Chapter 29
Rosalie’s voice trembled, thick with tears, as she said, “B–But this is too sudden. How are we supposed to find corneas in time? What do we do, Tess? What’s going to happen to your eyes?”
Tessa felt her nose sting when she heard Rosalie’s choked words. She reached for Rosalie’s hand.
Zachary’s voice was firm as he said, “I’ll get you new corneas, Tess. You’re not going blind, not while I’m here.”
“Thanks,” Tessa replied, her smile sorrowful.
After all she’d been through lately, she finally understood what it meant to accept fate. Sometimes, life had a strange way of working out.
It seemed that certain things were never meant to be hers. She thought that perhaps blindness was just what she had to live with.
Ethan hadn’t left. His car was still parked along the street outside Tessa’s apartment. The window was rolled down, and a cigarette dangled between his fingers. The inside of the car was thick with smoke.
The memory of Tessa’s dull, sightless eyes kept replaying in his mind, He remembered how beautiful they used to be–bright and clear as a mountain stream. Now, they were like still, murky water.
He thought about the time she had begged him, when she’d confessed her vision was failing and she needed new corneas. But he hadn’t believed her.
Why hadn’t he believed her back then?
On the day of the surgery, Ethan had even poached the corneas meant for her transplant, condemning her to blindness. The more he thought about it, the heavier the regret sat on his chest, tightening like a vise.
His phone rang, and he answered it. His contact informed him that they had secured Tessa’s medical records.
He opened the file, revealing row after row of records of medical visits. Tessa had been sick for a long time, and Ethan had had no idea!
Only then did Ethan realize his own failure. He had been by Tessa’s side daily, yet he’d never noticed her failing vision. But why had earlier searches turned up nothing, only for the truth to surface now?
Ethan’s expression darkened. He swore he’d find the one responsible!
The night grew quieter. Rosalie guided Tessa, now freshly showered, back to bed.
Still concerned, she offered, “Let me stay with you tonight. If you need anything, like water or help to the bathroom, just wake me.”
Tessa smiled faintly and shook her head. “It’s alright. Go back to your room. I’ll just end up disturbing uni
+15 Bonus
tomorrow, I can manage it myself.”
Rosalie knew that Tessa was putting on a brave face. After all, Tessa had to be more terrified than anyone when she lost her
eyesight.
Rosalie’s eyes filled with tears again, and she hugged Tessa. “Tess…”
Tessa’s nose burned, and her eyes ached. But now, she couldn’t see anything at all.
“Let’s go to the hospital tomorrow for a checkup, okay? I need to understand your condition so I know how to help,” Rosalie whispered.
“Okay, sure. Whatever you say,” Tessa replied.
The next morning, Rosalie rose early. She made breakfast and waited until Tessa had finished eating before guiding her outside. Tessa, now blind, moved down the street like a child who needed to be led,
As they stepped through the gate of their apartment complex, Rosalie spotted a car parked nearby. She sensed something familiar about it. She stared, her expression hardening
When Rosalie was silent, Tessa asked, “What’s wrong? Did you see something?”
“It’s nothing,” Rosalie said.
Their ride pulled up moments later. Rosalie helped Tessa inside, keeping a careful eye on her.
Only after the car drove off did Ethan trail after it. His eyes were bloodshot from a sleepless night and chain–smoking until dawn.
The pavement around him was strewn with cigarette butts, and at 5:00 am, a street cleaner had snapped at him for leaving such a
