Chapter 1

"Now that you're leaving the mountains, take care of yourself, Lina."

"You don't have to give all your scholarship funds to Beacon Elementary School, Lina. You're going to study in Cyntia, and it's nothing like our life in the mountains. I heard the tuition, food, and rent are all really expensive there."

In a remote mountain village, the humble villagers bid farewell to a gorgeous young woman. She had the standard look of someone strapped for cash, wearing a white T-shirt and washed-out jeans.

Her long hair was in a high ponytail, and she had big eyes and a perky nose. With a touch of baby fat on her delicate face, she looked pretty and adorable.

Carrying a big backpack and all sorts of luggage, Melina Crawford got on the bus heading to the city. She sat by the window, waving to everyone with a bright smile.

"Alright, you all should go back now. Make sure to tell the principal to keep the school running. The kids need education. After I make some money from work, I'll send it to the school."

Melina was raised in the mountains. After being accepted into a university in Cyntia, she was finally leaving her village.

Even though it was still early before the university started, Melina was in a hurry to get to Cyntia to meet Wallace Wentworth, who had been supporting her education all these years. And when she was there, she had to marry his good-for-nothing grandson.

…

Melina wanted to save money, so she spent three days and two nights on an uncomfortable train seat to reach Cyntia.

At the agreed-upon location, Melina spotted Wallace in his suit, looking just as kind as she had imagined.

Wallace beamed and asked, "Are you really saying yes to marrying my hopeless grandson, Lina?"

Without a second thought, Melina confidently patted her chest and replied, "Yup."

Melina had seriously thought over it. She believed in repaying the kindness she had received.

Wallace had been helping the kids in the mountains to get an education for decades, and Melina was one of them. There was no question she needed to return the huge favor.

Wallace always complained about having a disappointing grandson. He was 28 years old but still not married, which made him look pretty sad.

So, Melina decided to help Wallace out.

Anyway, the people in her village got married after just being introduced to each other and meeting once. From her perspective, two people getting married without knowing each other wasn't a big deal.

Wallace liked Melina more and more as he looked at her. Over the years of helping the kids in the mountains, he had watched her grow up to be kind, sincere, beautiful, and a brilliant student.

Without hesitation, Wallace said, "Since you have agreed, we might as well get the marriage certificate today, Lina."

"Wait, today?"

"That's right. Let's make it happen today."

It took Wallace a lot of effort to coerce his grandson into agreeing to the marriage, so he wanted to get everything sorted out to avoid any complications.

…

Half an hour later, Melina arrived at the entrance of the courthouse. She finally met Andrew Wentworth, the grandson Wallace had always labeled as a failure.

Melina went into a daze. Shouldn't a loser look like an average Joe who couldn't do anything right in the village? Why was Andrew so charming?

In all the villages on the mountain, Melina had never come across a man this attractive. His hair even seemed to glimmer, but his expression looked grim.

Melina politely smiled at Andrew.

With a presence that warned the others to stay away, Andrew looked at Melina with a mix of scrutiny and disdain.

What a cunning woman. How did she get Wallace to force him into a marriage?

With Wallace hurrying them, Andrew and Melina walked inside the courthouse.

Sensing Andrew's impatience, the staff member in the courthouse couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure you want to get a marriage certificate?"

Andrew coldly looked at the staff member, and the latter flinched at his gaze.

With a snap, the official stamp was pressed onto the marriage certificate.

Chapter 2

Andrew took the marriage certificate and threw it at Wallace without a second thought, as if he merely finished a task. Then, he turned around to get into his car and closed the car door.

Realizing what was going on, Wallace was agitated as he snapped, "Hold on. You just got married, and you have a wife. Are you planning to just leave her behind like this?"

Andrew rolled down his car window. Ignoring Wallace, Andrew turned to Melina and indifferently said, "Just so you know, we're married in secret. Don't bring up our relationship in public. It's too humiliating."

After finishing speaking, Andrew floored the gas, leaving a trail of exhaust in his wake. Melina didn't have time to say a word before he sped away.

Wallace stumbled backward in anger.

Seeing this, Melina hurried over to catch Wallace. "Are you alright, Mr. Wentworth Senior?"

Wallace felt diffident and had an urge to ask Melina if she was fine.

He cleared his throat and earnestly said, "You've seen how Andrew is, Lina. He has a bad temper and can't do anything right. You're not thinking of divorcing him, are you?"

With a solemn expression, Melina promised, "Of course not. No matter how hopeless he might be, I'll still take care of him. From where I came from, we believe that marriage is for life. We don't talk about divorce unless it's necessary."

