The Light That Came Too Late

Chapter 4 Stripped of Dignity

Soft snickers rippled through the crowd. "Marisa isn't even married yet, right? Maybe if she dressed up a little nicer and acted more generous, a man would actually want to marry her! When you collect the donation later, remember to register as 'unwed and pregnant,' okay?"

Those vicious words sliced into my heart like blades.

But Damian's silence hit harder than any slap.

Flora dragged me toward the changing room and pointed at a dress with exaggerated generosity. "Marisa, I saved this one especially for you. Two thousand nine hundred. You're not thinking of taking it for free, are you?"

Under the weight of their deliberate humiliation, I slowly pulled out a thick wad of small bills—tens, fifties—scraping together just enough.

Flora let out an over-the-top gasp. "Did you smash your piggy bank or something?"

I nodded calmly. "Yes."

Damian's expression changed in an instant.

That piggy bank was the one we had bought together right after we first got together.

I had told him that once we saved enough, I would take him to fix his eyes.

He had paused, then smiled softly. "When I can see again, I'll take you to watch the snow you love so much."

At the time, I had only smiled and stayed silent because I knew my life would never last that long.

In the end, all I had wanted was for Damian to see the world clearly and watch our child grow up with his own eyes.

Now all that remained were disappointment and lies.

Damian gripped my hand tightly, his voice hoarse. "You're not going to see the snow mountains anymore?"

I gave a small smile and answered lightly, "No... I don't like snow anymore. This winter has been far too cold."

Damian's face grew darker and darker.

"Marisa's not feeling well. I'll take her to change," Flora said sweetly.

Damian glanced at her and released my hand with complete trust.

Watching the effortless understanding between them, I finally understood it was a chasm I could never cross.

While I was changing, Flora's voice turned ice-cold. "Did you enjoy the fireworks? Hmm? It was just a little game for me, yet you actually got yourself pregnant and clung to my man like a leech. Do you know how much Damian hates you? He said he pretended to be blind because he couldn't stand looking at your torn underwear. It disgusted him."

When she saw my calm face, surprise flashed in her eyes.

Then she sneered and lifted the toe of her shoe.

"The charm you gave him never got lost. It's been under my sole the whole time. Are all you low-class people this pathetic? And that poor father of yours—when he heard he could get donation money, he actually came running to say thank you. How embarrassing."

My mind buzzed. I stood frozen.

My father had lived his whole life with dignity. How dare they treat him like this?

Before I could think, my hand was already clutching her collar.

"Give the charm back to me! Apologize to my father!"

She shrieked and hurled an entire box of cash straight at my chest.

A searing pain exploded through my ribcage.

I fell backward, banknotes fluttering down like snow.

The door burst open. Shocked gasps filled the air.

Only then did I realize I was half-naked, exposed to dozens of mocking eyes.

Laughter erupted across the room.

"She's nothing special, is she? Flat as a board. No wonder she's probably terrible in bed."

Damian's hand shot out, then froze in midair.

He groped blindly, shouting, "What happened?"

I laughed bitterly, tears flying from my eyes.

I was laughing at the fact that he was still acting, still refusing to drop the blind-man charade even to protect the last shred of my dignity.

Flora pretended to apologize. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I forgot to lock the door."

Before the words faded, she flicked her foot and kicked the charm my mother had begged for on her deathbed straight into the fireplace. It vanished in a burst of flame.

That single moment ignited something inside me like a powder keg. I lunged at her like a madwoman.

Just then, commotion erupted at the entrance. A hunched, stumbling figure pushed through the crowd.