Chapter 5 Broken Light

"It's done, Elodie. I... I need some time alone. I'll come back later," Keira managed, forcing her voice to sound steady.

After hanging up, she finally surrendered to her grief, sobbing uncontrollably in the empty park.

Twilight deepened around her, and the park lamps flickered to life, transforming into blurry halos of amber light in her compromised vision.

Keira slowly rose to her feet, dragging her suitcase as she limped toward Elodie's apartment.

Elodie was anxiously pacing outside the building, waiting for her.

She had lived alone since her grandson left for college, with only occasional visits from him.

Before Keira's marriage fell apart, she would often visit Elodie.

Now, with Keira's marriage destroyed and her health deteriorating, Elodie felt her heart breaking, wishing she could keep Keira with her and care for her.

Seeing Keira's face—pale to the point of translucence—and the angry purple bruise on her scraped knee, Elodie rushed forward and silently took the suitcase from her.

Back inside, she carefully cleaned and dressed Keira's wounds.

"Keira, you can stay here as long as you need," Elodie said, her voice full of maternal concern. "Don't worry about money—I have savings. Just rest and try not to think about anything else."

Keira stared at Elodie with her functioning right eye, attempting to force a reassuring smile. Her lips merely twitched weakly.

"Thank you. I'm causing you trouble again."

"Nonsense, child. Don't say such things to me," Elodie sighed, repeatedly urging her to rest well.

When the door closed, shutting out the world, Keira collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion overwhelming her.

The pain and blurriness in her left eye had worsened, combining with her injured knee to assault her senses.

In that moment, she longed to sink into endless darkness. Perhaps in sleep, she wouldn't feel the pain anymore.

But the harsh ring of her phone denied her even this small peace.

The screen flashed "Mom," like an icy needle piercing her heart, causing her to flinch.

Her finger trembled as she hesitated, ultimately pressing the answer button.

"Keira! You worthless jinx! What have you done now?" Martha's cutting voice exploded through the speaker, nearly rupturing her eardrum.

"Aiden just sent people to terminate all business with us! He's even spreading the word that anyone who does business with the Lynns is his enemy! The company is about to go bankrupt! Are you trying to destroy us?"

Keira felt as if an invisible hand was crushing her heart.

"What about Zoey? Hasn't she tried to smooth things over?"

In the past, whenever the Lynn family angered Aiden, Zoey would intervene, often defusing some of his fury.

Martha's shrill curse came through the phone. "You have the nerve to mention her! If you hadn't insisted on making a scene with this divorce, Aiden wouldn't have disrespected Zoey like this!"

A suffocating pain spread through Keira's chest.

So he truly wasn't finished with the Lynn family.

Even after the divorce, his hatred hadn't diminished—it had intensified.

"Mom, I—" she tried to speak, her voice as dry as sandpaper.

"If you weren't so useless, if you could have kept your husband's interest instead of walking around with that miserable face repelling everyone, how could this have happened? You couldn't even negotiate decent terms in your divorce! You're completely worthless! I should have strangled you at birth rather than let you destroy this family now!"

Keira opened her mouth, wanting to say that her presence would only further enrage Aiden, making things worse for the Lynn family.

But in the end, all her words dissolved into silent tears.

Despair engulfed her like a tidal wave.

She quietly ended the call, cutting off the tirade mid-sentence.

The world fell completely silent.

And utterly dark.

Keira's left eye deteriorated rapidly.

The pain began radiating to the same side of her head, causing waves of dizziness and nausea.

The next day, at Elodie's insistence and with her worried accompaniment, Keira went to the hospital.

After a series of tedious examinations, the doctor reviewed the results with a grave expression.

"Ms. Lynn, your condition is concerning. The original visual impairment was caused by trauma to the optic nerve, but now it seems to have triggered more serious secondary issues. Current tests show that the atrophy and compression of the optic nerve are accelerating, already affecting the surrounding nervous system."

Keira caught only fragments of the doctor's subsequent explanation, grasping just a few key phrases.

When she heard the conclusion that she might die, her heart barely stirred.

Perhaps she had endured too many misfortunes over the years, and suffering had numbed her nerves.

Death, surprisingly, sounded almost like a release.

She thanked the doctor calmly, took the heavy stack of test results, and silently walked out of the examination room.

"Well, divorce papers barely signed and already rushing to the hospital? What sympathy are you trying to get from Aiden this time?" A familiar and detestable voice rang out ahead of her.

Keira raised her eyes.

Through her blurry vision, she barely recognized Joshua Wilson, one of Aiden's friends.

He stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at her with contempt.

He had apparently come to visit someone and coincidentally encountered her.

Keira didn't want to engage. She lowered her head and tried to walk past him.

She had no strength left to deal with mockery and malice.

"Not saying anything? Did I hit a nerve? Your family is all the same—old and young alike—just actors playing the victim."

Joshua relentlessly moved to block her path, his words growing increasingly cruel.

"Joshua, there are limits to nonsense, even for you."

A steady male voice intervened, carrying undeniable authority.

Keira looked toward the source and vaguely saw a tall, imposing figure approaching, positioning himself between her and Joshua.

Joshua appeared surprised. "Sean? What are you doing here?"

"This is a hospital. Keep it quiet," the man's voice wasn't raised, yet carried a natural pressure. "Can't you see Ms. Lynn is genuinely unwell?"

Joshua seemed somewhat intimidated by Sean O'Neill, muttering "busybody" as he grudgingly walked away.

Only then did Sean turn to face Keira.

His gaze fell on her face, drained of all color, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Something complex flickered in his eyes, almost imperceptible.

"Keira, are you alright?" His voice softened considerably, carrying a reassuring strength.