Ch. 321..330

Chapter 321

Subsequently, Michael brought me to the Shaw residence. As soon as we stepped into the living room, everyone in the Shaw family was sitting there, awaiting our return. A sense of solemnity hung in the air.

Michael's grandfather was sitting at the center with a grave expression on his face. Josephine, on the other hand, wore a livid expression when she spotted me. Conversely, Lincoln's expression was indifferent, his emotions indecipherable.

“Michael, you're finally back! Do you know how worried I was?”

Josephine hurried over to Michael and looked at him with anxiety written all over her face.

“I'm fine. Look, am I not perfectly well now?”

Although she always picked on me, her concern for him was genuine. The look in her eyes as she gazed at him brimmed with worry.

“I heard that you encountered the bunch of kidnappers. Were you injured? Quick, let me look you over!”

She was still fretful despite seeing that he had returned safe and sound, thus hastily checking him over.

Hiss!

Michael sucked in a breath when she inadvertently touched the wound on his arm, his expression crumpling slightly.

“Oh my goodness, what is it? What happened?”

Seeing that, Josephine was so stricken that she swiftly dropped her hands. The anxiety in her gaze mounted.

“Michael was grazed by the kidnapper while saving me. We just came back from bandaging our wounds at the hospital just now.”

When Michael said nothing, I told her about him having been injured by the kidnapper earlier.

“What? Grazed? Are you okay, Michael? Is it serious? And does the wound still hurt?”

The moment Josephine heard that Michael was injured, a frantic light entered her eyes. Her gaze turned teary as she scrutinized him.

“I'm fine. It's just a paltry wound.”

Michael shook his head in exasperation at her frantic expression. Andy and Lincoln likewise regarded him with distress etched on their faces then though it wasn't as blatant as Josephine.

It was a long time before Josephine finally regained her composure after Michael's reassurance. In the next second, she turned to me. Before I even knew what was happening, a crisp slap split the air, and a heavy palm landed on my cheek.

I was still dazed, only sensing a stinging pain on my face. Her slap was entirely beyond my expectation.

Lifting my head, I gaped at her, not quite believing that she actually hit me, and without any warning to boot.

“Mom! What are you doing!”

Michael didn't expect his mother to raise her hand against me either. When the shock on his face faded, fury followed right on its heels. He glowered at Josephine with utter chagrin on his face.

However, Josephine ignored him. Her attention was wholly focused on me.

“This is all because of you! You're simply a jinx! Ever since Michael got acquainted with you, nothing ever went smoothly in his life! Also, allowing you to marry into the Shaw family will just bring about the ruination of our family!”

She glared at me furiously, steam almost coming out of her ears.

In the face of her condemnations, my face paled at once. I was downright aggrieved, yet I couldn't even utter a single word in rebuttal. For a moment, I was stunned at her incandescent look.

“What are you saying, Mom?”

Josephine glanced at my pale face before she shifted her gaze to Michael with a peeved look in her eyes. Her voice also turned much colder than before.

“Did you not hear me? Ever since you got involved with her, things haven't been going well for our family. And now, you even got injured on your wedding day! Tell me what this means, then!”

Michael's rebuke did not work on her at all. Instead, she grew increasingly angry. The look in her eyes made it clear that she would kick me out right away if possible.

“That has nothing to do with her.”

Michael's expression was frosty, and his gaze radiated displeasure.

“What exactly is wrong with you now, Michael? You've gone against me multiple times because of her. You've never done this in the past! Are you planning to abandon your own mother after having her in your life?”

Michael had defended me too much in front of Josephine recently when she wasn't fond of me in the first place. And after such a huge incident happened, she naturally pushed all the blame on me.

At his mother's unreasonable demeanor, Michael's face turned terrifyingly grim. Anyhow, she was still his mother, so he chose to put up with it as much as he could though she had gone overboard in her speech.

“I'm sorry, Mom. I know many things that transpired lately have to do with me, and I also know that you must be extremely angry right now. I'm really sorry as well. I promise that such a thing will never happen again. I'll never allow Michael to be injured because of me anymore.”

While I was rather upset at having been slapped for no reason, I still looked at her apologetically and made her that promise. As I felt guilty about Michael having been injured so badly because of me, I wasn't all that vexed about her slap.

“Don't call me that! I've never acknowledged you as my daughter-in-law! Besides, the wedding today

was half-done, so you're not part of the Shaw family yet! Or do you think a mere apology is enough? Michael sustained such a severe injury to save you, yet it's only worth an apology from you?”

