

There was also an outdoor pool and a garden to the east. It was breathtaking.

After his mother dropped me off, I wandered around inside, enjoying the scenery, when a maid appeared.

I was a bit surprised. Wasn't it supposed to be just me and Lucas living alone?

"We don't live in. We take turns coming in to cook and clean every day. We don't stay overnight, and we won't disturb your time alone with the young master," the maid explained, clearly briefed by Lucas's mother.

I said I understood.

The maid then pointed upstairs. "Miss Claire, you can choose a room on the second floor, or you can share a room with the young master, if he doesn't mind."

Sharing a room? That was way too fast!

I, Claire, still had some dignity.

I decisively went upstairs to pick an empty room. But when I got there, I saw Lucas sitting alone on the balcony, motionless like an old man.

It was sunset. His silhouette in the warm light was stunningly handsome, but also unbearably lonely.

My heart softened inexplicably. This poor young master.

Without his sight, even the most beautiful sunset was just darkness. How painful.

"Hey, young master, I'm here," I said, trying to sound cheerful as I walked over.

Lucas nodded slightly, still silent.

"I'll take you for a drive. You can feel the wind and the sunshine," I suggested. I could drive, after all.

"I thought you'd read me stories, like those therapists," Lucas said, his voice clear but deep, carrying an unshakeable melancholy.

I pouted. "Stories are boring. A drive is way more fun."

Lucas seemed to think about it, then nodded.

I immediately helped him downstairs. He walked very slowly, clearly not moving much. He'd probably just sat around all day since going blind, with no motivation to live.

We reached the yard, and the Porsche was in front of us.

The maid came running over, looking panicked. "Young master, why are you down here? Be careful not to fall."

"Don't be so nervous. Go get the keys. I'm taking Lucas for a drive," I said, a bit annoyed.

Lucas was already blind and had lost all drive to live. Why worry about him bumping into things?

Let him bump into things.

The maid fetched the keys. I helped Lucas into the passenger seat.

I studied the car for a moment, then started the engine.

A Porsche really was something else. The handling was amazing.

I stepped on the gas. We took off! But I took off a bit too much.

*Bam!*

The car hit the wall. Luckily, we weren't going fast enough for serious damage, but both Lucas and I were thrown forward.

The maid was terrified and rushed over to help.

I was terrified too. Oh my god, I was done for.

I looked at Lucas. He was tilting his head, his sunglasses still perfectly in place.

I quickly apologized. The corner of his mouth twitched, a hint of helpless amusement in his voice. "Trying to kill me on the first day? That's pretty ruthless."

I laughed too. Lucas was an interesting person.

4.

We were both fine. We switched to another car and set off again.

This time, I was more careful. I just drove around the villa complex, so nothing could go wrong.

I drove in circles. Lucas rested one arm on the window, his short hair blown by the evening breeze, his profile dreamily handsome.

Perfect!

We drove until dark, then went back to the villa. After dinner, it was time to shower and sleep.

The maid had already left, so the task of helping Lucas bathe fell to me.

I hadn't thought about this before, and now I felt a bit shy.

Lucas undressed himself and sat in the bathtub, saying calmly, "I can't see anything, so don't worry about it."

He was right. He couldn't see anything. Why was I being shy?

I decisively helped him bathe. By the end, my clothes were soaked.

So I took them off, planning to grab a towel to wrap myself in.

But then Lucas suddenly coughed, startling me.

I asked what was wrong. Did he get water in his throat?

His unfocused eyes didn't move. He shook his head slightly. "Nothing. What are you doing?"

I suddenly realized I was standing there in just my underwear. If Lucas weren't blind, he would have seen everything.

I quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped myself up, laughing awkwardly. "Nothing, nothing. Let me finish helping you."

The awkward atmosphere lingered, but we finally finished the bath.

I helped Lucas back to his room, then took my own shower and said goodnight.

I still slept in the other room. I wasn't shameless enough to share a bed with Lucas.

But I didn't sleep well. I'm not used to new beds.

When I woke up in the morning, I was yawning and groggy, sitting up in a daze.

Just then, Lucas came over, feeling his way along the wall. He probably wanted to wash up.

