Chapter 2
Maria walked for nearly ten minutes. A thin layer of sweat broke out on her forehead. She raised her hand and wiped it off
She could see the people in the shaded areas from a distance. She pursed her lips and did not say anything,
These were all expected, and there was nothing to care about.
Upon reaching the main building, the butler descended the steps and came to greet her expressionlessly. “Miss Greenwood, your room has been arranged. Follow me.”
“Thank you.” Maria didn’t care about the butler’s attitude. She held up her wedding dress, followed behind the housekeeper, and went upstairs.
Behind her, the voices of other servants arose. One of them asked, “When do you think Mr. Frank will divorce her?”
“Who knows? Mr. Frank is extremely unlucky to become involved with such a woman, another one said.
A third voice followed, saying, “Indeed. Drugging Mr. Frank and forcing him to marry her. How despicable.
Another one piped up, “It’s a pity for Miss Nina. I quite like her.”
“Don’t worry. Mr. Frank will eventually divorce this despicable woman and marry Miss Nina, someone else chimed in.
Maria lowered her eyes as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Some words, when first heard, might evoke emotions. But over time, one became accustomed to them. It was easy for her to ignore them after that.
Soon, the butler opened the door of a room near the corridor and told Maria expressionlessly, “You can rest here. Clothes have been prepared for you. You can change into those.”
“Okay. Thank you.” With her gaze still lowered, she held up her skirt as she entered the room.
Maria closed the door and lifted her eyes to survey the room.
It was less than 100 square feet and only had a bed, table, and cabinet. However, there was also a washroom and bathroom,. The room was small but well-equipped.
On the blue and white bedsheet of the bed, several sets of clothes were neatly placed.
At a glance, she could tell that these clothes were the same as those worn by the servants a moment ago.
He did marry her for revenge, just as he said.
Maria’s rosy lips curved into a bitter smile. She lifted her dress and walked toward the bathroom.
After filling the white bathtub with hot water, she undressed. Looking at the redness on her elbow, she lightly touched it. It hurt a lot. The pain was piercing.
Fortunately, she did not scrape herself. As for the slap mark on her cheek, Maria looked at herself in the mirror and saw that the swollen area had diminished. She paid no mind to it.
Just get used to it. This is something I have to live with from today onwards,’ she thought. For my mother, even if knowing it was hell, I would jump into it.’
Maria stopped thinking about it. Since Vanessa Greenwood, her stepmother, had said that Frank was with Nina Greenwood, her stepsister, it meant Frank wouldn’t return today.
It was better this way. Rather than seeing him, Maria hoped Frank would treat her as a wife-in-name or a servant. It would
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give her more freedom.
She lay in the bathtub, letting the warm water heat her cold skin.
She was always cold all year round. Her body temperature was much lower than others.
Every time she took a bath, the water temperature had to be higher than for others.
Maria closed her eyes and let her mind go blank. This result was already good enough for her.
A “click” sound came from the bathroom door.
Maria suddenly opened her eyes and, upon seeing the handsome and cold face appearing at the doorway, screamed.
She crossed her hands over her chest and quickly grabbed the nearby towel to cover herself. Because of the hot water, her body had a rosy hue.
“How did you get in?” She hadn’t locked the bathroom door, but she remembered locking the bedroom door.
“This is my house.” Frank’s face remained expressionless. His deep, magnetic voice was as cold as ice.
Maria, faced with the man’s intent gaze, trembled uncontrollably.
She averted her eyes. Her fingers grasped the towel tightly. “I’m bathing…”
Her words did not make Frank leave. On the contrary, he walked over and sat on the edge of the bathtub.
With that move, Maria’s heart began racing uncontrollably. She tightened her grip on the towel and moved away instinctively.
Frank’s sharp black eyes stared at Maria’s face and the lingering red mark on her cheek. His gaze deepened.
Soon, his thin lips curled into a disdainful smile. “Why are you shying away? Have you forgotten how eagerly you clung to me that night?”
Maria’s heart clenched. An ache spread through her.
She bit her lip and said nothing.
Her silence, in Frank’s eyes, was an admission of his words. The coldness in his dark eyes became even more chilling.
He reached out and gripped Maria’s jaw, forcing her to lift her head to face him.
His thin lips parted, and his low, magnetic voice spoke with a slight lilt, “Or is this your way of playing hard to get?”
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Frank’s fingers pinched Maria painfully. His slightly cold fingertips touched the red mark on her face.
But the pain on her face was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.
This man was humiliating her in this manner.
