Chapter 2

Back then, after everything happened, I was alone, hiding in a corner, feeling helpless. Gianni Curry quietly stepped in front of me, shielding me without a word.

I fought back my tears and was about to leave, when the door swung open from inside. Gianni spotted me and quickly bowed his head. "Miss..."

Alina Kennedy, Winston's mother, saw the tears in my eyes and gently drew me close.

My birth mother passed away early, my father kept his distance, and my stepmother never bothered with me.

But after I married into the Kennedy family, Alina was warm and caring, teaching me everything herself.

She never had a daughter, so she treated me as her own. Her kindness almost made me forget how cold Winston was to me.

So even when Winston stayed distant after our wedding, I could let it slide and greet him with a smile.

Alina had always said that if Winston kept acting like this, she'd just introduce me to her own nephew from her side of the family. I just laughed it off and never took it seriously.

Alina pulled me aside. "Paulina, don't be upset. My nephew..."

Winston caught sight of me through everyone, and suddenly his face lit up with excitement. "Mom, Dad, do you believe in love at first sight? I want to marry her."

Wait, what?

I pointed at myself. "Are you talking about me?"

My in-laws looked totally stunned. Alina blinked in confusion and asked, "Winston, who do you mean?"

Winston hopped out of bed and came right up to me. He fussed with his clothes, even though they were perfectly neat, and asked, a little shy, "Miss, are you already engaged?"

[Is she a fairy? She's stunning!]

I was stunned. Who was talking?

I looked around and took a half-step back. The voice came again: [She stepped back. Does that mean she doesn't like me? Did I rush things and scare her off?]

My in-laws were watching Winston like it was a performance, their expressions perfectly calm.

[She's not saying anything. Does she think I'm being too forward? Maybe I shouldn't have been so direct.]

Winston was staring at me, his cheeks red with embarrassment. After holding his gaze for a while, I finally realized where the voice was coming from.

It was Winston's voice.

And I was the only one who could hear it.

Winston used to barely acknowledge me, leaving me to sleep alone night after night. I kept that hurt buried deep inside.

A mischievous thought popped into my head, and I smirked, "As far as I know, you're already married. If you want to marry me, what would my status be in your household?"

Winston frowned, looking troubled and hesitant. "Miss, you're like a fairy. Of course you'd be my rightful wife. But..."

He shifted, changing his tone. "But I've already married. How could I just abandon her so easily? If I were that kind of man, you wouldn't want to marry me, right?"

My in-laws exchanged a knowing look and left the room together, closing the door behind them.

Now it was just the two of us in the room.

[Oh my god, Mom, Dad, why would you do this? This is embarrassing.]

I was so annoyed by his mental chatter that I had to rub my ears. "You're absolutely right. Oh, and I forgot to mention. I'm already married. Guess we just weren't meant to be."

[Which bastard managed to marry a fairy like her?]

[I don't want to hear about fate not being on our side. We're soulmates, meant to be together for countless lifetimes.]

[Should I just take him out when I get the chance?]

I was taken aback.

On the surface, Winston just flashed a polite smile and said smoothly, "Pardon the intrusion. May I ask where your husband lives? I can have someone escort you home later."

[I'll have Gianni figure out who that bastard she's with is. Maybe I'll just deal with him tonight.]

There were a lot of guests around today, so he must have assumed I was just another guest's wife who came with her husband.

I decided to mess with him a little—suddenly stepping forward, grabbing him by the collar, and pushing him down onto the bed.

He swallowed hard, his lashes trembling.

[She smells amazing. She's so close. Her lips look so soft that I just want to kiss her.]

Trying not to laugh, I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "My husband's useless. We've been married a whole year, and he's never even slept with me.

"But you seem like you'd be up for it. I don't care about status. How about we keep things on the down low and have a little fun?"

"Wh-what..." Winston stammered, his voice shaky.

My hand slid down, stopping right between his legs, where the heat was practically radiating.

He couldn't help himself. He sprang to attention and then hurriedly swatted my hand away.

[Shit, what the hell am I doing. This is so humiliating, just let me die already.]

What a shameless player. Bet he was totally out of control when I was not looking.

I bit his lip with a smirk and said, "Midnight tonight, at the villa by the fields in Westmere. I'll be waiting for you."

If I was going to keep up the act, I had to do it right, so before I left, I made sure Alina knew and told her not to say a single word to Winston.

But I didn't actually head to the villa in Westmere. Instead, I was just lying in the Kennedy family's backyard, only a single courtyard away from Winston.

A bunch of big, burly guys were waiting for him tonight.

They weren't really a match for Winston, but they'd be enough to send him back looking battered and humiliated.

After chatting with Alina for a bit, I got into the carriage and left the Kennedy family. I circled around and slipped back in through the side gate.

Back in my courtyard, I freshened up and got ready for bed.

When I noticed a figure behind the bed curtains, I paused, took a deep breath, and turned to leave.

The person inside seemed to sense I was about to go. He yanked open the curtains and called out, "Paulina, don't go."