I threw off the covers. Then I felt a chill. I looked down. Damn, I was completely naked!

I'd definitely worn pajamas to bed. But after tossing and turning all night, they must have come off somehow. I have a habit of sleeping naked, but I wouldn't dare do that in someone else's house.

I didn't realize I'd done it unconsciously.

I quickly dove back under the covers, my face red, and looked at the door.

Lucas was standing there, his head lowered, facing the floor, silent.

"Did you see something?"

"What? I can't see."

Oh, right. He was blind.

Phew. False alarm.

I threw off the covers again and quickly looked for my pajamas. But just then, Lucas, who had lifted his head, coughed again and lowered it once more.

"What's wrong with you now?" I asked, confused.

"Maybe I have a cold. I've been coughing a lot lately," Lucas said, his voice cool and calm.

I see. That must be it.

He was blind. It couldn't be that he'd seen my body, causing his heart to race, his blood to surge, and his chest to heave, leading to a coughing fit, right?

5.

I got up and helped Lucas wash up.

Downstairs, the maid called me for breakfast. I asked Lucas if he wanted to come down. He said no.

So I went down alone and brought breakfast up for him.

When I came back up, I saw Lucas sitting on the balcony again, motionless like an old man.

The morning sun was bright, but it seemed to cast a layer of gray melancholy over him.

I sighed inwardly. Poor guy.

He'd enjoyed the drive yesterday, but the deep sadness inside him was hard to soothe. A laugh was just a laugh.

The dark life continued.

I could understand the psychology of disabled people. I'd volunteered with them before and had received training.

Pulling Lucas out of the darkness wouldn't be easy.

"Hey, hey, hey. Breakfast is here. Eat by yourself. I'm full, so I need to exercise a bit," I said, setting up a small table and placing the breakfast in front of Lucas.

He was startled. "The maid usually feeds me."

"Why do you need to be fed? Grab the spoon, scoop up the porridge, and it's in your mouth..." I took Lucas's hand. "Try it. Use your other hand to pick up a pastry..."

Lucas let me guide him, using both hands.

He did it easily. Why did he need to be fed!

"Easy, right? That's how I eat. Both hands working together," I said with a smile.

The corner of Lucas's mouth lifted slightly. He nodded.

I smiled to myself. Disabled people often hate being treated like they're disabled, especially proud young masters like Lucas.

My principle was simple: treat him like he's not blind!

6.

I didn't treat Lucas like he was blind. I made him eat breakfast by himself.

He had a good appetite, slowly enjoying the morning sun and the food.

I did some warm-up exercises beside him, starting my morning workout in my pajamas.

I twisted my shoulders, squatted, bent over, full of energy.

While I was in the middle of a stretch, I suddenly realized my posture was a bit indecent. I was bent over, twisting, and the area below my neck was exposed, right in front of Lucas.

If he weren't blind, his eyes would have landed on something they shouldn't.

I quickly looked at him. He was sitting calmly, his eyes behind the sunglasses—who knew where they were looking?

No, he was blind. What was he looking at?

I was overthinking things. A handsome, blind man like him wouldn't be leering at me.

So I relaxed and continued my workout, twisting my neck and hips, letting the sun see everything.

I worked up a sweat. When I looked at Lucas again, he was leaning back in his chair, his head turned to the side, not facing me.

"Fell asleep?" So early in the morning? He must be really weak.

I tried to push him back inside, but he sat up straight. "I wasn't sleeping."

"Then why were you lying down?"

"I... the sun is too strong. My eyes can't see, but they can still feel the light. It's uncomfortable," Lucas explained, sounding a bit guilty.

A proud young master like him, speaking with guilt?

I blinked and didn't think much of it. Maybe it wasn't guilt. Maybe I was overthinking.

After all, he was blind. It couldn't be that he'd seen my energetic workout, causing his heart to race, his blood to surge, and his chest to heave, leading to that guilty feeling, right?

7.

After the young master finished breakfast, I got ready to work.

My job was to keep Lucas company and pass the trial period.

I found the maid and asked about Lucas's hobbies.

