Chapter 1
In the dimly lit living room, Zoey Miller sat quietly as her parents sharp words pierced the air like daggers. Tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop a silent testament to her pain.
The suffocating tension wrapped around her like a cold blanket, but she swallowed her words, as always, letting the sting of her father’s anger wash over her.
Josh Miller’s face was flushed, his veins bulging with fury as he roared, “You’ve gone blind, Zoey. And you still dream of going to college? Stop fooling yourself. You’d better marry someone rich and bring home money for your sister.” His words cut through the air like a whip.
Her mother, Kara, wasn’t any gentler. She jabbed a sharp finger into Zoey’s forehead, spitting out words full of contempt. “Who told you to play the hero and save some random woman on the street?
ent every penny we had to fix your eyes, and what did we get for it? A daughter who can’t even take care of herself.
“We spent
Zoey remembered that day vividly–heading off to college, excitement bubbling within her. Suddenly, she saw an old lady about to be hit by a speeding car, and without a second thought she threw herself into the road to save her. The accident had injured her eyes severely, leaving her temporarily blind.
At first, the doctors assured them that surgery could restore her sight. But her parents couldn’t stand the expenses, so they yanked her out of the hospital before the operation, condemning her to a life of darkness. From that moment on, college became a distant dream, and even the simplest tasks felt impossible.
But Zoey didn’t regret it, not for a second. That elderly woman had been frail, and without Zoey’s intervention, she would’ve been hit. Even at the cost of her sight, the saving of another life was worth the sacrifice for Zoey.
Josh sneered, his voice dripping with disdain, “What good did it do you to save her, huh? The world is full of ungrateful people, and now you’re nothing but dead weight. We never should have had you in the first place.”
In her heart, Zoey whispered to herself. “That’s not true. The lady wasn’t ungrateful.
In fact, the woman had been the one paying all her hospital bills. But her parents–greedy and heartless–had scammed the old lady, telling her they needed 300 thousand dollars for Zoey surgery. As soon as they got their hands on the money. they dragged Zoey out of the hospital, leaving her no chance to recover.
Even if that woman wanted to help, she wouldn’t have been able to find Zoey
Zoey’s voice trembled as she finally spoke up, her frustration balling over, “Didn’t that lady give you 300 thousand dollars?”
A sudden, sharp smack echoed in the room. Her mother’s palm connected with her cheek, the sting spreading across Zoey’s
face like wildfire.
Kara’s voice grew even harsher, her words like acid. “How dare you talk back? Do you have any idea how much your treatment has cost us? Hundreds of thousands of dollars. And you think you were raised for free? What about all the food you’ve eaten, the roof over your head? You’re nothing but a burden.”
Josh spit on the floor, his contempt clear. “Useless. You’re a real waste of space.”
Zoey pressed her hand to her burning cheek, her tears falling fater now, a bitter mix of hurt and helplessness. The pain was deep, burnot just from the slap. It was the realization that her own parents saw her as nothing more than a burden, a mistake they regretied.
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Chapter 1
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That evening, the Miller family gathered at the dinner table while Zoey was completely ignored, her world swallowed by darkness. She couldn’t see anything anymore, not the food on the table, nor the faces around it. Everything felt cold and distant, as if she were fading into a world where nothing made sense.
She just sat quietly in the corner of the living room, her fingers tembling as she scrubbed an old rag, trying to ignore the sharp sting of her parents‘ words.
At the table, the focus was entirely on her brother Wyatt and sister Brittany, as usual.
Josh, their father, piled more spaghetti onto Wyatt’s plate. “Eat up Wyatt. You’re still growing. Gotta make sure you’re strong.” he said as if Wyatt were the center of the universe.
Kara, their mother, mirrored his affection, carefully adding a generous slice of lasagna onto Brittany’s plate. “Brittany, darling, you need to eat well. Exams are coming up, and you can afford to be at the bottom of the class again.”
Zoey’s heart clenched. Brittany, her younger sister, was always the family’s spoiled darling. Whenever Brittany asked for something, she always got what she wanted.
Brittany, just entering eighth grade, was far from a model studert. She was failing miserably and carried the weight of her neglectful lifestyle–both figuratively and literally.
She was so chubby that her features seemed squished together, and her eating habits matched that, shoveling food into her mouth with no regard for manners, practically burying her head in her plate.
Between mouthfuls, Brittany shot Zory a look of disdain. “Who cares if I’m failing? It’s not like it matters. Anyway, all the money Zoey earns is going to be mine one day. She owes it to me
Zoey flinched at the words, but Kara only nodded in agreement her voice cold as she cast Zoey a glance. “She’s spent enough of the family money. It’s about time she started giving back.
“My folks have got a family friend, about forty–five. He’s been looking for a wife for years but can’t find one because of his bad leg. Perfect for Zozo
Wyatt, who had been quietly eating, chimed in, “Mom, it’s not right to let Zozo marry an old cripple, is it? It’d be embarrassing if people found out”
Wyatt’s concern wasn’t out of affection for Zoey. He only cared about his own reputation. After all, the gossip would affect him when he went searching for a wife himself
Kara slapped the table, her voice sharp. “And who does she think she can marry? She’s blind. She should be grateful anyone is willing to take her. What? She dreams of marrying into wealth She’d be lucky to get a man like to look at her.”
