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Five months after the divorce, she appeared at her ex-husband's wedding in a gorgeous dress. "Thank you for divorcing me! I just restored my status as the heir of a billionaire!"
Chapter 1 Surprise
... View MoreFive months after the divorce, she appeared at her ex-husband's wedding in a gorgeous dress. "Thank you for divorcing me! I just restored my status as the heir of a billionaire!"
Chapter 1 Surprise
In the dark of the night, Loraine Bryant walked nervously to a room, straightening her silk nightgown with sweaty palms.
This was the first time she'd worn such a revealing nightgown, and she wasn't wearing any underwear, either.
There was a cool breeze, and the sensation of it brushing past her skin made her tremble.
Loraine spurred herself on.
There was nothing to be afraid of, she reminded herself.
The man in the room was her husband, Marco Bryant, and they had been married for three years. A nightgown like this was made for times like this.
Patting her face and taking deep, calming breaths, Loraine knocked on the door.
A man appeared, tall and strong-looking. His eyes were unfriendly and his lips were slightly pursed. He was as handsome as a god from an ancient Greek oil painting.
"It's late. What's up?"
His voice was ice cold. It was like looking at a stranger.
Loraine almost lost all the courage she had worked so hard to gather.
"Marco, do you remember what day it is?"
Marco frowned. "Get to the point."
The expectation in Loraine's eyes became disappointment. Forcing a smile, she said, "It's our third wedding anniversary. You've seemed so busy lately. But it doesn't matter; I prepared a surprise for you!"
No sooner had she finished speaking than a woman suddenly stepped out from behind Marco. She stood comfortably by his side and greeted Loraine with a smile.
"Loraine, I've heard so much about you from Marco. We haven't been introduced, have we?"
The woman was beautiful. Her voice was gentle, and her eyes were lively. It made people want to protect her.
But the sight of the woman shocked Loraine. She froze, feeling the warmth drain from her hands and feet.
"Keely? Why are you here?"
Though they had never met, Keely Haywood's existence had always overshadowed Loraine's marriage like a dark cloud.
The house was full of traces of Keely. All the members of the Bryant family had reminded Loraine that Keely was Marco's woman of choice and that Loraine was just the titular Mrs. Bryant.
Noticing Loraine's sexy nightgown, Keely lowered her eyes with embarrassment.
"Marco, am I disturbing you?"
Loraine unleashed her hostility. "Yes, obviously."
The color drained from Keely's face. "I'm sorry. Please don't be angry. I'll leave right away."
As Keely spoke, she moved as though she were about to leave.
Frowning, Marco looked at Loraine and said, "Keely is our guest, Loraine. Watch your attitude."
Standing alone at the door, Loraine felt humiliated, as though she was stripped naked.
Legally, she was his wife, but she hadn't received any respect from Marco or the Bryant family for the past three years.
Marco was always busy with work and seldom came home, and even when he did come home, he never slept in the same room as Loraine.
Now Loraine was being told not to be angry about seeing another woman in Marco's room. What the hell was going on?
All of her efforts, patience and expectations over the past three years had become nothing but a joke.
Loraine looked into Marco's eyes. "What about me?" she asked, her voice heavy with disappointment.
"Don't complicate things," Marco replied impatiently. "Keely is recovering and needs rest. Which do you want, money or a gift? I'll make it up to you."
Loraine watched as Keely's eyes shone smugly. Before she knew it, she lost her temper.
"Marco, how do you not understand that it's never your money I want?"
Loraine then spun around and left, dejected.
Marco watched her leave, pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyebrows.
"What is wrong with her today?"
Keely blinked and said gently, "She should be angry with me. I'll go apologize to her."
Loraine walked back into her room, changed out of her nightgown, and lay on the bed.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Loraine's eyes lit up.
Did Marco come to see her?
Loraine jumped out of bed and opened the door. Keely's face was all she saw. The light in Loraine's eyes dimmed.
"What are you doing here?"
Keely got straight to the point. "You and Marco might have been married for three years, but I'm the only one he loves. Up until recently, I was receiving treatment overseas. I didn't think I had much time left, so I let Marco leave me and marry you. But now I have recovered. I hope you'll respect our love and divorce him."
Loraine's heart ached, but she was too dignified to let Keely see her squirm.
"You, a mistress, are asking a wife to divorce her husband? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"
The smile on Keely's face disappeared. "Watch your mouth, Loraine. I'm not a mistress. When it comes to love, the one who isn't loved is the mistress!"
Loraine sneered. "As long as I don't divorce, I'm Marco's wife and you're the mistress."
Loraine's words hit Keely hard, and she glowered ferociously.
"Don't get complacent, Loraine. Let's see what Marco does when something happens to me. Will he let you go?"
Loraine suddenly had a bad feeling about it.
"What do you want, Keely?"
Keely suddenly pounced on Loraine and dragged her towards the stairs.
Caught off guard, Loraine was unable to free herself from Keely's grip.
"Marco! Help! Loraine is trying to kill me!"
Keely threw herself down the stairs wildly, still holding onto Loraine. Failing to break free, Loraine was pulled down the stairs.
Bang!
Loraine rolled down many flights of stairs before finally landing heavily on the floor.
The repeated blows to her head created a deep wound, causing blood to start gushing out.
Sharp pain coursed through her body, making her dizzy and eventually causing her to pass out.
Just as everything began to fade to black, she saw Marco rushing over. He strode straight past her, choosing to pick up Keely and carry her away, leaving Loraine to lie in a pool of her own blood.
Chapter 2 I Want To Divorce You
In the hospital
"Miss, you can't go in there! The patient is still very weak and needs rest."
"I know Loraine is in there. You can't stop me!"
Loraine heard a commotion and struggled to open her eyes.
Turning her head, she watched as Marina Bryant pushed the nurse away and stomped over to her, glaring ferociously with murderous intent.
"Loraine, you vile woman! Keely's been struggling with recovery. How dare you push her down the stairs! Just you wait and see. Marco won't let you get away with this!"
Loraine, still weak, struggled to sit up. "I didn't push her; she pushed me!"
Marina sniffed. She didn't trust Loraine at all. "No one will believe your nonsense! Keely comes from a rich family. Why would she hurt a lowly country girl like you? You're just jealous because my brother loves her, and you want her dead. Well, that's not going to happen!"
Loraine, unable to defend herself, searched desperately for clues that could prove her innocence.
Just then, Marco entered the room. He seemed upset. Loraine looked up at him hopefully, as though he was her last hope.
"Marco, I didn't hurt Keely. Please believe me!"
Marco looked down at Loraine coldly. When he spoke, his voice was strained.
"Loraine, that's enough. I don't want to hear your excuses. Wrongdoings deserve to be punished. Keely's kidney was seriously damaged by the fall, and yours is the only match."
"Yes!" Marina shouted. "You damaged Keely's kidney, so you should compensate her with one of yours!"
Loraine's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Take her to the operating room!" Marina shouted at Marco's bodyguards.
The bodyguards immediately surrounded Loraine, holding her hands and feet.
"You have no right to do this!" But no matter how much Loraine yelled, they didn't let go of her. Panicking, she turned to her husband. "Marco!"
Loraine hoped that her husband would do something, but Marco just stood there indifferently, as though he approved of Marina's actions.
Loraine was utterly hopeless.
Any love she still had for Marco died.
That was it. Their marriage had been a one-woman show from beginning to end. Clearly, there was no love for Loraine in Marco's heart.
He would believe anything Keely said, while refusing to believe Loraine.
This was the difference between true love and no love.
Loraine wouldn't rely on him anymore.
"Fine! You all want me to give her my kidney? Well, I'd like to see how badly Keely is hurt!"
Loraine's heart pounded with rage. With her sudden burst of energy, she managed to break free from the bodyguards and rush toward the operating room.
She forced her way in.
It was true that Keely was lying on the operating table, but she didn't seem to be dying as Marco had said. Instead, she was awake, and other than looking pale, she appeared fine.
Loraine turned around and sneered at Marco, who followed her. "Is this the serious injury you were talking about?"
Marco looked past Loraine into the operating room and frowned.
"Marco, why is she here? I'm so scared..." Keely whimpered, her eyes brimming with tears.
Marco didn't have time to think too much about it. Reaching out to stop Loraine, he said, "Loraine, enough."
But Loraine didn't want to hear anything Marco had to say. She walked passed him, approached the operating table and slapped Keely hard.
Clap!
The crisp sound echoed through the room.
Keely's face instantly turned red and began to swell. Before Keely could react, Loraine ripped off Keely's surgical uniform.
There was no wound at all, just a few bruises.
Marco glowered.
Loraine had already guessed that even though Keely wanted to fake an injury, she wouldn't actually hurt herself too badly. Keely had also landed on Loraine, meaning it would have been impossible for her to be seriously injured from the fall.
"What the hell is going on?" Marco asked coldly.
He wasn't stupid; he could tell that something was wrong with Keely's injury.
The remaining color drained from Keely's face, and in a panicked voice, she tried to explain. "I... I don't know either. I've been in a coma ever since Loraine pushed me down the stairs. I just woke up. What kidney? The doctor must have made a mistake!"
"Wow, what a convenient mistake! If I hadn't exposed your trick just now, I would have lost a kidney!" Loraine glared at Keely.
"Nonsense!" Keely looked at Marco. "Don't trust her, Marco! It was Loraine who pushed me!"
Marco shot Keely an intense look, scaring her and making her tremble. He then turned to Loraine and said, "I will find out the truth and give you an explanation. You will be compensated with whatever you want."
Looking at the man she once loved deeply, Loraine now felt numb.
Whenever she looked forward to something, Marco would disappoint her. His promise of so-called compensation meant nothing to her.
"No need," Loraine muttered bitterly. "What I want is to divorce you!"
Marco was shocked. He looked at her as though she was a stranger.
It was the first time in three years that he was trying to understand what was on her mind.
But Loraine didn't care anymore. She turned around and left without looking back.
Loraine had barely left the hospital before she became so weak that she struggled to maintain her balance.
She had pushed herself to her limits during the conflict with the bodyguards just now. Her strength was gone.
Taking out her phone, she dialed a number.
Soon, a black Lincoln stopped in front of Loraine. A handsome man in a suit got out of the car.
As soon as Loraine saw him, she couldn't hold on any longer. She collapsed.
The man strode forward and caught Loraine before she hit the ground. He then picked her up in his arms.
"Uncle Rowan..." Loraine murmured. She then passed out in his arms.
Chapter 3 The Torres Family
In the hospital
The atmosphere in the room was extremely tense.
Everyone was acutely aware of Marco's anger over what had just happened.
Even Keely's attending doctor was trembling in fear.
Throwing the report to the floor, Marco glared at the doctor and asked coldly, "Kidney rupture? She needs a kidney transplant? What the hell is this?"
The doctor's forehead was slick with sweat. Unable to explain himself under Marco's scrutiny, he merely whimpered.
Marco gave the doctor a final warning.
"By making such a stupid mistake, you've shown me that you don't deserve to be a doctor anymore!"
The doctor shook like a leaf. He knew Marco was being serious. With just a few words, he would never be able to find work at a hospital ever again.
Trembling, the doctor finally told the truth.
"Miss Haywood ordered me to do it. I won't make the same mistake again. Please give me one more chance..."
"Get out!" Marco roared.
A bodyguard immediately dragged the doctor out.
Marco turned his head and studied Keely's pale face. His eyes were full of disappointment. "You did this," he muttered coldly.
Keely panicked and, in a quivering voice, said, "Marco, I didn't mean it. It was only because Loraine didn't like it when you were nice to me, so I... I was angry and I wanted to teach her a lesson."
"Enough!" Marco didn't want to hear it. "You wanted to teach her a lesson by making her give up a kidney? Keely, I have been too lenient with you!"
Sensing that her situation was getting worse, Keely began to cry.
"Marco, I was wrong! I was just so scared. After Jorge died, I had no one to rely on, and I was ill. I was afraid you'd leave me alone after you got married. Can you forgive me?"
At the sight of Keely crying, Marco went soft.
"I promised Jorge that I would take care of you, and I would keep my word."
Keely breathed a sigh of relief, and Marco continued, "But Loraine is legally my wife. Don't play tricks on her anymore. I hope this will be the last of it."
Keely was stunned.
"Marco, how can a poor country girl like Loraine possibly deserve to be your wife? Hasn't she embarrassed you enough these past three years? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with her? Besides, she's so greedy, and she even wants to divorce you..."
"I don't want to hear about my marriage from you."
Marco's forbidding expression scared Keely so much that she didn't dare say anything more.
"Now, you just need to rest and think about what you've done."
Marco left the ward with an air of indifference, but he couldn't help secretly feeling annoyed about Loraine's attitude earlier.
Marco hadn't expected Loraine to mention divorce.
He had never considered divorcing Loraine.
He had married her simply because he needed a wife.
A lonely country girl like Loraine, who had no one to rely on, no money and no power, was easily controlled.
During their three-year marriage, Loraine had been an obedient and well-behaved wife, which was exactly what Marco wanted.
He assumed it was acceptable to maintain this sort of marriage.
If Keely was the reason Loraine wanted to divorce, he would explain the situation clearly to Loraine and compensate her later.
Waving over his subordinate, Marco demanded, "Bring me my wife back, and don't let anything happen to her. Also, transfer five million to her account."
The subordinate appeared conflicted.
Marco frowned. "What's wrong?"
The subordinate looked uneasy. "After Mrs. Bryant left the hospital, she was picked up by a man in a luxury car."
"What did you say?"
Marco clenched his fists.
He suddenly had a feeling that things were about to get out of his control.
In a low voice, Marco said, "Find her and the man. Then bring her back!"
Once again, Loraine opened her eyes.
This time, she wasn't in a ward, alone. She was in a warm and luxurious bedroom.
"Finally, after being away from home for three years, you're back. Why would you do this for a man? Are you even still a Torres?"
Recognizing the voice, Loraine turned her head.
A tall, strong-looking man was sitting beside the bed. His face was handsome, and he radiated authority.
At the sight of family, Loraine burst into tears.
"Uncle Rowan, I was wrong. I never should have left home. I shouldn't have hurt you for an unworthy man. I'm so sorry."
Rowan Torres, an official in the army, softened when he saw his favorite niece crying. He held her patiently as she sobbed.
"It's okay. It's good to have you back!" Rowan said gently. "Lorrie, your parents died in an accident, and you were lost in the countryside. We tried so hard to find you. You are the treasure of the Torres family. We won't let anyone hurt you!"
Just then, a greying man entered the bedroom. It was Aldo Torres, the owner of Universe Group in Vagow. His presence had the power to frighten an entire city.
"Don't cry! "Lorrie, you are the heir of Universe Group. Hundreds of millions of properties will be yours in the future. Whoever hurts you, let him pay!"
Chapter 4 Divorce Agreement
"Grandpa..."
Loraine buried herself in Aldo's arms. Choking through her sobs, it was as though she was finally grieving all the injustices she had suffered over the past three years.
Aldo gently patted his granddaughter's back. "Lorrie, your parents died young. Rowan is busy with the army, and Wesley is working abroad. You are my only heir. Please don't do anything silly."
Loraine felt warmth flood her broken heart.
"Grandpa, Uncle Rowan, I won't do anything so silly ever again."
Rowan nodded, relieved. "I'm satisfied that you know what you're doing. I'll return to the army to continue my mission."
As they spoke, a figure rushed over, calling Loraine.
"Lorrie! I've missed you so much!"
Loraine's eyes widened in surprise. "Jennie! What are you doing here?"
Jennie Fowler, Loraine's best friend, wrapped her arms around Loraine, raised her cute face and gave Loraine a big smile.
"I came as soon as I heard that you were back."
Aldo and Rowan left the bedroom so as not to disturb them.
Loraine's eyes filled with tears.
To marry Marco, she had surrendered her identity as a Torres and cut off all her connections. In the end, she had been all alone. It was not worth it.
"Jennie, I missed you so much."
Jennie felt sorry for Loraine. She wiped the tears from Loraine's face, and felt a swell of anger at Marco.
"Did him break your heart? Just you wait. I'll teach him a lesson!"
"Wait a minute. I've made up my mind. I want a divorce."
"Great!" Jennie beamed. "You should have divorced ages ago! You are a Torres; you can have any man you want. In fact, hold that thought. I'll call a bunch of men for you right now!"
Jennie was eager to find Loraine a new boyfriend, but Loraine stopped her.
"No, thanks. My career is more important right now."
Thinking about what she had suffered over the past three years, Loraine still had a lingering fear.
"Will you take over Universe Group? Cayson is the CEO now. Ask him to arrange a position of vice president for you!" Jennie suggested excitedly.
Smiling, Loraine shook her head.
"Why not?" Jennie didn't understand.
"Cayson runs the company flawlessly. I don't want to profit from his efforts."
Jennie disagreed. "Lorrie, you're overthinking it. The Torres family's properties are all yours. Besides, Cayson has been obedient to you since childhood. He won't object to you joining as vice president."
Loraine had a different idea. "But I want to prove myself. I'm going to apply for a job in the company. I'll start off as a construction designer. Then I'll train myself up and get a feel for the company."
Loraine was confident her plan would work.
Jennie was now sure that the bold and self-assured Loraine she knew had returned.
"Lorrie, I'm sure you'll succeed in the business world with all your talent. Then you can take Marco's company and make him kneel in front of you!"
Hearing his name, Loraine froze. The trauma he had caused her was too great to heal in such a short time.
"No, there's no need for that," she said indifferently. "I don't want anything to do with him for the rest of my life."
Loraine then opened a drawer and took out a document.
In Bryant Group
Marina barged into the CEO's office and asked Marco, "Why did you suspend my card?"
Marco was looking down at some document. Without raising his head, he answered, "To make you reflect on yourself."
"And what am I supposed to reflect on? Just because Loraine wants a divorce? It's none of my business! It was Loraine who hurt Keely out of jealousy. I suggested she donate her kidney because I was worried about Keely! Fortunately, Keely is fine. Loraine couldn't afford for there to be a real injury!" Marina fumed.
"Enough!" Marco raised his head and glanced at Marina sharply. "Loraine is my wife and your sister-in-law. It's not your place to teach her a lesson."
"She doesn't even deserve to be your wife or my sister-in-law!" Unconvinced, Marina pouted. "She said she wanted a divorce? Well, I think she was putting on an act. That sort of woman will cling to our family and try to get more money!"
Marco frowned. Marina's words were getting harsher.
Suddenly, his assistant entered the office and handed him a document.
"Mr. Bryant, this is from your wife. She requested you sign it in person."
"See? I was right!" Marina rolled her eyes disdainfully. "She hasn't even been gone for long but already her true colors are showing. She's unable to support herself so now she's sucking up to you. What she said about divorce is all fake!"
Marco didn't reply. He opened the package in his hand.
A bank card fell out. And there was a divorce agreement already signed by Loraine.
Chapter 5 Her Greatest Regret
Marina's jaw dropped once she set eyes on the divorce agreement.
"Does Loraine really want a divorce?"
A thought suddenly occurred to Marina. Her face darkened immediately.
"Marco, does she want to divorce you so she can take half of your property? You can't let that happen. Don't sign the papers!"
Mixed feelings swirled in Marco's heart after he read through the document in a daze.
"On the contrary, she doesn't want anything from me," he muttered.
"Huh? That's impossible!"
Marina snatched the document from her brother. She couldn't believe her eyes. One of the clauses clearly stated that Loraine was willing to give up any property that was supposed to be given to her as alimony.
The document already had Loraine's signature.
After getting over the shock, Marina's joy knew no bounds. It was good news.
"This is great, Marco! Since you don't have to give her a penny, you should divorce her as soon as possible. Then you can marry Keely!"
The thought of doing away with Loraine gladdened Marina's heart. She relished the thought of Loraine being miserable after the divorce. She didn't notice Marco's face getting darker and darker.
"Shut up! Get out!"
The next second, Marco commanded Carl, "Take her out. And tell the security that she shouldn't be allowed into this company without my permission."
Marina's eyes widened. "Marco! Why are you doing this to me? I'm your sister!"
To her dismay, Marco paid no attention to her. Marina was thrown out of the company immediately.
The office was quiet again. But there was chaos in Marco's head. He was depressed as he continued to think about Loraine.
After a few minutes, Marco picked up his phone and dialed her number.
The line connected after a few rings.
"Why haven't you been picking up my calls?" Marco asked irritably.
An indifferent female voice came from the other end of the line.
"You must have received the divorce agreement, right?"
Marco asked, "Is that the only thing you have to say to me?"
"Yeah, that's all. Just sign the document, so we can both be free to live our lives."
Loraine's voice was emotionless.
It broke Marco's last straw of restraint. He bellowed, "Who was that guy that came to pick you up from the hospital? Is he the reason why you want to divorce me?"
"You have no right to question me, Marco. Don't stress yourself about what I have to do with another man. Go find your Keely," Loraine quipped sarcastically.
Marco was speechless.
He was wrong for accusing her of hurting Keely.
"Loraine, why are you doing this? I told you that I would make it up to you for what Keely did."
Loraine laughed mockingly.
"For the last time, I don't want your money, Marco. Just give me a divorce. Sign the papers!"
Marco was extremely annoyed that Loraine was being so stubborn.
His hand tightened over the phone, almost crushing it.
No woman had ever dared to stand up to him or turn him down. Loraine was treating him like a rag that she couldn't wait to get rid of. What insolence!
"Since you insist, Loraine, I will do as you wish. Don't regret this later."
"Not to worry, Marco. I won't regret it. In fact, my greatest regret is marrying you in the first place," Loraine uttered with ridicule.
She then hung up the phone.
In a fit of pique, Marco appended his signature to the document.
Thereafter, the divorce proceedings were fast-tracked.
Marco felt that Loraine would put the proceedings on hold at some point. But to his surprise, she allowed everything to go on smoothly.
Once it was finalized, Marco didn't hear any news about Loraine. It was as if she vanished into thin air.
Marco decided to move on. However, he found himself thinking about her. This annoyed him a great deal. He sought out a way to vent his pent-up emotions.
In the duty room of the hospital, Camila Haynes was putting on her doctor uniform.
Tonight was the first night of her marriage.
But when a colleague had asked her to take over the shift for the ni... View MoreIn the duty room of the hospital, Camila Haynes was putting on her doctor uniform.
Tonight was the first night of her marriage.
But when a colleague had asked her to take over the shift for the night just now, she agreed and went straight to the hospital without hesitation.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she straightened her lab coat and smiled bitterly. No one cared where she went anyway.
All of a sudden, the door was kicked open from the outside, sending it crashing against the wall.
Before Camila could look up to see what was going on, she heard the click of the light switch, and the whole room became pitch black.
Scared out of her wits, she trembled, her hair standing on end.
"Who's—"
Before she could get another word out, she was suddenly shoved down onto the table. With a loud clatter, the things on the table fell to the floor. The next thing she knew was a hand covering her mouth and a strange voice barked, "Quiet!"
When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could barely see the man's face clearly, though his eyes stood out. They were sharp and cold.
Maybe it was because of her training as a doctor, she was used to staying calm and level-headed even in situations as scary and stressful as this.
She subtly lifted her leg in an attempt to kick the man. But the second she moved, the man noticed and stopped her attack.
"I saw him heading this way!" a voice sounded from the distance.
Then, Camila heard the sound of footsteps approaching them.
It seemed that they'd barge in any second now.
In a moment of desperation, the man suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips against Camila's.
Wide-eyed, Camila struggled to shove the man away. Fortunately, he didn't hurt her because of her resistance.
She touched her lips in a daze, unable to wrap her head around what just happened.
Just then, she heard the sound of the doorknob turning.
Making up her mind, she gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms around the man's neck.
She whispered in a trembling voice, "I can help you..."