Josephine couldn't be bothered about my apology, and the words out of her mouth remained as sharp as ever. Worse still, her refusal to acknowledge me as her daughter-in-law had sorrow deluging me.

“You're going too far, Mom!”

Beside me, Michael kept his eyes glued to Josephine's face. His chest heaved with rage. Nonetheless, he was still keeping a tight rein on his emotions since she was his mother at the end of the day.

“You're still siding with her now, Michael? Look at how much you've changed! You don't even seem to be my son anymore! What's more, such an incident has happened time and again because of her!”

Josephine's expression turned increasingly darker the more Michael spoke up on my behalf. Right then, she had even transferred her anger to him.

Michael used to be an exceedingly mature and stable person who had everything under his control. But ever since he made my acquaintance, there had been countless incidents. Therefore, it was understandable that Josephine was saying such a thing about me though it was still hurtful to hear.

“As I said, this has nothing to do with her. She's my woman, and I've got the responsibility to protect her. Or was I supposed to sit around and twiddle my thumbs when my woman had been kidnapped?” Michael roared, likewise foaming at the mouth then.

His eyes had long since started blazing with fury as he stared at Josephine.

Although he had defended me many times before her in the past, he had never spoken so loudly.

 

Chapter 322

Despite feeling all mushy that Michael chose to defend me then, I was scared that Josephine would abhor me more than ever.

“Do you still consider me your mother, Michael? Do you know that I'm only doing this for your own good? She'll only hold you back if she stays by your side!”

Josephine glowered at Michael crossly, so incensed that she trembled all over. After all, he had probably never spoken to her in such a tone.

Just when Michael was about to speak further, a booming shout rang out from his grandfather, who was sitting in the center with fury written all over his face.

Following his bellow, the living room instantly plunged into silence. Even Josephine didn't dare utter a single word further. Meanwhile, I lowered my head in a timid pose.

He liked me very much in the beginning, but the wedding today was marred by my kidnapping, and I even caused Michael to sustain an injury. Thus, I'm not quite sure how he feels about me now. Is he starting to hate me like Josephine?

“Michael was right. Anna is his woman now, so he ought to protect her as a man. That's his responsibility even if it means his life, much less this paltry injury!”

Andy's remark stunned everyone there, including me. I initially thought that he would be extremely upset with me to see that Michael suffered an injury while saving me since the latter was his only grandson, but that wasn't the case at all. His words really touched me.

Without a shadow of a doubt, he was siding with me.

However, Josephine instantly got up in arms the moment his words rang out. She jerked her head up and gaped at him in shock, looking all chagrined.

“What are you saying, Dad? Michael is your only grandson! What if something happens to him? How could you say that?”

She looked at him irately. Nevertheless, she was no longer as worked up as when she spoke due to the man's authority.

“He's a man, so it's his responsibility to protect his own woman! If he's an irresponsible man, then I'd rather not have such an heir!”

Andy had always been a reasonable person. Even after hearing her words, he still regarded her calmly and asserted that coldly.

Josephine wanted to argue further, but she could only swallow the words on the tip of her tongue at the sharp look in his eyes.

Lincoln, on the other hand, had been silent. He didn't say anything, seemingly maintaining a neutral stance. However, his subsequent comment made me feel that he was inclined toward Michael inwardly.

“All right, that's enough. Michael isn't a child anymore. He knows his boundaries, so don't meddle in his affairs.”

Walking over to her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and headed upstairs.

After having been chastised by Andy, Josephine kept herself in check regardless of her dissatisfaction with me. Throwing me a chilly look, she then went upstairs.

I couldn't help feeling miserable as I stared at her disappearing back though she didn't say anything further in front of Andy, aware that I had brought Michael much trouble.

I hung my head, guilt percolating within me. I even started wondering whether I should really stay with Michael.

“Anna, don't take her words earlier to heart. Don't worry, for you're my granddaughter-in-law as long as I'm alive!” Andy declared firmly, looking right into my eyes.

In that family, he was the only person who supported me being with Michael unconditionally other than Michael himself. My nose stung, and words couldn't describe how moved I was by his statement.

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

Sniffling, I forced a smile.

“Grandpa, this incident was Emma's doing. This time, I plan to resolve it once and for all!”

At that precise moment, Michael went over to Andy. As he spoke, his expression turned cold.

When Andy heard that the incident had to do with Emma, his brows furrowed deeply, indicating that he was also enraged.

