Chapter 5

Seraphina POV

The hospital corridor reeked of antiseptic.

I followed behind Julian, led into the VIP ophthalmology clinic.

Valerie sat in the examination chair, and Julian was leaning down, kissing her forehead.

"Don't be scared. Dr. Miller is personally performing the surgery. You'll be able to see again tomorrow."

Valerie clutched Julian's coat, shrinking back just a little.

"Seraphina is really willing? After all, it's removing an eyeball..."

"She doesn't have a choice." Julian turned, his tone devoid of warmth. "Sign it."

On the table lay the 'Surgical Consent Form'.

I picked up the pen with my left hand.

Dr. Miller adjusted his glasses, his voice professional and flat.

"Ms. Seraphina, after the left eyeball is removed, a prosthetic eye will be fitted. There's a risk of rejection, but it won't affect your appearance. Please sign if you confirm."

My pen hovered over the line.

"I need to use the restroom."

Julian frowned. "Always so difficult."

"I want to go too." Valerie suddenly stood up, fumbling for Julian's hand. "Julian, I want to touch up my makeup. I don't want you to see me looking tired."

Julian's gaze softened. "Okay, I'll help you."

"No need, just Seraphina can come with me." Valerie smiled sweetly.

Inside the restroom.

The stall door locked.

Valerie stood in front of the mirror, reaching up to take off her large sunglasses.

Her eyes, clear as glass, held no hint of impairment.

She pulled lipstick from her bag and, gazing into the mirror, meticulously outlined her lips. Not a single smudge.

"Just as I thought," I said.

"Surprised?" Valerie pursed her lips, turning to face me, her eyes filled with malice. "Seraphina, I never actually needed your cornea. I just wanted to make you blind."

My left hand, in my pocket, gripped the tiny key I'd retrieved from my cast.

"Caleb's surgery fee, Julian already paid it," I said.

"Did he?" Valerie chuckled softly, pulling out her phone and playing a video.

In the video, the oxygen tube in Caleb's ICU room was half-pulled out. The monitor blared a piercing alarm, and nurses scrambled to save him.

I lunged to snatch the phone.

Valerie sidestepped, then slapped me across the face.

I slammed into the sink, my casted hand taking another brutal hit.

"Your brother's pathetic life? It's in my hands now." Valerie leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Tomorrow's surgery, if you dare to run, or say anything, I'll have them pull the plug entirely."

I glared at her. "What do you want?"

"I want you to die on the operating table." Valerie pulled an eyebrow razor from her bag and shoved it into the crevices of my cast. "Anesthesia complications, cardiac arrest - these things happen all the time in surgery. I want you dead on that table, clearing the way for me to be Mrs. Sterling."

A knock came at the door. Julian's voice.

"Valerie? Are you ready?"

Valerie's face instantly transformed. She swept the hand soap bottle off the sink, letting it crash to the floor.

"Seraphina, no!"

She shrieked, throwing herself to the ground.

The door burst open.

Julian rushed in, seeing Valerie sprawled on the floor and me 'holding' an eyebrow razor.

"Seraphina!"

Julian's foot connected hard with my stomach.

I flew backward, my back slamming against the edge of the toilet, and I crumpled to the floor, pain curling me into a ball.

"Julian... Seraphina said if I could see again, you wouldn't want her... She wanted to ruin my face..." Valerie sobbed, burying her face in Julian's chest.

Julian picked up Valerie, his eyes on me, as if looking at a corpse.

"Lock her in the morgue," Julian ordered the security guards who'd rushed in. "Let her have a good reality check."

The guards came forward, dragging me out as I coughed up blood.

I didn't struggle.

As they pulled me through the door, I saw Valerie, clinging to Julian's shoulder, silently mouthed two words at me: "Die. Bitch."

The morgue was freezing.

I was thrown between the stainless steel gurneys.

The icy chill seeped deep into my bones.

I huddled in the corner, pulling out the tiny voice recorder I'd prepared earlier.

Everything in the restroom had been recorded.

This was my last card.

It was meant for negotiating with Julian, but now, it would be Valerie's funeral song.

My phone buzzed.

A message from "Liam".

"Caleb's been moved. Cyrus's people have him now. You can proceed."

I looked at the screen and laughed.

I laughed, tears streaming down my face.

Valerie, your biggest mistake was believing I still cared about Julian.

I sat in the morgue's frigid air all night.

Until dawn, when the guards opened the door.

"Come out. Julian wants you home to prepare for surgery."