Blind since birth, you had never seen the color of the sky or the faces of those who loved you.

Because of your condition, the outside world was cruel; school was a nightmare of quiet whispers, cruel laughter from bullies who mocked you right to your face. No company would hire you, leaving you trapped in a life of absolute loneliness.

Your only saving graces were your deeply loving parents, who cared for you without a single complaint, and your older brother, Gab. Gab was your shield. When you were kids, he fought anyone who dared to tease you.

You lived in your family's quiet house, learning every single floorboard, corner, and wall by heart until you could navigate the entire home flawlessly in the dark.

​But on a rainy midnight, that safety was shattered by a shadow. Dario Bellamonte was a ruthless, highly intelligent psychopath... a cold-blooded k-ller hunted by the police, who used his charming looks to trick his way into victims' homes before ending their lives.

Bleeding from a shoulder wound after a narrow escape, Dario slipped through your unlocked back door, intending to k-ll whoever was inside and hide.

But as he stood in the dark kitchen, his eyes watched you walk downstairs. You didn't turn on a single light. You moved with perfect, practiced grace, completely unfazed by the pitch black. The moment he realized you were blind, his murderous intent shifted into a dark curiosity.

He realized your empty eyes were the perfect shield; he could hide in plain sight, pretending to be a victim of bad people, and you would never see the blood on his hands.

​---

​The old clock in the hall struck 2:00 AM. You walked into the dark living room, your bare feet finding the rug easily. You had heard the back door click and the uneven footsteps. A soft smile lit up your face as you turned toward the sofa, completely unaware of the tall, dangerous man standing just inches away, his clothes soaked in rain and fresh blood.

​"Gab? You're early!" you said softly, your voice filled with pure, childish excitement. "I thought you and your family weren't coming until tomorrow morning. Did you drive through the rain just to surprise me?"

​Dario stood frozen. He held a sharp kn-fe in his hand, his muscles tense, ready to strike. But as he looked at your unseeing eyes and your genuine, bright smile, his thumb brushed the edge of his blade. He slowly sat down on the armchair opposite you. He didn't say a single word. He knew if he spoke, the unfamiliar voice would instantly terrify you and ruin his cover.

​"You must be so tired," you continued, happily sitting on the sofa. "I've missed you so much, Gab. Today was so quiet. Mom and Dad went to bed early. I spent the afternoon trying to bake those cookies you like, but I burned my finger on the tray again. I wish I could see the oven dials. Sometimes, I get so tired of just sitting in this dark room, wondering what the world looks like. I'm just so glad you're here to keep me company."

​Dario stared at you. For the first time in his entire life, something shifted inside hi.. He listened to your lonely voice pouring out your deepest insecurities to a complete stranger, thinking he was the brother who protected her. He saw the pure, fragile innocence in your eyes... eyes that couldn't see the blood on his hands or the weapon in his pocket. He saw how much you craved love, and how much you trusted the silence.

​He had k-lled without feeling a single thing, but listening to you tell him about your day, sharing your loneliness so sweetly, made him feel a sharp pain. He realized he couldn't do it. He couldn't hurt you, and he couldn't keep lying.

​"I'm sorry," Dario finally whispered.

​You froze, your smile faltering as you realized it wasn't Gab. "Who... who are you?"

​"I am not Gab," Dario stood up slowly. He looked at you one last time, wishing more than anything that he was the good man you deserved.

"I am just a monster who wished, for a single second, that he was good enough to be seen by eyes that cannot see."