Frank looked at Maria’s tearful and innocent eyes. Suddenly, the strength in his hands increased as if he wanted to crush her jaw. “Maria, don’t look at me so innocently. Do you think I would still believe you?”
He released her jaw, grabbed Maria’s hand, and lifted her out of the water.
Maria didn’t expect Frank to do this all of a sudden. Her naked body was almost exposed in front of him. The man pushed her against the cold tiles.
“What… what are you going to do?” she asked in a panic. She trembled uncontrollably, trying to reach for a towel to cover her body.
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Chapter 2
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However, Frank held her firmly, immobilizing her. He was so close that she could feel his breath on the pink skin of her shoulders. It caused Maria to tremble even more.
“You came back and immediately took a bath. Is it not because you want me to sleep with you?” Frank breathed in the sweet scent of the woman before him, the heat in his eyes intensifying.
“No… I didn’t… You said you found me dirty, that you wouldn’t touch me…” Maria, recalling what Frank had said to her, spoke anxiously.
She didn’t want to experience that night again, not at all.
Frank pinched Maria’s jaw. His rough fingerpads pressed against her red lips. He sneered, “Maria, haven’t you figured out your position yet? Do you think I married you just to put you here? Let me tell you, you are only my sexual outlet until I get tired of you.”
He laughed like a devil from hell, ready to devour her alive.
When she heard him, Maria’s already white face turned even paler. A touch of despair spread in her. She struggled, not wanting Frank to lay a hand on her. “No… Don’t… I don’t want it.”
Little did she know, her struggle only deepened the dark desire in Frank’s eyes.
He grabbed her wet, long hair and ruthlessly bit her cherry lips as she protested.
The prolonged torment and sex after that left Maria lying lifelessly in the already cold water in the bathtub.
Compared to the red marks on her body and her disheveled appearance, the man’s suit only had a few water stains and creases from her struggles.
The chill returned to Frank’s eyes as he looked at the woman who lay in the cold water lifelessly.
He slightly furrowed his brows.
Even in his most youthful and impulsive years, he would not casually seek sexual solace in women.
He had never had much interest in this aspect. Due to his father’s influence, Frank also knew how to be disciplined.
Even when he was dating Nina, he never made any inappropriate moves.
It was a matter of respect for Nina and him being responsible towards her.
They said that a woman’s first time was meaningful only on her wedding night. So, when Nina wore revealing clothes and attempted to seduce him, he did not react much.
However, when faced with Maria, whether for the first time or now, he wanted to thoroughly bury himself inside her and take her.
Frank attributed it to a long period of abstinence, resulting in such a reaction towards women.
If it were Nina, perhaps he would be even more wild.
At the thought of Nina, all the desire in his black eyes was extinguished completely.
Without looking at Maria, he turned and left the bathroom abruptly.
Maria had no intention of moving at all. Listening to the closing door, she bit her lip tightly. The man’s words of humiliation echoed in her ears like a broken record.
“Maria, you’re truly despicable…” she murmured, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
There was a snap as the bathroom door opened again.
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Frank held a bottle of medicine as he looked at Maria, who was still lying motionless. He furrowed his eyebrows tightly.
Maria lifted her head, puzzled by Frank’s return.
When he approached and tossed the medicine bottle into her arms, he spoke in a deep voice, “Take it.”
Maria lowered her eyes. She picked up the bottle and looked at it. It was contraceptive pills.
Her heart felt like it was pierced by needles.
He did the same last time. He brought her medicine and forced her to take it, telling her not to dare conceive his child and that she wasn’t worthy.
Numbed with pain, Maria didn’t wait for Frank to say anything else. She opened the bottle with trembling hands and shook out two white pills. She directly swallowed them.
Frank just stared coldly until Maria took the pills. He didn’t linger further, turning abruptly and leaving the bathroom.
Tears overflowed from Maria’s eyes, falling down her cheeks and splashing into the bathtub, creating small ripples.
She felt exhausted, not just physically but also mentally.
The water in the tub became colder, and her body gradually chilled.
Leaning on the edge of the bathtub, Maria managed to lift her body. She got out of the bathtub with trembling legs. Before she could step out, there was a bang, and she fell to the ground.
Luckily, the floor was covered with her disheveled clothes and a towel, cushioning the impact to some extent. However, it still hurt her, causing her entire face to wrinkle in pain.
She bit her lip. Supported by the sink, she trembled as she stood up. It took great effort to leave the bathroom, and she threw herself onto the bed.
She was tired, hungry, in pain, and uncomfortable now.
But she knew no one would come to help her.
Her mother had said that if it hurt too much, she should go to sleep. Everything would be better when she woke up.
Maria slowly closed her eyes.
