Three Years Blind, One Song Broken Chapter 05
The slap landed so hard my head snapped sideways. Before I could even react, Jackson had already bent down and scooped Sloane into his arms.
“Mira,” he said coldly, “you really disappoint me.”
I stood there watching his frantic retreating figure. Then slowly wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.
The numbness in my face lingered for a long time.
That night, when Jackson finally came back, his expression was dark as he yanked me off the bed by my wrist.
“Sloane went into premature labor because of you.”
His voice was terrifyingly calm.
“She can’t see anymore. Do you understand that?”
My stomach instantly turned cold.
Then he said the sentence that destroyed the rest of my life.
“If you can be this cruel, then you can pay her back with your own eyes.”
I shook my head violently.
“I didn’t push her! She fell on purpose!”
“Still lying?”
Jackson’s grip tightened painfully.
“Sloane’s not manipulative like you. She would never pull something like that.”
Then he started dragging me toward the door.
Something inside me finally broke apart completely.
I collapsed to my knees and grabbed his arm.
“Jace… please.”
My whole body shook uncontrollably.
“I’m pregnant. I can’t do this.”
“Please wait until the baby’s born. Just a few more months.”
I cried so hard I could barely breathe.
Jackson only laughed coldly.
“Wait? And what about Sloane? She’s supposed to wait while blind?”
Then he looked down at my stomach with disgust.
“A woman as vicious as you doesn’t deserve to carry my child.”
He ignored my pregnancy completely and dragged me into the operating room.
I watched the doctors walk toward me with surgical instruments in their hands as tears streamed helplessly down my face.
Then came the unbearable pain.
Blood ran warm down my cheeks while they stripped my corneas away.
Back then, Jackson used to kiss my eyes gently and tell me they were beautiful.
Now he was the one destroying them.
When the surgery was over, he sent me away to a private recovery facility.
Because he was afraid I’d upset Sloane during postpartum recovery.
The place was freezing.
Dark.
Wet.
Like being buried alive.
Jackson never visited me once.
Not a single time.
The day I gave birth, I fought for nearly twenty-four hours straight.
By the time my daughter finally came into the world—
She was already gone.
Stillborn.
I held her tiny body against my chest and stumbled barefoot out of the facility in the middle of the night.
And that same day, every business under Vale Holdings was hosting free citywide giveaways.
Because Sloane’s twins had reached their first milestone celebration.
Jackson had thrown an enormous event to “bring blessings” to the babies.
Thanks to that celebration, I managed to get a free newborn swaddle blanket from a baby store giveaway.
That was the only thing I had to wrap around my dead daughter.
—
“Mimi.”
Jackson’s hoarse voice dragged me violently back to the present.
“I just want you and our daughter to come home with me.”
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
“Our daughter?”
Jackson continued quietly, “The facility told me she was a girl. She’s three now, right? I already picked out her name. Ava Vale.”
“She belongs home with us.”
I finally cut him off.
“They never told you she was stillborn?”
The room went dead silent.
Jackson’s expression darkened instantly.
“Mira.”
Warning filled his voice.
“You can hate me. Scream at me. Hit me if you want. But don’t use our daughter just to hurt me.”
“I even prepared her bedroom,” he continued roughly. “I’ve been waiting for both of you to come back.”
I suddenly felt exhausted.
Too exhausted to even argue anymore.
Without another word, I picked up my white cane and started walking toward the door.
Jackson followed immediately behind me.
“Mira, did you hear what I said?”
“Don’t use the child to—”
The second we entered the house, Jackson froze.
Then suddenly rushed forward.
His breathing stopped.
On the table sat a yellowed death certificate.
And Jackson grabbed it with trembling hands.