In the elite circle, Andrew was known for his aloof demeanor. It was hard to imagine what those people's reactions would be if they heard someone call him a good-for-nothing.

Seeing how naive Melina looked, Wallace felt like a bad guy tricking a young woman into a dangerous place.

With a guilty conscience, Wallace decided to put the villa Andrew was staying in under Melina's name as soon as he got back.

Wallace asked his chauffeur to take Melina to Andrew's villa. He hoped that they could build their relationship by spending some time together for a while before sending them back to the Wentworth residence in a few days.

Meanwhile, Wallace hurried off to hide the marriage certificate immediately. No way Andrew was getting a divorce in the future.

…

Andrew usually stayed in Oakread. The villa community wasn't luxurious at all. Instead, it was pretty plain because it retained many old buildings.

But this place was special. Money alone wouldn't get anyone in. Living here was a symbol of prestige.

Wallace left in such a hurry and forgot to tell his chauffeur that Melina was Andrew's wife. Since he had no idea about that, he just dropped her at the entrance of the villa community and left without helping her with her luggage.

Melina carried all her bags and belongings as she made her way to District 1. What came into view was a small yard enclosed by a fence, with a three-story house inside.

She felt that the house looked a lot like the one owned by the wealthiest family in her village. Luckily, it wasn't lavishly decorated, which made her feel a lot more at ease.

It turned out that Wallace's family wasn't super rich. Before agreeing to the marriage, she was concerned that the disparity in wealth might create a barrier.

The yard was spacious, making it perfect to plant some vegetables in the future.

Lost in thought, Melina entered the place. After crossing the yard, she arrived at the house and took out the key Wallace had given her to open the door.

When Melina went inside the house, she immediately spotted a man sitting on the couch in the living room.

Seated on the couch, Andrew appeared quite tall. His coat was tossed to the side, and his collar was casually undone, revealing an alluring Adam's apple.

When he glanced up, the tiny mole at the corner of his eye became more prominent, and his every move carried an air of elegance.

Melina blankly stared at Andrew. How could someone look so perfect, like a model on the front cover of a magazine?

Right then, Melina carried a bulky backpack that was packed to the brim with all her belongings.

Intending to cut costs, Melina brought all the daily necessities she'd need for university.

She had a pink bucket in her left hand and an old Nokia phone in her right hand, the kind that was no longer sold.

Melina was quite a sharp contrast to Andrew.

Despite feeling nervous, she sported a sincere smile and said, "Hi, Andrew. I'm Melina Crawford."

Andrew gazed at Melina, who set foot in his place. Like an alpha wolf sensing an intruder in its territory, he exuded a menacing air.

With a raspy and cold voice, he snapped, "Get out!"

Chapter 3

Andrew's commanding tone left no room for dispute.

Startled, Melina held her pink bucket firmly. She finally understood why Wallace complained that Andrew couldn't find a wife. Even though he was handsome, he was too scary.

But she promised Wallace that she would look after Andrew, so she couldn't just leave him be. After thinking it over, she earnestly said, "I'm really good at cooking and doing housework. On top of that, I'm great at looking after a person."

Andrew just sat there, exuding a chill like the icicles hanging from the eaves in her village during winter. It was pretty to look at and dangerous.

But Melina wasn't afraid. When she was a kid, she didn't have any snacks, so she'd break off the icicles and chew them like popsicles with a loud crunch.

She wasn't bothered by his cold demeanor and maintained a genuinely sincere expression.

As the event unfolded, Andrew just sat on the couch, and Melina stood in her spot.

Andrew's phone suddenly started ringing. With a touch of elegance, he reached out and picked it up.

Over the phone, Wallace warned, "You'd better take good care of your wife. She'll be living in Oakread from now on. If you dare kick her out, that woman will never be allowed to set foot in the Wentworth residence again."

Andrew replied with a low voice, "This is the last time."

After saying that, Andrew ended the call and narrowed his eyes as he looked at Melina, "Did you say you wanted to take care of me?"

Melina firmly nodded and subconsciously glanced at the enchanting mole in the corner of Andrew's eye.

Out of the blue, Andrew eerily chuckled, like a fiend baring its sharp fangs when it spotted its prey. "Since you want to stay, I'll make that happen."

Living at his wouldn't be a walk in the park.

How dare she use Wallace to force him into a marriage and then take things further by moving in? She'd better be ready for what was coming for her.

Melina had no clue that this marriage came about because Wallace coerced Andrew into it and Andrew actually wanted nothing to do with it.

When Melina heard Andrew agree to let her stay, she looked overjoyed and grinned so much that her eyes were barely visible. Her genuine happiness made him coldly stare at her in a daze.

