- 2.
“Oh dear, sister, why are you so careless?” Phoebe leaned against Gideon, her voice sickeningly sweet.
“Gideon, should we call a doctor to check on her?”
Gideon frowned, glanced at me, hesitated for a moment, then spoke impatiently: “It’s just a scratch. Stop making a fuss.”
He turned and took Phoebe and their children upstairs to rest.
I walked alone to my storage room, hearing the nannies‘ undisguised laughter behind me:
“Why put on airs like a madam in front of me? She didn’t die from the fall!”
I curled up on the small bed, drifting into a painful sleep. The wound on my forehead still ached.
Footsteps approached outside. Then Gideon’s cold voice came through:
“Behave tomorrow at the old man’s 80th birthday.”
4:58 AM
<
I didn’t answer. The door was suddenly pushed open, and Gideon stood in the doorway with a medical kit. Before I could react,
he roughly pulled me up, his grip making me frown.
“Know it hurts but don’t apply medicine?”
He sneered at my wound but took out an alcohol pad skillfully.
“Planning on showing the old man your sorry state tomorrow for sympathy?”
“Gideon,” I asked softly, “why did you marry me?”
He paused, then sarcastically pinched my chin:
“Because you needed Gideon’s family’s billion dollars.”
In the darkness, I laughed silently through tears. I should have known he didn’t marry me out of love.
For ten years, he resented my parents for breaking us up, not knowing I left due to a false cancer diagnosis. By the time I wanted to tell the truth, he already hated me deeply.
I took a divorce agreement from my bag and placed it on the bed. I’d brought up divorce several times over the never succeeded.
years,
but it
With my family bankrupt, and Gideon keeping me at home to care for the kids, I had no way to gather the billion dollars he demanded for my freedom.
He knew this well, never taking my requests seriously.
He said impatiently: “Nora, are you done making a scene?”
“This time is real.” I spoke softly but firmly.
“I’ll find a way to get the money and pay you back. Even if you don’t believe me, about
Phoebe’s coquettish voice suddenly came from upstairs:
“Gideon~ Where did you put my pink lingerie~?”
Gideon immediately released me, crumpling the agreement and tossing it in the trash:
you…”
“Enough, you’ve squandered all your dowry over the years. Who else but me would give you a billion dollars?”
The door slammed shut.
The next day, I forced myself to put on makeup, covering the wound on my forehead, and attended the birthday banquet. But Gideon’s assistant seated me in the last row, with the drivers and nannies.
“Oh, isn’t this Mrs. Gideon?” A wealthy lady passed by, covering her mouth with a laugh.
“What are you doing sitting here?”
I sat in silence, hearing whispers behind me:
“I heard Gideon brought another child home Miss Phòshe is truly bless
4:58 AM
<
“I heard Gideon brought another child home. Miss Phoebe is truly blessed with many children, no wonder she’s favored.”
“Indeed, even as the legitimate wife, she’s now seated with the help. How embarrassing.”
I clenched my napkin, fingers turning white.
Moments later, Gideon strode over with Phoebe behind him:
“Who told you to sit here?”
The assistant said: “Miss Phoebe said you arranged for the madam to sit here.”
Phoebe’s face turned pale with panic, but Gideon just frowned, saying nothing. She smiled smugly again.
I followed Gideon to greet the old man. He kindly spoke a few words to me, then turned to Phoebe, displeased:
“Not just anyone can enter Gideon’s family. Don’t bring random people here again.”
Phoebe’s face turned ashen. At that moment, Ezra and Willa suddenly clung to her, calling her auntie sweetly.
“Who allowed you to sit here?”
The assistant replied, “Ms. Lin said you arranged for ma’am to sit here.”
Phoebe’s face immediately showed panic, but Gideon just frowned and said nothing. She smiled smugly again.
I followed Gideon to greet the old man. After a few kind words, he turned to see Phoebe and said disapprovingly, “Not just anyone can walk into Gideon’s family. Don’t bring such unwelcome guests next time.”
Phoebe’s face turned pale. At this moment, Ezra and Willa suddenly jumped on her, sweetly calling her auntie.
Phoebe’s expression softened a lot since she had given birth to three children for Gideon.
Even if the old man didn’t like her, he would still show her respect for the children’s sake.
The old man snorted and called Gideon away. I was about to get up and leave when Phoebe suddenly pressed my shoulder with a cold smile, “Sister, let’s play a game.”
