Chapter 1 On the fifth New Year after marrying Leonardo Ferney , he just up and vanished . Gabrielle went to the police station to report him missing . After the officer in charge read her statement , his face looked a bit strange . " Did you just say that your husband is Leonardo Ferney ? So what's your name ? " บ " My name's Gabrielle Padgett . Have you heard anything about my husband ? " She was blind and nervously twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers . The officer frowned and banged on the desk . " Please help us out here and tell us your real name ! " Gabrielle was stunned . " But I am Gabrielle . " Behind her , a guy with bleached blond hair sneered at her . " Hey little blind girl , don't think just because you kinda look like her that you can pretend to be someone else . " Who in all of Boston doesn't know ? Mr. Ferney gave Ms. Padgett a yacht worth 2 billion dollars to celebrate her pregnancy ! Ms. Padgett posts photos on social media every day . They've been trending for days now . " At the same time , there was an interview with Leonardo playing on the LED screen across the street . " Mr. Ferney , yesterday was New Year's Eve ! What wish did you make for the new year ? " 07394 Chapter 1 " Well , I really hope my lovely wife has a smooth delivery and that our life is filled with peace and happiness . " " Thanks , darling . " www . Alaina Lawson's sweet , familiar voice came through and Gabrielle felt her scalp tingle instantly as all color drained from her face . *** Five years ago , Gabrielle lost her sight in a car accident , and Leonardo was heartbroken . Everyone in Boston said the heir to the Ferney family would never marry a blind woman . Somebody even found a college girl who looked a lot like her and secretly arranged for her to sleep with him . When Leonardo found out , he nearly lost it with that girl named Alaina . His eyes were red as he struggled to control his emotions . " Get out ! Gabrielle is the only one for me . Anyone who looks like her makes me sick ! " He drove to the hospital late at night , held Gabrielle tightly in his arms , and let his tears fall on her shoulder . " Honey , let's go get our marriage license tomorrow , okay ? I want you to be Mrs. Ferney . " Everyone knew how much Leonardo loved her and how much he hated Alaina But why was it Alaina - pretending to be " Gabrielle " -who now stood Chapter 1 beside him as his partner ? Her chest tightened , and a heavy coldness settled inside her . What the heck was happening ? She needed to find Leonardo and get some answers . As she stumbled out of the police station in a daze , a falling billboard knocked her out cold . Just before everything went dark , she thought she heard someone shouting frantically , " Honey , are you okay ? " 285 Vouchers When she finally opened her eyes again , the bright light hurt like crazy . Then it hit her . She could see again ! She miraculously regained her sight ! Before she could really take in this strange new world around her , she caught snippets of a conversation between Leonardo and his friend outside the door . " Leonardo , how long are you going to let Alaina keep pretending to be Gabrielle ? It's been five years already! " Leonardo sighed heavily , clearly upset as he said , " I don't know ! Back then , those old directors from the Ferney family wouldn't let me marry a blind woman no matter what . But I loved Gabrielle so much . I had no choice but to lie and say her eyesight got better and let Alaina step in for her . " " But all those old directors are gone now ! Why do you still ... " " Alaina is pregnant ! " Leonardo interrupted sharply , sounding annoyed . Chapter 1 " And honestly ... after playing this game for so long , I think I can't live without her anymore . " 283 Vouchers His friend stared at him , shocked . " Are you serious ? You actually have feelings for Alaina ? Have you forgotten ? The driver in that hit - and - run accident was Alaina's brother , who had a drinking problem . " If it weren't for him , Gabrielle wouldn't have lost her sight . And if she finds out about all this ... " " Enough ! " Leonardo frowned deeply . " Alaina didn't do anything wrong . Her brother's actions don't reflect on her at all . I've already sent that drunk to prison . He won't be getting out . " After losing her sight , Gabrielle doesn't like going out anymore , and there's no signal here either . She lives in this castle I built just for her . She'll never find out about any of this for the rest of her life . " Inside the room , Gabrielle bit down on her lip tightly as tears streamed down her face : The castle felt warm and cozy like spring all year round , but she felt a bone - chilling cold throughout her entire body . She pulled out a stack of beautiful paintings from beside the bed - all painted by Leonardo himself - showing moments of their shared past . The first painting showed the moment Leonardo and her met during a desert trip . He had broken his leg , and she took care of him for three whole days and nights . The third one had Leonardo climbing a 4,000 - meter snow - covered mountain all by himself to pick a flower for her , just to win her heart . The eighth one captured the scene where , after she mentioned that she Chapter 1 288 Vouchers liked ballet , he spent billions inviting all the famous ballet masters from Northern Europe to celebrate her birthday . The fifteenth one depicted the castle that Leonardo built just for her , designed perfectly for the blind - big , safe , and comfortable . In the painting , he knelt down on one knee and said , " Honey , from now on I'll be your eyes . From this day forward , you're the only one in my heart . " The girl in the painting smiled brightly with soft eyes full of love as she jumped into his arms . Gabrielle forced out a bitter smile as she set each of these paintings on fire one by one and then tossed them onto the bed . She thought , " Leonardo , your love is tainted . I don't want it anymore . " Chapter 2 In "A Lady Hard to Please" by CrushReels, a single mother makes a poignant return to the city she fled seven years ago. Her mission: to secure treatment for her son's leukemia, setting the stage for an emotional journey of love and resilience amidst past heartbreak. As her ex-lover reenters her life upon hearing of her return, old wounds resurface, sparking a complex web of emotions and decisions that delve deep into themes of forgiveness, second chances, and the enduring power of love. This modern romance novel stands out for its raw portrayal of familial bonds tested by adversity, offering readers a compelling exploration of human strength and vulnerability. With a captivating blend of heart-wrenching moments and tender revelations, "A Lady Hard to Please" promises a captivating read that lingers in the heart long after the final page. Available to read online at CrushReel for those seeking a tale that transcends boundaries and speaks to the resilience of the human spirit.