Back in the room, Ariel thought she could finally rest. But the moment they were behind closed doors, Rex turned into a different version of himself.
He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pinned her to the door. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear coyly, he asked, “Why did you defend me back there?”
His hot breath landed on her nape, tickling her gently and arousing her senses. She twisted her body in an attempt to escape from his clutches, but the man merely tightened his arms.
“Hmm?” he grunted, insisting on a reply from her. As his nasal twang reached her ears, a chill chased down her spine.
“W-Well, we’re a married couple now. You’re my husband, so I won’t allow others to bully you,” Ariel stuttered while the tips of her ears turned red.
“Is that so? So there’s no ulterior motive?” Rex Anderson pressed on. He brought her nearer, brushing his lips lightly over her ear as he spoke.
“What else- Ah!” Ariel was going to retort when Rex suddenly sucked on her earlobe and nibbled on it lightly.
“Think before you speak,” he reminded with a ragged breath as he continued running his lips across her earlobe.
Rex’s hot breath, coupled with his playful lips, caused Ariel to go numb right that instant. It was as if the man was controlling her mind, and her tongue was no longer her own.
In the end, she blurted out truthfully, “I-I just want them to stop bullying us so I can live in peace. Since you seem not to only act crippled but also pitiful and act like the victim”
She was so shy by now that her eyes were beginning to turn red, too.
“That’s more like it.” Rex let out a soft snicker. It seemed like he was finally convinced.
Ariel heaved a sigh of relief.
“Mr. Rex, can you- Ah!” She was about to ask Rex to release her when he suddenly picked her up.
“W-What do you think you’re doing?” Shocked, Ariel flung her arms around his neck as she was afraid that she would drop to the floor.
“Ha! We’re couples; so of course, we should do something befitting our status.” Rex let out a soft chuckle and headed to the bed with Ariel in his arms.
“No! I don’t want to!” Immediately, Ariel attempted to pry herself free.
“Let me go, Rex Anderson. You can’t do this to me.” Last night was an accident because she was drunk. Right now, she was clear-headed and refused to be treated that way.
“Why not? We’re married. Everything I do to you is practically legal.” Ignoring her pleas, Rex threw her onto the bed and crushed his entire weight onto her.
“Don’t you want to be intimate with me, Honey?” Rex’s finger landed on the middle of Ariel’s brow. A hint of warning flashed across her eyes.
“Of course, I- Hey!”
Ariel was in the middle of explaining when Rex’s finger pressed down forcefully, causing her to yelp in pain.
“Mm? Think before you reply, Honey,” said Rex, emphasizing the word “Honey.”
“I…” Ariel trailed off. This was clearly a warning, so she could only gaze at Rex with her bloodshot eyes.
“That’s a good girl.” Rex let out a satisfied laugh. His mouth then landed on her lips as he drowned her in a dizzying kiss.
That very morning, Rex ravaged Ariel once again at the Anderson villa. It was already afternoon by the time he was done with her.
Ariel was left in total despair and the thought of the night she spent with the total stranger occupied her mind. She was tempted to call Damien and ask who the person was, but unfortunately, she couldn’t bring herself to do so.
“Young madam, Old Madam Anderson wants to see you.”
Soon after Rex left, someone came knocking on the door.
“Okay,” replied Ariel obediently. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and tidied herself up before leaving to see old Madam Anderson.
Pushing the door open, she saw old Madam Anderson’s personal maid, Kate, waiting for her outside. She then followed Kate down the stairs quietly.
They went past the living room and a tastefully furnished hallway before arriving at a beautiful garden behind the Anderson residence. It was a vast space full of flowers and fauna. There was also a pavilion, greenhouse, and a swing. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Kate pointed at a small house right beside the greenhouse and explained, “That building is where Old Madam Anderson lives.”
Coming to a stop, Ariel turned back and pointed at the Anderson residence, which was as huge as a castle. She asked curiously, “Why did she move out to stay alone?”
Kate flashed a smile. “Old Madam Anderson is no longer young, so she craves peace. Besides, there are too many people living in the villa.
“Too many people” Ariel asked, confused.
“Yes, although young Master Fidelis and his children live on the other side of the villa, their main quarrel field is the main building and not only that, Madam Brenda’s friends always come to play cards in the building” Kate explained briefly, and Ariel nodded in response.
Stepping into the house, Ariel immediately spotted old Madam Anderson resting on a rocking chair by the window with her eyes shut tightly. She couldn’t tell if she was resting or sleeping.
The sunlight shone through the windows and landed gently on her. It seemed like time had come to a still here.
Kate gestured for Ariel to stay still while she went over to her employer gently. “Madam, young madam is here.”
“Where is Rex?” Madam Anderson opened her eyes and questioned.
“Mr. Pius just picked him up for his physiotherapy,” answered Ariel.
old Madam Anderson grunted in response. Yet the moment her eyes snapped open, she barked at Ariel, “Get down on your knees.”