The man's voice was at once deep and alluring as he spoke, "I'll take responsibility for this."
Wait, he misunderstood her—she was just going to put up an act.
When the door was pushed open, the light in the corridor shone on Camila and the man. It was still too dark for them to see everything, aside from two shadows entwined.
"That's definitely not Isaac. He's badly injured. There's no way he would be doing that after he got wounded Get moving! If we can't find him, we'll all be in trouble!"
Soon, the sound of footsteps faded away.
The man knew that his assailants had left, but he found that he couldn't move away from the woman.
The crisis was solved now, so Camila tried to push the man away. But just as her palms pressed against the man's shoulders, she suddenly thought about her marriage.
Her whole life had been controlled by others, including her marriage.
Her father, a man ruled by his greed, had forced her to marry into the Johnston family.
Her grandfather used to be the chauffeur of Robin Johnston, the patriarch of the Johnston family. As fate would have it, he died saving Robin's life in an accident.
The small company run by her family had accumulated massive debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Her cunning father knew that if he asked for money from the Johnston family, their favor with them would be spent. So he came up with a plan to make his daughter marry Isaac Johnston, Robin's grandson.
In this way, their family would finally establish a more solid connection with the Johnston family—one that was bound by marriage.
Besides, given the Johnston family's wealth, they were sure to get a lot of benefits in the future.
The Johnston family couldn't afford to refuse the proposition, or they would risk losing face in one way or another.
Isaac was extremely dissatisfied with this arranged marriage, so he requested that his new bride never tell anyone that she was his wife, and that she keep her maiden name.
But no one asked Camila what she wanted.
And to make matters worse, the groom never showed up at the banquet, even though no one outside either family was present.
Camila had been left alone at the banquet and felt so humiliated! She refused to accept it!
Perhaps it was because of the tension in the atmosphere, but her pent-up feelings of rebellion suddenly exploded.
Her life was barely worth living because it was controlled by others.
Thus, she decided to fight back in her own way!
As such, Camila kissed him again.
......
After some time, the man kissed her cheek gently and said, "I'll come back for you." Then he left quickly.
All of a sudden, the sound of her phone ringing broke the silence.
She reached out to grab it and answered the call. An anxious voice sounded from the other end of the line, "Dr. Griffith, emergency! Please come here quickly!"
Camila adjusted her voice and answered calmly, "Okay, I'll be there soon."
After hanging up, she looked at her phone in a daze.
Her disheveled clothes told her that this was not a dream. It really happened.
This was the most rebellious thing she had ever done in her life!
But she didn't have the time to dwell on this. A patient needed her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly got dressed and rushed to the emergency center.
Camila was busy for the rest of the night.
When she finally returned to the duty room, she found that it was still a complete mess.
Recalling what happened here a few hours ago, she couldn't help but run her fingers through her tangled hair in distress.
"Thanks for taking over my shift, Dr. Haynes." Camila's colleague, Debora Griffith, suddenly strode in with a grateful smile.
Camila forced a smile and answered, "You're welcome."
"I can take it from here. You should head back and get some rest." Only then did Debora notice the mess in the room. Eyebrows raised, she asked incredulously, "What happened here?"
Turning her head to hide the panic in her eyes, Camila said, "I accidentally knocked over the things on the table earlier. Anyway, since you're here, I'm going to head home now."
Debora felt that Camila was acting strange, but she didn't care. She shrugged and bent down to start picking up the random things on the floor.
Just when Camila left, the director of the hospital and Isaac's assistant, Willie Calderon, showed up at the door.
"She was the doctor on duty last night, Debora Griffith," the director said.
Willie walked into the room and peered at Debora's name plate on her lab coat. "Miss, please come with me."
Debora looked up in confusion.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see. Just come with us," Willie answered expressionlessly. The hospital director, on the other hand, wasn't too happy with her hesitation. He pulled her and hissed, "Don't keep Mr. Johnston waiting."
Chapter 2 Feeling Guilty
Albeit confused, Debora obediently followed them to the hospital director's office.
Isaac was sitting upright on the sofa with his legs crossed. Without paying close attention, the paleness on his thin lips would've gone unnoticed.
Dressed in pure black, his sharp features and strong aura seemed to show that he had overcome countless difficulties. Even a single glance from him was daunting.
Willie walked over to Isaac and whispered something in his ear. "All the surveillance videos last night were deliberately tampered with, likely thanks to your assailants. They cleaned up their tracks and got rid of any possible evidence. This is Dr. Debora Griffith, the doctor on duty last night. I also just went to check the records, and it was indeed her shift."
Only then did Isaac look up at Debora.
Debora was shocked. The man on the sofa was none other than the CEO of Paramount Corporation.
"Are you the one who helped me last night?" Isaac asked, looking at her face carefully.
Debora immediately averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Y-yes, it... It was me." She didn't know what exactly had happened last night, but she knew that she could benefit a lot if she could get into Isaac's good graces.
It just so happened that Military Central Hospital was about to select candidates for their internship.
Although it was called an internship, whoever was selected would stay on as their official doctor.
The resources there were much better than that of this hospital.
If Debora could get the help of someone as powerful as Isaac, she'd definitely be selected for the internship.
"I'll give you whatever you want—even marriage." Isaac's expression was indifferent, but when he thought of what happened last night, his cold face softened somewhat.
"W-what? Marriage? Er... I..." Isaac dropped a bomb on her so suddenly that Debora couldn't think straight.
"Once you've made up your mind, you can come to me." Isaac then stood up and asked his assistant to give her his phone number.
The hospital director bowed slightly and offered, "Mr. Johnston, let me escort you out."
Isaac refused him, returning to his cold demeanor. "That won't be necessary." Then, he seemed to think of something and added, "Please take good care of her."
"Of course, Mr. Johnston," the director said with a subservient smile.
After making sure that they were out of earshot, the assistant reminded Isaac in a low voice, "You're already married. I don't think you can marry Miss Griffith if she ends up wanting the marriage."
Upon thinking the bride he was forced to marry, Isaac's expression darkened and he stared daggers at him.
The assistant immediately fell silent, a shiver running down his spine. He didn't know if Isaac was angry about the woman he married or the person who sent the hitmen after him.
After work, Camila went home to her husband's villa.
As soon as Camila entered the house, the middle-aged housekeeper, Glenda Rivera, came up and asked, "May I ask where you were last night?"
"I had to cover someone's shift," Camila answered in a small voice.
There were dark circles under her eyes, and she clearly looked tired.
Glenda didn't press her for more information when she saw how exhausted Camila was. Instead, she bowed and let Camila retire to her room.
Camila went straight to the bathroom and ran a hot bath. Soaking in the tub, she suddenly recalled the events of last night, and her face suddenly became as hot as the bathwater. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel guilty.
She rubbed her temples, trying to clear her messy mind.
After getting out of the tub, she got dressed and headed out.
Seeing that Camila was about to leave, Glenda came over and asked, "Are you leaving again so soon? You should at least have breakfast first."
Camila glanced at her watch and sighed. "No thanks. I'll be late for work."
Glenda knew that Camila was a doctor, and she knew how hard this job was. Thinking of this, she looked at Camila with newfound respect and brought her a glass of warm milk. "At least drink this before going to work."
Seeing the concern on Glenda's face, Camila felt touched. She took the glass of milk and said softly, "Thank you."
"Of course." Glenda smiled, her chubby face looking very kind and friendly.
After finishing the milk, Camila handed the glass back to Glenda and headed out.
She did not start work immediately. In fact, she came to the hospital because she was visiting the Intensive Care Unit, where her mother was.
After she entered, she checked her mother's condition as she always did—her heart sank since her mother was not improving.
Her mother had suffered from heart failure and was now in a critical condition. The only solution was a heart transplant, which would cost a lot of money.
She agreed to her father's demand and married into the Johnston family because her father threatened her, saying that he wouldn't pay the fees for her mother's surgery if she didn't agree.
If they could just find a suitable heart donor, her mother would be saved.
She looked at her mother, who was in a coma, and said in a low and bitter voice, "Mom, I promise I'll save you."
A single teardrop ran down her cheek. Her mother was the person closest to her.
The phone in her pocket started to ring.
"Hi, Mila! Can you do me a favor?" A cheerful voice sounded from the other end of the line.
It was her senior, Forrest Walters who called her. They graduated from the same medical school, but he was two grades above her. He had gone abroad for further studies, and now, he was a very famous doctor.
More importantly, he had always taken good care of her.
So the two were pretty close.
"What kind of favor?" Camila asked.
"I have a patient who needs treatment, but I'm in the middle of something urgent. I won't make it in time. Can you tend to the patient for me please?"
Camila checked her schedule. Aside from two surgeries in the afternoon, she was relatively free that morning, so she agreed.
"I have sent you the address. Just tell them that you're there for Mr. Calderon, and the doorman will know what to do."
Chapter 3 Mysterious Injured Man
Camila got the address and answered, "Got it."
"And Mila, don't tell anyone about this and don't ask any unnecessary questions. Just focus on treating the patient, okay?" Forrest added.
"Okay." After hanging up, Camila took a taxi to the address.
It was located in a high-end neighborhood with top-level security.
The doorman stopped her from entering. As instructed, Camila informed him that she was here to see Mr. Calderon. The doorman called to confirm before finally granting her access.
It didn't take long before she found the house. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell.
Soon, the door was opened.
Seeing that it wasn't Forrest at the door, Willie frowned and asked, "And you are?"
From the way Forrest sounded over the phone, Camila could tell that this patient seemed to care about his privacy very much. Not wanting to get involved, she wore a mask before going.
"Dr. Forrest Walters asked me to come here in his place."
Glancing at the medical kit she was carrying, Willie squinted at her. "You know what to do?"
"Yes, Dr. Walters briefed me. I won't tell anyone."
Willie figured that Forrest wouldn't ask someone unreliable to come here, so he let Camila in.
He led Camila through the huge living room, up the stairs to the second floor, and stopped in front of the door to a bedroom.
The room was very dimly lit. Glancing at Willie, she asked, "How can I treat the patient without lights?"
When Isaac heard that it was a woman's voice, he pulled over his coat over his head to cover his face and said coldly, "Fine. You may turn on the lights."
Willie obliged and turned the lights on.
The room was instantly illuminated.
The voice sounded familiar, but Camila didn't think too much of it. She approached the injured man, who was lying in bed.
She tried not to look at his covered face. After all, she was here to treat him, not to pry.
Obviously, the patient didn't want others to know his identity, so it was only right that she respect his privacy.
She set her kit down on the night stand and took out her surgical instruments.
Camila instantly got to work, cleaning the wounds with her deft hands.
Every move was elegant and efficient.
"Are you allergic to any medicine?" she asked.
Her voice was calm, completely different from how the panicked woman sounded from last night.
Therefore, even though Isaac had heard her voice, he had no idea that this female doctor was the person from last night.
On the inside, he was impressed by her skill and calmness, but on the outside, he remained cold. "No."
After an hour, she was done stitching. It was a quick and successful treatment.
Seeing that her hands were stained, she excused herself. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"There's one downstairs," Willie said.
Camila walked out and followed his directions.
When she was gone, Willie closed the door and walked up to Isaac.
"Upon investigating, it seems the person who had hired those hitmen was your Aunt Audrey. Because you dealt with all her spies in the company, she grew desperate and tried to destroy you."
Isaac sat up in bed. He should've been weak given his injuries, but on the contrary, his eyes were sharp and alert.
He looked at Willie and asked in a low voice, "Did the arranged marriage have anything to do with her?"
After a pause, Willie answered, "Yes, I found out that she was in contact with your father-in-law. It was strange that he requested that his daughter marry you but not Audrey's son. Obviously, Audrey had something to do with that."
"She's done so much for me. It'd be rude if I didn't do anything in return." He had just gone abroad for a few days for business, but someone had made so much trouble for him.
He was completely expressionless, but the coldness in his eyes was undeniable. "I heard that her son runs a club called Charm on Cavern Street."
Hearing this, Willie instantly understood what was on his boss's mind. "Since they don't have a place in the company anymore, that club is their only source of income. If they lose it..."
"Do it," Isaac said in a dangerously low voice, his eyes flashing viciously.
Willie nodded and immediately set out to do what he was told. On the way downstairs, he ran into Camila, who was about to go upstairs.
Willie knew that Forrest must've already told her to keep her mouth shut, but he figured it was worth reminding her. "If you tell anyone about what happened today, you'll regret it."
If Audrey and her son caught wind of Isaac's injuries, they'd definitely seize the opportunity to beat him while he was down.
"Don't worry, I won't." With her head down, Camila added, "I'll leave as soon as I get my medical kit."
When she returned to the bedroom, she saw that the wounded man had taken off his bloodstained shirt.
"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" The man didn't turn around, but he seemed to have noticed her intent gaze. His voice was lazy, mixed with a hint of mockery.
Camila snapped to her senses and lowered her head in a hurry.
With her head down, she walked over to pack up her things. In a gentle voice, she reminded him, "Don't let your wounds get wet for the time being. Disinfect them once a day, and wear loose shirts so as to avoid infection."
When she was done packing her medical kit, she took out a bottle of pills and a tube of ointment. "I'm leaving you these medicines."
Isaac didn't turn around and grunted in reply.
Camila had nothing else to say, so she left.
She walked out with the medical kit.
She hailed a taxi and went back to the hospital. It was almost lunchtime when she arrived, so she went to the canteen of the hospital to eat. As soon as she returned to her office, she was summoned to the hospital director's office.
"I'm sending Debora to Military Central Hospital for the internship," the hospital director said seriously. He seemed to have some unspeakable reasons.
Chapter 4 The Benefits
Camila was stunned. "Didn't you say that you'd give the chance to me?"
"All our high-tech medical equipment was donated by the Paramount Corporation. Its CEO, Mr. Isaac Johnston, told me to take care of Dr. Griffith. I had no choice."
At the mention of Isaac's name, Camila couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Although she was technically Isaac's wife, they hadn't even met each other yet.
She only had seen his face on some financial magazines and TV.
What was going on between him and Debora?
Camila's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, but she managed to keep a straight face. "Really?"
"Yes. We recognize your professionalism and medical skills, but I'm afraid we have no say in the matter." The director tried comforting her. Among the young doctors in this hospital, he appreciated Camila the most.
Camila lowered her head and answered in a low voice, "Okay, I understand."
Perhaps in Isaac's eyes, she was nothing to him since he was forced to marry her.
"I still have surgeries this afternoon, so please excuse me," she said feebly.
She clearly knew that the decision was irreversible.
The director sighed and watched her leave dejectedly.
Despite her heavy heart, Camila went back to work. After successfully completing two surgeries, she was exhausted. She washed her hands, took off her blue scrubs, and sank onto the nearest chair to get some rest.
Just then, Debora passed by.
"Dr. Haynes," she greeted with a smile. "Let me treat you to dinner."
"I'm afraid I'm not available tonight," Camila refused politely. The relationship between her and Debora was professional at best.
To put it simply, the two were just colleagues that had graduated from the same medical school.
Also, they were from the same batch.
But Debora was quite the character. She was very competitive and ambitious, always showing off to get everyone's attention.
On the other hand, Camila liked to be low-key.
The two didn't mesh well together, that was all. So they didn't become good friends.
"Oh, that's too bad. Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you," Debora said, looking a little embarrassed.
Without looking at Debora, Camila spoke. "Go ahead."
For some reason, after finding out that Debora had something to do with Isaac, Camila had a gut feeling to stay away from her.
"You must've heard the news. I'm really sorry. I didn't know that the director would—"
"It's okay, don't worry about it." Not wanting to hear it, Camila cut Debora off mid-sentence.
But Debora wasn't done yet. She lowered her eyes and looked away awkwardly. "So can you keep it a secret that you took my shift last night? Since I'm going to the Military Central Hospital for the internship, I don't want to get into any trouble."
Her line of reasoning was a little farfetched.
But Camila wasn't surprised to hear this from her. "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul."
It wasn't uncommon for doctors to cover shifts for colleagues.
After all, doctors still had lives of their own.
Outside the hospital, it was getting dark.
The street lights came on one by one.
A black luxury car was parked at the gate. Forrest was inside, boasting proudly, "My junior was great, wasn't she?"
Isaac was sitting next to him, leaning back lazily. Thinking of Camila's calmness and agility when she dealt with his wounds, even he had to admit that she was quite skilled.
"Mr. Johnston, Miss Griffith is coming," Willie, who was sitting in the passenger seat, announced.
Isaac lowered the window.
Debora came over, wearing a small smile.
Seeing her, Forrest's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Debora?"
"You know her?" Willie turned around and asked with great intrigue.
Forrest nodded. "She was my junior back in medical school."
Upon hearing this, Isaac's eyes took on a different light.
She was the one who had saved him last night.
Was she also the one who had dealt with his wounds earlier?
Willie noticed the change in Isaac's demeanor and exclaimed, "Cupid finally noticed you!"
Was that it? Did Cupid finally decide to shoot Isaac with his arrow?
Forrest frowned in confusion. "What're you talking about?"
"Mr. Johnston?"
At this time, Debora came over and interrupted their conversation.
Forrest had only hitched a ride with Isaac to see Camila at the hospital.
Seeing that Debora was here, Forrest quickly opened the door and got out of the car. "Excuse me."
After Forrest left, Debora got into the car and sat opposite Isaac. She felt a little uneasy, worried that Isaac would realize that he had mistaken her for someone else.
But she had already tasted the benefits of being affiliated with him.
Because of Camila's skills, the hospital director had always appreciated Camila. Debora knew that he had only vouched for her to be sent to Military Central Hospital because of Isaac.
So she made up her mind to win this man over, no matter what it took.
Such an opportunity was rare. She must have to seize it!
"I've made up my mind," she said softly. Then she looked up and locked eyes with Isaac.
Isaac didn't seem to expect her to make a decision so soon. He looked at her emotionlessly and seemed to be disinterested, but deep down, he was curious about her answer.
Chapter 5 Her Lifelong Dream
"I don't need anything else," Debora said firmly.
Since he was willing to marry her, he must've had an unusual relationship with the person he mistook her for.
If she latched onto his proposal right off the bat, she might appear too greedy and ambitious.
So she had to compromise for now to reap the benefits in the long run. "If we can be friends, that's enough for me."
Isaac pursed his lips tightly, his eyes cloudy and unreadable. In a calm tone, he asked, "Are you sure?"
Debora nodded.
As such, Isaac decided against changing her mind—what happened last night had probably occurred in the heat of the moment.
"Fine, I respect your decision."
In the hospital.
Camila was quietly reading a book in the staff lounge. Even though she was technically off work, she didn't want to go back to Isaac's place, nor did she want to go back home.
The hospital was her only safe space. She didn't mind, since she could read and study there in peace.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Then the door was pushed open and Forrest poked his head in. "Why are you hiding here?"
"I'm not hiding."
Camila shut the book and put it on the table. Looking at Forrest, she asked curiously, "What brings you here, Forrest?"
"You helped me out today. I need to pay you back, don't I?" He grinned. "Let's go. I'm going to treat you to something delicious."
But she shook her head and said, "No, thanks."
"What? Why not? Is something bothering you?" Forrest frowned. He could sense that she was in a bad mood.
Averting her gaze, Camila muttered, "No."
Forrest was unconvinced. "You can talk to me if something's wrong, you know. Don't you trust me?"
"It's not like that," she explained in a hurry, seeing that she might've hurt his feelings. "I'm just sad that we won't be colleagues in the same hospital."
"What do you mean?" Forrest's frown tightened. Suddenly, it dawned on him, and he became a little angry. "The director changed his mind? Whom did he recommend for the internship? Where is he now? I'm going to talk some sense into him."
Camila stopped him before he could walk out the door.
"Isn't it your lifelong dream to become a military surgeon? How's that going to happen if you miss out on the internship at the Military Central Hospital?" Forrest thought that backing down wasn't like Camila at all.
She had studied and worked so hard for her dream. How could she let it go so easily?
Camila lowered her head dejectedly. It wasn't that she had given up so easily, but that reality was deliberately making things difficult for her.
Besides, she didn't want to get Forrest involved.
Seeing that Camila wasn't saying anything, Forrest pursed his lips and said, "Fine, then."
Forcing a smile, Camila looked up at him and said, "No need to dwell on this. I've changed my mind. Let's go have dinner."
"Maybe next time," he said gently. He wasn't a fool. He knew that there must've been someone who heavily influenced the director's decision to replace Camila.
But Forrest refused to let it go.
"Excuse me, there's something I must take care of."
Then he turned around and stormed off.
He was furious!
Forrest went straight to the hospital director's office and barged in regardless of anything. He wasn't afraid of the consequences because not only was he a well-respected doctor, but he also came from a powerful and wealthy family.
The director of the hospital was on a phone call. When he saw Forrest barge in unannounced, he hurriedly ended the call and stood up with a smile. "What can I do for you, Dr. Walters?"
"Weren't you supposed to send Camila to Military Central Hospital for the internship? Why the sudden change of heart? Who bribed you to do this? If you don't give me answers right now, I promise you you'll regret it."
Hearing the obvious threat in his words, the director broke out in cold sweat.
He explained helplessly, "I had no choice. Mr. Isaac Johnston asked me to take care of Dr. Griffith. What else could I do?"
Hearing that it was Isaac behind this, Forrest's frown tightened.
"Take it up with Isaac, not me." The director was smart. He couldn't afford to offend either Isaac or Forrest, so he tactfully pulled himself out of the matter.
In a fit of rage, Forrest turned around to look for Isaac. As soon as he walked out of the hospital, he saw Debora getting out of Isaac's car.
He strode over, fuming.
Debora greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Forrest."
Forrest paused, not knowing how to respond.
In the end, he simply nodded out of politeness.
After Debora left, Forrest was incensed that Debora had obtained the opportunity that rightfully belonged to Camila. But the person who had orchestrated everything was, in fact, his dear friend, Isaac.
Isaac had never shown so much interest in a woman before.
It seemed that he really had a special relationship with Debora.
And Forrest couldn't bring himself to ruin his good friend's chances at love.
It was so rare for Isaac to go out of his way to please a woman.
So Forrest could do nothing but look at Isaac helplessly. "I really don't understand what you see in Debora."
Untitled
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After being betrayed by her ex and her elder sister, Catherine swore to become the couple’s aunt! With that, she took an interest in her ex-boyfriend’s uncle.
Chapter 1##
Slap!
A resounding slap lande... View MoreAfter being betrayed by her ex and her elder sister, Catherine swore to become the couple’s aunt! With that, she took an interest in her ex-boyfriend’s uncle.
Chapter 1##
Slap!
A resounding slap landed on Catherine Jones’ face.
“You’ve really let me down. Your sister has had a rough time out there for more than 20 years, and here you are planning to snatch the man from her. How could you?!”
Catherine looked at her mother incredulously. “Mom, Ethan is my boyfriend. How can you guys be so unreasonable?”
Catherine had just come home after a business trip, only to see her long-lost elder sister, Rebecca Jones, sitting with her boyfriend, Ethan Lowe, on the couch. Her sister, who returned not long ago, was holding Ethan’s arm and seemed intimate with him.
Seated on the other side of the couch were both Rebecca and Ethan’s parents who were having a pleasant chat with each other.
In fact, Ethan was Catherine’s childhood sweetheart!
She could not help but come up to Rebecca to question her. However, she ended up being slapped by her mother in the face right there and then!
“Mom, please stop hitting Cathy.” With an anxious look, Rebecca said, “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have come back…”
Ethan quickly held her shoulders. “No, Rebecca. It’s my fault. I’ve always treated Catherine as my sister, which is probably why she misunderstood my feelings for her.”
Something seemed to have exploded in Catherine’s head. The pain was so terrible that she could barely breathe.
