Chapter 5

The day I was discharged from the hospital, Edmund showed up again.

The car window slid down. He turned his head, gave me a quick once-over, and said coolly, "Get in."

He had saved my life, paid off my surgery and hospital bills, and even cleaned up all the bad press about me online.

But all of this came at a price.

And his price was marriage. He wanted me to marry him.

"My reputation is in ruins, and you still want to marry me now?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What, are you afraid I'll do you harm?" Edmund teased, his eyes glinting with mischief.

I shook my head quickly. "No, I'm just worried I'll cause you trouble."

He let out a dismissive laugh. "Trouble's meant to be dealt with, not feared. So, are you marrying me or not?"

"Why do you want to marry me?" I asked, really curious.

To him, I meant nothing. It really didn't make sense for him to risk everything just to marry me.

He fell silent for a long moment, just staring at me. Finally, he said seriously, "Charlotte likes me."

"Huh?" I looked at him, completely confused.

"If I marry the one she hates most in her life, what do you think she'll do?" he asked.

I just couldn't understand it. If he didn't like Charlotte, he could've just cut her off. So why go to such lengths just to get a rise out of her?

Did he have some kind of grudge against her?

Seeing his expression darken, I didn't dare ask any more questions.

He handed me a document that spelled out this was just a business deal—what people call a contract marriage.

After reading it, I hesitated for a long time before asking, "How long is this marriage supposed to last?"

Edmund absentmindedly touched the ring on his finger, paused for a moment, then looked at me with a playful grin. "No idea. Maybe it won't last long."

"But..." I hesitated.

Seeing me waver, he said flatly, "You don't have a choice. Just sign it."

Right now, things were really rough for me, and marrying Edmund might be my best option.

After making up my mind, I signed the document.

Edmund didn't waste any time. As soon as I signed, he took me straight to the City Hall to get our marriage certificate.

The air in the car was cold. I pulled my coat tighter around me and leaned against the window, watching the couples and married pairs coming and going outside. My feelings were all over the place.

Some of them were snapping photos together right in front of the City Hall, sharing warm kisses, their faces glowing with happiness.

I kept staring at them. And before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face.

A trace of warmth landed on my cheek, wiping away my tears. It pulled me back from my sorrow. I lowered my gaze and saw Edmund's hand.

Realizing I'd lost control in front of him, I quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed.

Edmund pinched my chin, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Does marrying me really make you feel so wronged?"

I didn't dare meet his deep, commanding gaze, so I lowered my eyes and denied it, "No."

His thumb brushed over my cheek, gently smearing my tears onto my dry, chapped lips. "Then why are you crying?"

"I... "After thinking for a while, I still couldn't really explain why.

Edmund wiped the smile from his face and suddenly leaned in, tilting my chin up so I had to meet his eyes. "Are you still hung up on your so-called brother?"

My eyes flew wide in shock. Flushed with embarrassment and anger, I glared at him and retorted sharply, "No!"

He let out a mocking chuckle. "You can fool others, but don't fool yourself."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I've been lying to myself for seven whole years."

After everything I'd been through, I had finally figured out a lot of things.

When it came to Lucas, all I ever really felt was dependence. I was terrified of being alone and abandoned, so I clung to him like he was the only thing keeping me afloat.

I convinced myself that this dependence was love, kept hypnotizing myself just so I could rationalize all the pain he put me through as something that came with 'loving' him.

Every time he hurt me, I'd just tell myself that because I loved him, I could put up with anything for his sake.

No one ever taught me what it really meant to love someone.

Lucas was my whole world, but he told me that because he loved me, he had the right to control my life however he pleased—and that I should be ready to sacrifice myself for him whenever he needed.

After living under his control and mental abuse for so long, I'd pathetically forgotten who I even was.

Fate gave me a wake-up call, showing me just how lost I'd been for those seven years.

Now that I had finally come to my senses, I gave Edmund a smile and said, "You can relax. From now on, I'll cut all ties with Lucas Sinclair. I won't bring you any trouble."

He didn't say a word, just handed me a red velvet box and said coolly, "Wear it. Don't take it off until we're divorced."

Inside was a diamond ring, a matching pair with the one on his own ring finger.

When he slipped the ring onto my ring finger, he shot it a quick glance and gave a careless smile. "Just grabbed it at random. Didn't expect it to fit you so well."

Staring at the sparkling diamond ring on my finger, I sat there in a daze for a long time.

