The Blind Angel Turns Out To Be A Sweet Demoness

"Kyra will be back soon. From this moment on, don't use Kyra's name around Lindsay." Matthew Riley's voice carried from the study, low and smooth, but tinged with a rare, unmistakable joy.

Lindsay Gordon lingered in the hallway outside the study, rooted to the spot. Shadows danced across her wide, unseeing eyes, her body quivering with fear. Her fingertips dug into the wall hard. She could barely breathe, the shock keeping her frozen in place. Kyra Gordon, her adopted sister, was coming back? That couldn't be possible. Kyra was supposed to be gone forever.

Vernon Bennett's voice was barely a whisper in the tense silence. "Matthew, how long do you plan to deceive Lindsay? What happens if her sight ever returns and she sees Kyra, alive and unharmed? Every lie we've told-everything from three years ago-will explode in our faces."

Three years had already passed since Lindsay's near-fatal accident and the blaze that consumed the Gordon estate. Both tragedies had been quietly closed by the authorities. The news of Kyra's death sentence had been brought to Lindsay by Vernon himself, a capable lawyer.

Matthew's gaze turned ice cold, his posture radiating authority. "Lindsay's eyes will never heal. I made Kyra a promise when I sent her overseas three years ago-only three years apart, nothing more. For her sake, I have already married Lindsay. I'll make sure Lindsay never wants for anything. But she has no reason to expect anything beyond that."

A jolt of cold terror sent Lindsay fleeing, her hands groping along the walls as she stumbled back to her room, each step shaky and desperate.

Once inside her room, she lost her balance and crumpled at the side of her bed, drawing her knees close to her chest.

Alone in the pitch-black room, it felt like invisible claws were clawing through her, tearing her apart piece by piece.

Three years ago, everything had unraveled-Kyra's car had come barreling straight toward Lindsay, and shards of glass had carved through her eyes.

Lindsay still remembered Kyra, not satisfied with harming her deliberately, had dragged her bleeding body from the scene to the Gordon family home, where fire had already raged through every room. The memory had been painted in flames and chaos-her parents' and brother's frantic cries mixing with Kyra's wild laughter.

Kyra's words still echoed. "Lindsay, your damned folks took me in when I was little. They told me again and again that they would treat us all the same, but in reality, you got everything good while I got nothing. Even when Matthew and I truly loved each other, they forced Matthew and me apart just so you could marry him. I just decided to burn them all! Ha-ha!"

It had been so overwhelming that Lindsay had blacked out completely. Her next memory was waking up in a hospital bed, crushed and hollow.

Matthew, her fiancé at the time, had handled the funerals and all the aftermath for her. He had even insisted the wedding go on, linking the Gordon and Riley families forever.

For three years, Lindsay had clung to Matthew as if he were the last solid thing in her life. Only now did she realize she'd been trapped in a careful web of deceit.

"Linds, why are you on the floor?" Matthew stepped into the room and rushed straight to Lindsay, gently scooping her up and settling her on the bed.

His fingers brushed her cheek in a gentle sweep as he tucked her hair behind her ear. His voice carried that usual warmth, tender and comforting. "The next time you wake up, just press the bell. If I'm not here, Raelyn will come. Don't wander on your own. I don't want you to get hurt."

Everything about him-the scent of his cologne, the softness in his tone, the way he handled her-bore his signature tenderness. He had always treated her with meticulous care, tending to her needs before she even voiced them.

She now realized that what she had previously thought of as him spoiling her was actually how he wanted her-dependent and unable to contact anyone but him and his people. If she stayed wrapped in the world he built for her, she would never discover any of the lies beneath it. And their unconsummated marriage? It made sense now. Every bit of restraint had been for Kyra.

Lindsay clamped down on her lip until she tasted blood, the metallic tang spreading across her tongue. A scream clawed at her throat. She wanted to demand answers, to rip the truth out of him.

But she grasped that since Matthew had easily buried the truth three years ago, he would not hesitate to silence her now if she confronted him, especially for Kyra's sake. Besides, her brother was still in a hospital Matthew had arranged, trapped in a coma, his body ravaged by burns and unable to protect himself. His life would hang by a thread if she ever acted recklessly.

Lindsay refused to crumble or lose her cool-not now, not when everything depended on her to seek revenge. She forced her breathing steady, lifted her head, and shaped her lips into a small, sweet smile. "I had a nightmare during my nap and got scared, so I came to find you. I thought I heard Vernon."

Matthew's fingers tightened on her shoulder, the movement slight but unmistakable.

Lindsay kept her smile in place, pretending not to feel it. "He's your company's legal counsel, right? It must be something about work. You don't have to stay here with me. Go take care of whatever Vernon comes for."

She could feel his eyes raking over her face, searching for cracks. Her heartbeat thudded wildly against her ribs. She had dropped Vernon's name on purpose to gauge whether Matthew still believed she was blind to the truth.

His reply came a moment later. "There are some issues with a project. I might not make it back for dinner."

Lindsay nodded. "Alright, I'll wait for you to come home before I sleep."

Satisfied with her response, Matthew brushed a hand through her hair, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead before walking out.

