The next morning, Ella woke up late. She had not slept all night, and her body still felt exhausted. She lay in bed, replaying the scene she had witnessed in the hallway over and over, trying to make sense of it all. When she finally got up and walked out of the bedroom, she found Lucian already in the living room, the blindfold back in place, holding a book—though she now knew full well he did not need it to read the words on the page.
Hearing her footsteps enter the room, Lucian looked up, a soft, gentle smile on his face. "Good morning. Breakfast is on the table. I had the cook make your favorite porridge and soft steamed buns. Your hand still can't exert force, so you don't have to do any work today. Just rest properly."
Ella froze in place, staring at him in disbelief. He remembered her favorite food? He had noticed her injured hand and told her not to work? Such a small, thoughtful gesture meant the world to her. No one had ever paid attention to her likes or dislikes, no one had ever cared if she was comfortable.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice faint.
She walked to the dining table and sat down, picking up the spoon slowly. The porridge was warm and sweet, exactly how she liked it, and the steamed buns were soft and fluffy. She ate quietly, glancing at Lucian from time to time, trying to find traces of the cold, sharp, dangerous man she had seen the night before.
But he was the same as ever—gentle, calm, acting as if he were blind. He sat quietly, turning the pages with perfect precision, as if he could clearly see every word. Ella's confusion grew deeper. He was living a double life: on one side, the gentle, blind husband in front of her; on the other, a secret, ruthless man hiding from danger.
After breakfast, Ella sat on the sofa reading to pass the time. The wound on her hand still throbbed slightly, and she did not dare do anything strenuous. Lucian sat beside her, not saying much, but his presence was calming. He asked her from time to time if she needed anything, if she was comfortable, if the temperature in the room was suitable.
Midway, a small butterfly flew in through the open window and landed on the vase next to Ella. She looked up, watching the butterfly flap its wings gently, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Such simple, beautiful things helped her forget all her troubles for a moment.
"You like butterflies?" Lucian asked suddenly.
Ella nodded, surprised. "Yes. They're beautiful, free. No one can control them."
Lucian was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "Ella, you deserve freedom too. No one can control you, no one can hurt you. I promise you—from now on, I'll give you a life of freedom and peace."
His tone was so sincere that the promise made Ella's heart ache. She wanted to believe him, to trust him completely, but the secrets he was hiding weighed on her heart like a stone. She knew trust was mutual, and he had not been honest with her.
That afternoon, the mansion door suddenly knocked. Ethan went to open it, then returned a moment later, his expression serious. "Sir, you have a visitor. Mr. Harrison, your cousin."
Lucian's face darkened slightly, his eyebrows furrowing. "Let him in."
Ella tensed up immediately. She had heard of Harrison—Lucian's cousin, who had long coveted the family inheritance and looked down on Lucian endlessly because of his "blindness." She knew this visit was not going to be kind.
A moment later, a tall, arrogant man walked into the living room, wearing an expensive suit, a contemptuous smile on his lips. He first looked at Lucian, then at Ella, his eyes full of disdain.
"Lucian, I heard you married a ordinary girl from a broken family," he sneered. "You must really be desperate. Can't even find a wife of equal standing, so you had to marry someone no one else wants. What would Grandfather think if he saw you like this?"
Ella's face flushed red with humiliation, but she could not say a word, only clutching the edge of the sofa tightly. She thought Lucian would stay silent, as the rumors claimed, letting himself be humiliated—after all, a blind man was always looked down upon.
But she was wrong.
Lucian slowly put down his book, leaned forward slightly, and his voice turned cold and sharp, cutting off Harrison's mockery at once. "Watch your mouth. She is my wife, and you will respect her. If you can't, leave at once. I have no time for your nonsense."
Harrison stared at Lucian in disbelief. No one had ever spoken to him like that, let alone the blind heir he had always looked down on. "How dare you talk to me like this? You're just a blind man—"
"Get out," Lucian said in a low voice, full of overwhelming pressure. "Don't make me have you thrown out. If you have no real business, don't come back."
Harrison turned red with anger but did not dare stay any longer. The powerful aura radiating from Lucian filled him with fear, making him feel small and cowardly. He glared fiercely at Ella and Lucian, then turned and stormed out of the mansion, slamming the door shut behind him.
The living room returned to silence. Ella looked at Lucian, her eyes filled with gratitude and shock. Once again, he had stood up for her without hesitation, even against his own family.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Lucian turned to her, his face softening at once, all the coldness gone. "I told you—no one is allowed to bully you. No one."
He reached out and took her uninjured left hand, squeezing it gently. "Ella, I know you have many questions, that you're confused. I promise you, when the time is right, I'll tell you everything. But for now, please trust me just a little longer. Wait a little longer."
Ella looked into his blindfolded eyes, and for the first time, a strong sense of trust surged in her heart. She did not know what secrets he was hiding, what danger they were in, but she was willing to believe him, to trust that he would protect her and never hurt her.
She nodded slowly and squeezed his hand back gently. "Okay. I trust you."
Outside the mansion, wind blew through the trees. In the shadows, the watcher narrowed his eyes, staring at the two holding hands inside the house. This game had only just begun, and no one knew how many twists and turns lay ahead. But for Ella, in this moment, she felt completely at peace—by her side was a man who pretended to be blind, yet loved her more than anyone else in the world.