Zoey’s hands trembled as she scrubbed the grimy rag, the weight of Kara’s words hitting her like a punch in the gut. They want me to marry a 45–year–old cripple? They can’t be serious. won’t let them throw away my life like that. I have to get out
of here.
Sometimes, Zoey wondered if she was really their biological child. She couldn’t understand why her parents always showered Wyatt and Brittany with affection but treated her like an afterthought.
Zoey had always been a top student in school, her name at the top of the honor roll. Each year, she brought home scholarships to help with her expenses, but all that money had gone straight to Brittany.
Brittany flaunted her designer shoes and high–end clothes while Zoey wore worn–out, hand–me–downs that had long since lost their shape. Her shoes were so old they barely held together, and she often found herself dressed in whatever relatives didn’t want anymore.
THE
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Chapter 1
At school, Zoey’s self–esteem was so shattered that she could barely lift her head.
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But she had fought hard to get into college, working countless part–time jobs to scrape together enough for tuition. She’d gone behind Josh and Kara’s backs to enroll, determined to carve out a future for herself. And yet, fate had dealt her one cruel hand after another. She couldn’t understand why her life seemed so unrelentingly harsh.
Meanwhile, at the hospital. Isabella Gordon sighed heavily, concern etched into her face, “She just vanished. Do you think she left because she couldn’t afford the treatment? But I told them we’d cover all the expenses. Why didn’t she leave any contact information before disappearing like that?”
Beside her stood Levi Gordon, tall and imposing, his broad shoulders perfectly fitted into a sharp, custom–tailored suit. His handsome features were undeniably perfect, but the chill of his expression cast an unsettling shadow over his striking looks
He had just returned from an international business trip, landing only hours ago, but had rushed straight to the hospital.
Levi’s deep, velvety voice carried a note of restrained frustration Grandma, don’t worry. I’ve already sent people to look for Iver.
Isabella, still visibly moved, smiled sofily, “If it weren’t for that girl, I wouldn’t be here today. She saved my life. And she was so beautiful too–delicate, with such innocent eyes.
I wonder if she’s even of age. If she is, she’d be a perfect match for you. You should think about settling down, Levi. It would put my heart at ease.
Levi’s eyes flickered, a flash of cold suspicion passing through them. I doubt things are as simple as they seem.”
At 29, Levi had never been involved with any women. His reputation for keeping his distance was well known.
As the heir to the Gordon family, the wealthiest and most powerful family in Cridonia, Levi was a hot commodity. People practically lined up to try and marry into his world.
He couldn’t help but wonder, Grandmother rarely leaves the house. How is it that the one time she does, she’s in a car accident, only to be rescued by some girl? Can all of this really be a coincidence?
Isabella knew her grandson well. He had always been sharp–witted, commanding respect in the business world for years, and was a master of strategy and subtlety. His keen instincts often cut through the noise, and he understood the intricacies of human nature better than most
She sighed. “Go ahead and investigate if it’ll give you peace of mind. But I still don’t believe that this girl isn’t a bad person.”
She had lived a long life and prided herself on her ability to read people. To her, Zoey’s eyes had been so clear, so pure, like shimmering gemstones. She figured someone with such a clean soul couldn’t possibly be up to no good.
Outside the ward, Levi’s gaze turned glacial the moment he left the room. He gestured to his assistant, Jack Wilson, his voice like ice. “I want a full report on that car and the girl who ran away”
“Yes, Mr. Gordon,” Jack replied, his tone formal, not daring to question the order.
Little did Zoey know, the Miller family had drastically underestimated the Gordon family. They were too short–sighted to understand the significance of saving someone from the Gordon family.
To them, three hundred thousand dollars was an unimaginable sum. They couldn’t fathom that to the Gordons, it was nothing. The Gordons could have multiplied that amount a hundredfold without even blinking
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At the Millers, Zoey quietly gathered the dishes and headed to the kitchen to wash them after her family had their dinner. her stomach growling from hunger.
In the early days of her blindness, she struggled with the task, often clumsily smashing plates and receiving harsh reprimands from Josh and Kara in return.
Once she finished all the chores, the house settled into an eerie silence, with everyone else fast asleep. Zoey didn’t her own room. She had been relegated to a corner of the living room.
even
have
The bed she was using had once belonged to Wyatt, bought by Josh and Kara when Wyatt was a child, and it was now a cluttered mess of forgotten items.
As she lay down, the cramped space forced her to curl up, her body barely fitting. If she dared to stretch, she would inevitably bump her head, a constant reminder of her confined txistence.
Zoey packed up her few belongings, including her ID cards and whatever scraps of money she had saved. She grabbed a stick to use as a cane and, with one last touch of the place she’d called home, crept out into the dark.
As soon as she stepped out of the house, the purr of a black luxury car interrupted the silence as it parked right next to her, its headlights cutting through the darkness like a knife. The sudden sound startled Zoey, causing her to shrink back instinctively, her heart racing like a trapped bird in her chest.
The back window rolled down smoothly, revealing Levi’s striking chiseled features illuminated by the soft glow of the interior lights. His hair framed his face perfectly, and his piercing eyes seemed to hold the night itself, intense and commanding
With a small, discreet gesture, Levi signaled to his driver, a silent command that spoke volumes. The driver nodded, at professional glint in his eye, ready to follow Zoey closely as she stepped further into her uncertain future.
