The Husband Removed Our Son's Cornea By Himself

Still a bit dazed from my conversation with Professor Coleman, I returned to my desk and noticed Adrian had sent me a friend request. From that moment, everything changed. Adrian, who was known as a distant, untouchable figure, showered me with a passionate pursuit. He orchestrated every romantic gesture women could imagine, doing everything he could to make me feel cherished. People were baffled to see us together. They wondered what it was about me that had Adrian’s attention so completely. When they saw my ordinary looks, they would shake their heads and murmur to each other, “She’s just average. What does Dr. Hardy see in her?”

But those who close to Adrian would say, “Your eyes are beautiful. They really do look a bit like…”

Like what? Or like who? Every time I asked, none of them gave a clear answer. They were either dodging the questions or simply changing the subject. Frustrated, I went directly to Adrian. But just like the other, he would simply cradle my face, gaze into my eyes and say, “Darling, believe me when I say you have the most beautiful pair of eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re like jewels, precious treasure to me.”

I believed him and cherished those words. Little did I know, those very eyes and his words would one day bring me endless sorrow.

***

Adrian was always wonderful to me, so much so that I felt like I’d stumbled into a fairytale. Even my parents couldn’t believe my good fortune, calling it the luckiest break of my life. After half a year of dating, Adrian proposed and it felt only natural to say yes. At our wedding, he held me close and made a solemn vow to stay true forever.

His friends took turns toasting us and after a few glasses, I started noticing something odd. Their words, meant as well-wishes for us, sounded like they were referring to someone else entirely.

“Finally, Adrian’s dream has come true. Truly, heaven favors the devoted,” one said.

“He’s always had her in his heart,” another added. “He couldn’t escape it, apparently.”

“It must be fate, finding someone just like her. He really went through a lot,” one of his old classmates added with a knowing smile.

Their words planted seeds of doubt in my mind and I racked my brain for any female acquaintance of Adrian’s who fit the description. But I couldn’t think of anyone he was close with, much less someone who looked like me. My grip on my wine glass tightened as unease crept over me. I tried to shake it off, reasoning that I’d read too many novels about stand-ins and was just overthinking things.

As the night wore on, we approached the moment for our vows. But right before Adrian could make his, his phone buzzed. He stepped away from the stage, a frown of worry etched across his face. Minutes turned to what felt like hours as I stood there alone, uncertainty gnawing at me. The guests started murmuring, exchanging puzzled glances. Only later did I find out that, Adrian’s mentor and his family had been in a serious car accident on their way to our wedding. Unfortunately, none of the passenger survived.

When Adrian came back, his eyes were red and he barely got out a word of his prepared vows. That very night, he booked a flight and left the country, leaving me to face the aftermath of the wedding alone.

Feeling restless, I wandered into his study and leafed through his belongings, eventually finding a faded photograph tucked into a thick textbook in German. It was clear from the wear that it had been handled countless times. In the photo, a beautiful young woman beamed as she hugged Adrian, both of them radiating happiness.

On the back of the photo were the words, “Adrian and Lorie, seventh year together. Oakwide Park.” The name Lorie was circled and next to it was the word “beloved.”

My heart skipped a beat. I stared at that photo, unable to shake the feeling of inadequacy. I was nothing like this girl, not her brightness nor her elegance. She was dazzling, like sunlight at noon; next to her, I felt like a dim star. That night, sleep eluded me. I dialed Adrian’s number again and again, but he never picked up.