Chapter 2
I had no feelings for Lucas, but he had an extreme desire to control me.
On our wedding night, he pinned me to the bed, his eyes dark: “You’re bound by this arranged marriage, married to a sick man like me. Do you hate me?”
I shook my head trembling: “No, how could I hate you.”
He smiled with a sneer: “That’s good. Remember, since you married me, you’re mine in life and in death. Never think about leaving me.”
That night, I cried until my voice was hoarse, every bone in my body felt as if it had been crushed.
Afterwards, Lucas lit a cigarette. In the hazy smoke, he apologized to me.
His cold and restrained demeanor made me feel for a moment that the wildness in bed had been just a nightmare.
Later, when he almost choked me to death during an episode, I remembered the question he had asked me as I was losing consciousness.
Did I hate him?
Indeed, I didn’t.
Without him, I don’t know where I would have been sold off to.
The one who originally had the marriage agreement with the Gray family was the eldest daughter of the Thompson family, Evelyn.
As for me, I was just the result of Mr. Thompson’s youthful indiscretion.
Evelyn had never met Lucas, only knowing that he suffered from bipolar disorder.
People in their social circle all said that Lucas was antisocial and gloomy, often losing control of his emotions and going crazy, which was terrifying.
Evelyn became increasingly distressed, constantly crying out that she wouldn’t marry him.
But given the Gray family’s status in the business world, if the Thompson family backed out of the engagement today, they would likely go bankrupt tomorrow.
It was at this time that my mother, who owed a huge gambling debt, brought me back to the Thompson family to be acknowledged.
She had originally planned that if the Thompson family didn’t accept me, she would sell me to pay off her debts.
Mr. Thompson gave my mother a sum of money and secretly kept me, spending a year to transform me into Evelyn’s likeness.
A year later, he sent the real Evelyn abroad and sent me to the Gray family.
It was a win-win situation for them.
In the bedroom.
Lucas had finished his shower and was drying his hair.
As Evelyn plucked up the courage to approach Lucas, he suddenly spoke: “You went back to the Thompson house a few days ago?”
Evelyn flinched reflexively when she heard his voice.
She bit her lower lip, looking pitiful as she nodded: “Yes, my mother was sick, so I went to see her.”
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to myself.
Half a month ago, Mr. Thompson had found my mother and asked her to pretend to be sick to lure me back to the Thompson house.
Then, they locked me in an attic full of willow catkins, triggering my asthma.
They took advantage of my illness to take my life.
Lucas heard this and simply said “Oh,” then gently asked: “Do you want me to go back with you to check on her?”
I was slightly taken aback.
He rarely spoke with such emotion.
After we got married, he never offered to accompany me back to the Thompson house.
Seeing his gentle expression, Evelyn’s heart, which had been on edge, finally settled down.
She thought that Lucas’s earlier violence must have been just a momentary lapse due to his condition.
He was actually very gentle and considerate when he was normal.
Evelyn’s face flushed slightly as she said softly: “Alright.”
Then, very naturally, she put her hand on Lucas’s shoulder and tilted her head up to kiss him.
Just then, the phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.
Lucas immediately pushed her hand away and answered the call.
There was a problem with a company project.
“I won’t be coming home tonight. Go to bed early,” he said.
With that, Lucas changed his clothes and left without looking back.
Watching Lucas’s retreating figure, Evelyn stomped her foot in frustration.
But recalling her interaction with Lucas earlier, she couldn’t help but blush again and called her mother, Mrs. Thompson.
“Mom, I’ve got Lucas under control. He doesn’t suspect a thing.”
She looked extremely pleased with herself.
Mrs. Thompson on the other end of the phone was also very happy when she heard this.
Marrying Lucas meant securing a life of wealth and status.