Sister?
“Stop!” She found those words unbearable.
“You’re the one who should shut your mouth. Is this how you’re supposed to speak to your sister?” Mrs. Jones told her off sulkily. “Can’t you just be tolerant of Rebecca, considering that she has gone through 20 years of hardships?”
Shocked, Catherine was slightly slack-jawed.
There had to be some limit on tolerance anyway. Why should she give up? She was not a saint either.
At that point, Mr. Jones stood up and told her off glumly as well. “Are you done? Ethan isn’t into you either. We still need to discuss Rebecca’s engagement party now. Get lost. You’re such an eyesore here.”
Catherine trembled and glanced at Ethan who was indifferent toward her. She then glanced at Rebecca who was clinging to him.
All of a sudden, she felt like a joke.
These people were the ones she cared most about, yet every one of them was taking Rebecca’s side at that moment.
Tears were seen streaming down her face.
After wiping away the tears, Catherine turned around and left with her suitcase without looking back.
She sped through the journey once she got into the Maserati.
Not knowing where to go, she stopped and called her best friend, Freya Lynch.
“Come and have a drink.”
…
By the time Freya rushed over to S1897 pub, Catherine had already finished one whole bottle of drink by herself.
“You came at the right time. Let’s have a drink together. I’ve ordered a lot.”
“What’s wrong?” It was very rare for Freya to find Catherina behaving in such a manner. She sympathized deeply with Catherine. “Where’s Ethan? Is he ignoring you?”
At the mention of Ethan’s name, Catherine felt as if a knife was scraping her heart.
“He’s ditched me, and he’s going to get engaged to Rebecca.”
Freya gaped. “What kind of a campy plot is this?”
Catherine briefly told her what happened that evening.
Freya felt a sense of incredulity. Ethan and Catherine were childhood sweethearts who had established a romantic relationship since high school.
Throughout these years, however, Catherine studied abroad while Ethan was busy with work. It explained why they had yet to get engaged.
Both their parents were under no illusions about it. They also gave their blessings to the couple.
Everyone in the entertainment industry knew that the couple would get married sooner or later.
Now, it turned out that Ethan had gotten together with Rebecca, which would then make Catherine a laughing stock.
“This is absurd. You and Rebecca should be equally important to your parents. Are your dad and mom out of their minds?”
Catherine clutched the bottle. “They probably feel that Rebecca has suffered too much out there. Now that she’s back, they just want to give her the best.”
Freya was in a state of disbelief. “But you’re their daughter too!”
Catherine forced out a smile.
“Hah. Now that Rebecca has returned, all they care about is Rebecca.
Holding the bottle, Catherine started feeling a little dizzy.
“Don’t drink too much. You have a poor stomach. You’ll feel uncomfortable if you drink too much.”
Freya grabbed Catherine’s bottle to divert her attention from it. After that, she glanced around the pub.
Never did she expect to see a familiar figure.
“Hey, look there!”
Freya gave Catherine a push and pointed to the man who was sitting at a corner.
Despite the dim glow at that corner, the man was faintly visible. He wore a suit which was inappropriate for the occasion.
The man had his eyes closed and was leaning against the couch, giving off an aura of brilliance. When the rotating spotlight shone on him from time to time, he looked so attractive that his face was just like the perfect side profile one often saw in comic books.
After a glimpse, Catherine averted her eyes from him. “No matter how attractive he is, I’m in no mood to enjoy anything that’s pleasant to the eye right now.”
“I’m trying to tell you that the man is Ethan’s uncle.”
Catherine was momentarily stunned. “Are you sure?”
Ethan previously mentioned that he had a mysterious uncle. However, his uncle managed a company in a foreign country, so she had never seen him.
A few days ago, she heard that his uncle had returned.
“Yeah, I’m very sure. My brother told me when we attended a party the other day. I heard he’s clever with tricks. Even Zachary is at his mercy.”
Zachary Lowe was Ethan’s father.
Catherine’s eyes glowed. She had an idea crossing her mind at that instant.
“Well… What do you think will happen if I marry his uncle?”
“Pff…” Shocked, Freya spat out the wine from her mouth. “Say that again.”
Catherine gazed intently at the tall, handsome figure. “Since I can’t become the Lowe family’s daughter-in-law, I shall be Ethan’s aunt to fill the couple with uncomfortable!”
Chapter 2##
Freya was momentarily dumbfounded. She then showed Catherine a thumbs up right away.
“I’m on your side! His uncle’s appearance is perfect. Even Ethan isn’t as good-looking as his uncle. His uncle’s wealth and power are also comparable to that of the Lowe family.”
“I need to remind you that you have to find an excellent match or your position in Jones Corporation will be inferior to Rebecca’s. So I think his uncle is suitable for you!”
Catherine was dazed for a second. Freya might be straightforward, but what she said was true.
If Rebecca had the Lowe family backing her, Catherine’s position in Jones Corporation would be at stake.
“Okay, I’m going to capture his heart right now!”
Catherine snatched Freya’s purse on impulse to search for lipstick and foundation.
Her pure face soon looked radiant.
Freya blinked. “Uh, are you sure you can deal with him?”
“He’s just a man, isn’t he? Hah!”
Catherine swept her hair over one shoulder, then held a half-full glass of drink. With a tipsy and pretty look, she walked toward the man proudly.
The closer she got to the man, the clearer his exquisitely handsome face became. His clean, somber eyebrows and exquisite nose bridge were nothing short of attractive.
“Hi. Sorry to bother you, but could you tell me the time now?”
Catherine tapped her finger on his shoulder twice.
When the man opened his eyes under the dim light, the word ‘devil’ flashed through Catherine’s mind.
Her brain shorted out for a few seconds. After regaining her senses, she wore a pretty smile and said, “I think our first encounter here is the start of our happiness.”
With furrowed brows, Shaun Hill coldly said, “I’m not a doctor. I don’t provide treatment.”
“What?”
“You’re crazy, aren’t you?” The man’s lips moved slightly. Nevertheless, the words that came out of his mouth were extremely mean.
“...”
At that moment, Catherine felt like getting a mirror to take a hard look at herself.
Was she not pretty? Really?
Anyway, it was impossible to grasp men’s thoughts. Otherwise, Ethan would not have betrayed her.
“I’m actually crazy, crazy for you.”
Catherine swiftly calmed down and gave an embarrassed smile. “I started getting crazy when I met you for the first time.”
When Shaun raised his eyebrows a little, Catherine immediately seized the opportunity to say, “They say one can’t help feeling happy when they meet the love of their life, and this is exactly how I’m feeling at the moment.”
“Alright, I got it. You may leave now.”
The man averted his eyes away from her in a careless manner. From his expression, it seemed that he was unbothered by her.
Catherine was deeply hurt. She was a great beauty and the pride of Sydney. At this moment, she had the urge to turn away. The moment she pictured herself becoming Ethan’s aunt, however, she summoned up the courage to talk to him again.
“Pretty boy, could I add your contact to my WhatsApp?”
Lying on the couch lazily with his eyes closed, Shaun looked delicately elegant.
“Pretty boy, could you give me your number?
“Pretty boy, could you tell me your name?
“Pretty boy, you look so charming with your eyes closed that women just find it irresistible.”
“...”
Annoyed by the owner of the voice, Shaun opened his eyes and asked in annoyance, “What on earth do you want?”
“I want to marry you,” Catherine blurted out.
The corners of Shaun’s mouth twitched.
While smiling, Catherine added, “Actually, I’m quite a catch. I’m 22 this year, and I graduated from the University of New South Wales. I’m a competent woman who does well both at home and in public. Moreover, I’ll pamper my husband. I’m capable of earning money too. I’m healthy and don’t have any bad habits. Above all, I’m not a fickle lover.”
Shaun was speechless.
He rubbed his eyes, then gazed at her strangely.
Catherine raised her hand. “I can swear that from now on, I’ll only treat you well and promise you everything I’ve said…”
“Stop.”
Shaun was so fed up with her that he stood up.
Only when Catherine looked up did she realize that he was really tall. He was close to six feet and two inches, and furthermore, he had such a wonderful figure.
“If you want to marry me, bring your birth certificate and meet me at the registry office at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.”
The man stared down at her with one hand in his pocket.
Catherine was dumbfounded. She then stammered, “Are you lying to me?”
“You can give it a go.” Upon looking away, Shaun turned around and swaggered to leave.
Chapter 3##
The plot twist happened so quickly that Catherine suspected she had drunk too much.
Such a thought remained until Freya came to tap her on the shoulder. She said sympathetically, “Don’t get too upset. It’s not easy to capture the heart of a wealthy and handsome man. Keep it up—”
“No. He told me to meet him at the entrance of the registry office tomorrow at 10 a.m.,” Catherine replied with a dazed look.
“...”
Freya remained uncannily quiet for a moment before she burst out laughing. “Congratulations on becoming Ethan’s aunt!”
Catherine asked, “You believe him?”
Freya forcefully pinched Catherine’s soft face.
“Why not? Please. With your naturally pure look, you can easily beat those young ladies in the entertainment industry. Let’s go and have a drink to celebrate your marriage.”
Catherine seriously wondered how much Freya had drunk while she was away.
However, Catherine began to have a hangover after drinking just now. She felt her head becoming heavy.
A Bentley Mulsanne slowly moved toward the pub entrance.
The valet opened the car door, and Shaun subsequently went to the backseat.
Shaun frowned a little. “Who else knows that I’m in Melbourne?”
“No one except Senior Madam.”
Shaun’s brows relaxed. By the look of things, the woman’s appearance just now was sheer coincidence. “Find out who this person is. I want to know her information before dawn.”
…
The morning sun shone through the curtains.
Catherine, who was deep asleep, was woken by the noise outside.
Just as she opened her eyes, she saw Ethan opening the door and striding into her room.
Freya, who followed him into the room, roared. “This is my house! You’re basically invading my home!”
“Sure enough, you’re here.” Ethan stared keenly at Catherine who had bloodshot eyes and slightly messy hair.
Catherine became wide awake at that moment, her eyes expressing dejection.
“The two of you should have a good chat. It hasn’t been easy being together for so many years.” After some thought, Freya turned around and left, closing the door behind her.
The room was silent. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Ethan stretched out his hand to touch her hair.
With a scornful look, Catherine dodged away from his hand. “Does Rebecca know that you’re here?”
Ethan’s handsome face froze, then he clenched his fist. “Cathy, you’re probably unaware that the Jones family has decided to give Rebecca 80 percent of the company’s shares.”
Catherine was so shocked that her lips turned pale. “This is impossible.”
“It’s true. Your dad said it himself.”
Catherine seemed to have grasped everything within minutes.
Tears began to gush from her eyes. “So that’s why you abandoned me and chose Rebecca, right?”
Ethan gripped her hands. “This is just temporary. I’ve just gotten engaged to Rebecca, but I’ll leave our wedding on the back-burner. As you know, my dad has an illegitimate son. If I don’t do this, I wouldn’t even be able to compete. Cathy, I just want to provide you with a good life.”
“Liar.”
Catherine snatched her hand out of his grasp and threw insults at him. “You’re only 25. Even if you don’t get any inheritance from your family, can’t you just start your own business?”
“You’re too naive.”
Ethan stood up slowly, hiding the emotions in his eyes. He said helplessly, “It’s not in our power to choose certain things due to our background.”
Catherine looked cold without uttering a word as she found it unreasonable.
Amid the silence, Ethan sighed softly. “Give me three years, Cathy. You’re still young. You can afford to wait.”
Catherine nearly went mad.
How dare he say such things in a self-righteous manner when he only wanted to make her keep her youth for him?
“Please get out of my face. I don’t want to see you anymore!”
“Time will show my love for you.”
Since Catherine was not going along with what he said, he decided to turn around and left.
Upon hearing the door shut, Catherine flung a pillow to the wall with reddened eyes and spent a few seconds sitting still. After that, she frantically put on her shirt and dashed out.
“He’s left. What’s the point of going after him?” Freya quickly stopped her.
Catherine took a deep breath, then gnashed her teeth. “I agreed to meet him at 10 a.m. to get married.”
Freya said, “You actually believe him?”
“Didn’t you say you believed him last night?”
Freya embarrassedly replied, “That’s because I drank too much.”
“What if he’s serious about it?” Catherine pushed her away and ran out.
Chapter 4##
Catherine took a taxi directly to the Jones family’s house. At that time, Mr. Jones had already gone to work.
She rushed upstairs to take her birth certificate. Just as she walked to the living room, she saw Rebecca coming out of the study with a large pile of documents.
Rebecca looked pure with a bob and a pristine face.
“You’re finally back, Sis. I was still worried about what happened yesterday.” A guilty look spread across Rebecca’s face. “It’s just that Ethan is really not into you. You can’t force someone to love you.”
Catherine shot her a cold gaze. “Enough is enough. You can stop acting since there’s no one else here. I underestimated you before this.”
“Don’t treat me this way.” Rebecca bit her lip, her tears streaming down her face. “I’ll just yield to your demands in the future, okay? I won’t get involved in matters related to the company. I’ll pass you these documents.”
As she was speaking, she shoved the documents into Catherine’s hands.
Catherine found it strange and subconsciously extended her hands to push the documents away. As a result, all the documents dropped to the floor.
“What are you guys doing?”
Suddenly, Sally Lennon walked down the stairs and caught sight of Rebecca’s teary face as well as the scattered documents.
“Aren’t these the company’s documents that your dad asked you to go through?”
“Don’t be mad at her, Mom. It’s my fault.” With a pale face, Rebecca hurriedly explained, “Cathy asked me to stop getting involved in the company’s matters and hand these documents to her. I was planning on giving her the documents, but she’s probably unhappy about the issue with Ethan, so—”
“You’re lying—”
“Stop!” Sally glared at Catherine. “Who gave you the right to have a hand in the company’s matters? It’s your dad and me who asked Rebecca to go through the documents. Rebecca will officially become the manager of the company next week. You’d better behave yourself.”
Catherine was dumbfounded. “Speaking of education and experience, I’m more qualified than her. Despite joining the company one year earlier than her, I’m not even a manager yet. What gives her the right to jump to a managerial position just like that?”
“Mom, I’d better not become a manager. I don’t want to ruin my relationship with Cathy,” Rebecca immediately said while sobbing.
Sally’s heart ached very badly. “Look how much Rebecca cares about your sisterhood. What about you? You’re narrow-minded and calculating. You’re not even qualified to be a manager. No wonder Ethan would choose Rebecca instead.”
Her mother’s cruel words felt as if she was getting hit by a cane.
As anger rushed through her body in a way that had never happened before, Catherine took two steps backward. “Fine. Since I’m so terrible, I’ll leave, okay?”
She went to her room right after she finished speaking. She got a suitcase and subsequently stuffed her clothes into it.
Rebecca’s voice came from the door. “Mom, Cathy’s mad. We should talk her out of leaving.”
“Don’t bother with her. That’s just how she behaves. She has been pampered too much. She’ll come back two days later. Let’s go and buy you some clothes since you’re going to get engaged soon.”
“...”
Soon, the voices became faint.
With large teardrops falling on the back of her hand, Catherine carried her suitcase down the stairs. After that, she drove her car and left.
After 40 minutes, Catherine saw a man’s figure at the entrance of the registry office. The man looked smart dressed in a perfectly ironed white T-shirt. He was tall and sturdy, giving off an aura of brilliance.
She rushed toward him after parking her car. “You actually came.”
The woman’s voice was filled with surprise and joy.
When Shaun turned around, he smelled the flavor that lingered on her body from the night before. “Didn’t you take a bath?”
Catherine felt embarrassed right away. “I drank too much last night, so I was already unconscious when I arrived home. I was in a hurry this morning, so…”
When she realized the man’s increasingly disdainful gaze on her, she quickly swore, “Today was just an exception. I usually take a bath every day and I love to keep myself clean.”
She observed his features as she spoke.
It was normal to find a man more attractive under the dim lighting of a pub. Nevertheless, one would notice that he was not that good-looking during the day.
Having said that, this man was an exception.
Not only was he not any less attractive, but he looked even more stunning with his elegant and cool features. He had a handsome face, and what was more, there were not any pores visible on his skin.
Catherine was aware that a few young women who were going into the registry office to get married were casting glances at him.
“What a handsome man.”
The man beside the woman said, “The girl looks pretty too.”
“That’s true. They match each other well. Their future children will probably be good-looking, unlike ours. How worrying…”
“...”
When the discussion reached Shaun’s ears, he said straight away, “We won’t have children.”
Catherine was at a loss for words.
Shaun said, “We’ll divorce three years later. I’ll give you a sum of money which will be enough for you to live the rest of your life. Also, I won’t meet your family. Think about it carefully. If you can’t go along with this deal, you can leave.”
Catherine felt like something was stuck in her heart.
She was under the impression that he liked her at first sight last night.
She did not mind him not loving her at first sight, though.
With her charisma, she believed that she could win the man’s heart in three years’ time.
She had to consolidate her identity as Ethan’s aunt.
“Alright.”
Once the two of them entered the registry office, they first went to take pictures together.
The cameraman, who had spent a long time taking pictures of them, was not satisfied with the outcome. “Can’t you guys get close to each other and look sweet? Also, sir, please smile.”
An impatient look crossed Shaun’s face. Catherine immediately hooked her arm around his, then said with a smile, “His facial nerves have been damaged, so don’t force him anymore. Just let him be.”
“...”
Deeply insulted, Shaun shot an icy glare at the woman who was wearing a cheery smile.
“You’d better stop talking if you want to stop taking pictures,” Catherine whispered in his ear boldly while standing on tiptoes. Her scent lingered on his ear, tickling him.
Chapter 5##
Shaun froze and remained silent.
After Shaun and Catherine were done taking pictures, they headed to the first floor to register their marriage.
It was only when Shaun took out his citizenship certificate that Catherine finally learned his real name—Shaun Hill.
However, Ethan’s mother’s surname was Lyons. In that case, his uncle’s surname was supposed to be Lyons as well.
In a daze, Catherine asked, “Why is your surname Hill?”
“Uh-huh.”
As Shaun was lowering his head to sign the documents, he did not bother to know what she meant. He casually answered, “I adopted my mom’s surname.”
“Oh.” Catherine finally understood. She had been filled with fear earlier, thinking that it was a case of mistaken identity.
She approached him for the very reason that he was Ethan’s uncle.
However, she felt that something was somehow not right.
Ten minutes later, the marriage certificates were issued.
Catherine felt a twinge of sadness but found this to be incredible at the same time.
Since young, she had always assumed she would marry Ethan. Against her expectations, she married a man whom she had only met once.
“Here’s my contact number. I have something to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.” Shaun jotted his number on a piece of blank paper for her before he left.
“Wait a minute…” Catherine stopped him the moment she came back to her senses. “Now that we’re a married couple, we should live together.”
With a dull expression, he replied, “I don’t enjoy living with someone else.”
“I’m your legal wife, not someone else. Even if we’re going to divorce three years later, we should still live together.”
Shaking the marriage certificate in her hand, Catherine pouted in an attempt to gain his sympathy. “I’m really miserable. Ever since my long-lost sister returned, my parents have been treating me with contempt. Now that I’ve been kicked out of the house, I don’t have a place to stay.”
“You can go and rent a place.”
Shaun walked away with indifference.
“Don’t abandon me, hubby!” Catherine suddenly let out a howl, hooking her arm around his. “I’m left with nothing but you right now.”
Her increasingly loud voice had attracted a lot of sidelong glances in the registry office.
Pulling a long face, Shaun regretted getting married to her at random.
“Fine. I live in Jadeite Bay. Go there on your own.”
Shaun could not help but stomp out of the registry office. He then warned her softly, “You’ll sleep in the guest room. You’re not allowed to step into my room.”
Secretly elated, Catherine believed that he would be the one begging her to enter his room in the future.
“By the way, don’t disturb Fudge.”
“Fudge?” Catherine gasped. “You already have a son?”
Shaun raised his eyebrows. “Take good care of him.”
Once he finished his sentence, he left straight away.
Catherine was so shocked that he forgot to go after Shaun. Although she had braced herself to marry someone she did not love, she was not at all ready to be someone’s stepmother.
She stood at the roadside for half an hour, picturing her conflicting future identities—namely as a stepmother and aunt.
At last, she dashed into the mall to buy children’s toys after glancing at Ethan’s photo.
A person named Fudge had to be a boy. After selecting several types of toy cars and Lego sets, she drove to Jadeite Bay.
Carrying a variety of things, she took a deep breath in front of the door. She punched in the password and the door was opened.
A friendly smile spread across her face. “Hi, Fudge—”
“Meow!”
A cat with a white body and light yellow ears was seen lying on the couch lazily. It produced a cute sound in the quiet living room.
“...”
Catherine blinked. “Fudge?”
“Meowww!”
After the cat stretched its body, it jumped down the couch and walked toward her legs to smell the toys that she was carrying. Uninterested, the cat returned to the couch and lay on it in an arrogant manner.
Chapter 6##
Catherine was speechless.
Shaun should have explained this earlier.
She had spent the past few hours worrying about being a stepmother!
A feeling of helplessness washed over her.
Catherine let out a sigh. Then, she scanned around the house that had three bedrooms and two living areas.
There was a master bedroom, a guest room, and a study.
The interior of the house was decorated in a minimalist. It was pleasant to the eyes but gave out a cold and cheerless vibe at the same time.
Was this really the residence of Ethan’s uncle?
The man was supposed to be a successful entrepreneur. It was one thing if he chose not to live in a grand villa, but there was no sign of luxury in this place at all.
Not to mention the shelves in the study room were filled with books like The Science of Law, The Law Society Gazette, and Are We Slaves to Our Genes?
Something did not feel right. Could it be possible that this man was not Ethan’s uncle?
No, that would be impossible!
Freya could be quite careless at times, but for something as serious as this…
She could not possibly have made a mistake, right?
The overthinking was killing Catherine. She retrieved her phone to ring her friend. “Are you sure that he’s Ethan’s uncle?”
“Of course, I heard it from my brother. He even had a meal with that man before.”
“I was afraid that I married the wrong man.”
“Oh my God, did you actually marry him?” A shriek of surprise sounded over the phone. “He really showed up?”
“Uh-huh,” she replied. On the other side of the phone, Freya’s eyes were welled up with tears. “We promised to be each other’s angels. How could you abandon me in the blink of an eye?”
The words were stuck in Catherine’s throat.
After the phone call ended, Catherine dropped by the nearby supermarket. The new house was too cold and empty to be called a home. It definitely needed a new makeover.
...
4:00 p.m. at Jennings Solicitors.
Shaun had just flipped open the document file when Chase Harrison stepped foot in his office.
“Congratulations! Should we have dinner with your new wife tonight?”
“It’s not like you don’t know the real reason why I got married,” Shaun replied coolly without lifting his head, his eyes glued to the words on the documents.
“You truly are inconstant in love. I heard that Catherine Jones is quite a beauty. Aren’t you at least a little bit interested?”
Chase was filled with excitement. He lowered himself on the swivel office chair as he studied his friend’s expression with curious eyes.
Shaun paused what he was doing for a split second. He recalled the woman’s smooth, milky skin and her face that was as beautiful as a blooming flower. However, her behavior...
He replied several seconds later, “I’ve seen countless attractive women.”
“Fair point. An insignificant young lady from Melbourne wouldn’t stand a chance to be your wife if you weren’t trying to avoid an arranged marriage set up by the elders of your family. Indeed, she’s not a good match for your grand status.”
Chase let out a meaningful sigh. “So, the famous undefeatable legend has returned. How are you adapting to working in a small place like Melbourne?”
“It’s certainly an experience to live like a common person.”
“Tsk.” Chase hissed. “The world is so unfair. We graduated at the same time but you’ve already climbed to the top of the ladder.”