Only after the sound of the engine faded down the driveway did Lindsay's composure collapse. Her entire body sagged, trembling as she sucked in shallow breaths. Hot, furious tears streamed silently down her cheeks.

After the tragedy that had shattered the Gordon family, Lindsay's world had shrunk to nothing. Her parents had perished in the flames, her brother had been trapped in a coma from the conflagration, and she had been left blind, haunted by nightmares and fear. For three years, she had drifted through life cut off from everyone and everything she once knew.

Every asset Lindsay's parents had built was now entirely under Matthew's management. Her marriage to Matthew was just another chain; the Gordon Group was likely just a quiet division of the Riley empire by now.

Lindsay clung to the bedsheet, her fingernails biting into her skin. That sharp sting was nothing compared to the grief and fury that twisted inside her. All she wanted now was vengeance. She wanted to reclaim every scrap of what had once belonged to her family.

But the cruelest irony was that she couldn't even step out of this house on her own, let alone storm the Gordon Group to challenge Matthew's lies. The first step would be to restore her sight-no matter what she had to risk or how far she had to go.

Lindsay groped for the edge of the bed, finally managing to find her phone by touch alone.

Running her fingers over the raised keys meant for the blind, Lindsay dialed the one number she still trusted-her best friend, Vera Green.

"Linds?" Vera's voice burst through the line, bright with excitement before melting into gentle concern. "You finally shook that cold? I was planning to visit this weekend, but work's been nonstop. Since you were under the weather, I figured I'd give you space."

A cold? Lindsay tried to remember when that had supposedly happened but pushed the thought aside. Keeping her tone steady, she said, "Vera, you mentioned you're interning under Dr. Anthony Dixon. Do you think you could help me get on his list for a corneal transplant?"

Anthony Dixon was no ordinary doctor. As the third son of the influential Dixon family in Eighstin, he had been known for his razor‑sharp mind and cold demeanor since childhood. At fourteen, he'd created a technology that sent the Dixon Group's value soaring overnight, earning him the family patriarch's admiration and marking him as the obvious heir.

But Anthony had shocked everyone by refusing to take over the empire. He had finished a dual medical program faster than anyone expected and rose to become Mercy Hospital's most in‑demand eye surgeon.

What mattered most to Lindsay was that the Dixon and Riley families had clashed for generations. Matthew would never have enough influence to track down Anthony's patients.

This sliver of an opening was the only chance Lindsay could see. She silently prayed that when Anthony recognized her name, he wouldn't let the past stand in the way.

On the other end of the line, Vera stayed quiet for a long, heavy moment. "Matthew didn't tell you?"

Lindsay froze, her breath catching. "What was he supposed to tell me?"

Vera let out a sigh. "There's a perfect corneal donor available today. I called Matthew myself to give him the news, but he told me you were sick with a terrible cold and couldn't make it in. The matching window is closing fast. If we miss this one, we might be waiting months for another chance."

A sharp pain twisted through Lindsay's chest, forcing her to take deep breaths just to stay steady. Her fingers tightened around the phone until her knuckles whitened. A rare donor match-dismissed because of a cold she never even had. No wonder Matthew had asserted that her eyes would never heal. He had been pulling strings behind the scenes. He must have been cutting off every chance she had for surgery, every opportunity to regain her sight, for three long years.

The realization scorched through her, hatred roaring up like flames. She bit down on her finger, grounding herself before she shattered. The Riley family practically ran half of Eighstin. If Matthew sensed even a whisper of suspicion from her, everything she was planning would fall apart-and Vera would be dragged down with her.

Lindsay tilted her head back, blinking hard until the tears retreated. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, delicate, almost bashful. "Vera, if I get my sight back, Matthew will definitely be thrilled. Can you keep this between us for now? I want to surprise him."

Vera burst into a laugh, completely convinced. "Oh, say no more. You two are hopelessly sweet on each other. I won't breathe a word."

A wave of relief washed over Lindsay. She and Vera settled the details quickly-Vera would pick her up the moment Matthew left for work.

That night crawled by in agony. Sleep refused to come to Lindsay. The familiar warmth beside her, once a source of comfort, now made her skin crawl.

Morning finally arrived.

As soon as Matthew's car rolled down the driveway, Vera's arrived in its place.

Raelyn Payne, the housemaid, recognized Vera instantly. She smiled, opened the gate, and waved Lindsay and Vera off, suspecting nothing.

Vera launched into her usual cheerful chatter the moment Lindsay sat down, her voice bubbling through the car. Slowly, the sound eased the tightness in Lindsay's chest. Drained from the night's terror, Lindsay leaned against the window and slipped into a shallow sleep.

By the time they pulled up outside Anthony's office, Lindsay felt like she could breathe again.

"Dr. Dixon," Vera called out, her voice bright and cheerful, "this is the patient I mentioned yesterday. Thank you for agreeing to see her."

A smooth, level voice responded, "Please, have a seat."

Vera helped Lindsay into the exam chair and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I got called to the ER, so I have to run. Text me when you're finished, alright?"

"I will." Lindsay nodded.

