Chapter 2

The entire room fell silent.

Then the noise came back louder than before, and everyone was laughing.

"Oh my God, I can't — she actually thought Ethan would marry her. She's blind!"

"The nerve. Even if she could see, she'd never be good enough for the Johnson family."

"Maybe she should look in a mirror — oh wait, sorry, I forgot she can't."

Through the laughter, I clearly heard Ethan let out a quiet chuckle.

As if he found my delusion amusing.

My hands were shaking badly. I could feel all the blood in my body rushing to my head.

My fingers scrambled for my white cane so I could get out of there.

Maya grabbed my hand and stepped in front of me.

"Alright, alright — Zoe didn't mean anything by it. Everyone stop laughing at her."

"Today is Zoe's birthday. Let's all have some cake together."

The moment she finished speaking, a cake the height of a person was wheeled out.

Maya gripped my wrist and pulled me toward it. The thick, sweet smell of buttercream hit me instantly.

I stepped back, uncomfortable, but Maya pressed firmly against my shoulders from behind, blocking me.

"Zoe, Ethan and I had this cake custom-made just for you. Do you like it?"

With someone pushing against my back, I gave a stiff smile.

"I used to. Not anymore."

I used to like it because Ethan liked it.

Now I didn't, because I didn't love him anymore.

But in everyone else's ears, it sounded like petty theatrics.

One of the girls standing beside Maya shoved me hard from behind, all while keeping a cheerful grin on her face.

"See? She loves it — she can't wait to dig in."

Sweet, thick frosting covered my face and clothes. I cried out in shock.

My hands flew out wildly, grasping for anything to hold onto.

No one reached back. Everyone just crowded closer.

More and more people started throwing cake at me — smearing it on my face, my clothes, even forcing it into my mouth.

"Come on, everyone help the birthday girl celebrate! She's practically crying, she's so touched!"

"Makes sense. She lives in that basement — probably hasn't had anyone talk to her in weeks."

"Now she's got all of us here for her birthday. No wonder she's emotional."

Another wave of laughter. I was shaking with rage.

I wanted so badly to ask Ethan and Maya why they were doing this to me.

But the moment I opened my mouth, someone shoved in a handful of frosting.

Gagging, I fought through the crowd and stumbled toward the exit.

Laughter trailed after me as I went, everyone jeering at how pathetic I looked.

I finally found the door and shut all of it out behind me.

I sank down against the wall and let myself cry quietly.

Why? Why are they doing this to me?

Why were the people I trusted most — the ones closest to me — the ones who turned on me? Who humiliated me in front of everyone?

My chest ached like something inside it had collapsed. But worse than the pain was the shame — the kind that comes from being mocked when you're already broken.

I was still falling apart when I heard two servers gossiping nearby.

"Did you see that girl from room 403? God, I feel awful for her."

"The blind one? I heard she's been throwing herself at Mr. Johnson for months. She guilted him into putting on a whole fireworks show, and his actual girlfriend had to just stand there and watch. I mean, what did she expect? Someone had to put her in her place."

"Apparently they used to be friends too. She looks so sweet and harmless. You really never know people."

"Probably figures that since she's blind, she can't do better — so she latches on to whoever's nearby."

The words cut right through the wall and straight into me.

My whole body went cold.

My heart beat in my hollow chest — slow, dull, and aching.

So that's how it is.

Maya had sabotaged me to clear the way to becoming Ethan's wife.

But what about Ethan? What was his reason?

I had given him everything. I had even lost my sight trying to protect him.

So what was it — why did he hate me this much?