The Price of His Blindness

I was visiting the city aquarium with my mother-in-law over the weekend. Amid the jostling crowd, an impeccably dressed woman suddenly screeched in outrage: "Are you two blind?! You bumped into my purse! Do you have any idea this is a limited edition?! If it gets scratched, can two broke bums like you even afford to replace it?!" I replied coldly, "This is a public space, not your private estate. If you're so terrified of people touching your bag, why didn't you build your own private aquarium so you could admire it in peace?" Embarrassed and furious, the woman snapped, "As a matter of fact, my husband did build this aquarium! What I say goes around here! I order you two to get the hell out right now! Don't dirty my floors!" Both my mother-in-law and I froze. This aquarium was clearly developed by my husband, Brandon Zhou. When on earth had he become "her" husband? When the reality sank in, my entire body began to tremble. Brandon was keeping a mistress! My mother-in-law was shaking with rage too. She pointed straight at the woman's nose. "Where did this crazy lunatic come from?! Brandon is my son! His lawfully wedded wife is standing right here! Who do you think you are to come here spouting such utter nonsense?!" Rebuked so harshly, the woman didn't panic in the slightest. Instead, she acted like she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Two broke tramps like you, daring to pose as Mrs. Zhou Senior and Mrs. Zhou? You're going to make me die of laughter!" My mother-in-law had intentionally dressed down today just to have a low-key, comfortable weekend outing. Who could have imagined her identity would be questioned because of it? "Believe it or not, we never intended to pull rank, but this is indeed Zhou Enterprise property. The one who needs to get out is you!" my mother-in-law snapped sternly. A mocking sneer tugged at the corner of the woman's mouth. Her gaze swept over my mother-in-law’s plain canvas tote like a scanner. "Ha." She snorted derisively. "Putting on quite a show, aren't you? Everyone knows Brandon's mother lives in quiet seclusion, and Brandon's wife is always by his side attending high-end galas. Why would they dress in rags like yours and come squeeze through a crowded public aquarium? Who are you trying to fool?!" Bystanders had already begun stopping in their tracks, watching with curiosity. The whispered murmurs felt like tiny needles pricking into both of us. My mother-in-law’s face flushed red, then drained completely pale. Her breathing grew ragged. I quickly grabbed her arm, terrified she might collapse from high blood pressure. "What? Cat got your tongue?" Seeing our silence, the woman grew even more arrogant. She pulled out her phone, swiping dramatically. "Do you want me to call Brandon right now so he can come down here himself and expose you two frauds? Oh, right, he’s terribly busy at the moment. He doesn't have time to deal with pointless garbage." My mother-in-law's lips turned purple with fury. I held her hand tightly, feeling her body shudder. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Getting into a public catfight with someone like this would only drag us down to her level and give her what she wanted. "Call him," I said. My voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable chill. "Call Brandon right now. Put it on speaker. Let's all hear how he's too busy to deal with his lawfully wedded wife and the mother who raised him." My composure clearly caught her off guard. She paused for a second, but her aggressive posture immediately returned. "Oh, really playing the part, aren't you? Refusing to cry until you see the coffin, huh?" She scoffed, flashing her phone screen toward us. Displayed prominently was Brandon's private number. "See that? Brandon's private line! Is that something fakes like you could ever get your hands on?" My heart felt as if an icy hand had gripped it tightly, aching to the point of suffocation. Brandon... he had actually given his private cell to this woman. All those late nights when he claimed he was working overtime or entertaining business clients, those faint, unfamiliar floral perfumes lingering on his collar—everything flooded into my mind at once, turning into razor-sharp blades. More and more onlookers gathered, and the chatter grew louder. The woman demanded that we pull out Brandon's number too, but my mother-in-law and I had rushed out the door in a hurry, neither of us bringing our phones. Seeing that we couldn't produce our phones, the skeptical glances from the crowd shifted into open scrutiny and amused anticipation. The woman raised her chin proudly, like a peacock spreading its feathers. "I knew two broke bums like you wouldn't have it! Still standing here making fools of yourselves!" My mother-in-law’s body shook violently—not from fear, but from sheer, unadulterated outrage. She had lived a life of dignity and elegance; never had she been subjected to such public humiliation. And to be pointed at by a cheap mistress who questioned her very existence as Mrs. Zhou Senior... "You... you..." Her voice trembled so hard she couldn't form a full sentence. Seeing this, the woman sneered