“It all comes down to the structure of our brains,” Shaun replied, lifting his indifferent gaze.
Chase gritted his teeth at the humiliation. “Forget it, I’ll leave this as is. Do me a favor, let’s have dinner with several other solicitors of the company tonight.”
“Hmm,” Shaun replied. His phone then beeped with a notification sound.
He picked up his phone to see an incoming text from someone named ‘Shaunerine’.
[Hubby, this is Cathy.]
Chapter 7##
Shaun did not know what to reply. He massaged the space between his eyebrows and accepted the message request.
[Hubby, will you be home for dinner?] Catherine sent another text within seconds.
Shaun: [No. Don’t call me that.]
Shaunerine: [Fine then, I’ll call you Shaunny. It’s a cute name.]
He did not know what else to say.
Was it too late to back out of the marriage arrangement?
Later that night.
The group of people was enjoying dinner in the interestingly designed courtyard-style restaurant.
The bunch of lawyers exchanged their opinions on the new cases recently taken in by the law firm.
Shaun listened absent-mindedly when he heard a notification alert on his phone again.
Catherine sent him a picture. Under the illumination of the soft yellow lights, the chubby cat was indulging itself in a small treat of dried fish.
Shaunerine: [Shaunny, don’t worry about us. I’m taking such good care of little Fudge.]
Shaun sighed grudgingly. The greedy cat had been bribed effortlessly.
The time was 9.30 p.m.
The passcode entered unlocked the door. Shaun was evidently stunned the second he set foot into the house.
It appeared that his house had undergone a complete makeover. The couch was decorated with peacock blue cushions. The white dining table was covered in a green table cloth with a wave pattern. A glass vase filled with pink hydrangeas sat quietly above it.
The entire house was decorated with green plants and fresh flowers. There were also several hanging baskets out on the balcony.
Was this still his house?
Did he enter the right place?
“Shaunny, you’re home.”
Catherine walked out of the guestroom wearing a long sleeve silk sleeping gown. Several white bunnies were printed on the red material of the gown.
Her thick and long brunette hair that was the color of milk tea was draped over her shoulders. Beneath the hem of her gown were her fair legs.
She looked like an elf.
Shaun’s eyes darkened. “Who allowed you to dress like that around here?” The brows on his forehead twitched into a frown as he said sternly.
“Like what?” The woman swirled innocently. “All the young girls go out in the streets dressed like this. What’s wrong about it?”
He did not know where to look. Indeed, she was not wearing revealing clothes, but she was also not wearing anything underneath.
The man averted his gaze. “I agreed to let you move in, but I didn’t give you permission to do this to my house.”
“Isn’t this better? It was too empty before that it didn’t even feel cozy like a home should.” Catherine showed him her palm. “Look, I even have a few cuts on my palm from moving the plants around.”
He lowered his gaze to have a look. Indeed, there were a few tiny cuts on the tender skin of her delicate palm.
“You deserve it.”
He uttered softly before retreating to his room.
Annoyed, she pulled a face at his departing silhouette.
This man did not show any care for women at all. She would not be trying so hard to please the cold man if not for the plan to become her ex’s aunt.
7:00 a.m. the following day.
Shaun’s biological clock woke him up early every morning at the same time. He bumped into the woman who was brushing her teeth in the bathroom.
“Good morning, Shaunny. Are you going for a morning run?” Catherine’s eyes landed on his sportswear. The basic outfit felt like a classic style on the man as if he was the spokesperson for the brand.
The man had a bad temper, but his impeccable appearance was undeniable.
Besides, the habit of going out for morning runs showed that he was a man of discipline.
“Yeah.”
Shaun was a little surprised.
Young women her age were not normally early risers.
“Well, don’t get breakfast before you come home. I’ll prepare something for you,” she spoke like a proper housewife, “It’s more hygienic than store-bought food.”
He frowned. “No need for that. When are you planning to move?”
Her pretty face froze for a split second. “Although we’re married, I don’t want to get too involved with you. Don’t waste your time on me because I’m not interested in you at all,” he replied.
Then, he left the house.
Catherine pulled at her hair slightly as tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
She stood there motionless in the living room for a brief moment. Quickly, she collected herself and started making breakfast.
The man returned after jogging around the park. A delicious smell came from the kitchen, making him hungry in an instant.
“I made breakfast. There are churros and cinnamon rolls...”
She poked her head out from behind the kitchen door while wearing a light green apron that was dotted with little daisies.
“I don’t like sweet things for breakfast.”
He refused coldly. The straightforward remark he made earlier this morning was meant to drive her out of the house. Unexpectedly, she stayed behind and even made him breakfast.
Would the food she made be edible?
At first glance, she looked like a pretty spoiled young lady who had never done a single chore in her life.
He was accustomed to seeing women like her.
Shaun retrieved a carton of fresh milk from the fridge.
Catherine pouted.
It appeared he was determined not to try the food she made.
What a pretentious man.
Regardless, she had no problem enjoying the food herself.
She returned to the kitchen to continue making churros.
He appeared a few seconds later to warm up the milk. From the corners of his eyes, he noticed the woman shaping the dough into several long sticks in a practiced manner before placing them into the hot oil. Within seconds, golden logs floated to the top of the oil. They released a delicious smell that attacked his nostrils.
A hint of light flashed across his eyes.
This skill must have been acquired from years of practice.
He shifted his gaze downward. Beautiful cinnamon rolls with chocolate swirls were baking in the hot oven.
Her cheeks were tinted with a rosy pink because of the heat in the kitchen. Her skin was unquestionably beautiful. She did not have the defined sharp jawline that was favored by most social media influencers nowadays. Her slightly chubby cheeks made her appear youthful and adorable.
Catherine noticed him staring and playfully picked up a churro, waving it in front of his eyes. “Shaunny, are you sure you don’t want a taste of this?”
“Not interested.”
He averted his gaze and placed the milk inside the microwave. Then, as if out of habit, he placed a piece of bacon between two slices of toast and shoved in a handful of lettuce. He started munching on the sandwich by the dining table.
The sandwich in his mouth suddenly tasted bland when he thought of the golden brown churros.
Frustrated, he covered one side of the toast with a thick layer of fruit jam.
Right then, the woman reappeared from the kitchen and placed a whole feast in front of his eyes. Churros, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, a cup of hot chocolate…
Shaun twitched his brows into a deep frown as she blinked innocently. “Shaunny, you don’t mind me eating here, do you?”
He watched on silently as she began the show.
Her performance was better than he expected. “Please forgive me for having a sweet tooth. I really can’t endure having to start the day with a bowl of boring cereal or a plain sandwich. It would be a huge disappointment for my tastebuds.”
Then, she took a massive bite of the churros. She closed her eyes as a look of satisfaction washed over her face.
“The flavor just bursts in your mouth. Mhmm, it’s so delicious.”
He remained silent.
What a waste of talent that this woman did not pursue an acting career. How could he still eat his plain sandwich now?
Chapter 8##
“It’s a must to enjoy warm pancakes with high-quality butter. Then, a sip of hot chocolate to go down with it.”
Catherine continued on with the eating show.
She was savoring every bite of food in earnest. Taking her pretty face into account as well, her performance was way more entertaining and convincing than the other eating broadcast shows available.
Shaun could not take any more of this.
“Meow.” At the same time, Fudge leaped onto the dining table while wagging its tail.
Thinking the cat must be hungry, he walked over to the cupboard. He returned with a plate of cat food and placed it before Fudge.
Fudge sniffed it for a few seconds before turning its head away. It looked at Catherine with greedy eyes.
An awkward expression flashed across the man’s face.
She suppressed the desire to laugh before feeding the cat a small piece of the cinnamon roll. The little cat devoured it within seconds.
“Good kitty.”
She patted the cat on the head lovingly. ‘You have much better taste than your owner,’ she thought to herself.
Shaun felt embarrassed. After the cat ate two more bites of the cinnamon roll, it went on to enjoy the churros. This put a frown on the man’s forehead.
“You…”
Catherine seized the opportunity and shoved a piece of churros into his mouth.
A hint of anger flashed across his eyes. Just when he was about to spit it out, the crispy outside of the churros that were coated with cinnamon sugar melted on his tongue.
Instinctively, he began chewing on the dense dough. It was crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. It was delicious.
Surely, he had had churros before. The cooks from Hill household could make numerous kinds of food, but nothing tasted as good as this.
For some reason, the churros that she made brought out the creamy flavor of the milk without making it sickly.
“Is it nice?” Catherine asked, cupping her chin with both hands. She was confident in her cooking.
The light went out of his eyes when he noticed the smug smile on her face.
“It’s just alright.”
Then, he picked up another piece of churros and continued eating. The small bite from earlier was not enough for him to taste its full flavor properly.
She winked playfully. “Didn't you say it’s just alright?”
“Surely you can’t finish all these. I don’t like wasting food,” the man replied calmly.
She parted her lips to retaliate, but he interrupted with a frown, “Keep quiet during meal times.”
“...”
Catherine gasped in astonishment as she had never seen anyone like him.
He had said coolly that he did not like having sweet foods for breakfast, but he was now devouring the churros, pancakes, and cinnamon rolls—the hot chocolate too.
He sure had the cheek!
Initially, Shaun only wanted to have a little taste of the food, but everything that she made was exceptionally delicious. They were even better than the ones he tried in restaurants.
It was definitely out of his expectation that this woman could make such a scrumptious breakfast.
His impression of her changed a little. Coincidentally, she turned her face toward him and their eyes met. “Shaunny, what do you want to eat for dinner? I’ll make it for you,” she said gently.
“I have a dinner appointment tonight.”
Then, he left to get changed in the bedroom without another word.
This did not annoy her. It was not unusual for the boss of a multinational business to be occupied with work.
However, it was still important to maintain a good relationship between them.
She cleaned up the table immediately and hurried off to get changed into work clothes too.
When Shaun was about to leave the house, she quickly reappeared from her room with her purse.
“Shaunny, can you give me a lift? I’m heading off to work as well. If it’s too much trouble, you can just drop me off at the subway station. Please.”
He pursed his lips while thinking of refusing. However, he eventually nodded upon considering that he had enjoyed the breakfast she made today a lot.
The two of them took the elevator to the parking lot.
Catherine thought she would be getting into a Bentley or a Maybach, but when the man stopped by the side of a white Lexus…
“Um… Is this your car?”
“Yup.”
He opened the door and sat down in the driver’s seat.
Confused, she followed suit and entered the car. “Shaunny, why did you choose this car?”
This man was supposed to be the heir of a multinational business, yet he was driving a car that was worth only a little over 300,000 dollars?
“It’s cheap and fuel-efficient,” he simply replied while igniting the car.
“You do know the best way to live, my exceptional husband.”
She turned her head aside to find a packet of cheap tissue on the dashboard. Its packaging read ‘### Gas Station—cheapest and easiest.’
“...”
Catherine was confused.
Did all successful bosses nowadays live frugally like this?
Could it be possible that she was not treated well by the Jones because she had been spending lavishly instead of saving up like other successful bosses?
She fell into deep thought as she pondered over this.
Ten minutes later, the car came to a halt by the subway station. He turned to face her. “Off you go.”
“...”
She was speechless.
She only said that out of politeness but he really did as told.
Well, well, well.
While suppressing the anger rising inside her, she forced a shy smile on her face. “Thanks, Shaunny.”
The second she stepped out of the vehicle, the car sped away before she could say something else.
What an annoying and cruel man!
…
She only arrived at the company around 9:00 p.m.
Since returning from her studies abroad, she had been working at Summit Building Design Group. It was the Jones family’s biggest corporation.
However, as soon as she stepped foot into the building, the project manager, James Lennon, said to her in a strange voice, “You don’t have to show up starting from today. This project doesn’t belong to you anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
James’ eyes sparkled when he spotted someone behind her. “Rebecca, here you are.”
Catherine snapped her head around and saw Rebecca approaching their direction wearing a low-cut knitted white top. On her right was Ethan who was wearing a shirt of the same color. Their arms were linked together.
The sunlight that streamed into the room through the window enveloped the two of them. They looked like a blissful couple in their matching outfits.
🔥🔥Serenity married a stranger whom she had only met once,But what she didn't know was that her husband was a billionaire...
Serenity Hunt got up first thing in the morning to make breakfast for her si... View More🔥🔥Serenity married a stranger whom she had only met once,But what she didn't know was that her husband was a billionaire...
Serenity Hunt got up first thing in the morning to make breakfast for her sister’s family of three before grabbing her bag and slipping away in the silence.
"I’m talking about everything! Your sister should be splitting the cost since she’s staying at our place. Sure, she pays two thousand a month, but it doesn’t stretch very far. She’s basically mooching off us.”
Serenity overheard her brother-in-law’s comment during the couple’s argument last night.
She had to move out of her sister’s place.
However, there was only one way to put her sister’s mind to rest, and that was to get married.
Since Serenity wanted to tie the knot on short notice without ever having had a boyfriend, she decided to take up on Grandma May’s offer. Serenity had saved the old lady by chance and came to know that Grandma May was trying to marry off her grandson, Zachary York, who had trouble settling down.
Twenty minutes later, Serenity got off to her pit stop at City Hall.
“Serenity.”
A familiar voice summoned her attention the moment she got out of the car. It was Grandma May.
“Grandma May.”
As Serenity hurried over, she took notice of a towering yet distant figure standing next to Grandma May. He must be Zachary, her husband-to-be.
At a closer distance, Serenity was dumbstruck after getting a load of Zachary’s face.
According to Grandma May, her eldest grandson, Zachary had no luck with the ladies. Needless to say, Grandma May was worried sick.
Serenity had always assumed that he must be horrid.
After all, she heard that Zachary had a high-paying job up the corporate ladder in a major group.
Now that they had met face-to-face, Serenity realized that she got it all wrong.
Zachary was attractive and carried himself with an air of aloofness. Standing next to Grandma May without expression, he appeared standoffish and gave off vibes to stay away from him.
Serenity’s gaze strayed to a black car parked nearby. Judging by the logo, it wasn’t that expensive car. Serenity deduced that the economic difference between her and Zachary was not that far off.
She and an old friend from school had started a bookshop at the entrance of Wiltspoon School.
During her free time, Serenity would also knit little knick-knacks to sell online. The sales were not too bad.
In a month, she could bring home a steady income. That was why she could afford to hand her sister for living expenses.
“Serenity, this is my oldest grandson, Zachary. He can’t even get himself out there. Although he’s not the warmest person, he’s attentive and considerate. You saved my life, and we’ve known each other for three months. Trust me when I won’t recommend a bad man to you.”
Taking in his gran’s description of him, Zachary looked askance at Serenity without saying a word.
Perhaps he had grown immune to her grumbles.
Serenity knew that Grandma May had three sons, and each gave her three grandsons, blessing her with nine grandsons. Since a granddaughter was missing in Grandma May’s life, she sought that affinity with Serenity.
Although blushing in the face, Serenity openly extended her right hand to Zachary and introduced herself with a smile, “Hello, Mr. York. I’m Serenity Hunt.”
Zachary’s penetrating gaze scanned Serenity. With Nana clearing her voice, he reached out his right hand for a shake, albeit his voice reflected an icy tone. “Zachary.”
After the handshake, Zachary raised his left hand to look at the time before informing Serenity. “I’m a busy man. Let’s get it done and over with.”
Serenity hummed in acknowledgment.
Grandma May jumped in. “Go on inside to sort out the paperwork. I’ll wait for you here.”
“Gran, get into the car. It’s a hot day out.”
Zachary said as he helped Nana into the car.
Through his actions, Serenity was able to agree with Grandma May’s statement that Zachary might be cold, but his heart was in the right place.
Although they were strangers, Grandma May mentioned that Serenity could move out of her sister’s place into a house Zachary owned after the marriage. It could reassure her sister that Serenity was in good hands and end the arguments in the house because of her.
Her married life would not be any different than her single life.
Soon, Zachary returned to Serenity’s side and uttered, “Let’s go.”
“Sure.” Serenity quietly followed him into City Hall.
At the registry office, Zachary urged Serenity. “Ms. Hunt, you can still change your mind if you don’t want to go through with this. It doesn’t matter what my Nana says. Marriage is a huge commitment, not to be taken lightly.”
He was hoping Serenity had second thoughts.
Because he had no intention to marry a woman he had only met.
Chapter 2
“I won’t back out on a promise.”
It took Serenity a few days to consider before reaching a decision. Now that she had made up her mind, she was not going to go back on her word.
There was nothing more Zachary could say at that point. He took out his document and placed it in front of the officer.
Serenity did the same.
The pair swiftly went through the formalities in less than ten minutes.
Once the officer issued the marriage license, Zachary fished out a bunch of keys from his pocket and gave them to Serenity. He said, “The house I bought is in Brynfield. Nana told me that you own a bookshop near Wiltspoon School. My place isn’t too far from your workplace. It’ll take around ten minutes by bus.
“Can you drive? If you do, you can get a car. I can help with the down payment while you will be responsible for the monthly payment. It’ll be easier for you to commute to work.
“I can get very busy at work, so you won’t see me much. There will be business trips too. Don’t mind me. Just look after yourself. I’ll wire the household expenses to you on the tenth of every month.
“One more thing. For convenience’s sake, we should keep our marriage a secret for the time being.”
Zachary must have held high ranks in the office because he went on and on without giving Serenity a chance to speak.
Serenity only said yes to the marriage so she did not become the reason for arguments between her sister and her brother-in-law. Marriage was Serenity’s method out of the house while still giving her sister peace of mind. It was only marriage by name.
With Zachary handing her the keys to the house, she gladly accepted them.
“I can drive, but a car isn’t in my plans right now. I usually get to work on an e-bike. I just replaced the batteries on the bike, so it would be a shame not to ride it.
“Um… Mr. York, are we splitting the bills?”
Despite her sister and brother-in-law marrying for love, her brother-in-law proposed to go Dutch as if her sister was taking advantage of him.
It took a lot of time and effort to care for a child, get groceries, cook, and manage house chores. A man, who had never been through it himself, would think their wife had it easy at home with the child-minding, cooking, and cleaning.
Since she and Zachary had never met prior to signing the papers, Serenity would feel more at ease if they went halves.
Without a second thought, Zachary replied sullenly, “I have the means to support my wife and our little family. No need to share the costs.”
Serenity smiled. “Alright then.”
She was not one to freeload without contribution.
Whatever was needed in the house, Serenity planned to pay it out of her pocket.
Serenity was already saving on rent anyway.
It was all about the give-and-take as well as mutual understanding to live together in harmony.
Zachary lifted his left arm to look at the time before saying to Serenity, “I need to get back to work. You can take my car home or hail a cab. I’ll reimburse the fare. I’ll drive Nana to my brother’s.”
“That reminds me. Let’s exchange numbers to reach one another.”
Serenity took out her phone and saved his contact. “I’ll get a cab. I should leave you to your work.”
“Okay. Call me if you need me.”
Prior to leaving, Zachary gave her some cash for the cab, to which Serenity refused. However, she immediately grabbed the money when he scowled.
Zachary walked on ahead instead of stepping out of City Hall together with Serenity as newlyweds.
He made a beeline to his car.
“Where’s my granddaughter-in-law?”
Seeing that only his grandson made it out, Grandma May asked skeptically, “You went in together. Why didn’t you leave together? Did you change your mind or did Serenity change hers?”
Zachary fastened his seat belt before pulling out the marriage license. Turning around, he gave the license to gran. “We got the papers. I need to hurry back for a meeting at the office. I gave her two hundred to get a cab.
“Gran, I’ll drive you up to the crossroad ahead. The bodyguard will take you home.”
“You shouldn’t ditch Serenity no matter how busy you are. Hold on. Don’t drive until Serenity is out. You can return to work once you take her back.” Grandma May wanted to get off, but the door was locked.
“Gran, I married her as you wished, but you can’t dictate everything else I do. I’m the one living with her, so it’s my call.
I’ll observe on my own time and be the judge of her character. I won’t make the marriage official if she doesn’t pass the test.”
Grandma May murmured, “… Divorce is not an option in our family!”
“Well, that depends on whether you’ve picked a wife who’s worth spending the rest of my days with.”
Zachary remarked as he started the car.
“Punk! No husband would act like this. How could you drive away and abandon your bride right after you got married?”
My mother in law hated me so much cause I couldn't bear her son a baby eventhough my husband and I have spent six years in marriage. She desperately wants my husband to divorce me so she and my bestfr... View MoreMy mother in law hated me so much cause I couldn't bear her son a baby eventhough my husband and I have spent six years in marriage. She desperately wants my husband to divorce me so she and my bestfriend set me up to be f*cked by a stranger. When my husband heard of this, he mocked me and divorced me.
While painfully dragging my luggage out of his house, I saw my pregnant bestfriend carrying her luggage inside my husband's house. Turns out my husband has impregnated my bestfriend. I cried blood and left the city.
Seven years later, I became a popular Surgeon General and now have beautiful triplets by my side. But I was deployed back to my city cause my medical skill was most needed. In a twist of fate, I got married to an handsome solider.
Only after I resumed work did I find out that the soldier I just married is the five star General, leader of every military units in the country plus he was by far the wealthiest man in the country.
I'm just a single mother trying to create a better life for my three kids, now that I found myself entangled in his cold and ruthless world, how will I survive? And how will I explain to him that I do not know how my triplets bore the same resemblance with him?
Katherine ran speedily inside the hotel with her fist clenched. "Room 313," she mumbled to herself and sped quickly towards the room, she pushed the door open at once but she was welcomed with the thick darkness that covered the room. She felt a big palm cover her lips and she was tossed to the bed at once.
Before she could realize what was going on, a big masculine body towered over her and kissed her passionately, the taste of his lips was like that of cherry. She wanted to push the man away but the man was stronger. His seductive masculinity turned her on and left her helpless, in a jiffy, the man was groaning as he went in and out of her.
Once he was done, he dissapeared from the room, leaving Katherine helpless and weak.
Ten minutes ago, she had received a call from her bestfriend, Donna that someone was trying to hurt her in room 313 at T Hotel. Katherine was fortunately not so far from the hotel at that moment so she left what she was doing at once and ran inside the hotel speedily to save her friend. But she ended up having a night stand with a stranger. How shameful of her... She was a married woman!
She managed to get up from the bed, feeling guilty and shameful, she dressed up properly and quickly walked out of the dark room. She was however welcomed with flashes of cameras.
She blinked and was stunned to see her mother in law, Sharon taking pictures of her with her phones.
"What's going on?" She asked," why are you taking my pictures?"
"To show my son that you are just a slut. You don't deserve my son," Sharon said, looking at her disgustingly, right there, she forwarded the pictures to Richard and then walked away from her.
Katherine walked quickly after her mother in law, "I didn't come here on purpose, mother. Donna told me she's in danger that was why I rushed over here." However, Sharon turned deaf ears to her and soon got inside her car and drove off.
Katherine felt a sour pain in her heart. Why was her mother in law here? How did she know that she had come to the hotel? She picked up her phone and called Donna repeatedly but she didn't answer the call.
A couple of minutes later, she arrived at the Caldwell's villa. That was where she lives with her husband, Richard. Once she walked inside the house, she was stunned to see that her luggage had been gathered together at the living room.
What was her luggage doing here? Before she could make a meaning of what was going on, Sharon and Richard appeared. Richard had a very deep and sour look on his face.
Has her mother in law told Richard she saw her at the hotel? Was that why Richard threw her luggage here? He couldn't even wait to hear from her?
"Richard..."
"Hold it. I have been told severally that you have been secretly sleeping with men but I didn't believe until today when I was provided with evidence," Richard said, leaving Katherine shocked to the gut. Who are the people telling her husband such lies?