"The young master had many hobbies. Riding motorcycles, singing, painting, playing the piano... But after the accident, he stopped doing any of them. Sigh." The maid sympathized with Lucas.

I thought about it and settled on "singing."

If I could get Lucas to pick up a hobby again, he could step out of the darkness. At least take a big step forward.

And I was good at singing. It wouldn't be hard to start from there.

I asked the maid to turn on the sound system and set up the equipment. I was ready to show off my voice.

The music room was on the third floor, one Lucas used to use. It had all kinds of equipment, but it looked like it hadn't been used in a long time.

I grabbed the microphone and started singing "The You of Once."

Soon, Lucas came up, helped by the maid.

He didn't say anything. He just sat down and listened.

I got into it and sang song after song: "Running Horse," "Flammable and Explosive," "Actor"... Lots of them.

The corner of Lucas's mouth lifted again. He clapped and commented, "High notes are hoarse, mid-range is heavy, low notes are airy. You have a lot of room for improvement."

"Come on, you sing. I've never lost a singing contest," I challenged him.

The maid was startled and kept giving me looks, hinting that I should coax and flatter Lucas, not argue with him.

I didn't care.

Lucas didn't care either. He stood up and felt his way over.

I gave him the microphone. He chose a song and started singing softly. It was Wubai's "White Dove."

"Ahead, there is no direction / On my body, there are no more clothes / Blood seeps from my wings / My tears have soaked through my chest..."

I was stunned. Lucas's melancholic, steady voice singing this song was absolutely perfect.

But a前所未有的 sadness filled my heart. Watching Lucas sing "White Dove," I felt his melancholy wasn't just because of his blindness.

What a pitiful child.

8.

Lucas finished singing "White Dove."

The lyrics seemed to have affected him. He had no expression, no words. He just turned and went downstairs, heading back to the balcony to sit.

My heart tightened. I'd wanted Lucas to find joy in singing again, but instead, one song had made him retreat into himself.

That wouldn't do!

"Lucas, you're amazing! How about we form a street band?"

I grabbed Lucas and enthusiastically suggested, "We'll call it the 'Dawn Band.' We'll go sing at the Wanda Plaza tonight and hang up a QR code for tips."

Lucas was taken aback. "Tips? What's that?"

"If we sing well, people give us money."

"Begging?"

"Pfft. We're earning money with our skills. What begging?" I snorted.

The maid looked at me with a pained expression, shaking her head, probably thinking I was insulting Lucas.

Lucas didn't refuse, but he didn't agree either. He just thought quietly.

I was afraid he'd say no, so I quickly added, "I'll take thirty percent, you take seventy. Or twenty-eighty, whatever you want."

Lucas laughed out loud. He even reached out and patted my head. "All for you, you little money-grubber."

Wow. Why did that make my heart flutter?

9.

Lucas agreed to go begging with me—I mean, singing!

And he was generous enough to give me all the money.

I was thrilled. I immediately went to print out my payment QR code. I'd wanted to do this for a long time. I had experience singing in bars, so I figured if I couldn't find a job, I could always sing for a living.

That night, we went out to "beg."

The maid, Ling, came along too. She was always worried something would happen to Lucas.

At Wanda Plaza, it was already dark.

The square was crowded with people. There were quite a few street performers, and even more internet celebrities.

These days, live-streamers were everywhere, especially at Wanda Plaza.

I picked a spot and set up the equipment with Ling, claiming our territory.

Lucas stood to the side, enjoying the breeze. He hadn't been out in a long time, and he wasn't used to it. The noisy crowd seemed to irritate him.

Of course, the girls staring at him also irritated him.

Lucas was the most handsome person in the entire plaza. Of course, people were going to stare.

We set up quickly. I cleared my throat and started with "The Only One" to get the atmosphere going.

To be fair, I'm a pretty good singer. And I'm not bad-looking, with a decent figure. I quickly attracted a large audience.

I took the opportunity to pull Lucas into the act.

He looked like he wanted to leave. He really didn't like this noisy place.

I cut to the chase. "Lucas, let's sing 'Lovers Miss Each Other.' As your future wife, it's not too much to ask for a duet, is it?"

Lucas's irritable expression faded. He let out a soft laugh. "Your trial period isn't over yet."

