Chapter 216

A tight ache twisted in Vincent's chest at the way Hannah held herself, so composed that it almost seemed cold. When he finally spoke, his voice cracked with a desperation he hadn't meant to reveal. "I could have defended you and made my mother pay for ever tampering with your meals. I swear | would-"

The vow-"I would stand with you, no matter what"-was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't get it out.All the old wounds he'd inflicted on her came rushing up, choking off his words.

Before he could recover, Hannah's calm voice slipped between them, gentle but unyielding. "And then? You would end up fighting with your mother, caught in pain and anger, maybe even a complete break?"

Everything that had happened last night, she predicted it all.Vincent forced down the lump in his throat,silent.

Hannah's composure never faltered."Vincent, it's pointless. Arguments, rifts, punishment-none of it can undo what's already been done. My body's broken, and my spirit's scarred. There's no undoing it."

A dry, bitter laugh slipped from her lips. "Telling you? What difference would it have made? What was the point of discussing it now?"

"At the very least, you wvouldn't have to go through it alone." Vincent's reply was rough-edged, a faint quiver betraying the storm beneath his calm.

She thought of all those endless, sleepless nights-the gnawing depression, the crushing weight of forced infertility-everything she'd suffered behind closed doors, while the man she called husband remained oblivious. The irony stung.

"I faced the worst of it on my own. Anger, resentment, hatred-I've made it through all of that." Hannah drew a careful breath, her tone unshaken. "I've already embraced that Chapter of my life. Your reaction now only makes it hard for me."

Vincent's gaze dropped, shadowed by regret.

Hannah drew a steady breath and tipped her chin up, defiant. "I've long given up on you. I see everything for what it is now. I don't waste time on impossible hopes-like fitting into your family, or thinking you'd finally break free from your mother and stand up for me. Letting go of those illusions? That's what set me free.Walking away from you, from the Jones family-that was the best choice I have ever made."

Her words landed like iron against his chest, each one leaving a bruise. After a long silence, he managed a hoarse, "I'm sorry."

His voice was rough, as if the words scraped his throat. For all their weight, they still felt hollow and insignificant.

"Since I lost my sight, every day has been suffocating. The darkness swallowed me whole. Just because l was strong doesn't mean I was unaffected, especially... Being imprisoned by you pulled me straight into the worst memoriesof our marriage."

A chill ran through Hannah's smile, leaving it hollow and emotionless. "If you really feel sorry, then set me free. Everything that ever existed between us is already over for me. Clinging to the past just throws my life into chaos. I can't stand it."

Hannah's calmness built an impenetrable wall between them-more effectively than any outburst of anger could have. Her quiet detachment shut him out of her world completely.

Vincent's reply was barely more than a whisper. "I understand."

He decided to let her go.

But by then, Hannah was already gone-her heart far beyond his reach.

···

Nearly two weeks had passed since she moved in. Though she'd settled into the rhythm of this new life, a constant ache tugged her back toward the world she'd left behind. She missed the comforts of her old routihe-her family's warmth, the chatter of close friends, the sense of purpose her work gave her. That was where she belonged.

But every attempt to reach out was barred. The excuse was always the same: contact could compromise her safety, drawing danger to her doorstep.

With no room for argument, Hannah could only swallow her frustration and obey.

Day after day, the monotony of recovery pressed in, each hour blurring into the next.

Vincent watched from a distance, silent and ever-present. Since that difficult conversation, he'd kept his distance, leaving her alone in the quiet that now defined her days.

Marie returned with a fresh update, her face brightening as she shared the good news: the blood clot in Hannah's brain had finally dissolved.

Vincent pressed his fingers to his temples, frustration simmering beneath his calm. "Then why hasn't her vision come back?"

Marie answered without hesitation, "That's what concerns me. The explosion might've damaged more than just her brain. There's a chance her eyes were injured as weIl. For her vision to recover, she might need a retinal transplant surgery."

She paused and then added, "I've already uploaded her medical details to the transplant registry. The moment a matching donor appears, we'll get the call."

Everything had been arranged with meticulous care.

Vincent looked up, his voice quiet but urgent. "How long will it take?"

Marie gave him the hard truth. "It could be as little as six months. Or it might take three years."

Vincent leaned in and murmured, "That's too long to wait." The wait would be unbearable to Hannah.

Marie replied quietly,"Six months is already fast. Some people wait their entire lives."

A heavy silence settled between them.

Vincent suddenly spoke."Try my eyes."

Marie froze and then gently reminded him,"Mr. Jones, you really need to reconsider this. If you're a match and the transplant goes ahead, you won't be able to have another surgery anytime soon. You'd be blind for at least three years."

Vincent let out a soft, self-mocking laugh. "Three years? That's nothing." It was still shorter than the five years he and Hannah had spent as husband and wife.

With a cautious tone, she pressed on. "Mr. Jones, please know that the risks are substantial."

Vincent gave a humorless smile. "Risks? It's a risk I must take." He turned on his heel and added over his shoulder, "Just see if the match aligns first."

Marie doubted they'd match. What were the odds?

Three days later, the test results arrived. To Marie's astonishment, it showed that Vincent and Hannah were an exceptionally rare match. The chances of rejection were almost nonexistent. Vincent's retina could be transplanted to Hannah.

Quiet and unwavering, Vincent gave his only instruction. "Don't tell her."

The surgery was set for a month out.