"I have beared with you over the years for being barren. For good six years in this marriage, you couldn't even conceive talkless of giving birth to a baby. So not only are you a useless barren chick, you are also a slut... How disgusting!" Richard said.
Richard's words were like sharp swords twisting Katherine's heart mercilessly. Her heart clenched in pain and her bones and marrows felt the excruciating pain of his words. How could the man she had loved for more than ten years say such cruel words to her? He believed what his mother said without listening to her own side of the story.
"Richard!" She wanted to speak but as she called his name, tears rushed down her cheek. Whereas, Sharon had a victorious smirk on her face, she had hated Katherine for many years. She hated her purposely because she couldn't give her a grandchild. She had persuaded Richard to divorce her severally but he was obstinate and won't listen to her. But she's glad things works out according to her plan.
'Finally, this barren chick will leave my son,' Sharon thought to herself.
Katherine looked at her luggage that were on the floor and looked at Richard again with her teary face," are you really... sending me away? After six years of marriage? Just like that?" Katherine was finding this hard to believe.
Richard walked up to her and threw the divorce paper to her face, the paper fell to the floor after landing on her face. Katherine felt very ridiculed.
Richard tuck a pen in her hand and told her, "sign the divorce paper and leave, barren slut."
Katherine shut her eyes painfully and absorbed the pain her husband's words were causing her. She sunk to her knees and cried, yet Ronald and Sharon just watched her without pity. After crying for ten minutes, she looked up to Richard and Sharon to see if they will comfort her but their faces were as cold as ice. They looked determined.
At that point, the reality of the situation dawned on her. She was not needed here anymore. As heartbroken as she was, she pulled the divorce paper and scribbled her signature even as tears dropped from her eyes to the paper.
"I have frozen your bank account. I will also not give you any money nor property. By reason of my influence, I have sent a message to every company here in Western Ocean City not to employ you, in short, I have blacklisted your name. Moreso, I have released a news on the internet that speaks of your adultery. This will serve as punishment to you," Richard said ruthlessly.
Hearing this words from her husband...ex husband made her feel like her world had come to an end. He had practically destroyed her and her career. With no money, inability to get job, a scandalous identity, she would live the rest of her life in shame and pain.
Katherine stood up and carried her luggage then began to drag it out silently like an helpless woman. Her eyes furrowed in shock when she saw suddenly sighted her bestfriend, Donna walk in with a baby bump, she was also dragging her luggage inside the house
"Donna!" Katherine called in surprise, "I have tried your number severally but ..."
Katherine was shocked to see her ex husband, Richard walk up to Donna, he helped her with her luggage and said to her, "welcome home, my woman!"
What!
Katherine almost commited suicide on the spot. The pain she felt increased greatly that she wanted to tear her cloth apart and scream in pain. Her ex husband and her bestfriend? Huh!
"Get out, you good for nothing woman!" Sharon shouted on Katherine, this time, Richard had lead Donna inside his room.
Katherine suddenly laughed, it was a laughter filled with so much pain "of course! Hahaha...of course I will leave." Her heart was literally tearing apart. She turned and walked out of the house.
Seven years later, Katherine and some other medical military officers were deployed to Western Ocean City for a six months mission. They were to help the city military officers recover quickly as many of the military officers had just returned from battle field and many sustained severe injuries.
Katherine stepped down from the military aircraft with three beautiful kids around her. Ten Western Ocean City soldiers marched to her and saluted her, "welcome, General Juanita."
Katherine was using a different name in the military to conceal her real identity.
"At ease," Katherine eased them and looked around the country. She hasn't been here in the past seven years. Seven years ago, her mother in law and her bestfriend set her up to be f*cked by a stranger. Her husband betrayed and destroyed her so she left the country. She then went to Eastern Ocean Country to restart her life.
She joined the medical department of Eastern Ocean City military organization and with her skill, she navigated her way to the top. In seven years, she became the surgeon General, literally means the head of the medical department in Eastern Ocean City's military.
Katherine and some other medical staffs had been deployed here to help Western Ocean City's injured Soldiers heal quickly. Afterall, they have heard of her outstanding ability to heal wounds and injuries in a shirt period of time.
"Mommy, is this where we will be living now?" Marie asked. She's the only girl amidst Katherine's triplets. The other two are boys, Michael and Mark.
"Temporarily sweetheart. After six months, we will leave this place," Katherine replied Marie sweetly and began to walk towards the Lamborghini Aventador that was ready to take her and the kids to the military base.
Other military medical officers that were with Katherine were taken in a different bus but Katherine was given the special treatment cause she's their leader.
In a jiffy, the Lamborghini Aventador drove inside the military base, Katherine could see different soldiers positioned in different strategic places. Katherine just wanted to do her job in this six months and return to Eastern Ocean City. Although Western Ocean City was her homeland, she can't afford to stay here again since her reputation had been destroyed by her ex husband. She literally doesn't have a face here anymore.
In a jiffy, the Lamborghini Aventador pulled over before a very beautiful bongalow and the doors of the car were immediately opened for her. She stepped down and received a salute from the officer then she and her triplets were lead inside the bongalow.
After she had settled and arranged her luggage, her triplets walked over to her. Michael and Mark sat in both of her sides while Marie sat on her lap. Katherine loved her kids so much. "Mommy, this city looks more beautiful than Eastern Ocean City, why don't we keep living here?" Marie asked.
"My superiors won't allow that to happen," Katherine responded eventhough that wasn't the main reason why she can't permanently live in Western Ocean City.
"Maybe we can find our daddy here," Michael suddenly bursted out making her heart skip a bit. Katherine looked at him and said, "Michael, I told you your daddy got lost in a war."
"Yes, but at least he didn't die. If he's lost then we will find him." Mark chirped in.
Michael and Mark had a plan to find their daddy as soon as they find themselves in Western Ocean City. Afterall, Katherine had told them that their father was a military officer in Western Ocean City.
"I need to cook so we can eat," Katherine tried to wave the conversation and stood at once, she then walked to the kitchen, leaving the three kids in the bedroom.
That night, Katherine walked out of her house for a night parade, as a surgeon general, one of her duty is to coordinate and supervise the medical officers. Soon, the parade started. Katherine watched as a senior officer commanded other well lined up and organized officers to march. They soon march away from where she was standing. She suddenly sighted a figure from afar, the way the figure was moving looks disturbing.
She left the patrol field and ran very far until she got before the person she had sighted. The person turns out to be a very handsome man dressed in military uniform, he was holding his left shoulder with his right palm and could barely move.
"What happened to you? Why are you here?" Katherine asked but the man before her slumped to the tree and groaned in pain. Katherine knew he was definitely injured, she took his right palm from his left shoulder and saw that it was filled with blood, she made him sit gently and pulled away his military shirt.
Eventhough it was a little dark, she could see how deep his wound was. He must have received a bullet. Who could have shot him inside here? Katherine thought to herself. Do enemies exist inside here too? Different questions bugged Katherine's heart but she couldn't ask the man. What is most important is to treat him.
"Hold on, I'll be back with kits," she immediately sped off and soon came back with all necessary kits. She didn't bother informing other medical officers about it since they were all on patrols.
At once, she immediately began to administer treatment to him and soon, she was done. She had helped him pull the bullet out and place a bandage there.
"Sorry, officer. How do you feel now?" She asked the injured man.
"I feel better, thank you." The man indeed felt better and then stood upright. They both stared into eachother's face for a few seconds. Katherine was moved at how extremely handsome he was, she suddenly came to her senses after their eyes had locked up for a few seconds, it was very awkward moment so she immediately parked her kit and turned in an attempt to leave.
"Let's get married."
"..." Katherine turned back, dumbfounded at the man's request. Did she heard the right words from the man? "What did you say?"
"Let's get married," the man responded firmly.
Katherine smirked, "get married, huh? Just like that? Do I know you? Do you know me? Do you even know my name? Is this how people get married?"
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to himself then he spoke powerfully, "I don't need to know your name. But I believe you can help me find what I lost."
"What did you lost?" Katherine asked, she didn't bother stepping back from the awkward closeness. It could be because she found his scent to be alluring and refreshing.
"My mother." Then he turned the back of her palm and asked her," how did you get this mark?"
There was a two head butterfly tattoo on the back of her palm. Twelve years ago, Katherine's adopted parents framed her up for killing Charles. Charles was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne, a very wealthy couple in the country with numerous companies under them. They even own the largest and most expensive yacht in the country. Actually, Mr. And Mrs. Wayne were the real parent of Katherine but Katherine wasn't aware, neither was Mr. And Mrs. Wayne aware. Only her adopted parents were aware.
At that time, Mr. And Mrs. Wayne started suspecting that Katherine could be their daughter and were about investigating but Katherine's adopted parents were scared that Mr. and Mrs. Wayne will find out the truth so they killed Charles, the only son of Mrs. Wayne and made it look like it was Katherine that commited the murder of Charles.
Whereas, in the real sense, Charles was Katherine's biological younger brother.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne developed hatred for Katherine as they had believed she killed their only son, hence, they sent her to prison.
Katherine's cell mate in the prison was an old woman who had been sentenced to death and was only waiting for her day of execution. It was the old woman who drew the two headed butterfly tattoo on Katherine's hand few days before Katherine left the prison.
Katherine had no idea if that old cell mate of hers was later executed or not.
"Answer me!" The man before Kathrine jerked her off her thought.
She swallowed and pulled back from him, "why do you want to know?"
"My mother sent me a letter that if I ever find anyone with this type of mark on the back of her palm, I should marry her for her sake," he explained truthfully.
"Your mother?" Katherine exclaimed. Was his mother the old woman in the cell? "Where is she now?"
"I have never seen her. All my life, I have searched everywhere for her but never found her. Do you know where she is?" The man asked desperately.
"I do not know. I think this mark I have is from birth," Katherine lied.
"Lies!" The man said confidently, "I'll marry you until I find my mother."
"I am the surgeon general that had just been deployed to your city, do you still want to go ahead and marry me?" She believed that she will be greater in rank than the soldier standing before her.
"Yes," the man replied with a blank expression.
"I have three kids and I'll leave here in six months, do you still want to marry me?" Katherine is letting the man see reasons why he should not marry her.
"Yes."
Katherine hummed. She actually needs a partner in her six months of stay here in the city. This handsome soldier won't be bad to have as a husband, afterall, she is even his superior and she can always command him or make him do what she wants.
"I agree." Katherine said.
Who meets a man for the first time and gets married to him in less than an hour? It's me, Katherine. Katherine thought to herself as she stood before the long mirror in her room.
She was a surgeon General, one of the highest rank in the military so she was so certain her new husband can not bully her. But regarding her new husband's mother, Katherine wanted to know the fate of that old woman in the prison so she walked out and told her driver who was also an officer to drive her to the Western Ocean City Central Prison. That was where she served her sentence with the old woman.
She was allowed in because of her status, when she got in, she asked about her old cellmate but the prison officers told her they didn't know the whereabout of the woman anymore. They confirmed that she was neither executed nor released. Yet, mysteriously, they had no idea how the woman was no longer in prison.
Katherine became confused. Did someone smuggle the woman out of the prison? Different thoughts filled her heart as she walked out.
After returning back to her base, she dressed like a civilian and drove herself out of the base. Seven years ago, she had thought that all her documents were inside her luggage but turns out Richard, her ex husband didn't put what's most important to her there, her documents.
So she planned to go back to and retrieve her documents someday and that day, is today. Katherine pulled over before the Caldwell's mansion and stepped out.
This place... Her heart ached a little as she remembered the past. This was where she was destroyed. But now, she's made and had attained a status that many people can only dream of.
Katherine walked majestically to the door that leads to the living room but when she was about pressing on the doorbell, she heard a loud voice spoke, "what's so scary about the military men? How long will you keep acting like a coward? Your father is dieing and all efforts of the doctor's to treat him has been futile yet you don't want to go inside the military base to seek the help of the new Surgeon General? Are you aware of that woman's ability to heal? Come off your cowardice attitude, Richard and go in there and seek the help of General Juanita."
Katherine was stunned, oh! This family that chased me out years ago need my help now? Wow! How life works.
Katherine eventually pressed on the doorbell and a few minutes later, the door opened. It was opened by the house butler. He was very shocked on seeing Katherine that he stood still for a while.
Katherine was dressed in a pink gown and an high heels. No one would have known she's a general in the military.
"Andres, who is that?" Sharon shouted when she saw how the butler stood still by the door. The butler's name is Andres.
Andres turned back and before he could answer Sharon, Katherine already walked in. Her face was calm yet bold.
Both Richard and Sharon were shocked to the gut. Katherine? It's been seven years that she had dissapeared mysteriously. Their thought was that she had probably become a begger somewhere. They were stunned to see her dress in this manner. She looked stunning and expensive.
"Don't be surprised to see me," Katherine smirked and said to Richard," I'm only here to get back my documents. Go inside and get me my documents and let me leave quickly."
Richard and Sharon who were seated in the couches in the living room exchanged a surprised glance, Sharon then spoke, "you!" She pointed at her angrily," how dare you walk inside here? What's worse, you couldn't even greet and you reek so much of pride."
Katherine smirked even more, ignored her and said to Richard, "Go inside and bring me my documents." Her voice was tougher than it was.
Ronald crossed his legs and said," shouldn't you ask why I didn't add your documents to your luggage years ago? It's because you will never need it. Forget about your documents and get away from here."
Katherine would have immediately placed a call across to the military base and bring hundreds of soldiers here to beat these people and force them to cough out her belongings but she chose not to do that. It was because she knew they will need her help. She had heard Sharon say that Richard's father is sick and that all the doctors in the land and tried their best but couldn't heal him, turns out their only option is the surgeon General, which is her.
"If you did not go in there and bring me my documents, you will suffer." Katherine threatened.
"How dare you talk to me in that manner?" Ronald spoke angrily, "I'll tell the guards to throw you out if you refuse to leave now."
Katherine hummed and smiled then she turned and walk away. She will be waiting for them at the military base, she will teach Ronald a painful lesson he will never forget.
Once she walked away, Sharon spoke angrily," you shouldn't have let her leave just like that. We should have punish her for disrespecting us. Whom did she think she is?"
"I'll go to the military base tomorrow and speak with the surgeon general as regarding father," Richard ignored his mother's rant, stood and walked inside his room.
At the military base, a chaos erupted. It wasn't the signal that am unexpected war has come, it was a signal that the god of War had returned. In the recently concluded war that happened, ninety percent of the soldiers returned while ten percent died on battle field. Out of the ninety percent of soldiers that returned, about eighty percent were injured and that was why the country sent for Easter Ocean City medical unit to come to their aid. But the country had been living in fear cause the most important person in the military is no where to be found: The god Of War.
The god of War had lead several battles for his countries and had never lost, though this recently concluded battle was almost lost but luckily, the other country retreated making him and his soldiers also retreat to their country.
But the god of War was no where to be found ever since other military officers return. The government had searched for him everywhere and hadn't found him. Some believe that he was probably killed on the battle field and that his body had been taken away by the enemies.
While others who had a strong believe in the ability of the god of war belives that he will return home strongly.
"The god of war is back!" A top officer shouted into a microphone at the central field of the military base. At once, every military officer in the base, those that are are sleeping, eating, in the toilet, or doing whatever, immediately left what they were doing at once and began to speed towards the central field.
Everyone was glad, they were happy that the god of war is back. Everyone wants to see him, the dreadful beast who single handedly killed five hundred men in battle, the one who is best in the use of gun, best in the use of swords and best in martial arts. Once upon a time, the enemies sent three lions to him at the battle field, with his power, he tore the mouths of the lion and defeated them. Who would not be scared of the god of war?
He had once lifted the gate of an enemy city alone with his own hands, such a powerful and blood thirsty man. He only knows to kill and doesn't understand the language of mercy. He has no weaknesses and is impossible to behold. He's the god of war. The fear of many enemy countries.
Katherine also heard about this chaos but she was eating lunch with her kids at that time, she checked the military group and saw the news that the god of war had returned. She immediately told her kids," I need to attend to something urgent, you all should stay inside, okay?"
The kids could also hear shouts and screams of many officers from outside.
"Mommy, what is going on?" Marie asked.
"The god Of War was lost but now he's back. I need to join others to go and welcome him," Katherine said.
"Okay, mommy," Marie said and received a kiss from Katherine. Katherine hugged her two boys as well then went to change to her military uniform quickly then sped out.
She joined the thousands of soldiers running to the base central field.
In a jiffy, everyone was lined up according to their ranks. The private first class formed a row and column, they were about 150,000 in number. The corporal, staff sergeant, sergeant first class, master sergeant, first sergeant, sergeant major, command sergeant major and sergeant major all formed different rows and columns making it easy to identify them. They all had a look of anticpation on their face as they await the presence of the god of war. The soldiers were about eight hundred thousand in total. They were all lined up in order.
There were one hundred and ten Generals before the eight hundred thousand soldiers, out of these one hundred and ten generals was Katherine. She was also anticipating the presence of the god of war. She had heard a lot about him and can't wait to set her eyes on him.
Before the one hundred and ten generals were ten Grandwar kings. These were men whose ability to fight were beyound the ordinary and before the ten Grandwar kings were 5 Grandwar masters. These ones were old men who thrive in wisdom and are best at war strategies.
All of them all awaits just one man, almost a million people stood in attention to welcome one man, that man is the god of war.
Although everyone was anticipating to see this man, their heart was also beating heavily. The atmosphere fell into a deep silence and no one dare to make a statement nor even say a word.
Like a gush of wind, as if the cloud had suddenly turn dark, a majestic and powerful figure climbed the large podium before them all. He was tall and had the most perfect facial features but his icy eyes were scary. He wore a short sleeve heavy-duty jacket, and a combat boot. He had a black beret on his head.
"Attention!" The five Grandwar masters at the forefront shouted and the officers behind them them shouted in uinson even as they raised their left legs up and marched it to the ground," Salute!" The sound of their boots marching the floor at the same time sounded like an earthquake.
But there was Katherine, whose heart was palpitating and who almost lost the ability to breath. She had seen the god of war and had become extremely scared and confused. Why does her new husband look like the god of war? Can't be him, right? The god of war has just returned so the soldier she got married to definitely can not be the god of war.
But as she looked inside his cold and icy stare, her mind argued that it was him but she argued back that it can't be him. But why was her heart beating like it will fall off her chest.
"I, Marshall Derrick Walker has returned," he said inside the microphone. Everyone watched in fear. There was a drop dead silence and people were even scared to breath. He added, "I will properly address everyone in seven days time. Until then, keep grinding."
"Yes sir!" The voice of the soldiers that answered in unison sounded like thunder.
All of a sudden, Katherine felt him looking at her. Was she hallucinating? She thought to herself but the god of war suddenly stepped down from the podium through the front step and stood before the five Grandwar masters. Their heart began to beat faster than normal as they thought he has something to say to them.
But he left them and soon stood before the Grandwar kings. The Grandwar kings wanted to urinate on their body out of fear. They had no idea what he want to say. Fear was clearly written all over their faces.
Then he left the Grandwar kings and went to stand before the one hundred and ten generals, they all shivered, it was as if they were suddenly enveloped in minus three hundred degree Celsius cold.
But amidst the one hundred and ten Generals, the god of war was standing before one person, and that person was Katherine.
Katherine prayed for the ground to open and swallow her up. Why was he standing before her? Why was he staring at her? Is he really her new husband? Katherine prayed to God that he would not be.
The god of war smuggled a small paper into Katherine's hand without letting anyone know then he walked away and dismissed everyone.
When everyone was dismissed, Katherine stood rooted in the spot with a heart palpitating heavily. She was even scared to open the letter. Was he really the one? Can she meet the god of war easily like that?
Oh gosh? She didn't want to have anything to do with someone as powerful and dreadful as that.
She wanted to know the content of the letter before returning home. She breathed in as she shut her eyes, she held her breath for a few seconds and released it all at once. That was her way of calming her anxious self.
Then she eventually opened the letter and it reads, "Since we are married. We must now live together. Bring your children and your luggage to the supreme house "
Katherine almost fall to the floor as her legs suddenly became jelly. He was really her new husband. He was... She almost cried. Her legs had become jelly and she felt her world collapsing. How could that be. How could she get married to the god of war?
Oh no! This better be a dream. She quickly tapped herself, trying to wake herself up from Dream but she didn't...
Haaa.... Katherine wanted to cry. How will she survive? How can she cope with someone who only knows how to use swords and guns? And he even thinks she can help him find his mother... Katherine suddenly regretted agreeing to marry him. She could have rejected his offer to marry him and walk away.
Katherine arrived at the Supreme House- it's one of the houses built for top officers in the barrack. The military base is twice as large as an estate with many buildings in it, precisely built to accomodate officers. Ordinary civilians are not allowed to enter the military base unless on special invite.
Her three kids were also with her, she had informed them that they would be moving to a new house but she didn't inform them that there would be a man living with them in the house.
Katherine didn't know if the god of war would be at home or not, she was nervous but she was also bothered about whether the man would like her children or not. She had laboured so hard to make her three kids happy all their lives, she didn't want a man that will cause them sadness.
"Mommy, this house is more beautiful," Marie chirped making Katherine retort with a smile. The two boys are usually quiet unlike their sisters who found pleasure in speaking and chatting. She's an extrovert while her two brothers were introvert.
"Let's move," Katherine heaved a sigh of relief and walked with her three kids inside the house. On getting to the entrance, she pressed the door bell and soon, the door gave way.
There was an officer standing before her and the kids. He saluted Katherine as soon as he saw her, Katherine also saluted the man. Katherine had saluted him back because she had sighted the three stars rank that hung beautifully in his shoulder. The officer was a Lieutenant General.
"Miss. Katherine, I have been ordered to wait for you until your arrival, please come inside so I can show you around," he said simply.
Katherine nodded and walked in with her kids, the kids couldn't stop adoring how beautiful and exorbitant the house was.
After the officer was done showing Katherine all the hooks and crannies of the house, he made an attempt to leave but Katherine spoke up," officer, can I know your name?"
"Sure, I'm Alessio Patrick." He responded with a smile and added, "plus I'm the direct assistant to Marshall."
"Marshall? The god of war?" Katherine asked to be sure.
"Yes, General. So you can be comfortable around me, okay?" Alessio smiled.
"Sure," Katherine smiled and watched him walk out of the building. Katherine should have asked Alessio when the god of war would be coming around so she can be prepared.
The children were already in their respective rooms getting used to their new environment. As for Katherine, she was in her room setting some of her clothes to the wardrobe, just when she was almost done, she heard the loud ring of a doorbell and her heart skipped at once.
Katherine was sure that no one would come here other than the god of war. She became very nervous. This new husband of hers, she knows nothing personal about him other than what people say about him. She looked at herself in the mirror to be sure she was looking good. Seeing how her face is, she quickly applied a light powder and when she was satisfied with her look, she walked out of her room.
As she approached the door, her heart kept beating like it will fall off her chest. At the end, she opened the door but dissapointment flashed across her face on seeing one of her colleagues, a female officer from the Eastern Ocean City. Once the female officer saluted her, she spoke, "General, there is a man with the name Richard Caldwell, he said he needs the help of the Surgeon General, what should I tell him?"
Her ex husband is here? Katherine smirked and said, "tell him to wait for me at Base 1."
"Alright, General," the female officer said and walked away.
Katherine walked back inside and changed into a decent civilian dress, just a red shirt and black skirt and black high heel. She informed her children she would be back soon then she walked outside.
She can't wait to see all those who betrayed her in the past lick her foot. From her house to Base 1 would take five minutes by walk, she could have taken a power bike or tell a driver to drive her over to the place but she wanted to intentionally delay him.
