I was still lost in thought, and by the time I snapped out of it, I was already enveloped in his warm arms.

This warmth made me feel a sense of attachment.

Since my parents were gone, he was the only family I had left in this world.

At that thought, I began to feel a sense of reliance on this man once more.

Perhaps I had always relied on him this way.

"If you're sad, just lean on me and cry."

His deep voice in my ear was reassuring.

I nestled in his arms and shook my head, my eyes glazed.

"I want to go pay my respects to them tomorrow."

"Alright. I'll go with you."

"..."

Go with me.

Those words provided more comfort than any sweet talk ever could.

I looked up into those deep, dark pupils. There was a depth there I couldn't fathom, yet they also held a tenderness meant only for me.

In that gaze, my emotions became uncontrollable.

He took my hand and led me out of the study, back to our bedroom.

In the few days since returning home, he had been staying in the study.

And I had never explicitly stated that I wanted to be intimate with him.

I closed my eyes, and it was as if I had returned to that nightmare.

"No!"

I suddenly snapped my eyes open, my forehead somehow soaked with a fine sweat.

Looking at the man inches away, it was him.

This was my husband.

"Clara, I love you... in this life, I love only you."

He clearly knew my fears and didn't pressure me.

Slowly, I began to sink into his tenderness.

After that, I didn't want to wake up.

Since that night, we lived together.

No, to be more precise, we adapted to each other like a normal married couple.

Instead of "each other," it would be more accurate to say that I had completely accepted this husband.

He doted on me, loved me, and cherished me.

I seemed to find no reason to refuse this affection.

As my manager had said, once I opened my mind, I felt incredibly happy every day.

Chapter 21

Early the next morning, I opened my eyes to see the man beside me watching me tenderly.

My face instantly flushed.

Oh my god, really...

Blushing, I pulled the duvet up to cover my face, not daring to meet his gaze.

To have him just staring at me like that... it was so embarrassing.

He let out a soft laugh and pulled the duvet down to reveal my head.

His warm breath drew near, the distance between us negligible.

"Shy, are we?"

"..."

Who asks something so directly?

"No, I'm not..."

I—what do I have to be shy about?

He couldn't help but smile.

Seeing the amusement in his eyes, I realized I was being teased.

I gritted my teeth and turned my head away, ignoring him.

This man was truly annoying—getting what he wanted and then acting smug about it.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."

He lightly tapped the bridge of my nose with his finger. "There's a press conference today. I need you to attend with me."

He explained that previously they had only announced to the public that I was alive; today, he wanted me to make a formal appearance.

I had known about this arrangement since yesterday, so I nodded.

As long as he was by my side, I wouldn't be afraid.

He put on his shirt and looked back at me, as I hadn't moved.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Hmm?"

My face flushed again. How was I supposed to say this?

"You didn't seem to... use anything last night."

This—this was a major issue that needed attention!

First of all, although we had accepted our relationship as husband and wife, we still needed to be careful about such things for now.

Secondly...

My career was just taking off; I couldn't get pregnant yet.

I waited for his response.

He looked as if he wanted to say something but was hesitating.

I frowned with displeasure.

What was the point of this silence?

He couldn't possibly... want a baby, could he?

I pursed my lips. If that were the case, how should I choose?

"I..."

I lowered my head and said with great difficulty, "I'm not ready yet."

Not ready to be a mother.

"I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time."

He simply apologized.

"Then this time... did you prepare anything for me?"

I stared at him.

"There's no need. You're in your safe period."

Safe period?

I shook my head.

"No, my cycle has always been very irregular... and it's always very strange and painful."

If it weren't for my hatred of hospitals, my manager would have taken me for an exam long ago.

Every time it happened, I felt like I was losing half my life.

I pursed my lips, truly unable to understand what this man was thinking.

He was silent; was he angry?

But he didn't look it.

They say a woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea, but why did I feel that his thoughts were even more difficult to guess?

Chapter 22

At the press conference venue.

Just as Xavier had said, all the reporters were unusually quiet. It didn't feel like a press conference at all; it felt more like...

A commemorative photo session for me.

Every reporter wore a gentle smile on their face.

I felt awkward to the extreme. Could these people be any more fake?

However, as long as the news was reported, it would be enough.

Later, some people asked me a few questions, but they were all related to my future career plans.

Mrs. Hannigan sat on my other side and answered them one by one for me.

Mostly concerning this design endorsement, Mrs. Hannigan handled it with ease; one could even say she had been waiting for this day for a long time.

An hour passed, and the press conference ended successfully.

I had sat there for an hour like a wooden mannequin, not saying a single word, just forcing a social smile.

I smiled until... my face felt stiff.

Coming out of the venue, I rubbed my aching jaw.

"Why were you smiling so much just now, hmm?"

Xavier ruffled my hair.

I pursed my lips. Wasn't I supposed to maintain a smile? Otherwise, it would be quite rude, and besides—

"I look good when I smile; I'm only pretty on camera that way."

There was three parts truth and seven parts coquettishness in those words.

Mrs. Hannigan, standing aside, was so overcome by the cheesiness that she rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.

At the entrance, seeing that he didn't seem to be getting into the car with us, I asked curiously.

"Are you going to the office?"

Xavier nodded.

I didn't think much of it and nodded with a smile.

"Alright then, Mrs. Hannigan and I will head back first."

With that, I took Mrs. Hannigan's arm and waved goodbye to Xavier.

The distance between us kept growing, when suddenly—

"Don't move!"

A woman suddenly rushed out from behind a pillar.

There were still reporters, security, and staff present, and none of them expected a disturbance to break out outside the venue.

I heard Mrs. Hannigan let out a low cry as she was pushed aside, her body hitting the car heavily.

And I was grabbed by the arm by the woman who had rushed out.

The scarf wrapped around her head fell off, revealing a face filled with hatred!

"None of you come any closer!"

The woman acted like a maniac, her arm tightly choking my neck as she kept backing away.

She pulled back her coat, revealing liquid-filled bottles strapped to her waist.

Those were...

My pupils flickered.

The icons on them indicated they contained flammable chemical liquids that could spontaneously explode upon contact with air.

Xavier clearly recognized them too; he raised his hand, signaling everyone not to approach.

I was being choked so hard I could barely breathe. In my ear was the woman's frenzied voice—

"Clara, you certainly have a long life!"

I was confused. I didn't know this woman at all—why was she doing this to me!

"Who are you... let me go!"

The woman froze for a moment.

Then I saw Xavier trying to step toward me. The woman's eyes turned red, and she barked again: "I said don't come over!"

Xavier stopped in his tracks, seemingly forcing back the unease in his heart, his voice deep: "Let her go, and I'll let you leave."

The woman sneered, unmoved.

She looked at me, trapped in her grasp, scrutinizing me carefully. Then, she laughed.

"So you have amnesia... Heh, no wonder! No wonder you could accept him again! Hahaha!"

My face was red from being choked, but what concerned me more was: what did this woman mean by those words?

"You don't understand? I'll tell you—back then, you were tortured to death by this man!"