An hour later, the doctor left the mansion, telling Ella her burn was not serious, only advising her to keep the wound clean and apply ointment regularly to avoid infection. Lucian, however, insisted the doctor check her over and over again, ignoring the repeated reassurances, until he was completely certain there were no hidden injuries.
After the doctor left, Lucian ordered Mrs. Tan and Lina to leave the mansion at once, warning them sternly not to set foot there again without his permission. Mrs. Tan was furious but dared not talk back. Lucian's sudden change in demeanor terrified her to the core. Ella was finally free, if only temporarily, from their endless harassment and bullying.
That night, the mansion was unusually quiet, quieter than when Ella had first moved in. The servants moved even more silently, following their master's orders, not daring to disturb the newlyweds. Ella sat on the bedroom balcony, her bandaged right hand resting on the railing, staring at the lush garden below.
Lucian stood beside her, leaning on no one for support, his hands in his pockets, his face turned toward the night sky. The bright moonlight shone softly on his face, outlining his sharp, handsome features. He was perfect-looking, tall and straight, his face so delicate it took one's breath away. Without the blindfold, he would have been the most sought-after bachelor in the city.
"Why did you do that?" Ella suddenly asked, breaking the silence, her voice full of confusion. "Why did you stand up for me? We barely know each other. This marriage is just a transaction, isn't it?"
She had heard the rumors. Lucian married her to fulfill a promise to his late grandfather, and her father agreed to the marriage to save his failing company. It was nothing more than an exchange of interests. She could not understand why he had gone out of his way to defend her, to show her kindness when everyone else treated her with contempt.
Lucian was silent for a moment, his head tilted slightly, as if listening to the night breeze. "Transaction or not, you are my wife from now on," he said slowly. "I will never allow my wife to be bullied. That is my principle."
"But you can't see," Ella blurted out, then covered her mouth at once, terrified by her rudeness. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"It's all right," Lucian interrupted her, his voice still calm, not angry at all. "Everyone says that. Everyone thinks I'm helpless, that I can't even take care of myself, let alone protect others. But they don't know the truth."
Ella's heart skipped a beat. "What truth?"
Lucian did not answer. He only reached out and gently brushed a tear from her cheek that she had not even noticed. His touch was warm and tender, filled with a softness that made Ella's heart race.
"You've had a hard life all these years," he said quietly. "You don't have to keep pretending to be strong here. You can rest. You can trust me."
Ella looked at him, her eyes filling with tears again. No one had ever said such things to her. No one had ever told her she could stop and rest, that she could trust someone. For the first time, a faint spark of hope, a tiny flame of happiness, lit up her dark life.
That night, Ella fell asleep quickly. The events of the day had left her exhausted. It was the first time in years she had slept so soundly, without fear of being woken up to be scolded or forced to work. But in the middle of the night, an extremely soft sound outside the bedroom door jolted her awake.
She sat up in bed, her heart pounding, staring at the door. The room was pitch black, save for the moonlight streaming through the window, illuminating a small area. She could hear soft footsteps in the hallway, and a low, muffled voice—Lucian's voice.
Ella climbed out of bed quietly, her feet touching the cold floor, and walked slowly to the door, pushing it open a tiny crack to peek outside.
What she saw froze her in place, unable to move.
Lucian stood in the hallway, his back to the bedroom door. And on his face, there was no blindfold.
His eyes were wide open, dark and sharp, bright and clear, showing no sign of blindness. He stared straight ahead, his gaze cold and focused, talking in a low, serious tone with Ethan. Ella could only catch a few words.
"…Have you found his trace?" Lucian's voice was cold, devoid of warmth.
"Not yet, sir," Ethan replied quietly. "He's hiding very well, but we're certain he's been watching this mansion, keeping an eye on your every move. We're doing everything we can to track him down."
Lucian nodded, his jaw tight. "He won't be able to hide much longer. Keep searching. And make sure Ella is completely safe. Don't let her get involved in this. She doesn't need to know about the danger."
"Yes, sir."
Ella held her breath, trembling uncontrollably. He was not blind at all. His eyesight was perfect. The blindfold had been a lie, a disguise all along. For so long, he had been pretending to be blind, and the entire city, his family, even she—they had all been fooled.
And someone was watching him, someone extremely dangerous. He was hiding a shocking secret, a secret full of danger, and because of this marriage, she had been dragged into the mess innocently.
Lucian suddenly turned around, as if sensing someone was watching. Ella quickly and quietly closed the door, leaning against it, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest. She climbed back into bed, pulling the covers over her head, her mind swirling with questions.
Why was he pretending to be blind? Who was the person watching him? What kind of danger was he in? And why had he married her if he was living such a secret, dangerous life?
She lay in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep, staring into the dark room. She knew her quiet, ordinary life was gone forever. She was now tied to a man with countless secrets, a man far from the helpless figure he appeared to be. He had sworn to protect her, yet hidden everything from her.
And somewhere in the shadows outside the mansion, a watcher lay in wait, patiently biding his time. Ella knew their brief days of peace were numbered.