And they were right. Every single thing they’d worried about came true over the next three years of their marriage.
But looking back now, Aella realized Tyrone hadn’t married her out of love. It had been defiance.
Edwin had rejected Zera because of her family background. In rebellion, Tyrone had chosen a bride whose family had gone bankrupt just to defy his grandfather.
The more Aella thought about it, the angrier she became. Her chest tightened, and her heart burned with resentment. Without realizing it, her hand pressed the medicine against Tyrone’s wound a little too hard.
Tyrone’s back throbbed with pain, and he hissed when Aella pressed too hard. Only then did she realize her hand had been too rough.
Just then, Justin knocked and entered the room. “You two haven’t eaten dinner yet. Mrs. Winter told the kitchen to make you some soup. Better drink it while it’s hot.”
Aella put away the first-aid kit. She had no appetite. “I already ate,” she said.
She had studied holistic medicine. Even with the chicken broth and seasoning, she could still smell the faint taste of herbs hidden inside.
Justin took a step closer. “Mrs. Winter’s worried. Please, drink a little.”
A servant brought in two bowls of soup. Tyrone took one and finished it in a single gulp.
Then he lifted the other bowl and held it out to Aella. “Mom made this for us. Drink a little.”
Aella hesitated. Justin wouldn’t leave, and Tyrone still stood there waiting.
After a pause, she took a few sips just to be polite.
Justin finally nodded with satisfaction and left the room with the maid. Aella helped Tyrone change into his pajamas, then went to take a shower.
A few minutes later, she stumbled out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her face flushed.
She rushed to the bed and grabbed Tyrone’s arm, trying to suppress the restlessness in her heart. “Get up. You need to drive me to the hospital-now.”
If her guess was right, the soup had been spiked with something powerful.
Before she could finish, Tyrone yanked her into his arms. In an instant, she was pinned beneath him.
By the time she reacted, he was already beneath her.
She could feel the heat radiating from his skin. Her breath caught, and her vision blurred as she looked into his fiery eyes. “Tyrone, you need to calm down. They put something in the soup-“
Tyrone braced his arms on both sides of her, his eyes burning red with desire. His voice dropped, rough and low. “Aella, don’t push me away.”
The warm light filled the bedroom, wrapping everything in a hazy, intimate mood.
Aella’s long hair fanned out across the pillow. The medicine made her dizzy, her body soft and weak. Her beauty was intoxicating.
Tyrone’s eyes drifted from her face down to the delicate line of her damp collarbone.
Desire stirred in his gaze. He couldn’t hold back anymore. Tyrone leaned down and kissed her.
His lips moved from gentle to fierce, biting and then softening, like he was waiting for her to respond.
Aella pressed her hands weakly against his chest, but her strength was fading.
With the effect coursing through her body, her mind turned hazy, her thoughts tangled, impossible to control.
Tyrone had been holding back for over two months. That night, he finally lost control.
It was madness.
It was fire.
It lasted until dawn.
…
When Aella woke up again, it was already late morning.
Her whole body ached as she sat up. The memories of Tyrone’s wildness from the night before made her heart tremble.
He hadn’t used any protection, and they had been together the entire night. She needed to buy emergency birth control-fast.
He had already gone back to Zera. They even had a child together.
Even if she couldn’t get a divorce yet, she refused to let herself end up carrying Tyrone’s baby.
Aella quickly showered and changed before going downstairs.
Raine rushed toward her, clearly anxious. She grabbed Aella’s arm and pulled her along. “Aella, thank goodness you’re finally up! Grandpa and Dad just called Tyrone into the study again.”
She glanced toward Virginia. “What happened?”
She wanted to ask what she had added to the soup last night but swallowed the words.
Virginia had always liked her and never wanted to see her and Tyrone divorce.
Aella guessed that the woman had probably added something meant to help her get pregnant and strengthen her fragile marriage.
Virginia paced around nervously. “This morning, Justin came in a hurry. I don’t know what he told Edwin and Ralph. After that, Ralph sent Justin upstairs to get Tyrone. It’s been almost an hour. They’re still in the study. Tyrone was just whipped last night-I’m so worried.”
Aella hesitated, then tried to reassure them. “Don’t panic. I’ll go check.”
Tyrone’s back was still wounded. After what happened last night, she wasn’t sure if the injury had opened up again.
If they hit him again, he’d probably end up in the hospital.
Feeling sorry for a man like him never led to anything good.
Virginia had treated her with an open heart all these years. Raine had always stood by her, protecting her in every way.
Aella couldn’t let them keep worrying themselves sick.
She headed toward Edwin’s study, only to be stopped in the hallway by two housemaids. “Mr. Edwin ordered that no one is allowed past this point,” one of them said.
Aella’s expression hardened. “Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.”
When they still refused to move, her tone turned cold. Aella warned, “I might have a low place in this house, but I’m still a member of this family. If I want to fire you, it only takes one word.”
The maids exchanged nervous glances and finally stepped aside.
Aella tiptoed to the door of Edwin’s study.
She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. She just needed to make sure Tyrone wasn’t being punished again.
The study door was soundproof. Aella stood outside and couldn’t hear a thing.
She hesitated, then gathered her courage and pushed the door open just a crack.
The moment she did, Tyrone’s furious voice burst out. “The woman I want to marry is Zera, not Aella!
“If it hadn’t been for all of you interfering, Zera and I would’ve been together long ago. You ruined her, and you destroyed my happiness!”
Aella froze at the doorway, her mind buzzing so loud she could barely think.
She staggered back step after step until her shoulders hit the cold wall behind her.
Bending over weakly, she struggled to breathe. The pain in her chest spread through her whole body.
He had held it in for so long. Now he had finally exploded.
He finally said what was buried deep inside.
He loved Zera. He wanted to marry Zera.
And he hated Edwin for tearing them apart, for robbing him of his happiness.
From the very beginning, she realized it had always been one-sided.
Aella closed her eyes in despair, as if her heart had been ripped in two.
Inside the study, Edwin sat behind his desk. Ralph and Justin stood on each side.
Across the wide desk, Tyrone faced Edwin.
His fists clenched at his sides, veins bulged on his forehead, and his bloodshot eyes locked on his grandfather. His face was dark with fury.
Ralph’s expression was just as grim. “You’re the only heir,” he said coldly. “Everything you do affects our family’s future. If your wife wants to work, she can work at our company. Otherwise, she needs to stay home, have a child, and take care of her husband. We don’t raise freeloaders here.”
Tyrone bit out each word. “Whether she works or not, whether she has kids or not, that’s between us as husband and wife. It’s none of your business.”
Ralph was about to argue again, but Edwin stopped him with a gesture.
Edwin rose to his feet, Justin rushing to steady him.
The old man walked slowly around the desk until he stood right in front of Tyrone. His tone was firm and threatening. “Six years ago, I made Zera disappear right under your nose. If I did it once, I can do it again-and this time, I’ll make sure that woman and her child vanish from this world completely.”
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