again, fanning the flames. "You what? Can't keep the act up anymore? I suggest you know what's good for you and get the hell out of here before I have security throw you out. That would be quite an ugly scene." Just as the tension reached its breaking point, a man in a manager's uniform pushed his way through the crowd."What's going on here? What happened? Please maintain order, everyone..." His words abruptly choked in his throat the moment his eyes landed on the glamorous woman. An obsequious smile instantly plastered across his face. "M-Miss Li! What brings you here? Did you run into some trouble?" The woman, addressed as Miss Li, looked at the manager as if looking at a household servant. Her chin angled even higher. "Manager Miller, you arrived just in time! These two crazy old hags came out of nowhere, causing a scene and daring to pretend to be Mr. Zhou's mother and wife! Kick them out right now! Looking at them disgusts me!" Hearing this, Manager Miller's face hardened. He immediately turned toward us, his expression sharp and impatient. "You two, please leave immediately. Do not make a disturbance here and disrupt the other visitors. Otherwise, I will have security escort you out by force." My mother-in-law shook with fury, pointing a finger at him. "You! As a manager, you don't even ask what happened before taking her word for it?! Do you have any idea who I am?!" A flicker of contempt crossed Miller's face. "Old lady, while I haven't seen Mrs. Zhou Senior many times, she certainly wouldn't dress like that. Miss Li is a distinguished guest Mr. Zhou specifically ordered us to look after. Please don't make my job difficult." "Distinguished guest?" I caught the keyword, and an even deeper chill settled into my chest. Brandon had already introduced his mistress to his staff out in the open? I gently restrained my mother-in-law's trembling arm, stepped forward, and pinned Miller and Miss Li with a frigid stare. "Manager Miller, was it? So because she is a 'distinguished guest,' her words are the absolute truth, and ours are just trouble, is that it? Is this how Zhou Enterprise treats its visitors?" My voice was clear and level, carrying an unmistakable authority. Miller clearly didn't expect me to question him so calmly. He was momentarily struck dumb. The woman, however, lost her patience. "Why are you wasting your breath on them?! Manager Miller, call security right now!" "I'd like to see who dares!" My mother-in-law, having suppressed her anger all this time, finally let loose the commanding presence of the Zhou family matriarch. Ignoring the clownish Miss Li, she looked directly into Miller's eyes and pronounced every word with icy clarity: "You will call Brandon Zhou this instant and put him on speaker! I want to ask him myself when this aquarium began taking orders from some nameless tramp! Ask him if even his own mother and his lawfully wedded wife are going to be thrown out of a Zhou family property just because she said so!" Her aura was overpowering. Miller was thoroughly shaken, panic flashing across his features. Seeing Miller hesitate, the woman grew frantic. "Call him! Brandon is in a board meeting right now at headquarters. You think I'm scared of you? Call him, Manager Miller! Let these two frauds give up once and for all!" Under everyone's watchful eyes, Miller’s trembling hands dialed the contact labeled "CEO Zhou."However, after a few rings, a robotic automated voice came through: "The person you are trying to reach is unavailable at the moment..." Miller froze, hastily redialing, but the result was the same. "Mr. Zhou might be in the middle of a meeting..." Miller tried to explain. The woman pulled out her own phone, her expression dripping with smug confidence. "Let me do it. Brandon told me that no matter how busy he is, he will always answer my calls immediately." The call connected almost instantly. The triumphant smirk on her face stretched wider. She even cast a provocative, mocking glance at my mother-in-law and me. "Hey baby, what's wrong?" Brandon's familiar voice drifted from the speaker. Her tone shifted instantly into a sickly sweet, cloying whine. "Brandon, two crazy old women are harassing me at the aquarium! Come over and back me up, please!" "What?! The nerve! Wait right there, baby. I'll push the meeting back and come straight over. How dare anyone mess with my girl..." His doting yet furious reply felt like a poison-laced dagger thrust straight into my chest. My blood turned to ice. My mother-in-law gripped my hand with a crushing force, trembling from head to toe. Throughout her entire life of grace and decorum, she had never suffered such humiliation—let alone humiliation brought upon her by the very son she had raised. Unable to endure it a second longer, she stepped forward and struck the woman across the face. "Smack!" "A cheap home-wrecker dares to act so brazen?!" The slap was crisp and loud, carrying all her long-suppressed rage and degradation. It landed squarely on the woman's delicate face. Time seemed to freeze. The woman's head was knocked to the side, distinct red finger marks blooming on her pale cheek. Holding her face, her eyes widened in utter disbelief. That