Melina had her luggage in her hand as she walked inside.

"Where did you find yourself such a unique woman, Mr. Wentworth?"

The moment Melina walked inside, she almost ran into John Palmer, who wore a floral shirt. She also heard his teasing words.

Only then did she notice it wasn't just Andrew in the house. There were many other people here.

The living room was in disarray, with bottles of alcohol scattered everywhere. A crowd gathered and drank together. Meanwhile, Andrew sat alone on the other side, as if there was an invisible wall around him.

Just now, everyone had stayed quiet when Andrew was talking. At the same time, Melina stood outside the door, so she didn't see any of them.

Right then, all the eyes were on Melina.

As Melina walked in, the tipsy crowd gathered around her, throwing comments her way.

"That's true. She's quite something. Which year did this antique get unearthed? She looks so old-fashioned."

"Did Mr. Wentworth's preference change? How could he go for someone like this when he has someone as dazzling as Linda?"

"She's pretty, but isn't she underage?"

They all gathered around Melina and mocked her, but Andrew didn't stop them. Instead, he just watched with an indifferent look.

Realizing Andrew wasn't stopping them, everyone got even more out of control.

A typical young woman would probably feel intimidated being surrounded and ridiculed by these fancy-looking folks.

But Melina didn't react that way. A woman, who grew up in hardship, had a resilience not everyone had.

Furrowing her brows, she looked at everyone and solemnly said, "You are all being really rude."

Chapter 4

The crowd paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

Talking about manners with people like them was quite something. Of course, their remarks only got nastier.

"These days, women are getting more and more shameless. Are you so desperate to sleep with Mr. Wentworth that you'd even pretend to be a maid just to get inside Oakread?"

"Take a good look at yourself. Do you honestly think you deserve to be anywhere near Mr. Wentworth?"

"Seriously? Linda's only been away for a few days, and you're already after Mr. Wentworth. Someone like you doesn't measure up to Linda's level."

"Hurry up and get out of here. Stop being such an eyesore."

These young heirs were pros when it came to picking on someone.

The main reason was that Andrew didn't stop them. With the way Melina was dressed, nobody would think that she was connected to him. Everyone assumed she was a new maid trying to stand out to catch his eye.

When the group was hurling insults, John walked over and shoved Melina. With all the luggage she was carrying, she couldn't dodge and ended up stumbling.

Meline took a deep breath and swallowed her anger. She could feel the disrespect, disdain, and contempt in their actions and words, but she didn't see any reason why she should be looked down upon.

She put up with Andrew because of what Wallace had done for her. Meanwhile, she didn't know any of these people. What made them think they could push her around?

Seeing the attitude in Melina's eyes, John tried to throw the drink in his hand right at her.

The next moment, Melina dropped her pink bucket and grabbed John's wrist. The liquid splashed a bit, and a few drops trickled down her hand.

Melina looked John straight in the eye and said, "If you lay a hand on me again, I'll fight back."

She might be sweet and kind, but she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. If they tried to mess with her, she'd stand her ground.

Melina once went up the mountain to find herbs and ran into a wild boar. The boar tried to attack her, but she fought back and killed it, even if it cost her two broken ribs.

If she could face down a boar, would these people really intimidate her?

They all had no idea what was going through Melina's mind. If they knew she thought of them as less than boars, they'd probably lose it.

John wanted to withdraw his hand, but he realized he couldn't. Her hand had a surprisingly strong grip.

Melina noticed John was trying to pull away. She didn't want to start a fight in front of Andrew the second time they met. She would come across as not very ladylike.

With that in mind, Melina let go, but John was yanking his hand away so hard that he lost his balance and fell to the floor, spilling his drink all over himself. He ended up being a total mess.

Things got quiet for a moment.

Melina looked so innocent, especially since she didn't mean to do it.

Just then, Andrew snapped, "Cut it out. Meli or whatever your name is, apologize now."

Andrew didn't seem to remember Melina's name. He wasn't loud or aggressive, as he just spoke casually. But he exuded an air of authority that allowed no disagreement.

Melina retorted, "Why should I say sorry if I didn't do anything wrong?"

The tension in the room escalated. Everyone seemed shocked when Melina talked back to Andrew. Was this country bumpkin asking for trouble?

Most of the time, Andrew came across as someone who could joke about anything and not take things seriously, but everyone knew he wasn't a carefree person. Beneath his laid-back demeanor, he had a cold-blooded character.

People didn't call him the Demon Lord for nothing. Anyone who messed with him usually ended in a pretty bad way.

