Chapter 3

After Yvette finished her sentence, she quickly covered her mouth as if she just realized she had misspoken. Her expression was full of reproach. Samuel pulled her hand down, amused by her reaction. "It's fine. Don't worry." Yvette tried to withdraw her hand and said, "Samuel, you should stay here with Jules and make sure she's safe from strangers. Who knows who might approach her next? I can get a skiing coach to teach me." Samuel frowned and sighed. "No one can ski better than me. Since I promised to teach you, I'll make sure you learn properly." His tone was full of affection. "What about Jules, then?" Yvette looked at me. Samuel glanced at me, then called over a middle-aged skiing coach, Michael Lawson. After sizing him up, Samuel handed me over to Michael. "She's blind, so take extra care of her. If you lay a hand on her, you can kiss your job goodbye." With that, Samuel helped Yvette off to go skiing. Whenever Yvette was around, Samuel couldn't spare a glance for anyone else; his mind was entirely focused on her. Yet that provided me with a good opportunity. Michael was very polite to me. Samuel was not only a regular here but also a VVIP, so Michael didn't want to upset him. "Mr. Lawson, may I borrow your phone?" I asked. "Sorry, Ms. Sutton. Mr. Jackman doesn't allow that." I fell silent. This was one of Samuel's schemes—keeping me away from phones and cutting off all my contact with the outside world. For a blind person stranded at a remote ski resort without a phone or money, it was as good as being chained up. However, he didn't know I had regained my sight, though I wasn't sure whether the recovery was temporary or permanent. While Michael was distracted, I quickly grabbed my cane and headed outside. I had been observing the ski resort and noticed the parking lot was behind the hotel. But I only managed to take a few steps before Michael stopped me. "Ms. Sutton, where are you going?" he asked. "I've lost my way." "You can't see, so you'd better not wander around. Mr. Jackman told me to keep an eye on you. If you get lost, I'll lose my job." I had no choice but to follow Michael back. It wasn't because I was worried about him losing his job but simply because I realized I couldn't escape from here. I had learned that from the short distance I tried walking earlier. The only way to leave this ski resort was by car. Yet I didn't have a license, let alone a car. Michael was a serious coach. With my eyesight restored and a little practice, I managed to ski a few dozen miles. "Wow, Jules is amazing! She can ski so far even though she can't see a thing. Samuel, am I just too bad at this?" Yvette's disappointed voice came from nearby. I turned around and saw Samuel patiently comforting her. "No, Yvette. It's just beginner's luck." Yvette pouted coquettishly. "It's alright, Samuel. I'll admit it—she's incredible. Oh, I'm beat. I don't think I can keep going." "Alright, I'll take you back to your room," Samuel said, and the two of them headed toward the resort. I skied a couple more laps with Michael before Samuel came back and intercepted me. He glanced at Michael and then turned to me. "Why are you even skiing? You can't see." Annoyed, I shot back, "You brought me to this ski resort and hired Michael to teach me. Now, you're saying I shouldn't ski? What am I supposed to do here, then?" Samuel was left speechless. Of course, I knew exactly why he had brought me here. While skiing was fun, it was an entirely different story for the blind. As others reveled in the thrill, the blind were left in darkness, their isolation only amplified. All the pain I was feeling now had been carefully curated by Samuel as a gift for Yvette. I could imagine him eagerly wanting to say to her, "Look at how pitiful the blind person you hate is now." However, Samuel hadn't told Yvette who I was—probably because I wasn't miserable enough yet. "Just do as I say and stop asking questions," Samuel snapped, dragging me back to the resort before I could even take off my skis. Predictably, I fell face-first into the snow. The icy snow seeped into my collar and sleeves, and the biting cold sent sharp pain through my head. Frowning, Samuel pulled me up. "Stop pretending. A simple fall isn't going to break you. Your acting is terrible!" He brushed the snow off my clothes and continued to drag me back toward the hotel. Yvette was still waiting at the entrance. When she saw us approach, concern flickered across her face. "Samuel, Jules looks like she's freezing. Take her back to her room to rest. I'll head to my room and lie down for a bit." "Okay," Samuel agreed without hesitation this time. Yvette was slightly startled but quickly smiled, saying nothing more. Despite the sharp ache in my head, I caught every detail of their expressions. In my previous life, I hadn't gone skiing. I had just stood there, blank and lost, listening to the laughter and joy around me. All I could do was lower my head and shrink into a corner. Hence, Samuel hadn't taken me back to my room then. Instead, he spent his time with Yvette—teaching her to ski and later dining with her. I had lost count of the times I had wished he would bring me back to my room and stay by my side. But it never happened. This time, when I fervently wished he would stay as far away from me as possible, he chose to take me back to my room. When we returned to my room, I was soaked through. The snow that had melted on me left me shivering uncontrollably. Samuel stared at me for a moment, gently brushing away a strand of hair stuck to my cheek. Then, without warning, he pinched my face hard and said, "I take back what I said earlier. You really do seem like you could break." Frowning, I grabbed his wrist and pushed his hand away, my disgust toward him written all over my face. "Looks like someone has learned a new trick and dares to act up with me now," he remarked, a peculiar smile tugging at his lips. His voice deepened as he added, "Go warm up in bed. I'll take a shower." I was freezing to death, so I made my way to the side of the bed with a frown on my face. I peeled off my ski jacket, tossed it onto the floor, and burrowed under the covers. The room was warm as the heater was on, and after a while, I could feel my frozen limbs slowly thawing. The bathroom door opened, and Samuel walked out in a bathrobe. Without a word, he approached the bed and pulled me out from under the covers. "What are you doing?" I asked sharply, instantly on alert. He carried me to the bathroom and set me on the sink. "What else? Giving you a bath, of course," he said with a meaningful smirk. My face flushed—not with embarrassment but with anger. This was Samuel's most repulsive trait. While he was devoted to Yvette, claiming he would sleep with no one else but her, he saw no need to restrain his other desires. How utterly disgusting! "No!" I said firmly. "You're literally in my hands now. What makes you think you have the right to refuse?" Samuel leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear as he whispered, "You're thin, powerless, and blind. You have no choice but to be my toy." A toy? The word struck me like a lightning bolt, igniting a wave of hatred within me. I gripped the hand he had placed on my waist tightly. "Get out! I can bathe myself." "Okay," he replied, chuckling lightly. I frowned, puzzled. Samuel wasn't the type to give in so easily. What was he up to? He walked toward the bathroom door, opened it, and said, "I'm leaving." Then, he closed the door with a snap even though he was still inside the bathroom. The room fell into an eerie silence, creating the false impression that he had left. I couldn't believe my eyes. So, this was how he had taken advantage of me in my previous life when I was still blind! He never actually left, contrary to his claims.