“She's too devious. I objected even back when you were with her, and it now seems that my judgment back then was accurate.”

With just that nonchalant statement, Andy rejected Emma. One could tell that he didn't like her.

He then continued, “It's good that you plan to do so. If you don't resolve this once and for all, something else might happen again in the future.”

I had no idea what Michael wanted to do about it. All I knew was that he wouldn't let her off easily this time.

Also, it was clear that Andy was very indulgent of Michael, giving him permission without even asking him what he wanted to do. All of a sudden, I felt that he was the most sensible person in the family.

“That's settled, then. I'll bring Anna home first. I'll hold a press conference to explain the half-done wedding, while the wedding itself will be postponed for a few days.”

Too many things had happened that day that the average person would have long since panicked. However, things were different with Michael. He took care of everything in an orderly manner.

“Both of you are injured, so go back and rest earlier.”

Andy didn't persuade us to stay either but gestured us to leave with a wave of his hand.

Getting to his feet, Michael came over to me. Right then, I was still feeling rather dismal because of Josephine's words. He took my hand, and the warmth from his hand made me feel much better.

“Let's go.”

Michael flashed me a faint smile and walked out while grasping my hand.

Sitting in his car, I remained silent since I didn't know what to say then. After all, in Michael's bid to rescue me, his arm was still wrapped in a thick layer of gauze. My gaze remained fixated on his arm, and my heart felt heavy.

“When we reach home later, take a shower and rest.”

Michael turned to me, his voice tender.

“Michael, do you regret being with me after I have brought you so much trouble?” I asked after a long silence, turning and staring at him solemnly.

“What nonsense are you spouting? You're my woman. Right now, I only blame myself for not having protected you well.”

My question had Michael frowning in displeasure, and his gaze radiated ire as he regarded me.

“Do you truly not regret it? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten injured. And because of me, your company must also be in hot water, no?”

Those from the elite classes always garner a lot of attention when they marry, so having a kidnapping case during the wedding must have damaged his image tremendously.

“Anna, do you believe that I'll seal your mouth now if you continue to overthink things?”

When I staunchly pursued that question, the crease on Michael's alluring brows deepened, and a spark of anger stained his gaze.

 

Chapter 323

Noticing that Michael seemed a tad angry, I knew that he didn't want me to speak about that anymore.

He has never blamed me, and the guilt within me is entirely my problem.

I lowered my head without saying anything further. Nevertheless, I still felt uneasy. Recalling everything that had happened recently, I was troubled and felt as though I really was a jinx. A lot of things happened to him ever since he got acquainted with me.

“Michael—”

At long last, I still couldn't resist opening my mouth to speak. But before I had even finished speaking, I sensed a warm sensation on my lips. Without me realizing it, Michael had already captured my lips.

My eyes widened in astonishment, and my heart pounded wildly. At that moment, I had all but forgotten what I wanted to say.

Michael's handsome face was mere inches away from me, and I felt as though I was being drawn into his jet-black eyes as I stared into them.

Michael only wanted to shut me up, so the kiss wasn't the slightest bit passionate. Still, my heart hammered wildly.

I've been with him for such a long time, yet I still can't help feeling nervous every time he draws close to me. People say that one will get accustomed as time passes and grow sick of the other person, but the feeling he gives me is different every single time. It makes me addicted.

A long time passed before Michael finally let me go. He opened his eyes and looked at me. “Listen here carefully, Anna. You only need to stay by my side obediently. No matter what happens, let me resolve it.”

His words sounded like an order, so domineering that it left no room for demurral. However, it was precisely his unquestionable tone that made me fall even deeper for him.

I'd be lying if I were to claim that I'm not moved. In all my years, no one has ever sacrificed so much for me or shielded me behind him no matter what happens.

“Thank you, Michael.”

My nose stung, and my eyes grew burned. Yet, I curved my lips into a smile as I gazed at him.

“In the future, you're not allowed to call me by my name anymore!”

I thought Michael would hug me and cuddle me upon hearing that as he did in the past. Unexpectedly, he didn't do that. He eyed me in disgruntlement instead.

“Why? How am I going to address you if not by name?”

Truly, his remark bewildered me.

I've been calling him by name all along, and he never corrected me. What's wrong with him today that he's suddenly dissatisfied with my address of him? Sure enough, men's thoughts are unfathomable.

“Of course, you're to call me 'Hubby.' Why would you still be calling me by name when you're now my wife?”

Michael smirked devilishly. While he spoke, he deliberately drew close to me, so much so that I could even sense the beguiling aura he exuded.