Everyone watched to see how Andrew would react, but he remained emotionless. With a drowsy look, he impatiently stated, "Either apologize or leave."

Melina fixed her bright eyes on Andrew, but the light in them gradually dimmed into disappointment.

Right then, it dawned on her that Andrew would not stand up for her. They would never be like the couples in her village, who treat each other with love and respect.

But she couldn't just walk away. She still hadn't repaid the favor of the support she received for over ten years, and she had promised Wallace to look after Andrew.

As Melina slowly lowered her gaze, she clenched her fists and softly said, "I'm sorry."

Chapter 5

Melina's eyes were so clear that she couldn't hide her emotions. Everyone could see the disappointment in her eyes. Her authenticity was completely out of place in the city.

After Melina apologized, a few people came up and mockingly pushed her around. Feeling humiliated, John didn't go after her anymore but took out his frustration by kicking her pink bucket.

Melina kept backing away. She knew calling Wallace would keep her from getting kicked out, but she didn't want to make him worry on her first day in Cyntia.

She kept her head down. When no one was looking, the disappointment in her eyes had already turned into determination.

Everyone thought they could push Melina around, but she remembered each of their faces. If she ever ran into them again, she'd make sure to get back at them.

Nobody knew that the seemingly sad young woman was already plotting her revenge.

Just then, Andrew looked like he was tired and was done with this nonsense. He called out, "I'm tired. Time to leave, everyone."

His words were final. When he allowed it, they could fool around as much as they liked.

The moment he gave the word, all the arrogant young men at the scene quickly stopped their antics and started saying their goodbyes as they left.

None of them was as bold as Melina, and they wouldn't dare to talk back to Andrew. Soon enough, only Melina remained. She stood quietly where she was.

Right then, Andrew gave another order. "Get her settled in, Dorothy. From now on, we don't need part-time helpers or maids in Oakread. She'll take care of all the housework."

The older, refined butler made her way over to Melina.

Those who hadn't left the place heard Andrew's instructions and looked at each other in confusion. It was at that moment they all sensed something unusual was happening.

Everyone knew Andrew had a peculiar quirk. He disliked having outsiders in his living space. Typically, the maids and the cooks came at specific times, did their jobs, and then left.

The attendees of the party knew the rules. Even Dorothy, who had taken care of Andrew since he was young, never stayed overnight at Oakread.

But Melina was given a place to stay, which meant she'd be spending the night at Oakread and living under the same roof as Andrew.

They were all shocked and baffled. Who was this new maid? Why was it that she could stay at Oakread when she looked so plain and shabby?

Shocked, they left in a hurry, and the villa fell silent.

Following Andrew's instructions, Dorothy led Melina to a room on the first floor and explained things to her. "You'll be staying here from now on, miss. Mr. Wentworth's room is on the second floor, and he doesn't like being disturbed. So, don't go upstairs unless you have to."

When Melina found out that she didn't have to sleep with Andrew, she let out a deep sigh of relief.

At the end of the day, Melina was just a young woman who had been recently accepted into university. Even though she was married, she wasn't ready to share a bed with a man she just met.

Looking at the gentle old lady in front of her, Melina remembered how Andrew called her Dorothy, so she did the same. "Got it, Dorothy. Thank you. I'm Melina Crawford. Feel free to call me by my name."

Dorothy was taken aback by how Melina addressed her. Only Andrew would call her that, and most people would respectfully call her "Ms. West," including his friends.

Dorothy's expression softened a little. Remembering what Andrew had asked for, she reluctantly said, "Mr. Wentworth has asked you to clean up the living room, Ms. Crawford. Also, you'll have to take care of his daily needs from now on."

Melina looked like she was barely old enough to be an adult, and Andrew made her clean such a big villa. He clearly meant to give her a hard time.

But Melina had no objections and nodded with enthusiasm. "Alright, I'll do my best."

Dorothy sighed. "Put your things down and follow me. I'll walk you through the villa and show you how to use some of the equipment."

Melina came from a poor background, so a lot of the appliances here were new to her.

Dorothy was patient in her explanations; Melina could feel the kindness behind it.

In the end, Melina beamed at Dorothy and sincerely said, "I really appreciate it."

Seeing how sweet and innocent Melina seemed, Dorothy felt like her heart had melted, so she made an exception and gave Melina her number. She told Melina to call her if she needed help.

As the sky went dark, Dorothy finally left.

After cleaning up her room, Melina came out and found out that Andrew had already gone upstairs. The villa was quiet, with only the living room still in a mess.