Five minutes later, Katherine arrived at Base 1 and saw Richard standing directly under the afternoon sun, he looked pitiful and helpless, no matter how powerful a civilian is, once they enter the military base, they are regarded as nothing but a common civilian.
Richard soon caught sight of a familiar fugure approaching her, as the woman moved closer, she was stunned to see that this woman was his ex wife, Katherine.
'What is this barren chick doing here?' he thought to himself. Once Katherine was before him, he smirked, "Katherine, are you one of the cleaners here?"
"Cleaners?" Katherine was enraged with his words.
"Or... Could you be..." Richard thought about what job Katherine could be doing for the military, "maybe a common cook or something... You are just a nonentity who can't amount to anything in life. I know that someday you will crawl back to me and beg to be accepted back."
Katherine was amused by the words of the foolish man before her who had mistaken her identity, "if I didn't come back to beg you for good seven years, what makes you think I will come back begging you someday?"
"What are you here for?" Richard ignored her question and asked, his face full of disgust.
"I'm the Surgeon General that you want to see, I'll have invited you to my office but you are not worth it so I intentionally ordered that you stay under the sun. What do you need me for?" She asked.
Richard suddenly bursted into a sardonic laugher, "has poverty made you gone insane now? You! Surgeon General? Hahaha ...." He scoffed even louder, "the Surgeon General's name is Juanita and she's even from Eastern Ocean City. You even have the gut to claim to be the Surgeon General...hahaha... What are you trying to do? To make me feel like you have made it in life or what?"
"Listen Katherine, all your documents are with me, moreso, as long as I'm alive here in Western Ocean City, you will never amount to anything good. Don't think I will forgive you for sleeping with another man while we were married." Ronald said.
Katherine's smirk remained in her lips, "Fine, you can keep on waiting for the Surgeon General then." Katherine then walked over to the Military's medical base, she commanded the the nurses there to keep him waiting until night. Afterwards, she began to walk back to her house.
A car suddenly pulled over beside her, she paused but couldn't see the person inside the tinted glass. Perhaps, one of officers wanted to offer her a ride home.
The window of the tinted glass lowered gently and her heart almost flew away when she saw the person holding the steering...the god of war!
Her mouth shivered but she tried to remain calm, she immediately saluted him, "Good afternoon, Marshall."
The door opened by itself and he gestured for her to come in, Katherine then went ahead to sit then the door closed. The door had an automatic opening and close.
It look very awkward that she's saluting her husband on sight as though they never had any personal relationship. What was she supposed to do though? Greet him like a husband? He's also the Marshall so he must be addressed properly too.
As the car moved, Katherine didn't have the gut to speak to him. She couldn't even look at his face, she was scared and she couldn't hide it. Unlike when they first meet, she had spoken freely to him because she thought he was a low ranking officer whom she can command at will.
The car immediately pulled over before her new bongalow. The doors of the car in both sides opened automatically and they both stepped down.
Without saying a word, they both walked inside. Once they got inside, he spoke, "come with me to my room."
"Yes sir," Katherine replied like a subordinate and followed him inside his room. The room was obviously the master bedroom in the house as it was larger than other rooms.
The god of war was dressed in a suit, one wouldn't know he's an officer with his dressing. He sat on the office chair that was by the edge of the room and looked at Katherine who was standing still before him.
"I believe you remember why we are married?"
"Yes sir," she replied.
"We are husband and wives now, be free!" He said. Only then did Katherine felt a little bit at ease. All these while, she didn't dare to address or speak to him like they were married but rather like a subordinate to her superior.
"Just because I'm the Marshall doesn't mean I'll break the agreement we made a few days ago. After six months, when you are about returning back to your city, we'll divorce."
"Thank you," Katherine said, looking at his stoic face. His expression held so much power and his broad shoulders were intimidating. Now that she looked closely at him, she was confused as to why her triplets bore the same resemblance with this man. Is it just a coincidence?
"Bring your kids here." he commanded.
Katherine's heart beat at his request. She wouldn't have mind bringing her kids to him but the problem is that the kids has the same resemblance with him. Will he just ignore and think that it's just a coincidence or will he want to know why the kids look like him?
They have never met until few days ago so obviously, the resemblance is just a coincidence. "Sure," she walked out. Once she was out of the room, she felt as if she had just escape fire. Although the temperature of the room was cool, she felt her body burning. How will she live with this type of man whose surrounding scares her to the gut.
She soon appeared at the boy's room. Apparently, the two boys had their own room and their sister had her room that was right beside theirs.
"Sweethearts," Katherine walked up to the kids who were busy with their laptops. Both Michael and Mark raised their head up as soon as Katherine called their name.
"Mom!" The little ones smiled.
"Michael, bring your sister here," Katherine commanded and Michael walked out quickly. She came back in a jiffy with Marie.
Once the family of four were all seated inside the room, she spoke, "there is something I didn't tell you guys."
"What's that?" Mark asked.
She sighed," we won't be living here alone. We will be living with a man."
The two boys exchanged surprising glances then Mark quickly spoke, "mom, have you finally agreed to be a man's girlfriend?"
Before Katherine could reply, Michael spoke," of course, mom has finally allowed a man into her life. I hope that this man will be handsome and lovable."
"Mom, is that true? Do you get us a new daddy now?" Marie asked.
Katherine was shocked at her children's assumption, "Erm...this man is... a friend. Just a friend but we will be living together," she said. She didn't want the children to know the type of relationship she had with the god of war. Afterall, the relationship will come to an end in the next six months and everyone would go their different ways.
"Mom is shy to tell us the truth," Mark said and laughed along with Michael.
"Who in the world lives with a man who is just a friend?" Michael teased and laughed alongside Mark. The kids were six years old, though they were young, they have read a lot on the internet that makes them way smarter than their age plus the three kids have a very high IQ.
"Mommy, tell us, he's really your boyfriend, huh?" Marie winked and Katherine blushed.
She immediately stood, "he wants to see us all, let's leave."
"Okay," the kids stood upright.
Katherine then warned, "Make sure you act with caution before him, okay?"
"Sure," Michael said. As the kids walked out behind their mom, Mark whispered to Michael's ear, "mum seems nervous of that man. If she's her boyfriend, then she should not be nervous, right?"
"That's right. We will soon find out the truth," Mark said in a low voice back to Michael.
"What are you saying?" Marie asked his brothers.
Michael ruffled Marie's hair lovingly and said," Marie, don't worry about it, okay?"
"You guys hide things from me a lot? Do you think I'm not as smart as you, huh?" Marie was angry.
"Common!" Mark said and placed his hand across her shoulder, "it's nothing serious."
Marie only hummed. Her two brothers treats her like she's younger than them whereas, they are triplets and are of the same age.
A few minutes later, the family of four stood before the god of war's room. Katherine knocked gently and a cold voice sounded from inside, "come in."
Katherine twisted the knob of the door and the family of four walked in.
"Good afternoon, sir," the three kids greeted politely, looking at his handsome, cute but icy face.
The god of war looked at the kid's face, not only were they beautiful kids, they even have a very close resemblance with him.
"We will be living together as family from today henceforth, I want you all to feel free around here, okay?" He asked, his voice was calm as he addressed the kids.
"Okay," Marie responded but the two boys didn't say a word.
"What's your name?" The god of war asked Marie.
"Marie," she responded. She already fell in love with the tall and handsome man before her. She didn't know why her heart reached out to him and connected easily to him.
"Come here," he commanded Marie.
When Marie was about to take the first step, the two brothers held both of her hands as Michael was staying by Marie's left side while Mark was staying by Marie's right side.
"She won't come to meet you," Michael spoke. Unlike Marie, the two boys did not trust the man sitting before them. He looked domineering and like one who would bully their mommy. He hasn't even smiled since they came here.
The god of war was shocked at the two boy's reaction. No one has ever obstructed his command. Who are these two little rascals, he thought to himself.
Katherine said to Michael and Mark, "let go of Marie, let her go to meet him."
"No, we don't trust him, he may hurt Marie," Michael said.
"He won't," Katherine said. Although she didn't know much about her new husband, she guessed that he wouldn't be wicked as to hurt a little girl.
"No!" Mark said. The two boys even went as far as standing before their sister. As if they were ready to fight the god of war if he comes for their sister.
The god of war crossed his legs and found the two boys actions to be very amusing. Why were they even scared of him? Have they heard something dreadful about him? He thought to himself.
"I won't hurt her," he spoke.
"Is that a promise?" Michael asked him.
Such ordersity! The god of war thought angrily. In all his years in the military, no one had dared to question his command but here are these two little boys daring him. They even want him to promise them.
Honestly, even Katherine didn't know where her little boys got their boldness from.
"It is," the god war said and the two boys whispered to themselves after which they moved back and let their sister walk over to the god of war.
Once Marie got before him, she spoke freely, "you are handsome." She smiled shyly.
He furrowed his brow in surprise. Handsome? Hummm! Would be fun with these little kids in the house. "I can see that your brothers really love you." He added," if you need anything, you can always come to me, okay?"
"Sure," she smiled.
"I need to have some time with your mommy now," he said. Katherine soon lead her three kids out of the room then walked back inside.
"You can call me Derick, doesn't speak well for you to keep referring to me as Marshall here at home." He said.
"Can our marriage be a secrete? I don't want other officers to know. Plus, I agree to call you by your name at home, but please let me address you formally outside of this place so others wouldn't suspect we have anything in common," she said.
Derick thought about her request, he wanted to ask why she wanted their marriage to be a secrete but he waved it off. It was better for their marriage to remain a secrete, that way, his enemies wouldn't be able to use her or the kids as his weakness.
"Agreed." He said and added, "did you notice that your kids and I bore the same resemblance?"
Katherine's heart shook on hearing these words. She helplessly spoke, "just a coincidence."
"Coincidence?" He thought and said to her, "you may leave now."
Katherine nodded and walked out.
Derick's heart raced back to what happened seven years ago. He had returned from war and went to the club with some officers to celebrate, he didn't expect for his drink to be spiked by an enemy. He didn't know how he found himself in a dark room eventhough he had been drinking with other officers on the table. Then all of a sudden, he smelt the sweet fragrance of a woman, half conscious of himself, he pounded on her and made his way with her. He wasn't so sure if he ask for her consent or not, if he forced her or if it was a mutual agreement but overall, he felt guilty.
For seven years, he had searched for the woman but never found the woman. He wants to make antonement for his sins but how can he do that when the woman hid from him for many years. But seeing the three kids who had the same striking resemblance as him made his heart troubled.
Then he picked up his phone and placed a call across to his most trusted officer, the one he made his assistant, Lieutenant General Alessio Patrick. Once he answered the call, Derick spoke, "I need you to work harder in finding the identity of that woman that saved me seven years ago."
"Got it, Marshall. I was just about calling you, sir." Alessio spoke
"What?"
"You have guests, sir. Your godfather and a female guest from Aurora Island are here to see you."
A female guest?
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This was the most rebellious thing she had ever done in her life!
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Chapter 1 The Most Rebellious Thing... View MoreThis was the most rebellious thing she had ever done in her life!
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Chapter 1 The Most Rebellious Thing
In the duty room of the hospital, Camila Haynes was putting on her doctor uniform.
Tonight was the first night of her marriage.
But when a colleague had asked her to take over the shift for the night just now, she agreed and went straight to the hospital without hesitation.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she straightened her lab coat and smiled bitterly. No one cared where she went anyway.
All of a sudden, the door was kicked open from the outside, sending it crashing against the wall.
Before Camila could look up to see what was going on, she heard the click of the light switch, and the whole room became pitch black.
Scared out of her wits, she trembled, her hair standing on end.
"Who's—"
Before she could get another word out, she was suddenly shoved down onto the table. With a loud clatter, the things on the table fell to the floor. The next thing she knew was a hand covering her mouth and a strange voice barked, "Quiet!"
When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could barely see the man's face clearly, though his eyes stood out. They were sharp and cold.
Maybe it was because of her training as a doctor, she was used to staying calm and level-headed even in situations as scary and stressful as this.
She subtly lifted her leg in an attempt to kick the man. But the second she moved, the man noticed and stopped her attack.
"I saw him heading this way!" a voice sounded from the distance.
Then, Camila heard the sound of footsteps approaching them.
It seemed that they'd barge in any second now.
In a moment of desperation, the man suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips against Camila's.
Wide-eyed, Camila struggled to shove the man away. Fortunately, he didn't hurt her because of her resistance.
She touched her lips in a daze, unable to wrap her head around what just happened.
Just then, she heard the sound of the doorknob turning.
Making up her mind, she gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms around the man's neck.
She whispered in a trembling voice, "I can help you..."
The man's voice was at once deep and alluring as he spoke, "I'll take responsibility for this."
Wait, he misunderstood her—she was just going to put up an act.
When the door was pushed open, the light in the corridor shone on Camila and the man. It was still too dark for them to see everything, aside from two shadows entwined.
"That's definitely not Isaac. He's badly injured. There's no way he would be doing that after he got wounded Get moving! If we can't find him, we'll all be in trouble!"
Soon, the sound of footsteps faded away.
The man knew that his assailants had left, but he found that he couldn't move away from the woman.
The crisis was solved now, so Camila tried to push the man away. But just as her palms pressed against the man's shoulders, she suddenly thought about her marriage.
Her whole life had been controlled by others, including her marriage.
Her father, a man ruled by his greed, had forced her to marry into the Johnston family.
Her grandfather used to be the chauffeur of Robin Johnston, the patriarch of the Johnston family. As fate would have it, he died saving Robin's life in an accident.
The small company run by her family had accumulated massive debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Her cunning father knew that if he asked for money from the Johnston family, their favor with them would be spent. So he came up with a plan to make his daughter marry Isaac Johnston, Robin's grandson.
In this way, their family would finally establish a more solid connection with the Johnston family—one that was bound by marriage.
Besides, given the Johnston family's wealth, they were sure to get a lot of benefits in the future.
The Johnston family couldn't afford to refuse the proposition, or they would risk losing face in one way or another.
Isaac was extremely dissatisfied with this arranged marriage, so he requested that his new bride never tell anyone that she was his wife, and that she keep her maiden name.
But no one asked Camila what she wanted.
And to make matters worse, the groom never showed up at the banquet, even though no one outside either family was present.
Camila had been left alone at the banquet and felt so humiliated! She refused to accept it!
Perhaps it was because of the tension in the atmosphere, but her pent-up feelings of rebellion suddenly exploded.
Her life was barely worth living because it was controlled by others.
Thus, she decided to fight back in her own way!
As such, Camila kissed him again.
......
After some time, the man kissed her cheek gently and said, "I'll come back for you." Then he left quickly.
All of a sudden, the sound of her phone ringing broke the silence.
She reached out to grab it and answered the call. An anxious voice sounded from the other end of the line, "Dr. Griffith, emergency! Please come here quickly!"
Camila adjusted her voice and answered calmly, "Okay, I'll be there soon."
After hanging up, she looked at her phone in a daze.
Her disheveled clothes told her that this was not a dream. It really happened.
This was the most rebellious thing she had ever done in her life!
But she didn't have the time to dwell on this. A patient needed her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly got dressed and rushed to the emergency center.
Camila was busy for the rest of the night.
When she finally returned to the duty room, she found that it was still a complete mess.
Recalling what happened here a few hours ago, she couldn't help but run her fingers through her tangled hair in distress.
"Thanks for taking over my shift, Dr. Haynes." Camila's colleague, Debora Griffith, suddenly strode in with a grateful smile.
Camila forced a smile and answered, "You're welcome."
"I can take it from here. You should head back and get some rest." Only then did Debora notice the mess in the room. Eyebrows raised, she asked incredulously, "What happened here?"
Turning her head to hide the panic in her eyes, Camila said, "I accidentally knocked over the things on the table earlier. Anyway, since you're here, I'm going to head home now."
Debora felt that Camila was acting strange, but she didn't care. She shrugged and bent down to start picking up the random things on the floor.
Just when Camila left, the director of the hospital and Isaac's assistant, Willie Calderon, showed up at the door.
"She was the doctor on duty last night, Debora Griffith," the director said.
Willie walked into the room and peered at Debora's name plate on her lab coat. "Miss, please come with me."
Debora looked up in confusion.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see. Just come with us," Willie answered expressionlessly. The hospital director, on the other hand, wasn't too happy with her hesitation. He pulled her and hissed, "Don't keep Mr. Johnston waiting."
Chapter 2 Feeling Guilty
Albeit confused, Debora obediently followed them to the hospital director's office.
Isaac was sitting upright on the sofa with his legs crossed. Without paying close attention, the paleness on his thin lips would've gone unnoticed.
Dressed in pure black, his sharp features and strong aura seemed to show that he had overcome countless difficulties. Even a single glance from him was daunting.
Willie walked over to Isaac and whispered something in his ear. "All the surveillance videos last night were deliberately tampered with, likely thanks to your assailants. They cleaned up their tracks and got rid of any possible evidence. This is Dr. Debora Griffith, the doctor on duty last night. I also just went to check the records, and it was indeed her shift."
Only then did Isaac look up at Debora.
Debora was shocked. The man on the sofa was none other than the CEO of Paramount Corporation.
"Are you the one who helped me last night?" Isaac asked, looking at her face carefully.
Debora immediately averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Y-yes, it... It was me." She didn't know what exactly had happened last night, but she knew that she could benefit a lot if she could get into Isaac's good graces.
It just so happened that Military Central Hospital was about to select candidates for their internship.
Although it was called an internship, whoever was selected would stay on as their official doctor.
The resources there were much better than that of this hospital.
If Debora could get the help of someone as powerful as Isaac, she'd definitely be selected for the internship.
"I'll give you whatever you want—even marriage." Isaac's expression was indifferent, but when he thought of what happened last night, his cold face softened somewhat.
"W-what? Marriage? Er... I..." Isaac dropped a bomb on her so suddenly that Debora couldn't think straight.
"Once you've made up your mind, you can come to me." Isaac then stood up and asked his assistant to give her his phone number.
The hospital director bowed slightly and offered, "Mr. Johnston, let me escort you out."
Isaac refused him, returning to his cold demeanor. "That won't be necessary." Then, he seemed to think of something and added, "Please take good care of her."
"Of course, Mr. Johnston," the director said with a subservient smile.
After making sure that they were out of earshot, the assistant reminded Isaac in a low voice, "You're already married. I don't think you can marry Miss Griffith if she ends up wanting the marriage."
Upon thinking the bride he was forced to marry, Isaac's expression darkened and he stared daggers at him.
The assistant immediately fell silent, a shiver running down his spine. He didn't know if Isaac was angry about the woman he married or the person who sent the hitmen after him.
After work, Camila went home to her husband's villa.
As soon as Camila entered the house, the middle-aged housekeeper, Glenda Rivera, came up and asked, "May I ask where you were last night?"
"I had to cover someone's shift," Camila answered in a small voice.
There were dark circles under her eyes, and she clearly looked tired.
Glenda didn't press her for more information when she saw how exhausted Camila was. Instead, she bowed and let Camila retire to her room.
Camila went straight to the bathroom and ran a hot bath. Soaking in the tub, she suddenly recalled the events of last night, and her face suddenly became as hot as the bathwater. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel guilty.
She rubbed her temples, trying to clear her messy mind.
After getting out of the tub, she got dressed and headed out.
Seeing that Camila was about to leave, Glenda came over and asked, "Are you leaving again so soon? You should at least have breakfast first."
Camila glanced at her watch and sighed. "No thanks. I'll be late for work."
Glenda knew that Camila was a doctor, and she knew how hard this job was. Thinking of this, she looked at Camila with newfound respect and brought her a glass of warm milk. "At least drink this before going to work."
Seeing the concern on Glenda's face, Camila felt touched. She took the glass of milk and said softly, "Thank you."
"Of course." Glenda smiled, her chubby face looking very kind and friendly.
After finishing the milk, Camila handed the glass back to Glenda and headed out.
She did not start work immediately. In fact, she came to the hospital because she was visiting the Intensive Care Unit, where her mother was.
After she entered, she checked her mother's condition as she always did—her heart sank since her mother was not improving.
Her mother had suffered from heart failure and was now in a critical condition. The only solution was a heart transplant, which would cost a lot of money.
She agreed to her father's demand and married into the Johnston family because her father threatened her, saying that he wouldn't pay the fees for her mother's surgery if she didn't agree.
If they could just find a suitable heart donor, her mother would be saved.
She looked at her mother, who was in a coma, and said in a low and bitter voice, "Mom, I promise I'll save you."
A single teardrop ran down her cheek. Her mother was the person closest to her.
The phone in her pocket started to ring.
"Hi, Mila! Can you do me a favor?" A cheerful voice sounded from the other end of the line.
It was her senior, Forrest Walters who called her. They graduated from the same medical school, but he was two grades above her. He had gone abroad for further studies, and now, he was a very famous doctor.
More importantly, he had always taken good care of her.
So the two were pretty close.
"What kind of favor?" Camila asked.
"I have a patient who needs treatment, but I'm in the middle of something urgent. I won't make it in time. Can you tend to the patient for me please?"
Camila checked her schedule. Aside from two surgeries in the afternoon, she was relatively free that morning, so she agreed.
"I have sent you the address. Just tell them that you're there for Mr. Calderon, and the doorman will know what to do."
Chapter 3 Mysterious Injured Man
Camila got the address and answered, "Got it."
"And Mila, don't tell anyone about this and don't ask any unnecessary questions. Just focus on treating the patient, okay?" Forrest added.
"Okay." After hanging up, Camila took a taxi to the address.
It was located in a high-end neighborhood with top-level security.
The doorman stopped her from entering. As instructed, Camila informed him that she was here to see Mr. Calderon. The doorman called to confirm before finally granting her access.
It didn't take long before she found the house. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell.
Soon, the door was opened.
Seeing that it wasn't Forrest at the door, Willie frowned and asked, "And you are?"
From the way Forrest sounded over the phone, Camila could tell that this patient seemed to care about his privacy very much. Not wanting to get involved, she wore a mask before going.
"Dr. Forrest Walters asked me to come here in his place."
Glancing at the medical kit she was carrying, Willie squinted at her. "You know what to do?"
"Yes, Dr. Walters briefed me. I won't tell anyone."
Willie figured that Forrest wouldn't ask someone unreliable to come here, so he let Camila in.
He led Camila through the huge living room, up the stairs to the second floor, and stopped in front of the door to a bedroom.
The room was very dimly lit. Glancing at Willie, she asked, "How can I treat the patient without lights?"
When Isaac heard that it was a woman's voice, he pulled over his coat over his head to cover his face and said coldly, "Fine. You may turn on the lights."
Willie obliged and turned the lights on.
The room was instantly illuminated.
The voice sounded familiar, but Camila didn't think too much of it. She approached the injured man, who was lying in bed.
She tried not to look at his covered face. After all, she was here to treat him, not to pry.
Obviously, the patient didn't want others to know his identity, so it was only right that she respect his privacy.
She set her kit down on the night stand and took out her surgical instruments.
Camila instantly got to work, cleaning the wounds with her deft hands.
Every move was elegant and efficient.
"Are you allergic to any medicine?" she asked.
Her voice was calm, completely different from how the panicked woman sounded from last night.
Therefore, even though Isaac had heard her voice, he had no idea that this female doctor was the person from last night.
On the inside, he was impressed by her skill and calmness, but on the outside, he remained cold. "No."
After an hour, she was done stitching. It was a quick and successful treatment.
Seeing that her hands were stained, she excused herself. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"There's one downstairs," Willie said.
Camila walked out and followed his directions.
When she was gone, Willie closed the door and walked up to Isaac.
"Upon investigating, it seems the person who had hired those hitmen was your Aunt Audrey. Because you dealt with all her spies in the company, she grew desperate and tried to destroy you."