The door clicked behind Lindsay, sealing her in with the scent of disinfectant-sharp and clinical-with just the faintest undercurrent of sandalwood.

"Try to relax."

She felt his breath on her cheek, gentle but close.

Cool fingers hovered near her eyes. She recognized the soft click of a penlight.

"Full-thickness injury. No response to light," Lindsay remarked, steady and matter-of-fact.

A low hum was his only reply.

A few seconds later, he warned, "This might sting a little."

Lindsay gave a small nod, bracing herself. She told herself she could handle it. But she was wrong. The instant the probe pressed to her eye, a wave of searing pain crashed over her-the same blinding agony she remembered from the glass had ripped through her vision on that fateful day.

Lost in darkness, she reached out, desperate for something solid, anything to anchor her. Her hand closed instinctively around the first thing she found. But unbeknownst to her, it was his private parts, straining against his pants because of her touch.

Without thinking, she squeezed tighter, clinging to the only comfort in the room.

A low, rough groan vibrated from his chest. "So how long do you intend to hold on?"

"Ah!" It finally dawned on Lindsay just what she had grabbed, and embarrassment jolted her into motion. She hastily withdrew her hand and sprang to her feet, hurriedly retreating to create some distance.

Her clumsy movements sent the chair skittering across the floor, and her hand swiped dangerously close to toppling a tray of instruments.

Before disaster struck, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her firmly to a stop.

A husky, teasing voice sounded right at her ear. "Trying to trash my office, are you?"

A fierce blush crept up Lindsay's cheeks. Tears of embarrassment shimmered in her unfocused eyes as she fumbled for words, lashes fluttering. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Anthony looked down at the woman pressed awkwardly against him. She felt impossibly soft and delicate, as if a single careless move might shatter her. He felt an odd restlessness stir inside, something he'd never expected.

Moments earlier, he had forced himself to stay perfectly still, terrified any sudden movement might cause further damage to her injured eyes. But now, with her pressed close, warmth spread through him, making his heart stutter in his chest. This didn't make any sense. Normally, he wouldn't feel a thing for a patient. What was wrong with him?

A ridiculous thought flashed through Anthony's mind-had someone spiked his morning coffee? He found himself actually wondering if that could be the case.

Anthony's brows drew together in a deep frown. He was about to let go of her when something caught his eye-a small, vivid red birthmark just behind her ear.

It matched the mark on the little girl who had pulled him from the brink all those years ago, right after he had been kidnapped. The mark was shaped like a crescent moon. Could this woman-blind and trembling before him-really be the one who'd saved his life years back?

Stunned, Anthony leaned in, trying to get a better look.

But Lindsay slipped from his grasp, backing until her back met the wall. "Dr. Dixon, how soon will you have the results?"

He watched her in silence, studying her face for a long moment before closing the gap between them with two purposeful steps. His presence brought a chill to the room, the air around him turning sharp.

"Your eyes have been damaged for three years. Why the sudden rush for the test results now?" he asked.

Lindsay dropped her gaze, fingers twisting the hem of her sweater. She had no allies, no power. Confronting Matthew and Kyra alone would be suicide. Still, she'd made her decision. "I'd like to strike a deal, Dr. Dixon." Her words came out steady, a strange sense of peace settling over her as she found her way to the nearest chair.

Her eyes were unfocused, but Anthony could still see it-the fierce, unyielding determination burning behind those clouded eyes.

Intrigued, he folded his arms and took the seat across from her, waiting to hear just what kind of bargain she intended to propose.

"Help me get my sight back, and I'll help you bring down the Riley Group." The words tumbled out, her voice trembling slightly. As she uttered Riley Group, her pulse raced, and shadows darkened her features.

"Why would you think I have any interest in your proposal? I don't even get involved in my own family's power games-what makes you think I want to take on the Riley family? If you're here as a patient, my obligation is only to your eyes. Anything else is your problem. Unless, of course, you have something a little more tempting to offer."

He studied the woman sitting across from him, something unreadable flashing through his eyes. He couldn't believe for a second that Lindsay truly meant to team up against the Riley family. Rumors had painted her as blindly and hopelessly in love with Matthew for years.

Anthony leaned back, his interest fading, his face smoothing back into polite indifference. His tone returned to the chilly professionalism from before. "Mrs. Riley, your initial examination meets surgical requirements. Come back on Monday for a second assessment, and we'll finalize the details. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other patients to see."

"Alright. Thank you, Dr. Dixon. Please keep this visit private." She hadn't expected to sway him on her first try.

Rising, Lindsay used the wall to guide her way to the door and then slipped quietly into the hallway.

The instant she left, Anthony pulled out his phone and called the private detective he'd hired. "Any progress on the person I've asked you to look for?"

The voice on the other end sounded hesitant. "It's been years. It's hard to trace."

"I'll send you a new lead. Look into this woman-find out if she was anywhere near the scene of my kidnapping when she was a child. And while you're at it, dig into Matthew Riley's background." With that, Anthony ended the call.

His eyes drifted to the passport photo attached to Lindsay's file, and his expression gave nothing away. If she truly turned out to be the little girl who'd saved his life all those years ago, he would move heaven and earth to protect her-no matter what it cost him.