"That's okay. As long as lovers don't miss each other."

Lucas didn't say anything. He grabbed the microphone.

The duet began.

"I'm sure I said I loved you hundreds of years ago / You just forgot, and I didn't remember."

10.

The duet was a huge success!

Lucas was a sensation. He was already stunningly handsome, and his singing was so good that the whole crowd was screaming. Countless people were filming.

A lot of people scanned the QR code to give money. I was grinning from ear to ear.

Lucas gradually got used to the atmosphere. He sang several more duets with me, showing a smile I hadn't seen in a long time.

Not that faint smile. A genuine, happy smile.

I was overjoyed. I felt like I'd done a great deed.

Our poor boy was finally stepping into the light.

From then on, our days revolved around street singing. Lucas and I even became a hit on Douyin, which really satisfied my vanity.

Lucas and I also became completely comfortable with each other. I basically did whatever I wanted in the villa.

Since he couldn't see anything, I let loose.

Like running around all day in just my pajamas, as scantily clad as possible.

Like dragging Lucas into doing yoga with me, doing the splits right next to him.

Like forgetting to grab a towel after a shower and just running out with my hands over my chest. I couldn't exactly ask Lucas to get it for me.

He basically got a front-row seat to all my antics.

I don't know why, but his cough never got better. He'd suddenly cough every now and then.

Once, he was drinking tea when I came out wrapped in a towel to blow-dry my hair, cheerfully wiggling my butt.

He spat out his tea all over the floor.

I was startled and asked what was wrong.

He covered his mouth and waved his hand. "Hot... it was too hot."

Careless. But completely believable.

After all, he was blind. It couldn't be that he'd seen me wiggling my butt, causing his heart to race, his blood to surge, and his chest to heave, leading to that spit-take, right?

11.

I lived it up for over two months.

Lucas was happy every day. He had motivation now.

We often went for drives. I crashed the Ferrari once, giving Lucas a bump on his head.

We also rode the drop tower. I wanted to give Lucas an adrenaline rush, but I ended up scaring myself silly, screaming and clinging to him, almost losing it.

We often had pillow fights. I'd blindfold myself and pretend to be "blind" like him, then we'd fight with pillows.

He always won. I'd secretly peek to see how he did it.

But he still won, and he'd smirk, then hit me with perfect accuracy. It was infuriating.

The nightly street singing became a must. Sometimes I didn't want to go, but he'd force me.

One night, he wanted to go again, but it started raining.

I cackled. "Can't go now! Finally, a day off!"

Lucas smiled and patted my head again. "Perfect. I'll paint you a picture."

"A picture?"

"Yeah. You have thirteen days left in your trial period. I want to paint you." Lucas was serious.

My heart tightened inexplicably. "Why does it feel like we're saying goodbye? Don't you like me?"

"What are you talking about? Sit still." Lucas didn't answer my question. He told me to sit on the sofa.

I said, "But you can't see. How can you paint?"

"My hands can touch you. I can feel your shape." Lucas raised his hand.

I didn't argue. If he wanted to paint, let him paint.

Lucas asked the maid to bring an easel and supplies. The easel was set up next to me.

Lucas sat beside me, his left hand able to touch me, his right hand able to paint.

I sat up straight, watching Lucas, curious about what he would make of me.

He started quickly. His left hand touched my face, tracing every inch.

His hand was warm. It felt nice.

But it also tickled a bit. I'm ticklish, so I kept laughing.

Lucas laughed too, the corners of his mouth constantly lifting.

After a while, he was done. My neck was stiff.

I leaned over to look. Wow, it was beautiful!

The painting was of me. Willow-like eyebrows, lips like dewdrops. A real beauty.

"You're amazing! How did you do it?" I found it incredible. Lucas was blind!

And he'd painted it so perfectly.

"Practice makes perfect." Lucas put down his brush, seeming to look at the painting too.

But he was blind. What could he see?

"Can I have this painting? I want to frame it!" I rubbed my hands together.

But Lucas shook his head. "I'm not giving it to you."

"Why not?" I asked, anxious.

"This is the most satisfying painting I've ever done. I don't want to give it away." Lucas's voice was soft.