Upon hearing that, my face instantly flushed bright red. I regarded him in embarrassment, for I had never called anyone “Hubby” in the twenty over years of my life.

“Our wedding is still half-done, so I'm not your wife yet.”

It wasn't that I didn't want to address him thus, but I was feeling shy. I had been calling him by name all this while, so it felt awkward to change my address of him suddenly.

“Must you ruin the mood at such a time, Anna? Regardless of whether our wedding today went smoothly, you're my woman for all our lives! As such, you'll have to change your address of me sooner or later!”

Michael glowered at me. His words were extremely overbearing, but I loved hearing them.

I felt intoxicated and wanted to laugh, but I stifled the urge. Then, I averted my face and deliberately ignored him.

“In that case, I'll wait until our wedding has concluded before doing so.”

Blushing, I looked away. Never had I been that mortified before him.

“No way! I want to hear it now, so hurry up and spit it out,” Michael demanded adamantly, frowning in vexation.

“Nope,” I declined resolutely without an ounce of hesitation.

Gah! Just the mere thought of calling him “Hubby” out of the blue feels really embarrassing!

“You're certain?”

Michael's eyes narrowed a fraction, and a wicked smile danced in his eyes.

“I'm certain,” I stated, though puzzled as to his intention right then.

“Okay! I'll have you call me 'Hubby' willingly today.”

Michael's lips curved into a beguiling arc that seemed a touch devilish. For some inexplicable reason, a sense of foreboding rose within me as I wondered what he wanted to do.

I eyed him in mystification. Just when I was going to inquire about it, he started the car.

Hence, I could only suppress the bemusement within me. Well, he never fights any battle he can't win, so he must have a way to have me change my address of him after having said as much.

We then went back to Michael's mansion. Although the wedding was only half-done that day, the room there had been readied long ago.

The car gradually came to a stop. Before I could alight from the car, Michael went over to the

passenger seat and opened the door for me. Flashing him a smile, I was just about to thank him when he promptly scooped me up.

Jolting, I hastily wrapped my arms around his neck. I then remembered that his arm was injured, yet he simply carried me. All at once, worry pervaded me. “Hurry up and put me down, Michael! Your arm is injured!”

I saw the depth of his wound myself when it was being sutured and witnessed the blood gushing out! It must still hurt badly right now. Despite that, he still brazenly carried me! Is he not afraid that the wound will open? What is he thinking!

“I'm not that delicate.”

Knowing that I was concerned about him, the corners of Michael's mouth tilted into an alluring arc. However, he didn't listen to me and put me down. Instead, he headed upstairs with me in his arms.

In the past, I would have struggled to get down. But this time, I remained still in his arms, not daring to even twitch a single muscle in fear that I would bump his wound.

Strangely, Michael appeared all the more thrilled by my compliance. Soon, he carried me to the bedroom upstairs. As I was pregnant then, he was very gentle with me.

I thought he didn't allow me to walk by myself because he was worried about the wound at my neck. I then wanted to sit up to check whether the wound on his arm opened, but he pinned me down at that precise moment.

His solid body covered mine, but he surprisingly didn't put any weight on my stomach. Of course, I

knew that he was also afraid of hurting our child.

“What are you doing, Michael?”

 

Chapter 324

Michael stared down into my eyes, his black eyes sparkling. I couldn't help swallowing, finding him incredibly handsome at such a close distance.

“What do you think I'm doing?”

Michael didn't answer my question, but the words out of his mouth had my mind going into the gutter.

My heart raced, and my mind wandered. Is he referring to physical intimacy? But his arm is so seriously injured. It must be hurting badly, so could he really be in the mood to do something else right now?

“Are you sure you can manage?”

For some reason, I inadvertently blurted that question out. Perhaps it was because I was too nervous that I forgot about Michael being a competitive man and would definitely be irked by my question.

No man wanted their woman to question their prowess in bed, especially a man like him. Sure enough, his expression immediately turned chilly when my words fell, and a hint of displeasure crept into his gaze.

“You'll know the answer soon enough. I'll make you beg for mercy later.”

Michael's eyes were pinned on me as he spoke in a deep voice. Then, his uninjured hand started roaming all over me.

His sudden action startled me. Good Lord! He's really savage! Can't he be a tad gentler? After all,

we're both injured.

“Uhm...”

“Just moan aloud. I want to hear you,” Michael murmured beside my ear suggestively, his voice a mere whisper.

