Chapter 3My daughter was born blind in her right eye. I always felt sorry for her. Later, I realized that it was all my husband's plot.

Early the next morning, I went through the discharge procedures,

Normally, I should stay in the hospital for 3 days.

But I didn't actually have surgery, and Gideon approved my discharge backstage.

As soon as I got home, my daughter ran to me, jumping up and down and hugging me,

"Mom! Dad said you were having surgery in the hospital! Are you okay!"

"Lark missed you a lot, but she was very good about eating and sleeping on time."

I kissed my daughter's little cheeks twice,

"Mom's fine! From today on, Mom won't leave you for a single day!"

My daughter twirled around happily, then excitedly told me,

"Mom, tomorrow there's a play at school! I'm going to perform on stage!"

"The teacher said I can invite my mom and dad! Will you and dad come to watch me?"

Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, of course, I wanted to go, but I wasn't sure if Declan would have time.

"Sweet Lark, of course, Mom will go. I'll call Dad right now."

With that, I took out my phone to call Declan. It rang for a long time before his impatient voice came through.

"Didn't I say no calling during work unless it's important!"

Afraid my daughter would hear Declan's impatient tone, I went to the balcony before replying.

"I saw it's lunchtime...so I called."

"Our daughter has a school play tomorrow, let's go watch together?"

Looking into my daughter’s hopeful eyes, I wanted to say yes, but I wasn't sure if Declan was available.

“Sweetheart, Lark, of course, I’ll go. Let me call your dad right now.”

With that, I took out my phone and dialed Declan. The phone rang for a long time before he answered, sounding impatient.

“Haven’t I told you not to bother me at work unless it’s an emergency?”

Worried that my daughter might hear Declan's impatience, I stepped out onto the balcony before responding.

“I noticed it was your lunch break, so I figured it was a good time to call.”

“There’s a play at our daughter’s school tomorrow. Do you think we can watch it together?”

To my surprise, Declan got angry on the other end of the line.

“Don’t I deserve a break during lunch too? My life doesn’t revolve around you!”

“I’ve already promised Celeste that I’d be at her daughter’s performance. Lark and her daughter go to the same school. Just let her know I’ll be there.”

“I’ll be there anyway. Kids don’t understand much.”

Before hanging up, I heard Celeste’s teasing voice in the background.

“Who’s bothering us during lunch~”

I ended the call and returned to the room, putting on a smile for my daughter.

“Dad said he’ll come! But he’s too busy to leave with us.”

“But he’ll be there watching Lark perform!”

My daughter jumped with joy and ran back to her room to practice her lines for the play.

The next day, I arrived at my daughter’s school early with a camera to capture the precious moments.

I quietly made my way backstage, planning to film my daughter getting ready, when laughter erupted from the dressing room.

“Lark Jiang, you’re a one-eyed pirate! A little blind girl, hahaha!”

“My mom said you can’t see with one eye! You’re a one-eyed pirate!”

Peeking through the crack in the door, I saw my daughter dressed as a pirate, her blind eye covered with an eye patch.

Suddenly, Celeste and her daughter appeared.

Celeste looked at Lark with disdain.

“Lark Jiang, this role suits you perfectly. You're missing an eye, and your mom's missing a breast. What a pair of incomplete mother and daughter.”

The kids didn’t understand Celeste’s words, but they found them funny.

So, they all laughed, pointing at my daughter and calling her a one-eyed pirate!

I rushed in and picked up my daughter, whose eyes were red with hurt, but she didn’t cry until I came in. Then, she clung to my neck and sobbed.

“Mommy, I don’t want to perform anymore. I want to go home…”

I gently patted Lark's back to comfort her.

“It’s okay, Lark. If you don’t want to perform, we won’t. Let’s go home.”

But Celeste wasn’t done, smiling wickedly at me.

“Maeve, kids are just playing around. They don’t know any better. You’re taking it too seriously.”

“Declan will scold you again when he sees this.”

Seeing her brazenly hurting Lark, I made up my mind.

With a slight smile, I looked at Celeste and said,

“If I remember correctly, your daughter also can’t see out of one eye?”

Celeste got defensive upon hearing my words.

“What nonsense are you talking about! It’s fine if your daughter is one-eyed, but why drag my daughter into it?”

Her daughter mimicked her, arrogantly glaring at Lark.

“Yeah! I’m playing the princess, and you’re a pirate! My mommy said pirates are thieves of the sea!”

“Lark Jiang, you’re a thief!”

My daughter, who had just calmed down, began to sob again, muttering softly.

“I’m not a thief…”

Seeing my daughter’s hurt expression broke my heart!

“Kids, it turns out someone who can’t see out of one eye can be a princess! So our Lark is a princess too!”

“Nora can’t see out of one eye either! If you don’t believe me, cover her right eye, and she won’t see a thing!”

The kids, hearing this, rushed over playfully, covering one of Nora’s eyes.

Sure enough, she immediately couldn’t see, stumbling around.

Celeste hurriedly pushed the kids away and held Nora tightly in her arms.

She glared at me, saying,

“Maeve! You used the kids to harm my daughter! How can you do this to a child!”

I scoffed, questioning her back.

“Didn’t you teach them? If you hadn’t brought it up, would the kids have been so malicious?”

Celeste opened her mouth to retort, but the teacher and other parents walked in, and she had to stop.

I picked up my daughter and was about to leave, but she insisted on staying.

“Mommy, Nora can’t see out of one eye, but she can be a princess. Why can’t I?”

I crouched down, stroking my daughter’s head, and gently explained.

“Lark, do you know why pirates wear an eye patch?”

“It’s not because they can’t see out of one eye. It’s to quickly adapt to darkness and defeat their enemies.”

“Our Lark is the same. Wait for the enemy’s weakest moment in the dark, and take them down.”

Lark suddenly looked up, her eyes shining brightly.

“Mommy, I want to continue performing!”

The performance that day went smoothly. Lark’s portrayal of the little pirate overshadowed the lead, drawing applause from the audience.