Slightly shocked at her sudden change of behavior, Ariel didn’t know what she did wrong or how she had offended the old madam of Anderson, but she knelt anyway. “Grandma-”
“Don’t you dare call me Grandma. Call me Old Mrs. Anderson for now, just like Kate. “Old Madam Anderson glanced at her from the corner of her eye.
“Old Madam Anderson, what did I do wrong? Please enlighten me.” Is she seriously asking me to kneel in front of her? How old-fashioned. Ariel thought
Looking away, old Madam Anderson responded, “What do you think?”
Pausing for a while, Ariel straightened her back and responded, “I have no idea. Please enlighten me, madam.”
“You’re stubborn, sharp tongue and vulgar. You didn’t marry Rex willingly, did you? If so, why did you defend him back there?” old Madam Anderson questioned in an intimidating tone.
Ariel replied promptly, “When my father told me to marry Rex with the rumors around about him, I was indeed unwilling. But I picture how handsome he would have been if he wasn’t disabled during the wedding. He looks just like a celebrity on my heart, so I probably caved in because of the way I imagined him to be. He might be a little cold and difficult, but he makes me feel at ease. And since we’re married now, I want to make it work. Besides I can’t just sit there and watch people bully my husband even if they are his family members” Ariel said with all seriousness and doesn’t seem like she was putting on an acts.
Old Madam Anderson scrutinized her for a few seconds with her brows furrowed before her tone softened. “Get up. Kate, get her a chair.”
Clenching her jaw, Ariel stood up. Rex had tortured her last night and this morning, so her knees were blistered and swollen by now. As she rose to her feet, she couldn’t help but massage her swollen kneecaps. These people are really not easy. I need to try my best to please the old lady if I don’t want to become homeless, Ariel thought.
At the same time, old Madam Anderson had taken note of everything as a corner of her mouth lifted. I might get a great-grandson soon, since my grandson is not crippled down there.
After Kate had brought a chair over, she placed it beside old Madam Anderson’s rocking chair. Then, Ariel took a seat gingerly. Suddenly, old madam carefully took off her jade pendant and slid it into Ariel’s wrist while sighing. “This suits you well. I’ve lost a lot of weight after getting older, so it no longer fits my neck. Besides, it was supposed to be passed down to my granddaughter-in-law but she passed-early”. There was a flash of sadness across the old madam’s face when she mentioned her granddaughter in-law.
Ariel knew nothing about jades, but the bracelet was a translucent emerald. Clearly, it was an expensive bracelet. Ariel was about to reject old Madam Anderson’s offer, but the latter grabbed her wrist, stopping her actions.
“Old Madam Anderson, this is too expensive. I can’t take it…”
“You’re just keeping it safe for me,” Old Madam cut in. “I trust that you’ll take good care of Rex. I don’t know how long I can help him. Since you like him, take good care of him on my behalf. Otherwise, your family will lose the project.
“Like….? Who will like that devil incarnation” Ariel thought, she plastered a fake smile on her face all through their conversion. Although she wondered why the jade pendant was passed down to her instead of Brenda she dare not question the Old madam.
There little conversation ended and Ariel went back to her room to take a rest while waiting for Rex to come back.
Meanwhile, while Ariel was with the old Madam Anderson the building next to the main Anderson was hot like hell as Fidelis Anderson was boiling with anger.
“How could the old witch do this to me” he screamed and each time he screamed he breaks a flower vase and so is the rest of the family member each grumbling about how unfair old lady of the Anderson was to them.
“Andrea, now that Rex is married, marriage should be on your agenda!”
Brenda looked at her son and whispered, although Rex is more favored by the old lady now, but if you have a child before Rex, the old lady will admire you.
Andrea calmed down and looked at his mother, “Don’t worry about that, no matter how much the old lady love him she would be disappointed, but what I want is not only to be favored by the old lady but to completely drive Rex Anderson away! I will make sure that haggard old lady become disappointed in him.”
Brenda snorted coldly “I feel uncomfortable each time I see him and now that he has that bitch with him we have to do something quick, I can’t bear to seeing him being arrogant. You better focus on getting married”
“Mom, don’t worry,” Andrea answered confidently picks up his glass of wine and gulped it down his throat before lying on the couch lazily.
**************
“Honey, now that Rex has 50% share, don’t you think you should do something and stop throwing tantrums here?” Brenda closed the door to the study room, walked to her husband and whispered “Rex will soon lay his hand on the 20% with you if you refuse to do something, and what is this you are doing transferring your aggression on my expensive flower vase, I thought you were okay with the old lady transferring her share to that crippled of a thing”
“Get out!” Fidelis roared angrily as he swipe all the books on the table to the floor.
Brenda was startled so she stamped her feet on the floor and left.
It was towards the afternoon before Rex came to pick Ariel up, Ariel has enough time to rest they bid the old lady Anderson good bye.