I covered my face with both hands to shield my current expression from him. Gah! His teasing is making me mortified!

“Michael...” I called out his name softly and gazed at him with glazed eyes.

“Hmm? What is it?”

Michael deliberately feigned ignorance this time and didn't satisfy me at once. Instead, he even stilled and stared at me while asking that placidly.

Upon hearing that question, I wasn't quite sure how to answer for a moment. I shot him a resentful glance. He knows full well that he has turned me on, yet he's feigning ignorance! This is obviously intentional!

“Why aren't you saying anything?”

When Michael received no reply after an eternity had passed, his lips curved into a wicked smile, and his voice sounded all the more titillating.

As he pressed me for an answer, I realized that he purposely wanted me to utter those embarrassing

words. I glared at him, but the emptiness within me impelled me to yield before him.

“Michael, I want you...”

Biting my lower lip, I finally said those words.

“You want me to bed you?” Michael inquired suggestively, gazing into my eyes.

“Yeah...” I replied frankly.

I had let go of my reservations then, so it felt right to say that. I've been with him for a long time, and we share the same bed every night. While it's slightly embarrassing, he'll probably be over the moon to hear me saying that.

“Call me 'Hubby,' and I'll satisfy you.”

Michael shifted the topic back to addressing him as “Hubby.” Only after hearing him say that did I finally realize the meaning of him ensuring that I would willingly call him “Hubby”—he had set me up.

Indignation inundated me, and I turned my face away from him to indicate my stance.

He actually set me up! If I were to do as he wished, I'd only be humiliating myself when I'd previously insisted that I'd never call him “Hubby!”

 

Chapter 325

“You're still unwilling to call me that? It looks like you're not in the mood yet. I've got to work harder.”

“You're such a jerk, Michael!” Argh! He's truly cunning to utilize a natural physiological need to force my hand! I was already so frantic that I was on the verge of bursting into tears.

“Call me 'Hubby,' and I'll satisfy you. Hurry up...”

At that exact moment, Michael murmured beside my ear again, enticing me.

I shot daggers at him, not in the least bit willing to capitulate. However, I knew that he would never satisfy me if I didn't give in.

“If you continue keeping silent, I'm going to fasten my pants.”

Michael seemed to be surprisingly patient that day, not at all testy even when I stayed silent. He stood up and started straightening his clothes, making it evident that he wasn't planning to satisfy me anymore.

“Hubby...”

In the end, I yielded and called out the endearment he wanted to hear, making me rather hate myself then. Ugh! I've actually caved in just to have him satisfy me! How aggravating!

Having not expected me to abruptly change my mind, Michael was stunned for a moment when my words fell. In the next second, delight manifested in his jet-black eyes.

“I didn't hear you earlier. Repeat that, please.”

Michael's bewitchingly sensual and deep voice drifted into my ears, tinged with a hint of excitement.

“Hubby.”

Screwing my eyes shut, I steeled my resolve and immediately called him “Hubby” once more. I've already said it just now, so repeating it makes no difference!

“Ouch!”

“Is it that pleasurable that you're so loud?”

“Do you have no shame when saying such things, Michael?”

“Of course! If you want to hear it, I can say it anytime and anywhere. What would you like to hear?”

Despite knowing full well that I was deriding him, Michael wasn't the least bit angry. Instead, he eyed me wickedly.

In response, I threw him a sharp glare. I've never won an argument with him, so I'd be better served to close my eyes and luxuriate in bliss instead of having a verbal battle with him!

Thus, I closed my eyes and stopped looking at him.

Only after we were done did I open my eyes. Nonetheless, I didn't want to look at him. As such, I turned my gaze away and ignored him.

As soon as my gaze fell on Michael's arm, panic assailed me, for I saw blood seeping out of his injured arm.

I struggled to sit up, distress suffusing me at the sight of the gauze that had been dyed red. “Your wound is bleeding!”

I wonder if his wound is bleeding because he carried me upstairs earlier or because he was too vigorous just now and pulled his stitches.

“It's nothing,” Michael replied airily, not a hint of pain to be seen on his face.

Whoa! I'm getting impressed by his high pain tolerance. It's such a long gash, yet he claims that it doesn't hurt!

“It's already bleeding, yet you say that it doesn't hurt? Let's go to the hospital and have your wound rebandaged!”

Although he claimed that he was fine, I was exceedingly worried. His injury had been bothering me, and I would rather suffer the injury in his stead.

“Don't you need to rest for a bit?”