Isaac sat up in bed. He should've been weak given his injuries, but on the contrary, his eyes were sharp and alert.
He looked at Willie and asked in a low voice, "Did the arranged marriage have anything to do with her?"
After a pause, Willie answered, "Yes, I found out that she was in contact with your father-in-law. It was strange that he requested that his daughter marry you but not Audrey's son. Obviously, Audrey had something to do with that."
"She's done so much for me. It'd be rude if I didn't do anything in return." He had just gone abroad for a few days for business, but someone had made so much trouble for him.
He was completely expressionless, but the coldness in his eyes was undeniable. "I heard that her son runs a club called Charm on Cavern Street."
Hearing this, Willie instantly understood what was on his boss's mind. "Since they don't have a place in the company anymore, that club is their only source of income. If they lose it..."
"Do it," Isaac said in a dangerously low voice, his eyes flashing viciously.
Willie nodded and immediately set out to do what he was told. On the way downstairs, he ran into Camila, who was about to go upstairs.
Willie knew that Forrest must've already told her to keep her mouth shut, but he figured it was worth reminding her. "If you tell anyone about what happened today, you'll regret it."
If Audrey and her son caught wind of Isaac's injuries, they'd definitely seize the opportunity to beat him while he was down.
"Don't worry, I won't." With her head down, Camila added, "I'll leave as soon as I get my medical kit."
When she returned to the bedroom, she saw that the wounded man had taken off his bloodstained shirt.
"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" The man didn't turn around, but he seemed to have noticed her intent gaze. His voice was lazy, mixed with a hint of mockery.
Camila snapped to her senses and lowered her head in a hurry.
With her head down, she walked over to pack up her things. In a gentle voice, she reminded him, "Don't let your wounds get wet for the time being. Disinfect them once a day, and wear loose shirts so as to avoid infection."
When she was done packing her medical kit, she took out a bottle of pills and a tube of ointment. "I'm leaving you these medicines."
Isaac didn't turn around and grunted in reply.
Camila had nothing else to say, so she left.
She walked out with the medical kit.
She hailed a taxi and went back to the hospital. It was almost lunchtime when she arrived, so she went to the canteen of the hospital to eat. As soon as she returned to her office, she was summoned to the hospital director's office.
"I'm sending Debora to Military Central Hospital for the internship," the hospital director said seriously. He seemed to have some unspeakable reasons.
Chapter 4 The Benefits
Camila was stunned. "Didn't you say that you'd give the chance to me?"
"All our high-tech medical equipment was donated by the Paramount Corporation. Its CEO, Mr. Isaac Johnston, told me to take care of Dr. Griffith. I had no choice."
At the mention of Isaac's name, Camila couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Although she was technically Isaac's wife, they hadn't even met each other yet.
She only had seen his face on some financial magazines and TV.
What was going on between him and Debora?
Camila's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, but she managed to keep a straight face. "Really?"
"Yes. We recognize your professionalism and medical skills, but I'm afraid we have no say in the matter." The director tried comforting her. Among the young doctors in this hospital, he appreciated Camila the most.
Camila lowered her head and answered in a low voice, "Okay, I understand."
Perhaps in Isaac's eyes, she was nothing to him since he was forced to marry her.
"I still have surgeries this afternoon, so please excuse me," she said feebly.
She clearly knew that the decision was irreversible.
The director sighed and watched her leave dejectedly.
Despite her heavy heart, Camila went back to work. After successfully completing two surgeries, she was exhausted. She washed her hands, took off her blue scrubs, and sank onto the nearest chair to get some rest.
Just then, Debora passed by.
"Dr. Haynes," she greeted with a smile. "Let me treat you to dinner."
"I'm afraid I'm not available tonight," Camila refused politely. The relationship between her and Debora was professional at best.
To put it simply, the two were just colleagues that had graduated from the same medical school.
Also, they were from the same batch.
But Debora was quite the character. She was very competitive and ambitious, always showing off to get everyone's attention.
On the other hand, Camila liked to be low-key.
The two didn't mesh well together, that was all. So they didn't become good friends.
"Oh, that's too bad. Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you," Debora said, looking a little embarrassed.
Without looking at Debora, Camila spoke. "Go ahead."
For some reason, after finding out that Debora had something to do with Isaac, Camila had a gut feeling to stay away from her.
"You must've heard the news. I'm really sorry. I didn't know that the director would—"
"It's okay, don't worry about it." Not wanting to hear it, Camila cut Debora off mid-sentence.
But Debora wasn't done yet. She lowered her eyes and looked away awkwardly. "So can you keep it a secret that you took my shift last night? Since I'm going to the Military Central Hospital for the internship, I don't want to get into any trouble."
Her line of reasoning was a little farfetched.
But Camila wasn't surprised to hear this from her. "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul."
It wasn't uncommon for doctors to cover shifts for colleagues.
After all, doctors still had lives of their own.
Outside the hospital, it was getting dark.
The street lights came on one by one.
A black luxury car was parked at the gate. Forrest was inside, boasting proudly, "My junior was great, wasn't she?"
Isaac was sitting next to him, leaning back lazily. Thinking of Camila's calmness and agility when she dealt with his wounds, even he had to admit that she was quite skilled.
"Mr. Johnston, Miss Griffith is coming," Willie, who was sitting in the passenger seat, announced.
Isaac lowered the window.
Debora came over, wearing a small smile.
Seeing her, Forrest's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Debora?"
"You know her?" Willie turned around and asked with great intrigue.
Forrest nodded. "She was my junior back in medical school."
Upon hearing this, Isaac's eyes took on a different light.
She was the one who had saved him last night.
Was she also the one who had dealt with his wounds earlier?
Willie noticed the change in Isaac's demeanor and exclaimed, "Cupid finally noticed you!"
Was that it? Did Cupid finally decide to shoot Isaac with his arrow?
Forrest frowned in confusion. "What're you talking about?"
"Mr. Johnston?"
At this time, Debora came over and interrupted their conversation.
Forrest had only hitched a ride with Isaac to see Camila at the hospital.
Seeing that Debora was here, Forrest quickly opened the door and got out of the car. "Excuse me."
After Forrest left, Debora got into the car and sat opposite Isaac. She felt a little uneasy, worried that Isaac would realize that he had mistaken her for someone else.
But she had already tasted the benefits of being affiliated with him.
Because of Camila's skills, the hospital director had always appreciated Camila. Debora knew that he had only vouched for her to be sent to Military Central Hospital because of Isaac.
So she made up her mind to win this man over, no matter what it took.
Such an opportunity was rare. She must have to seize it!
"I've made up my mind," she said softly. Then she looked up and locked eyes with Isaac.
Isaac didn't seem to expect her to make a decision so soon. He looked at her emotionlessly and seemed to be disinterested, but deep down, he was curious about her answer.
Chapter 5 Her Lifelong Dream
"I don't need anything else," Debora said firmly.
Since he was willing to marry her, he must've had an unusual relationship with the person he mistook her for.
If she latched onto his proposal right off the bat, she might appear too greedy and ambitious.
So she had to compromise for now to reap the benefits in the long run. "If we can be friends, that's enough for me."
Isaac pursed his lips tightly, his eyes cloudy and unreadable. In a calm tone, he asked, "Are you sure?"
Debora nodded.
As such, Isaac decided against changing her mind—what happened last night had probably occurred in the heat of the moment.
"Fine, I respect your decision."
In the hospital.
Camila was quietly reading a book in the staff lounge. Even though she was technically off work, she didn't want to go back to Isaac's place, nor did she want to go back home.
The hospital was her only safe space. She didn't mind, since she could read and study there in peace.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Then the door was pushed open and Forrest poked his head in. "Why are you hiding here?"
"I'm not hiding."
Camila shut the book and put it on the table. Looking at Forrest, she asked curiously, "What brings you here, Forrest?"
"You helped me out today. I need to pay you back, don't I?" He grinned. "Let's go. I'm going to treat you to something delicious."
But she shook her head and said, "No, thanks."
"What? Why not? Is something bothering you?" Forrest frowned. He could sense that she was in a bad mood.
Averting her gaze, Camila muttered, "No."
Forrest was unconvinced. "You can talk to me if something's wrong, you know. Don't you trust me?"
"It's not like that," she explained in a hurry, seeing that she might've hurt his feelings. "I'm just sad that we won't be colleagues in the same hospital."
"What do you mean?" Forrest's frown tightened. Suddenly, it dawned on him, and he became a little angry. "The director changed his mind? Whom did he recommend for the internship? Where is he now? I'm going to talk some sense into him."
Camila stopped him before he could walk out the door.
"Isn't it your lifelong dream to become a military surgeon? How's that going to happen if you miss out on the internship at the Military Central Hospital?" Forrest thought that backing down wasn't like Camila at all.
She had studied and worked so hard for her dream. How could she let it go so easily?
Camila lowered her head dejectedly. It wasn't that she had given up so easily, but that reality was deliberately making things difficult for her.
Besides, she didn't want to get Forrest involved.
Seeing that Camila wasn't saying anything, Forrest pursed his lips and said, "Fine, then."
Forcing a smile, Camila looked up at him and said, "No need to dwell on this. I've changed my mind. Let's go have dinner."
"Maybe next time," he said gently. He wasn't a fool. He knew that there must've been someone who heavily influenced the director's decision to replace Camila.
But Forrest refused to let it go.
"Excuse me, there's something I must take care of."
Then he turned around and stormed off.
He was furious!
Forrest went straight to the hospital director's office and barged in regardless of anything. He wasn't afraid of the consequences because not only was he a well-respected doctor, but he also came from a powerful and wealthy family.
The director of the hospital was on a phone call. When he saw Forrest barge in unannounced, he hurriedly ended the call and stood up with a smile. "What can I do for you, Dr. Walters?"
"Weren't you supposed to send Camila to Military Central Hospital for the internship? Why the sudden change of heart? Who bribed you to do this? If you don't give me answers right now, I promise you you'll regret it."
Hearing the obvious threat in his words, the director broke out in cold sweat.
He explained helplessly, "I had no choice. Mr. Isaac Johnston asked me to take care of Dr. Griffith. What else could I do?"
Hearing that it was Isaac behind this, Forrest's frown tightened.
"Take it up with Isaac, not me." The director was smart. He couldn't afford to offend either Isaac or Forrest, so he tactfully pulled himself out of the matter.
In a fit of rage, Forrest turned around to look for Isaac. As soon as he walked out of the hospital, he saw Debora getting out of Isaac's car.
He strode over, fuming.
Debora greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Forrest."
Forrest paused, not knowing how to respond.
In the end, he simply nodded out of politeness.
After Debora left, Forrest was incensed that Debora had obtained the opportunity that rightfully belonged to Camila. But the person who had orchestrated everything was, in fact, his dear friend, Isaac.
Isaac had never shown so much interest in a woman before.
It seemed that he really had a special relationship with Debora.
And Forrest couldn't bring himself to ruin his good friend's chances at love.
It was so rare for Isaac to go out of his way to please a woman.
So Forrest could do nothing but look at Isaac helplessly. "I really don't understand what you see in Debora."
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Today was my wedding night, but I met a strange man in the hospital and we...
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In the duty room of the hospital, Camila Haynes was putting on her doctor uniform.
Tonight was the f... View MoreToday was my wedding night, but I met a strange man in the hospital and we...
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In the duty room of the hospital, Camila Haynes was putting on her doctor uniform.
Tonight was the first night of her marriage.
But when a colleague had asked her to take over the shift for the night just now, she agreed and went straight to the hospital without hesitation.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she straightened her lab coat and smiled bitterly. No one cared where she went anyway.
All of a sudden, the door was kicked open from the outside, sending it crashing against the wall.
Before Camila could look up to see what was going on, she heard the click of the light switch, and the whole room became pitch black.
Scared out of her wits, she trembled, her hair standing on end.
"Who's—"
Before she could get another word out, she was suddenly shoved down onto the table. With a loud clatter, the things on the table fell to the floor. The next thing she knew was a hand covering her mouth and a strange voice barked, "Quiet!"
When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could barely see the man's face clearly, though his eyes stood out. They were sharp and cold.
Maybe it was because of her training as a doctor, she was used to staying calm and level-headed even in situations as scary and stressful as this.
She subtly lifted her leg in an attempt to kick the man. But the second she moved, the man noticed and stopped her attack.
"I saw him heading this way!" a voice sounded from the distance.
Then, Camila heard the sound of footsteps approaching them.
It seemed that they'd barge in any second now.
In a moment of desperation, the man suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips against Camila's.
Wide-eyed, Camila struggled to shove the man away. Fortunately, he didn't hurt her because of her resistance.
She touched her lips in a daze, unable to wrap her head around what just happened.
Just then, she heard the sound of the doorknob turning.
Making up her mind, she gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms around the man's neck.
She whispered in a trembling voice, "I can help you..."
The man's voice was at once deep and alluring as he spoke, "I'll take responsibility for this."
Wait, he misunderstood her—she was just going to put up an act.
When the door was pushed open, the light in the corridor shone on Camila and the man. It was still too dark for them to see everything, aside from two shadows entwined.
"That's definitely not Isaac. He's badly injured. There's no way he would be doing that after he got wounded Get moving! If we can't find him, we'll all be in trouble!"
Soon, the sound of footsteps faded away.
The man knew that his assailants had left, but he found that he couldn't move away from the woman.
The crisis was solved now, so Camila tried to push the man away. But just as her palms pressed against the man's shoulders, she suddenly thought about her marriage.
Her whole life had been controlled by others, including her marriage.
Her father, a man ruled by his greed, had forced her to marry into the Johnston family.
Her grandfather used to be the chauffeur of Robin Johnston, the patriarch of the Johnston family. As fate would have it, he died saving Robin's life in an accident.
The small company run by her family had accumulated massive debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Her cunning father knew that if he asked for money from the Johnston family, their favor with them would be spent. So he came up with a plan to make his daughter marry Isaac Johnston, Robin's grandson.
In this way, their family would finally establish a more solid connection with the Johnston family—one that was bound by marriage.
Besides, given the Johnston family's wealth, they were sure to get a lot of benefits in the future.
The Johnston family couldn't afford to refuse the proposition, or they would risk losing face in one way or another.
Isaac was extremely dissatisfied with this arranged marriage, so he requested that his new bride never tell anyone that she was his wife, and that she keep her maiden name.
But no one asked Camila what she wanted.
And to make matters worse, the groom never showed up at the banquet, even though no one outside either family was present.
Camila had been left alone at the banquet and felt so humiliated! She refused to accept it!
Perhaps it was because of the tension in the atmosphere, but her pent-up feelings of rebellion suddenly exploded.
Her life was barely worth living because it was controlled by others.
Thus, she decided to fight back in her own way!
As such, Camila kissed him again.
......
After some time, the man kissed her cheek gently and said, "I'll come back for you." Then he left quickly.
All of a sudden, the sound of her phone ringing broke the silence.
She reached out to grab it and answered the call. An anxious voice sounded from the other end of the line, "Dr. Griffith, emergency! Please come here quickly!"
Camila adjusted her voice and answered calmly, "Okay, I'll be there soon."
After hanging up, she looked at her phone in a daze.
Her disheveled clothes told her that this was not a dream. It really happened.
This was the most rebellious thing she had ever done in her life!
But she didn't have the time to dwell on this. A patient needed her. Gritting her teeth, she quickly got dressed and rushed to the emergency center.
Camila was busy for the rest of the night.
When she finally returned to the duty room, she found that it was still a complete mess.
Recalling what happened here a few hours ago, she couldn't help but run her fingers through her tangled hair in distress.
"Thanks for taking over my shift, Dr. Haynes." Camila's colleague, Debora Griffith, suddenly strode in with a grateful smile.
Camila forced a smile and answered, "You're welcome."
"I can take it from here. You should head back and get some rest." Only then did Debora notice the mess in the room. Eyebrows raised, she asked incredulously, "What happened here?"
Turning her head to hide the panic in her eyes, Camila said, "I accidentally knocked over the things on the table earlier. Anyway, since you're here, I'm going to head home now."
Debora felt that Camila was acting strange, but she didn't care. She shrugged and bent down to start picking up the random things on the floor.
Just when Camila left, the director of the hospital and Isaac's assistant, Willie Calderon, showed up at the door.
"She was the doctor on duty last night, Debora Griffith," the director said.
Willie walked into the room and peered at Debora's name plate on her lab coat. "Miss, please come with me."
Debora looked up in confusion.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see. Just come with us," Willie answered expressionlessly. The hospital director, on the other hand, wasn't too happy with her hesitation. He pulled her and hissed, "Don't keep Mr. Johnston waiting."
Chapter 2 Feeling Guilty
Albeit confused, Debora obediently followed them to the hospital director's office.
Isaac was sitting upright on the sofa with his legs crossed. Without paying close attention, the paleness on his thin lips would've gone unnoticed.
Dressed in pure black, his sharp features and strong aura seemed to show that he had overcome countless difficulties. Even a single glance from him was daunting.
Willie walked over to Isaac and whispered something in his ear. "All the surveillance videos last night were deliberately tampered with, likely thanks to your assailants. They cleaned up their tracks and got rid of any possible evidence. This is Dr. Debora Griffith, the doctor on duty last night. I also just went to check the records, and it was indeed her shift."
Only then did Isaac look up at Debora.
Debora was shocked. The man on the sofa was none other than the CEO of Paramount Corporation.
"Are you the one who helped me last night?" Isaac asked, looking at her face carefully.
Debora immediately averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Y-yes, it... It was me." She didn't know what exactly had happened last night, but she knew that she could benefit a lot if she could get into Isaac's good graces.
It just so happened that Military Central Hospital was about to select candidates for their internship.
Although it was called an internship, whoever was selected would stay on as their official doctor.
The resources there were much better than that of this hospital.
If Debora could get the help of someone as powerful as Isaac, she'd definitely be selected for the internship.
"I'll give you whatever you want—even marriage." Isaac's expression was indifferent, but when he thought of what happened last night, his cold face softened somewhat.
"W-what? Marriage? Er... I..." Isaac dropped a bomb on her so suddenly that Debora couldn't think straight.
"Once you've made up your mind, you can come to me." Isaac then stood up and asked his assistant to give her his phone number.
The hospital director bowed slightly and offered, "Mr. Johnston, let me escort you out."
Isaac refused him, returning to his cold demeanor. "That won't be necessary." Then, he seemed to think of something and added, "Please take good care of her."
"Of course, Mr. Johnston," the director said with a subservient smile.
After making sure that they were out of earshot, the assistant reminded Isaac in a low voice, "You're already married. I don't think you can marry Miss Griffith if she ends up wanting the marriage."
Upon thinking the bride he was forced to marry, Isaac's expression darkened and he stared daggers at him.
The assistant immediately fell silent, a shiver running down his spine. He didn't know if Isaac was angry about the woman he married or the person who sent the hitmen after him.
After work, Camila went home to her husband's villa.
As soon as Camila entered the house, the middle-aged housekeeper, Glenda Rivera, came up and asked, "May I ask where you were last night?"
"I had to cover someone's shift," Camila answered in a small voice.
There were dark circles under her eyes, and she clearly looked tired.
Glenda didn't press her for more information when she saw how exhausted Camila was. Instead, she bowed and let Camila retire to her room.
Camila went straight to the bathroom and ran a hot bath. Soaking in the tub, she suddenly recalled the events of last night, and her face suddenly became as hot as the bathwater. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel guilty.
She rubbed her temples, trying to clear her messy mind.
After getting out of the tub, she got dressed and headed out.
Seeing that Camila was about to leave, Glenda came over and asked, "Are you leaving again so soon? You should at least have breakfast first."
Camila glanced at her watch and sighed. "No thanks. I'll be late for work."
Glenda knew that Camila was a doctor, and she knew how hard this job was. Thinking of this, she looked at Camila with newfound respect and brought her a glass of warm milk. "At least drink this before going to work."
Seeing the concern on Glenda's face, Camila felt touched. She took the glass of milk and said softly, "Thank you."
"Of course." Glenda smiled, her chubby face looking very kind and friendly.
After finishing the milk, Camila handed the glass back to Glenda and headed out.
She did not start work immediately. In fact, she came to the hospital because she was visiting the Intensive Care Unit, where her mother was.
After she entered, she checked her mother's condition as she always did—her heart sank since her mother was not improving.
Her mother had suffered from heart failure and was now in a critical condition. The only solution was a heart transplant, which would cost a lot of money.
She agreed to her father's demand and married into the Johnston family because her father threatened her, saying that he wouldn't pay the fees for her mother's surgery if she didn't agree.
If they could just find a suitable heart donor, her mother would be saved.
She looked at her mother, who was in a coma, and said in a low and bitter voice, "Mom, I promise I'll save you."
A single teardrop ran down her cheek. Her mother was the person closest to her.
The phone in her pocket started to ring.
"Hi, Mila! Can you do me a favor?" A cheerful voice sounded from the other end of the line.
It was her senior, Forrest Walters who called her. They graduated from the same medical school, but he was two grades above her. He had gone abroad for further studies, and now, he was a very famous doctor.
More importantly, he had always taken good care of her.
So the two were pretty close.
"What kind of favor?" Camila asked.
"I have a patient who needs treatment, but I'm in the middle of something urgent. I won't make it in time. Can you tend to the patient for me please?"
Camila checked her schedule. Aside from two surgeries in the afternoon, she was relatively free that morning, so she agreed.
"I have sent you the address. Just tell them that you're there for Mr. Calderon, and the doorman will know what to do."
Chapter 3 Mysterious Injured Man
Camila got the address and answered, "Got it."
"And Mila, don't tell anyone about this and don't ask any unnecessary questions. Just focus on treating the patient, okay?" Forrest added.
"Okay." After hanging up, Camila took a taxi to the address.
It was located in a high-end neighborhood with top-level security.
The doorman stopped her from entering. As instructed, Camila informed him that she was here to see Mr. Calderon. The doorman called to confirm before finally granting her access.
It didn't take long before she found the house. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell.
Soon, the door was opened.
Seeing that it wasn't Forrest at the door, Willie frowned and asked, "And you are?"
From the way Forrest sounded over the phone, Camila could tell that this patient seemed to care about his privacy very much. Not wanting to get involved, she wore a mask before going.
"Dr. Forrest Walters asked me to come here in his place."
Glancing at the medical kit she was carrying, Willie squinted at her. "You know what to do?"
"Yes, Dr. Walters briefed me. I won't tell anyone."
Willie figured that Forrest wouldn't ask someone unreliable to come here, so he let Camila in.
He led Camila through the huge living room, up the stairs to the second floor, and stopped in front of the door to a bedroom.
The room was very dimly lit. Glancing at Willie, she asked, "How can I treat the patient without lights?"
When Isaac heard that it was a woman's voice, he pulled over his coat over his head to cover his face and said coldly, "Fine. You may turn on the lights."
Willie obliged and turned the lights on.
The room was instantly illuminated.
The voice sounded familiar, but Camila didn't think too much of it. She approached the injured man, who was lying in bed.
She tried not to look at his covered face. After all, she was here to treat him, not to pry.
Obviously, the patient didn't want others to know his identity, so it was only right that she respect his privacy.
She set her kit down on the night stand and took out her surgical instruments.
Camila instantly got to work, cleaning the wounds with her deft hands.
Every move was elegant and efficient.
"Are you allergic to any medicine?" she asked.
Her voice was calm, completely different from how the panicked woman sounded from last night.
Therefore, even though Isaac had heard her voice, he had no idea that this female doctor was the person from last night.
On the inside, he was impressed by her skill and calmness, but on the outside, he remained cold. "No."
After an hour, she was done stitching. It was a quick and successful treatment.
Seeing that her hands were stained, she excused herself. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"There's one downstairs," Willie said.