I felt a bit sulky. What a stingy guy.

But I could always pout and beg.

I leaned into him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and said sweetly, "Please? I really love it."

To be honest, after all this time together, this was the first time I'd initiated physical contact.

It felt natural, like it was meant to happen.

Lucas didn't seem to think it was strange. He reached back and patted my head. "I'll give you five million. Consider it as me buying the painting."

Huh?

I was confused. "Really?"

"Really."

I had to sell it. I'd done nothing and was getting five million for free. Haha!

12.

Lucas actually gave me five million.

The next day, his mother brought it over.

"Claire, my son said he wants to give you five million. Take it. Auntie brought it for you." She held my hand, standing at the entrance of the villa.

I took the card, surprised and curious. "Really? Are rich young masters always this generous?"

She smiled, but it seemed a bit forced.

I invited her in, but she waved her hand. "I won't. Your trial period is almost over. Spend more time with Lucas. He's changed a lot. Thank you."

I hadn't really done much.

Just occasionally took Lucas for drives, dragged him out to sing every day, and acted crazy around the villa.

If Lucas was getting better, it was probably because I'd opened up his heart.

He was willing to accept the outside world, so of course he'd get better naturally.

After seeing her off, I hummed a tune as I went upstairs, feeling overjoyed.

But then I saw Lucas sitting alone on the balcony again, motionless like an old man.

My heart raced. What was wrong?

This wasn't right.

I ran over and hugged him from behind. "Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

"Meditating." Lucas smiled, letting me lean on his back.

I looked at his face closely. He seemed fine. It really was just meditation.

I was overthinking.

"That's good... Your mom really gave me five million. Wow, I'm a millionaire!" I shared my joy.

Lucas found it amusing. "Little money-grubber."

"That's right. I'm a money-grubber. And I'm going to marry you and take all your money!" I had it all planned out.

Lucas was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay."

13.

On the last night of my trial period, I jumped into Lucas's bed.

It was a sudden impulse. I was going to be officially hired tomorrow anyway, so what was wrong with sharing a bed tonight?

"Hehe, little Lucas, I'm here." I slipped under the covers and hugged him.

He laughed. "Miss Claire, are you always this bold?"

"Not really. I'm just very familiar with you. Let me tell you, if you weren't blind, you'd have counted every hair on my body by now." I was shameless.

We were so familiar now. Why be shy?

Lucas laughed again. "Yeah, yeah, I can't see anything. Too bad."

"Too bad my foot! Do you really want to count every hair?" I tapped his head.

He wrapped his arms around me, trying to hold back his laughter.

I poked him. He begged for mercy, then pulled me firmly into his embrace.

I immediately softened. Such a broad, warm chest. It was a fatal weapon. What woman could resist?

If Lucas had tried anything at that moment, I would have surrendered completely.

But he didn't do anything. He just coaxed me to sleep. "Come on, sleep early."

What a straight man. No sense of romance at all.

The next morning, I deliberately went back to my room, put on a beautiful dress, and ran back to Lucas's room.

"Lucas, Lucas! Feel my dress. It's so beautiful!" I twirled around like a fairy.

Lucas sat on the bed, smiling. "I don't need to see it to know it's beautiful."

"Of course. I'm your wife." I was smug.

Lucas was still smiling. Then we heard a car horn from downstairs.

I was about to go down and check, but Lucas spoke up. "It's my parents' people. Today is my mother's birthday. I'm going over. You stay here."

"When will you be back? Today is the day I officially get hired."

"I'll be back soon." Lucas lowered his head.

Two maids came up to help him wash up and get ready.

I wanted to go down and see, but two men in suits were standing at the top of the stairs, blocking my way.

Something felt wrong. What was going on?

"Lucas, are you sure those are your parents' people?" I asked.

Lucas said "yes," then let the maids help him downstairs.

I watched him go. He turned back to look at me, giving me a very gentle smile.

At that moment, I felt like he could see me.

"When will you be back?" I blurted out.

"Soon." Lucas went downstairs.

14.

After Lucas left, the maids in the house also left.

I sat alone in the yard, looking around, bored out of my mind.