''I really have never lived for myself, have I?' I wondered.

I spent all my years before twenty-three paying off Sinclair family's debts, and now, my debtor became Edmund.

Did the universe really have it out for me, to make my life this hard?

Edmund was always so distant.

Ever since we got married, I barely saw him, and hardly ever came back to this place.

Mr. Woods, the butler, once told me that Edmund didn't really live here. He had a place of his own.

A man like him... He must have a lot of women around him.

Even someone like Charlotte—a wealthy heiress and one of the biggest stars in showbiz—was willing to trade her reputation for a romantic night with him.

Just when I was feeling lucky that I didn't have to live under the same roof as him, he showed up again and shattered my peaceful fantasy.

Fresh out of the shower, I stepped into the room—only to spot a man standing on the balcony. I screamed my head off.

Edmund turned around, blowing out a puff of smoke. He looked me up and down, frowned, and drawled lazily, "What's with the surprise?"

Then he just turned away again, smoking like I wasn't even there.

I grabbed my clothes and rushed back into the bathroom to change. When I came out again, I crept out quietly, trying not to make a sound.

Edmund was leaning against the railing, both hands resting on it, a cigarette pinched between his fingers. He bent a leg and watched me with a playful, almost mocking look.

I stood there, my face burning, my eyes lowered. "Why are you back?" I mumbled.

"What, am I not welcome?" he said with a teasing smile.

Normally, he was all sharp suits and perfectly slicked-back hair, radiating an intimidating, commanding presence that kept people at a distance.

But right now, he had this bad boy vibe about him—something a little rebellious and wild.

A few messy strands of hair fell over his forehead, his suit jacket was carelessly tossed on the bed, and his white shirt was unbuttoned more than usual. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off his muscular, toned forearms.

Every time he flicked his cigarette, his collarbone and chest flashed into view. He looked both restrained and dangerously sexy, like temptation itself.

"No, just... a little surprised," I mumbled.

Edmund stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and walked over to me.

He stopped right in front of me, lifting my chin. His brows drew together a little, but he didn't look mad at all. "Isn't it normal for your husband to come home? Why are you so surprised?"

"But you never came home before," I blurted out.

I didn't even realize how weird that sounded.

Edmund raised an eyebrow, bent down to my left ear, and gave a low, teasing laugh. "Are you complaining that I've been neglecting you?"

The sudden rush of warm breath in my ear made me shiver all over, and a soft, involuntary hum escaped my nose.

I quickly pushed him away, covering my left cheek with my hand, and snapped, "Why are you standing so close? It's not like I can't hear you."

He advanced on me, step by step, not giving me any room to escape.

I backed away until my heels hit the wall, and there was nowhere left to go.

Edmund reached out and gripped my neck, holding me in place. His eyes locked onto mine for a moment before he leaned in, his lips brushing my right ear as he whispered something to me.

He then pulled back, locking eyes with me. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

I turned my head away, angry. "You know I'm deaf in my right ear, but you still tease me on purpose. Do you think this is funny?"

He froze for a moment, his teasing expression disappearing instantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it..."

"So, what brings you back?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"To build some husband-and-wife chemistry," he said, straightening up and turning toward the bathroom.

As the sound of running water from the bathroom snapped me back to my senses, I raised my voice, calling out anxiously, "Why do we even need to work on our marriage?"

He didn't respond. I knocked on the door, hesitantly asking, "Edmund, why aren't you answering me?"

Still not giving up, I kept knocking. "Edmund, did you hear what I—"

The door suddenly swung open, and he stood there, giving me a brooding look.

I blinked rapidly, my mind blanking out for a few seconds. When I finally realized what I was seeing, my jaw dropped in shock, about to scream, only for a wet hand to clamp over my mouth before I could make a sound.

"You're so noisy. Can't you just let me shower in peace?" he snapped.

I nodded frantically, and only then did he slam the door shut.

Images of his body kept replaying in my mind, and I could still feel the lingering warmth and dampness from his hand on my face. Mortified, I scrubbed at the spot with my sleeve and rushed out to the balcony, hoping the night air would cool me off. But the longer I stayed out there, the hotter my cheeks burned.

When Edmund finally came out, I was sitting quietly, using a magazine to cover up how nervous I was.

He walked over, took the magazine from my hands, flipped it right side up, and handed it back to me casually. "You had it upside down."