shock morphed in an instant into venomous, murderous malice. "Good. Very good." She lightly rubbed her swelling cheek, her gaze sweeping over us as if looking at two lambs waiting to be slaughtered. "You old bag, you dare hit me? Impersonating Brandon's mother and you dare lay hands on me? Today, I'll make sure you learn what happens when you cross me, Chloe Li!" She spun toward Manager Miller, who was paralyzed with shock, her voice turning shrill: "Manager Miller! What are you standing there for?! Arrest this crazy bitch right now!" Remembering Brandon’s fiercely protective words over Chloe Li, Miller weighed the pros and cons and gave the order. "Grab the old one!" The moment the words left his mouth, two security guards grabbed my mother-in-law by both arms. "Let go of my mother-in-law!" My eyes burned red with panic. I fought desperately to reach her, but another guard held me back with an iron grip. Chloe Li watched with immense satisfaction. Rubbing her cheek, her eyes wandered toward the deepest, most prominent exhibit in the aquarium—the colossal shark tank. There, an eerie blue glow reflected through the thick glass, casting the dark, slow silhouettes of massive sharks patrolling the deep water. A truly sinister idea took shape in her mind. With a cold, cruel smile, she ordered the guards: "Hoist this old hag above the shark tank!"Miller's face drained of color in an instant. "M-Miss Li, that is far too dangerous!" "Shut up!" Chloe cut him off viciously. "Do as I say! Otherwise, I'll call Brandon right now and make sure you're fired before the hour is up!" He swallowed hard, trembling, and ultimately waved his hand at the guards. "No! You can't do this!" I screamed, paralyzed with terror. My mother-in-law realized the danger too, struggling with all her might. "You venomous psycho! What do you think you're doing?!" Chloe completely ignored our cries, having the guards drag my mother-in-law to the gantry directly suspended over the deepest, most lethal part of the shark tank. "Chloe Li! Stop! Let go of my mother-in-law! Brandon will never forgive you for this!" I sobbed and screamed at the top of my lungs, thrashing violently. My fingernails gouged bloody tracks into the guard's arm, yet I still couldn't break free. My mother-in-law's hands were tied behind her back. As the winch groaned, the rope slowly pulled her up, leaving her suspended directly over the dark water. "How is it, you old hag? Does looking down from up there feel good?" Tears blurred my vision as I fought against the guard's hold. "Chloe Li! What do you want?! Let her go! If you have a problem, take it out on me!" "Take it out on you?" Chloe acted as if she had just heard something entertaining. "Sure. If you want me to release this old bag, it's very simple." She pointed down at the hard, frigid concrete floor. "You. Right now. Kneel down and kowtow to me eighteen times. With every single kowtow, yell, 'I was wrong, I shouldn't have offended Miss Li.' Once you finish, I'll consider pulling her back up." "Don't you dare!" my mother-in-law screamed from mid-air. "Nora, don't kneel! That evil viper isn't worthy!" I shook all over. Looking at my mother-in-law dangling between life and death, and then down at the monstrous shadows circling below the water's surface, my pride meant nothing compared to her life. "I'll kneel!" My forehead struck the concrete with a heavy, hollow thud. "Nora! Get up! I forbid you to kneel!" My mother-in-law's voice cracked into sobs. I didn't get up. I slammed my head down again. "I was wrong... I shouldn't have offended Miss Li." Chloe burst into delighted laughter, watching as if she were enjoying a masterclass performance. By the time the eighteenth kowtow was done, my forehead was a swollen, bruised mess. Warm blood trickled down my face, obscuring my vision. "Now... let my mother-in-law down!" Chloe clapped her hands, swaying with laughter. "Magnificent! Truly magnificent! Who knew you two in-laws were so devoted to each other!" She walked over to the rigging, placing her hand on the safety release carabiner. Yet, she didn't unhook it. "However..." she dragged out the word playfully. "I changed my mind." A sadistic, twisted grin spread across her face. "You made me so unhappy today. How could a few kowtows possibly be enough? I need to make sure you two... remember this lesson forever!" "NO—!" A bloodcurdling scream tore from my throat as I desperately lunged forward. It was too late. Chloe took a pair of heavy shears and ruthlessly severed the suspension line bearing my mother-in-law's life! "Ah—!" My mother-in-law let out a sharp cry, plummeting straight down into the shark tank below! "SPLASH!" A massive geyser of water erupted. The water was instantly churned into violent turbulence. The sharks, which had been circling hungrily, shot forward like released arrows. Blood. Within seconds, thick crimson bloomed and stained the blue water. The entire world turned red before my eyes. My screams choked in my throat; no sound could escape my lips. She was gone. Right in front of me, Brandon's mistress had personally dropped his mother into a shark tank. Just then, someone in the crowd shouted: "Mr. Zhou is here."