Melina was already exhausted from sitting on a hard train seat for three days and two nights. But the thought that every task she did would repay Wallace's kindness instantly gave her energy.

"I've got to repay the favor. Time to start cleaning," Melina thought to herself.

Chapter 6

The cleaning in the villa was usually done by the helpers that Dorothy arranged.

But Melina had to do all the housework by herself. She started at sunset and finished around 11:00 pm.

After wrapping up the chores, she went back to her room to take a bath and go to bed, only to realize that she didn't know how to operate the smart bathtub.

Dorothy had shown Melina how to use the vacuum cleaner and washing machine. However, Dorothy had no idea that she was used to heating her bath water by herself when she lived in the mountains. She had never used a shower, let alone a smart bathtub.

Melina thought about asking Dorothy for help, but then she noticed it was quite late and didn't want to disturb Dorothy's rest.

Andrew, who stayed upstairs, crossed her mind for a while. But she shook her head and dismissed the idea. After all, he definitely wouldn't bother to help.

Melina fiddled with it for a long time but could only get cold water, so she decided to just take a cold bath. Anyway, she was in good health and had taken cold baths before.

After the bath, Melina sneezed a little. She was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as she lay down.

Melina had never stayed in a spacious and pretty room like this.

But a closer look would reveal that Melina's belongings only took up a small part of the cabinet, and she curled up in the corner of a large bed when she slept.

She appeared so helpless, as if she was living at the mercy of others.

…

The next morning, Melina woke up at 6:00 am. Perhaps it was due to the cold bath yesterday night, she felt a little feverish.

But since Melina had always been in good shape, she didn't bother with it. After washing up, she headed to the kitchen right away to prepare breakfast, like a dutiful wife.

Melina made her way to the kitchen. As she opened the fridge, she was taken aback. It was filled with alcohol and drinks, without a single cooking ingredient in sight.

She recalled Dorothy's instructions yesterday about Andrew only eating fresh food. She really wanted to ask if storing ingredients in the fridge made them not fresh anymore.

Dwelling on it was pointless, so Melina quickly headed out to buy some groceries.

She ran out into the chilling breeze. After strolling for a while, she only saw small houses around, and there wasn't a market in sight. Eventually, she came across a café and went inside to buy breakfast.

Melina got herself some empanadas and pasta.

Seriously, it was over 60 dollars?

Melina was shocked by the price, so she only bought one serving for Andrew and couldn't bear to get anything for herself. She planned to go back and eat the instant noodles she had brought from the train.

After getting the breakfast, Melina hurried back and patiently waited for Andrew to wake up. The longer she waited, the more feverish she felt.

Melina kept waiting until it was 11:00 am. As someone who always slept and woke up early, she couldn't wrap her head around how anyone could sleep so late. The longer she waited, the more worried she became.

Did something happen to Andrew? Did he pass out?

She strengthened her resolve and made her way to the second floor. After all, she couldn't just neglect her incompetent husband.

After going upstairs to Andrew's room, Melina knocked on the door, but there was no response.

He must have fainted, right? There was no other explanation.

The door wasn't locked, so Melina walked right in. The first thing she saw was Andrew lying on the bed with his eyes shut.

He was buried in the white sheets. With the hem of his pajamas rolled up, his perfect waist was in plain sight. A ray of sunlight filtered through the curtains and fell on him, leaving her staring in a daze.

A sweet and innocent woman raised in the mountain like Melina had never seen anything this alluring, and she subconsciously walked over.

It was hard to tell if she wanted to enjoy the sight or just wanted to check if he had actually fainted.

As Melina leaned in closer and bent down to have a closer look, she subconsciously swallowed hard. Suddenly, Andrew's eyes snapped open, and he swiftly reached out to grab her by the throat.

Before this, Melina viewed Andrew as a lazy and unruly person. He spoke and acted without regard for anyone, not even respecting Wallace. He seemed like nothing more than a spoiled brat.

But at this point, she sensed danger for him, like a cold and deadly viper. It felt even more threatening than facing a wild boar.

A regular person would panic in a situation like this.

But when Melina's throat was grabbed, her first instinct was to fight back. She threw a punch at Andrew's abdomen, but his reaction was quicker as he yanked her hard.

Melina was pulled off balance and ended up falling onto Andrew.

As he choked her with more strength, she felt a crushing pain in her chest, and the severe suffocation filled her with rage.

Sitting on top of Andrew, Melina didn't bother with the hands choking her and hurled a solid punch in his face.

In a life-threatening scenario, a dazzling young man was no different from a wild boar in Melina's eyes. They both needed to be dealt with fiercely.

After getting punched in the face, Andrew was fully awake.