Camila walked out and followed his directions.
When she was gone, Willie closed the door and walked up to Isaac.
"Upon investigating, it seems the person who had hired those hitmen was your Aunt Audrey. Because you dealt with all her spies in the company, she grew desperate and tried to destroy you."
Isaac sat up in bed. He should've been weak given his injuries, but on the contrary, his eyes were sharp and alert.
He looked at Willie and asked in a low voice, "Did the arranged marriage have anything to do with her?"
After a pause, Willie answered, "Yes, I found out that she was in contact with your father-in-law. It was strange that he requested that his daughter marry you but not Audrey's son. Obviously, Audrey had something to do with that."
"She's done so much for me. It'd be rude if I didn't do anything in return." He had just gone abroad for a few days for business, but someone had made so much trouble for him.
He was completely expressionless, but the coldness in his eyes was undeniable. "I heard that her son runs a club called Charm on Cavern Street."
Hearing this, Willie instantly understood what was on his boss's mind. "Since they don't have a place in the company anymore, that club is their only source of income. If they lose it..."
"Do it," Isaac said in a dangerously low voice, his eyes flashing viciously.
Willie nodded and immediately set out to do what he was told. On the way downstairs, he ran into Camila, who was about to go upstairs.
Willie knew that Forrest must've already told her to keep her mouth shut, but he figured it was worth reminding her. "If you tell anyone about what happened today, you'll regret it."
If Audrey and her son caught wind of Isaac's injuries, they'd definitely seize the opportunity to beat him while he was down.
"Don't worry, I won't." With her head down, Camila added, "I'll leave as soon as I get my medical kit."
When she returned to the bedroom, she saw that the wounded man had taken off his bloodstained shirt.
"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" The man didn't turn around, but he seemed to have noticed her intent gaze. His voice was lazy, mixed with a hint of mockery.
Camila snapped to her senses and lowered her head in a hurry.
With her head down, she walked over to pack up her things. In a gentle voice, she reminded him, "Don't let your wounds get wet for the time being. Disinfect them once a day, and wear loose shirts so as to avoid infection."
When she was done packing her medical kit, she took out a bottle of pills and a tube of ointment. "I'm leaving you these medicines."
Isaac didn't turn around and grunted in reply.
Camila had nothing else to say, so she left.
She walked out with the medical kit.
She hailed a taxi and went back to the hospital. It was almost lunchtime when she arrived, so she went to the canteen of the hospital to eat. As soon as she returned to her office, she was summoned to the hospital director's office.
"I'm sending Debora to Military Central Hospital for the internship," the hospital director said seriously. He seemed to have some unspeakable reasons.
Chapter 4 The Benefits
Camila was stunned. "Didn't you say that you'd give the chance to me?"
"All our high-tech medical equipment was donated by the Paramount Corporation. Its CEO, Mr. Isaac Johnston, told me to take care of Dr. Griffith. I had no choice."
At the mention of Isaac's name, Camila couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Although she was technically Isaac's wife, they hadn't even met each other yet.
She only had seen his face on some financial magazines and TV.
What was going on between him and Debora?
Camila's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, but she managed to keep a straight face. "Really?"
"Yes. We recognize your professionalism and medical skills, but I'm afraid we have no say in the matter." The director tried comforting her. Among the young doctors in this hospital, he appreciated Camila the most.
Camila lowered her head and answered in a low voice, "Okay, I understand."
Perhaps in Isaac's eyes, she was nothing to him since he was forced to marry her.
"I still have surgeries this afternoon, so please excuse me," she said feebly.
She clearly knew that the decision was irreversible.
The director sighed and watched her leave dejectedly.
Despite her heavy heart, Camila went back to work. After successfully completing two surgeries, she was exhausted. She washed her hands, took off her blue scrubs, and sank onto the nearest chair to get some rest.
Just then, Debora passed by.
"Dr. Haynes," she greeted with a smile. "Let me treat you to dinner."
"I'm afraid I'm not available tonight," Camila refused politely. The relationship between her and Debora was professional at best.
To put it simply, the two were just colleagues that had graduated from the same medical school.
Also, they were from the same batch.
But Debora was quite the character. She was very competitive and ambitious, always showing off to get everyone's attention.
On the other hand, Camila liked to be low-key.
The two didn't mesh well together, that was all. So they didn't become good friends.
"Oh, that's too bad. Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you," Debora said, looking a little embarrassed.
Without looking at Debora, Camila spoke. "Go ahead."
For some reason, after finding out that Debora had something to do with Isaac, Camila had a gut feeling to stay away from her.
"You must've heard the news. I'm really sorry. I didn't know that the director would—"
"It's okay, don't worry about it." Not wanting to hear it, Camila cut Debora off mid-sentence.
But Debora wasn't done yet. She lowered her eyes and looked away awkwardly. "So can you keep it a secret that you took my shift last night? Since I'm going to the Military Central Hospital for the internship, I don't want to get into any trouble."
Her line of reasoning was a little farfetched.
But Camila wasn't surprised to hear this from her. "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul."
It wasn't uncommon for doctors to cover shifts for colleagues.
After all, doctors still had lives of their own.
Outside the hospital, it was getting dark.
The street lights came on one by one.
A black luxury car was parked at the gate. Forrest was inside, boasting proudly, "My junior was great, wasn't she?"
Isaac was sitting next to him, leaning back lazily. Thinking of Camila's calmness and agility when she dealt with his wounds, even he had to admit that she was quite skilled.
"Mr. Johnston, Miss Griffith is coming," Willie, who was sitting in the passenger seat, announced.
Isaac lowered the window.
Debora came over, wearing a small smile.
Seeing her, Forrest's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Debora?"
"You know her?" Willie turned around and asked with great intrigue.
Forrest nodded. "She was my junior back in medical school."
Upon hearing this, Isaac's eyes took on a different light.
She was the one who had saved him last night.
Was she also the one who had dealt with his wounds earlier?
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"Guys, have you heard the latest? Mr. Benton's fiancee will work here. She will be his secretary!"
"Oh my! I heard she's ugly. And that she's from the countryside.
Since she's poor, she must have a... View More"Guys, have you heard the latest? Mr. Benton's fiancee will work here. She will be his secretary!"
"Oh my! I heard she's ugly. And that she's from the countryside.
Since she's poor, she must have attended a substandard college. Can she even understand the documents?"
"Ha-ha! You can say that again. The way I see it, she won't be able to operate a computer."
"She's not worthy enough to be Mr. Benton's wife."
Annabel had just walked into the secretarial department when she heard these words. A hint of irony flashed in her eyes. She retorted in a clear voice, "If I'm not worthy enough to be his wife, who is? You?"
.....
Chapter 1 The Benton Family
A woman in a white T-shirt and jeans walked out of the train station in Douburgh with a suitcase.
Her delicate face turned slightly red as the sun hit her. She tucked wisps of curly hair behind her ears. Under her arched eyebrows were a pair of bright and pretty eyes, a slim nose, and Cherry lips. She looked so beautiful even though she had no make-up on.
"Hello! You are Annabel Hewitt, right? I'm the driver sent by the Benton family."
Annabel nodded and followed the driver into the car casually. She was already worn out.
On the way, the driver stole glances at the woman, whose eyes were closed as she rested in the back seat.
This woman was Rupert Benton's fiancee.
Rupert Benton was the most eligible bachelor in the city. At just twenty-one years old, he was already the CEO of Benton Group. He was way ahead of his peers. He was a vigorous, resourceful and no-nonsense person, causing many in the business world to be afraid of him.
His grandfather, Bruce Benton, took it upon himself to find a wife for him. And he picked Annabel, a girl from the countryside.
With his hands on the steering wheel, the driver took another look at Annabel's innocent face and clicked his tongue. He envisaged that she would have a hard time with the Benton family.
At this time, Annabel slowly opened her eyes and looked at the strange city with a calm expression.
The car arrived at the Benton family's residence soon. The driver carried Annabel's luggage for her.
Annabel barely had one foot inside the house when a well-dressed woman appeared. She eyed Annabel from head to toe with a look of utter disdain.
"Tracy!"
"Yes, Mrs. Benton."
As soon as Tracy was given a signal, she began to spray the disinfectant all over Annabel.
The well-dressed woman was Erica Benton, Rupert's mother. With her hands akimbo, she ordered, "Her shoes and hair. Spray them, too."
Annabel's face and body were soon covered with droplets of disinfectant. The pungent smell made her nose a little itchy. She uttered coldly, "What is wrong with you?"
Erica flipped out immediately.
"I heard that you're from the countryside, but I thought you would at least be well-behaved. It appears you are the same as the wayward and rude girls they breed over there. I'm doing this because I don't want you to bring any virus or bacteria into this household. Do you want us to get infected with whatever you are carrying?"
Annabel is not a person who likes to listen to people's nonsense.. She would have walked out if she hadn't made a deal with her grandfather.
"In that case, you should spray some disinfectant in your mouth because it stinks!"
With this, Annabel shoved the servant aside and walked in.
"You... Oh my..." Erica pointed at Annabel with a trembling hand. Tracy hurriedly comforted her.
In the living room, a girl who looked about the same age as Annabel was sitting on the sofa. She had on designer clothes and bright makeup. Her expression was more condescending than Erica's as she looked at Annabel. She was Rupert's cousin, Cathy Benton.
"Are you Annabel Hewitt, Rupert's fiancee?" Cathy rolled her eyes when she saw that Annabel wasn't dressed in designer clothes. "Gosh, Grandpa has no taste. I can't believe he chose someone like you. Anyway, I heard you came here by train. You should have told us you are too poor to afford a plane ticket. We would have bought one for you. Wait, it seems there isn't an airport in the countryside."
Annabel looked at Cathy with one of her eyebrows raised.
She wondered if every member of this family was so arrogant.
There was indeed no airport where she came from, but her grandfather had booked an entire high-speed train to Douburgh just for her. These arrogant people had no idea that she traveled as luxuriously as someone who flew first class.
Besides, she could have flown here in a private jet if she wanted.
Annabel could easily make it clear to these people, but she didn't. She just went upstairs.
Annoyance clouded Cathy's face once she saw Annabel ascending the stairs. She wasn't used to anyone ignoring her, so she followed her.
"Where is my room?" Annabel asked the maid behind.
"Here!" Cathy said, pointing at a door in the hallway before the maid could reply.
She pushed the door open and added condescendingly, "You have never stayed in a bedroom as big as this, have you? You should cherish it while living in here. I'm Rupert's cousin, Cathy. You should fawn over me if you..."
Cathy had barely finished speaking when Annabel walked into the room and shut the door in her face. This made her angrier.
"Ah! How dare that pauper be so conceited? What was Grandpa thinking?"
The maid warily moved closer and asked, "Miss, but isn't this Mr. Benton's room?"
Cathy cast a scornful glance at the door.
"Shush! Don't say a word to her. Rupert hates anyone being in his space or using his things. When he finds out that she's here, just tell him that she chose to stay in this room."
Cathy's eyes glistened with slyness as she spoke.
Chapter 2 Night-long Cuddle
Annabel didn't realize that this room belonged to someone else. When she saw that the bathroom was stocked with only men's products, she just assumed that the Bentons were trying to get on her nerves.
"What an incredible family!" she muttered sarcastically, walking under the shower.
She only had to put up with this for three months. She had struck a bet with her grandfather. If she still had no feelings for Rupert after staying here for three months, their marriage would be called off.
A maid brought in dinner for her once Annabel got out of the bathroom. She ate it and fell asleep almost immediately.
It was already midnight when Rupert finally came back home from a business dinner.
He was aware Annabel was arriving today. Bruce had told him to pick her up, but he refused under the guise of having many things to do at work. He had no interest in his fiancee. As far as he was concerned, the marriage would be canceled sooner or later.
Rupert was fagged out. He managed to take a shower and went straight to bed.
He was very drunk, so he didn't notice that someone else was in his room until he lay down on his bed.
The large bulge under the quilt startled him. He moved away abruptly. The room was dimly lit, so he couldn't see the woman's face clearly. Before he could think straight, she rolled over and hugged him. She muttered, "Teddy, don't be naughty. You should sleep now."
Rupert froze completely.
This woman had a very familiar scent, just like that girl...
It was soothing as his nose pressed against her neck. For some reason, Rupert found himself hugging her back. He fell asleep with Annabel in his arms.
Strangely for an insomniac, Rupert didn't wake up at any point during the night. He slept like a well-fed baby.
He had a dream that night. It was about what happened to him ten years ago. In a dark room, a girl embraced him tightly and said in a sweet voice, "Don't be scared. No harm shall come to you. I'll protect you."
Later in the dream, he met that girl again. It felt so real.
The next morning, Cathy woke up at the crack of dawn. She had been hoping to hear the news that Annabel was thrown out of the room once Rupert got back home. But the maid said nothing of such happened.
Why was that? Didn't Rupert come back home last night? But his car was in the garage.
Rupert hated anyone being in his space. He couldn't possibly have slept in the same bed as a strange woman.
Consumed by curiosity and uncertainty, Cathy went to knock on Rupert's door. "Hey, Rupert! Breakfast is ready. Don't you have a meeting this morning? You should get up now!"
The noise woke up the two people who were fast asleep at the same time. Annabel immediately felt the warmth of someone else. Her head wasn't on a pillow but on a hard chest.
She looked up, only to meet the sharp eyes of a man. She sat up immediately and was wide awake. "Who are you?"
Rupert's eyes darkened. "Annabel Hewitt?"
Since he knew her name, Annabel assumed that he was her fiance, Rupert. But why was he in her room?
She was just about to question him again when he uttered, "You came to my room and slept in my bed on your first day in this household. I must say that you are really something!"
"What?" Annabel looked completely confused. He just said this was his bed? How was that possible?
Was every member of this family mad and troublesome?
"Oh my!" Annabel exclaimed as her mind went to the men's products she saw in the bathroom yesterday. It seemed Cathy had tricked her.
In haste, Annabel got off the bed and looked at him coldly. "Just to be clear, I didn't mean to sleep here. Cathy told me this was my room. No offense but I'm not in any way interested in you. come to think of it, I fell asleep alone. Why didn't you realize that someone else was in the bed when you got back? and why did you hold me in your arms for the whole night? Don't tell me you have a crush on me?"
A look of embarrassment clouded Rupert's face when he heard her words. He couldn't deny that he held her in his arms for the whole night.
Just like last night, he was stunned when he met Annabel's eyes.
Her beautiful eyes were just like that girl's.
Annabel squinted at him with a smile.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that? Are you obsessed with me?"
Rupert came to his senses. His face darkened again. He ordered coldly, "Get out! And don't come into this room ever again!"
Annabelle gritted her teeth.. She then left with her belongings without hesitation.
This was their first meeting, but they already didn't like each other.
Cathy, who was still at the door, was surprised to see Annabel come out.
Annabel said with an ambiguous smile, "Good morning! As you wish, your cousin held me in his arms and slept for the whole night. We got along pretty well. You must be happy about that."
"Nonsense!" Cathy's face was livid. She didn't believe that at all.
In her opinion, there was no way Rupert would like Annabel, let alone hold her in his arms for hours.
But the fact that they had slept together for the whole night was plain to see.
Chapter 3 New Secretary
Annabel walked away with a fake smile.
Cathy lost it. "You bumpkin! Stop right there. I'm not done talking. Let me tell you, Rupert won't marry you!"
Just then, Rupert walked out of the room.
"Ermm... Rupert..." Cathy stuttered, moving back in fear.
Rupert's face darkened. It was obvious that he was angry, so Cathy didn't dare to say anything more.
Annabel asked a maid to take her to her room. She unpacked her things and then went downstairs for breakfast.
Erica, Cathy, and Rupert were already seated at the dining table.
Erica began to criticize her as soon as Annabel sat down. "Weren't you taught proper etiquette? Not only did you wake up so late, but you also didn't bother preparing breakfast. Do you think you're already the hostess here?"
Taking a glance at Erica, Annabel said flatly, "I'm not a servant either."
She would never make breakfast for this family.
Although Rupert didn't say anything as the two argued, there was no denying that he didn't like Annabel either.
The atmosphere in the dining room was tense. They ate in silence for most of the time. After breakfast, Erica held out a bank card to Annabel.
"This card is loaded with about five thousand dollars. Buy yourself some decent clothes before going to the company. Remember to behave well. You mustn't cause any trouble for Rupert."
To develop the relationship between the two, Bruce proposed that Annabel work in the company as Rupert's secretary. Leonard Hewitt, Annabel's grandfather, agreed to the arrangement. She didn't refuse. After all, it was only temporary.
Her new employment was no biggie for her, but the bank card was! It was obvious that Erica looked down on her. "Thanks, but no thanks," Annabel said in a sarcastic manner.
There was nothing wrong with her clothes, as far as she was concerned. They were specially made for her. That was why the Bentons thought they were not designer clothes. Without waiting for Erica or anyone else to retort, she went upstairs to get ready for work.
She had just gotten into her room when her phone buzzed. It was a bank notification. The sum of fifty million dollars had been transferred into her account.
A text message from Leonard came through.
"Dear, I hope they are treating you well over there. I transferred some money to your account. Buy whatever you want. And don't forget to inform me if anyone bullies you. I love you."
Annabel smiled and texted back, "Grandpa, I'm not happy here. They are bullying me. It's not funny at all."
Leonard replied almost immediately, "Glad to hear that. Anyway, I'm going fishing. Talk to you later."
Annabel couldn't believe her eyes.
Sighing, she changed into a professional suit and walked out of the house. The driver opened the door for her. As soon as she got into the car, she found that Rupert was also inside.
"Didn't you say that you had no interest in me? Why did you agree to work as my secretary then?" His charming voice had a hint of irony in it. There was also a smirk at the corners of his lips.
"Don't get any ridiculous ideas just because I agreed. I promised my grandpa to stay with you for three months. Once the timeline expires, we will cancel the marriage," Annabel responded, glancing at him indifferently.
"Huh?" Rupert sneered. "Aren't you worried that you will fall in love with me in the next three months? I guess you'll be reluctant to leave then."
Annabel was amused by his words.
"Funny you, Rupert. You clearly have a swollen head. For your information, I will never fall for you. Get down from your high horse."
Although Annabel knew that Rupert was good-looking, that didn't matter to her. He had the repulsive character that she hated in men.
Rupert pulled a long face at her words.
She would never fall for him?
"We will see about that, Annabel. Don't ever forget what you said just now!"
In Rupert's opinion, Annabel was just playing hard to get. Why did she come to his home if she didn't feel a thing for him or wanted to be his wife?
Annabel smiled and said, "Okay, I'll keep it in mind. Don't worry. In three months, we will go our separate ways. By the way, we have to pretend not to know each other at the company. I don't want unnecessary drama there."
Rupert kept in silent.
Unbeknown to Annabel, she couldn't avoid drama at work. The news about Rupert's engagement had already spread like wildfire. People also knew that his fiancee was from the countryside.
The employees in Benton Group were in a heated discussion.
"Guys, have you heard the latest? Mr. Benton's fiancee will work here. She will be his secretary!"
"Oh my! I heard she's ugly. And that she's from the countryside. Since she's poor, she must have attended a substandard college. Can she even understand the documents?"
"Ha-ha! You can say that again. The way I see it, she won't be able to operate a computer."
The words of the gossipers trailed off as soon as Rupert walked in with Annabel. Everyone's jaw dropped when they saw them.
Chapter 4 His Superwoman
"Look! Who is that woman that came in with Mr. Benton? She's so beautiful and elegant!"
"Wow! Her legs are so straight and thin! I have never seen anyone as beautiful as her!"
"Is she Mr. Benton's fiancee?"
"How is that possible? It can't be!"
Many of the employees began to wonder who Annabel was. The most common guess was that she was a business partner. But when she left Rupert and went into the personnel department to sign in, they all realized who she was. The news spread in the company in no time.
It turned out that the woman who came in with Rupert was Annabel.
People didn't know what to believe anymore. Didn't they say that Annabel was an ugly bumpkin? How come she was drop-dead gorgeous?
While Annabel was going over the necessary formalities, the employees in the secretarial department were gossiping about her.
"Annabel is so beautiful! She's even prettier than Heather Norman!" an employee commented.
Nina Jones, the head of the department, had a frown on her face and disdain in her eyes. She said maliciously, "Looks aren't everything. Beauty doesn't change the fact that she's a poor village girl who doesn't know anything about city life. She's not worthy enough to be Mr. Benton's wife."
Annabel had just walked into the secretarial department when she heard these words. A hint of irony flashed in her eyes. She retorted in a clear voice, "If I'm not worthy enough to be his wife, who is? You?"
Nina's face froze. She looked away and didn't dare to retort. She couldn't afford to offend Annabel.
"Ahem! Mr. Benton earlier told me to treat you like every other person in this department. You will receive a fair amount of work despite your status. Here is the document about the advertisement the company is going to shoot today. It's yours to handle."
With a sneer, Annabel took the document and left.
The others surrounded Nina again.
"Nina, is it Marcel's shoot? Annabel is new. Don't you think she will screw it up?"
A spark of mischief shone in Nina's eyes. The face of the advertisement was Marcel Brooks—a young and bad-tempered celebrity. He was hard to please and work with. People always avoided him. She looked forward to seeing Annabel mess things up on her first day.
As soon as Annabel got out, she went through the document that outlined the process of the advertisement. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Marcel's name in there; it was familiar.
In the CEO's office, Rupert's assistant asked him, "Nina Jones handed over Marcel's shoot to Miss Hewitt just now. Should I order someone to replace her?"
Marcel's elder brother was a friend of Rupert's since childhood. Everyone knew that Marcel had a bad temper. It went without saying that Annabel would suffer a lot at his hands if she worked with him today.
Remembering what Annabel said to him this morning, Rupert finally replied, "No, let her do it."
He would take delight in her suffering...
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Debbie usually wore casual clothes. But since today was her birthday, she had decided to wear a pink dress trimmed with lace. It was unusual for her to dress like a lady. Several classmates of hers pu... View MoreDebbie usually wore casual clothes. But since today was her birthday, she had decided to wear a pink dress trimmed with lace. It was unusual for her to dress like a lady. Several classmates of hers pulled out their phones and took pictures with her.
While they were enjoying the party, a fat drunkard appeared out of nowhere and wrapped an arm around Debbie's waist.
"Hey, beautiful lady. Let's also take a photo."
As the man sexually harassed her, Debbie slapped him across the face with all her strength.
The drunkard sobered up in an instant. He gritted his teeth in anger and walked closer, intending to teach Debbie a lesson.
Debbie was a sheer beauty. This was not the first time she had experienced being harassed by filthy men.
One of Debbie's classmates looked at the drunkard up and down and commented with utter disdain, "Can you behave yourself? It's embarrassing for an old man like you to annoy a young girl."
"Next time, look at yourself in the mirror before you leave your house. How did you have the nerve to take a picture with a decent lady? " another mocked.
The man was enraged that the group of young people insulted his appearance. Fuming with anger, he put down his drink and bellowed, "How dare you?! I won't let you off!"
As soon as he said those words, he waved his hand. Soon, a group of hooligans surrounded Debbie and her classmates.
Those who had attended Debbie's birthday were her college students. Afraid they would make trouble for themselves, they did not dare to fight off campus.
Meanwhile, Debbie's eyes widened in horror upon realizing that they were outnumbered by those hooligans. So, without hesitation, she shouted, "Run!"
Her classmates were also aware that this was not the right time to be a hero. Without wasting a second, they picked up their bags and bolted.
The hooligans chased them around in all directions.
Unfortunately for Debbie, she could not run fast as she was wearing a dress and high heels. She got separated from her companions before she could even reach the exit.
Because of this, she took off her shoes and ran barefoot.
When she turned a corner, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure....
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