Chapter 1 The Accident

“You're blind, and you still dream of going to university? You should focus on getting married and bringing back some betrothal gifts for Yohan instead!” “Who told you to play the hero by running onto the main road to save someone? Your father and I exhausted all our savings on your medical treatment because of that, you wretched girl!” Tears streamed down Cassandra Miller's cheeks as the harsh words from her parents filled her ears. She was on her way to university when she saved an elderly lady who almost got into a car accident. In her effort to save others, she sustained severe eye injuries that rendered her temporarily blind. The doctor had mentioned that a surgery could restore her eyesight, but her parents, deeming it too expensive, decided to discharge her from the hospital early. From that point forward, she could no longer attend university, and even her daily life became something she couldn't manage on her own. However, she had no regrets. The elderly lady was of such an advanced age that the car accident could have posed a serious threat to her life. There was a real possibility that it could have been fatal. Although she had lost her eyesight, Cassandra felt it was worthwhile because she had saved another person's life. Her parents scoffed, “What's the point of you saving someone? This world is filled with ungrateful people. You're nothing but a burden to us. We should never have had you!” No, that elderly lady is not an ungrateful person. She shouldered the entire cost of my hospital stay. But driven by your greed for money, you tricked her, saying you needed a million for my surgery. Once you got the money, you whisked me out of the hospital. Even if that elderly lady had the intention to help, she couldn't locate me. Unable to hold back, Cassandra retorted, “Didn't that elderly lady give you guys a million?” Suddenly, a slap landed on her face. Judith Garland snapped, “How dare you talk back? Your medical bills alone cost several million. Do you think it's been free to feed and take care of you all these years? Do you think you grew up living on air?” “What a wretched girl indeed.” Daniel Miller spat on the ground in disgust. A burning pain seared across Cassandra's face. She covered it as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. In the evening, the Miller family gathered together for dinner. Cassandra could see nothing. The world before her was shrouded in darkness. Judith and Daniel were only looking after her brothers, ignoring her. “Harry, have some more meat. This is a critical period for your growth.” “Yohan, you should eat more too. The monthly exams are coming up, and you can't afford to be at the bottom of the class again.” Yohan Miller, Cassandra's younger brother, had just begun his second year of middle school. His academic performance was among the lowest, and he was quite chubby, with his facial features appearing squished together. He ate voraciously, his head down as he snuffled and rooted around in his bowl like a pig. Yohan sneered, “Who cares if I'm at the bottom of the class? All the betrothal gifts Cassandra gets in the future will be mine anyway, and any money she earns should come straight to me.” Judith turned and glanced at Cassandra. “She has spent quite a bit of our family's money over the years. It's about time she gave something back. There's a distant relative on my side of the family, a little older, about forty-five, who's been unable to find a match due to his limp. Cassandra can marry him.” “Mom, isn't it a bit unfair to make Cassandra marry a disabled man? It's quite embarrassing to even mention it.” Harry Miller, Cassandra's older brother, expressed his disagreement. He wasn't actually feeling sorry for Cassandra; he was just afraid that if word got out, it might affect his own marital prospects. Judith slammed the table and exclaimed, “Who does she think she can marry, blind as she is? Does she fancy herself fit for a prince? She should be grateful that anyone would take her.” Cassandra's heart plummeted as the cruel words, overheard while she was scrubbing the dirty rags, echoed in her ears. Mom and Dad want to marry me off to a lame man in his forties. I can't risk spending the rest of my life in such a situation! I must escape! There were moments when Cassandra questioned whether she was truly her parents' biological child. They were kind to her brothers, yet so cruel to her. During her school years, Cassandra consistently ranked at the top of her class, earning scholarships and grants each year. Unfortunately, all this money was spent by Yohan. Yohan always flaunted designer shoes and clothes, while she was stuck with worn-out shoes from years ago and hand-me-down clothes from relatives. At school, she often felt so inferior that she couldn't hold her head up. After much struggle, Cassandra finally got into university. She worked hard and saved enough for her tuition. Without telling Judith and Daniel, she secretly went to enroll, but then fate was remarkably cruel to her. In the hospital, Mabel Ackerman let out a heavy sigh. “Where could they have gone? Did they leave the hospital secretly because they couldn't afford the treatment? But I clearly told them we would cover all the medical expenses. How could they leave without even providing a contact number?” The man standing beside the bed was tall and imposing, dressed in a finely tailored designer suit. His handsome face was sharply defined, yet his expression was unnervingly cold. He had just returned from developing new markets overseas, and the moment his plane touched down, he rushed to the hospital.