What was going on?

Finally, there was some activity. A red BMW drove in.

I was happy, thinking it was Lucas. But when I looked, it was a woman I didn't know.

She had a round, full face, naturally curly hair, and was dressed very expensively.

A woman from a wealthy family!

I went up to ask who she was. She looked me up and down and asked coldly, "Did you receive the five million?"

Five million?

"The five million Lucas's mother gave me?"

"You could say that. Good, you received it." The woman brushed off her sleeve. "Miss Claire, I regret to inform you that you did not pass your trial period. Please pack your things and leave."

Huh?

"Why?"

"No reason. You're not the type Lucas likes. But he's grateful that you helped him out of his slump. He now has the courage to face a new life.

"The five million is his reward to you. Consider it severance pay."

Severance pay?

My lips trembled. An inexplicable pain gripped my heart.

Why?

I admit I was initially in it for the money. But after three months together, money no longer mattered.

Feelings can't be measured by money.

Every moment with Lucas was etched into my memory. Our first drive, crashing into the wall. Our first duet of "Lovers Miss Each Other." The first time he painted me by touch...

"I don't believe Lucas would abandon me!" I stared at the woman.

She was calm. "Miss Claire, I'll give you one hour to pack and leave. Otherwise, I'll have you charged with trespassing and call the police to remove you."

The woman then went back to her car and sat down.

I stood there, dazed, my mind blank.

Why?

Confusion, doubt, pain... All sorts of emotions swirled inside me. Then I thought of Lucas's lie when he left, and the tears came.

He said he'd be back soon!

15.

An hour later, the police came. I packed my things in a daze and left like a zombie.

Back in my rented room, I was still in a fog, unable to accept reality.

I thought of Lucas's songs, his painting, and his lie when he left.

He must have known it was time for me to go!

I must have been an idiot hundreds of years ago!

After a few miserable days, I finally dragged myself out of the house, needing to find something to eat.

But I fainted on the way. I only remembered getting to the matchmaking corner.

When I woke up, I was in the hospital.

A nurse told me a stylish woman had brought me in.

I asked around and immediately knew it was the woman from the matchmaking corner, Lucas's mother.

"Where is she?" I asked quickly.

"She paid your bill and left. She said she doesn't know you," the nurse replied.

Doesn't know me?

She definitely knows me.

She was avoiding me!

I checked out of the hospital as soon as I could and went to the matchmaking corner to find her.

But after several days, I still couldn't find her.

I was even more convinced she was avoiding me. There had to be more to the story with Lucas.

So I went to Lucas's villa to look for him, but it was empty. Lucas wasn't there.

Looking at the empty villa, my heart felt empty too.

Lucas, what are you playing at!

Why are you doing this to me?

I left, dejected. I don't know when I got back to my rented room. I collapsed into bed and fell asleep.

In my dreams, I saw Lucas's face. He was singing, he was painting... Then came the shattered glass.

I even flinched in my sleep. Glass?

It was a car window, shattered all over the ground, covered in blood.

A man lay motionless on the ground, and I was crouching beside him, giving him CPR, keeping him alive.

I woke up with a start. Why did I dream about that car accident?

Last year, I was cycling past a steep slope when I saw a flipped sports car, covered in glass and blood.

The driver was barely alive. I quickly gave him first aid and waited for the ambulance.

Why did I suddenly dream about that?

I closed my eyes and tried to remember. I drifted back into the dream. The man on the ground merged with Lucas.

Lucas!

It was him!

I sat up straight. Yes, even though Lucas was covered in blood at the time, I vaguely remembered his face.

It was him!

16.

I saved Lucas last year.

Then I was recruited at the matchmaking corner to keep him company.

And now, Lucas was gone.

He'd planned this all along!

"Lucas, what are you playing at!" I cursed, tears streaming down my face again.

An inexplicable urge drove me out of the house.

I got on my mountain bike, which I hadn't ridden in a long time, and raced towards the accident scene in the darkness.

The steep slope after the third turn on Stone Ridge!

It was already midnight. There were hardly any cars on the road, let alone cyclists.

I wasn't wearing any protective gear. I just charged towards Stone Ridge.

An