William clenched his fists tightly. 'How dare this blind man talk nonsense!'
"Good evening, everyone. Sorry I'm late." The baritone voice sounded familiar to Damian. He turned his head toward the source of the voice.
"You're finally here, darling," Victoria exclaimed happily.
Jacko smiled kindly at Victoria's extended family.
"Have a seat, darling."
"Thank you." Jacko sat next to Seraphina.
"Do you have to sit next to my wife?" Damian quipped, his patience wearing thin.
"Can you see?" Jacko asked, shocked, as was everyone at the table.
'Damn! I forgot that I was pretending not to see and recognize Jacko!'
"Of course not. But I could feel the squeak of the chair you pulled out," Damian lied.
"Come with me," Seraphina said, pushing Damian out of the restaurant until they stopped at the side of the road.
"Will you stop being so presumptuous in front of my family? You're embarrassing me!"
"I'm sorry, I was just—"
"Stop it! I don't need your excuses! You'd better wait outside until we're done." Seraphina started to walk away, but suddenly, a truck that had lost control appeared and almost hit her.
"LOOK OUT!" Damian instinctively ran towards Seraphina and held the truck back, but it was instantly dented.
Seraphina slowly opened her eyes, realizing her body wasn't hit. She turned to look at the truck and saw a strange man standing behind her, shielding her from the vehicle.
"Who is he? Is that Damian?" The man wore a white shirt, and his hair was long, like that of a Chinese warrior. She looked over to her husband's wheelchair, but he wasn't there.
The man turned his head and smiled warmly at her. His beautiful eyes looked at Seraphina softly and lovingly. For a moment, she was mesmerized by the man's good looks.
"Damian?"
Suddenly, Seraphina's vision was enveloped in a white light, and then she fainted.
***
Seraphina opened her eyes slowly.
"Damian?"
"Why are you looking for that useless husband of yours?!"
"Where am I, Cassandra?"
"Of course, at home, you fool!"
Seraphina suddenly sat up. "Do you know what I just experienced?!"
"What do you mean?"
"Damian saved me from an accident! He even turned into a handsome man!"
Cassandra burst out laughing. "Are you out of your mind?! How could that guy save you?! He's paralyzed and blind!"
"I'm not lying!"
"Stop your nonsense! You must still be under the influence of alcohol!"
"Since when were we drunk?"
"Yesterday, Jacko took us out for the night. How can you forget that wonderful event? I met a handsome and wealthy businessman named James."
Seraphina massaged her temples as her head was a little dizzy.
"If you don't believe me, look at this picture." Cassandra showed a picture of them together from her cell phone at a famous club in the United States.
'It turns out she wasn't lying. Is it possible that it was just my imagination?'
"I want to take a shower. Get out!"
"Okay."
After Cassandra left, Seraphina was still deep in thought.
"Was it just my imagination? But why did it feel so real?"
***
Seraphina quietly observed Damian cleaning the dining table after they finished breakfast. She had already said goodbye before going to the office.
'How could a man as unattractive as Damian turn into a handsome man? And he could see and walk back then.'
"Seraphina? Is that you?"
Damian's voice broke Seraphina's reverie.
"Seraphina?" Damian repeated, but there was no answer.
He sighed heavily. "Maybe it's just my imagination." Then he went back to clearing the table.
Seraphina remained frozen in place. She hesitated to respond to Damian's call because she was embarrassed that Damian might have noticed she was watching him.
'Why are you acting so weird, Sera?! Stop thinking about it!' She turned to leave but accidentally bumped into a chair, making a noise.
"Seraphina?"
'Damn!' She quickly ran away.
***
A few days later.
"How was it? Can you make her fall for you?" Damian was in Lucius's study.
Damian looked down, regretful. "I'm sorry. I've done everything I can, but Seraphina still can't love me."
Lucius sighed heavily. "Then I will lose her forever."
Damian glanced at Lucius with concern.
'You're useless, Damian.'
"Just stay calm. I'll do everything possible to make Seraphina fall in love with me," Damian consoled.
"It's all in vain. There's so little time left. Only one more year until Seraphina turns 23."
Lucius snorted softly. "I should never have sacrificed my daughter just for wealth. I won't lose her."
"I won't give up, Lord Lucius. Because I don't want to lose my power either."
***
"Seraphina," Damian entered his wife's study carrying tea. He smiled sweetly. "I made some hot tea for you. You must be exhausted after a long day at work."
"Don't bother caring about me because you've already ruined my life." Seraphina glanced at Damian sarcastically.
Damian looked down sadly. "I know you hate me because I can't be the man of your dreams, but I'll try to be the best husband I can."
Seraphina laughed mockingly. "Are you kidding me? How can you be the best husband when you're blind and paralyzed?!"
"You fool!"
"What is true love?" Damian suddenly asked, causing Seraphina to stop laughing.
"Why are you asking me that?"
"What do you think true love is?"
Seraphina was silent.
"Do I have to buy you things or a fancy house for you to appreciate me?" Damian looked at Seraphina intently.
Seraphina was stunned. 'I feel familiar with that gaze. Those eyes are like the eyes of the man who helped me.'
"Argh ... Stop thinking such stupid things! There's no way that man is Damian. Besides, it was just a dream."
"Are you okay?" Damian asked, concerned as Seraphina muttered to herself.
"Go away. I want to be alone."
"Okay. Sorry for disturbing you." Damian walked out, feeling dejected.
Seraphina's cell phone suddenly rang after Damian left, but he secretly eavesdropped behind the closed door.
"Hello, darling. Why are you calling me? You must be missing me, right?" Seraphina teased.
Damian couldn't hear Jacko's words.
"See you? Tonight? Where?"
"Okay. I'll be right there."
Damian quickly hid behind a large urn as Seraphina came out to go to her room.
'Where is she going with that jerk?'
***
Seraphina was amazed to see that the VVIP room of a famous restaurant had been decorated with red and white roses and candles, creating a romantic atmosphere.
Suddenly, Jacko hugged her from behind. "How was it, darling? Did you like my surprise?"
"Of course, darling. I didn't expect you to prepare all this for me. I thought we were just having a normal dinner."
"Of course not. A special night for a special lady."
Seraphina blushed at the compliment.
"Let's go eat. You must be hungry, right?"
Seraphina nodded.
"I've ordered your favorite dish." Jacko led her to a table for two, pulled out one of the chairs, and invited Seraphina to sit down.
After that, he sat across from her. They enjoyed their dinner and talked until they tasted dessert, which was pudding.
Seraphina's eyes lit up. "Strawberry pudding!"
"You like it, don't you?" Jacko smiled sweetly.
"How do you know everything about me, darling?" Seraphina was moved.
"It's because I love you so much." Jacko took Seraphina's hand and kissed it.
After eating, they continued talking about various things.
"Argh ...," Seraphina held her head, which was starting to hurt.
"What's wrong, darling?" Jacko immediately approached her. "Why do you look like you're in pain?"
Seraphina smiled a little, trying to endure the pain. She didn't want to spoil the mood. "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."
"I'll take you to the hospital!"
"No need. I'm fine. I'm just tired. I'll be—" Seraphina suddenly fainted and collapsed.
Jacko grinned slyly. "Finally, you'll be all mine."