Michael arched an eyebrow at my frantic expression, the words out of his mouth carrying an implicit meaning.

I didn't understand what he meant at first, but when I followed his gaze, my face inevitably flushednoveldrama

bright red again.

Michael shot his load in me earlier, and the sticky feeling made me extremely uncomfortable. I usually took a bath after our horizontal tango, but I forgot about it that day because of his injury.

“I'll go and take a shower. I'll be out in a jiffy.”

Getting to my feet, I headed to the bathroom barefooted. Distraught over his wound bleeding once more, I didn't dare tarry.

“I'll give you a hand.”

When I walked past Michael, he grabbed my wrist and whispered that suggestively.

At once, my face flamed. Shooting him a glare, I swiftly strode into the bathroom. I didn't lock the door, so he came in behind me.

I filled the bathtub with water. Due to the wound on my neck, I couldn't use the showerhead and could only take a bath.

After stripping, I went into the bathtub. Michael's gaze roamed all over me. He had an even clearer view of me than when we were in bed since there wasn't a shred of clothing on me at that moment.

 

Chapter 326

Although we had been intimate several times already, I felt a little uncomfortable letting him watch me take a bath.

Ignoring his gaze, I quickly cleaned my body. We still had to visit the hospital in a while. Moreover, we did not know the condition of the wound on Michael's arm.

Michael moved closer to me while I hastened my movements. He knelt outside the tub and wiped my back with a towel slowly. Soon, I felt his hand moving to my chest from behind.

We had just slept with each other, so my body was still sensitive. As soon as Michael teased me, I felt a surge of warmth envelop my body.

Nonetheless, I was still rational at the moment. I instantly smacked Michael's hand and looked at him with a displeased countenance. “Michael, stop it, or I'm going to get angry.”

His wound is already bleeding, and he still has the mood to fool around with me? Isn't he worried that it'll get infected? It'll be really bad if an infection happens.

“Anna, are you trying to order me? You're getting more and more courageous now, aren't you?” Michael was annoyed too. His voice became deeper than usual.

If he had talked to me like that in the past, I would surely be scared. However, I was no longer afraid of Michael then. After spending some time with him, I knew that he loved me with all of his heart. He treated me like I was a gem, so there was no way that he would get angry at me.

That was also why I was not afraid to talk to him in that manner.

“Yes. I'm now ordering you. Will you listen to me?” I turned around to stare at him without hesitation. A glint of arrogance flashed across my eyes.

That was the first time I showed dominance in front of Michael. I was uncertain of how he would react since he was an unpredictable man. He might even get triggered by my behavior.

Michael's expression changed drastically for the next few seconds. Finally, he blurted out a short response placidly, “I'll listen to you.”

Hearing that, I thought that there was definitely something wrong with my ears. I did not expect Michael to be that compliant, as I had prepared myself for an argument.

“C-Can you repeat what you said?” I asked softly, looking into his dark eyes. Is he really the Michael I know? He has changed so much.

Michael did not expect me to ask such a dumb question, so his face fell in the next second. Then, his sexy, thin lips parted, and he asked, “Anna, I know there's something wrong with your brain. But don't tell me that your ears are not working too.”

A frustrated look appeared on his face while his eyes filled with disdain and contempt.

“What do you mean by there's something wrong with my brain!” He had been treating me like a treasure recently. Besides, he acted completely different from how he behaved back when we started to know each other, so I was just not used to it. Isn't that normal? How can he say that!

“Anyway, that's enough. Put on your clothes now. You look like you're trying to seduce me.” Michael glanced at my intimate parts before taking his eyes away from my body.

Those words sounded like they had a deeper meaning. After some time, I finally came to realize what he meant. Following his gaze, I looked down and noticed that I looked seductive right then.

I was worried that Michael would do something to me, so I stood up and covered my body with a towel. Michael is always thinking of dirty things, isn't he?

After putting on my clothes, I showered Michael as we were worried that his wound might get wet.

During the process, I touched every inch of his skin. My face flushed brightly, resembling a ripe, red apple as soon as I finished washing him.

“Anna, are you feeling shy?” Michael stared at my face with a smirk.

He enjoyed watching me being humiliated the most. He must be in a good mood now since he saw how embarrassed I looked.

“No. I'm just feeling a little warm in here,” I tried to make an excuse. Why can't Michael be more considerate of my pride? Does he really have to expose everything?

“Feeling warm? Are you sure? I don't feel warm at all.” Michael put on his clothes unhurriedly.

Hearing that, I instantly walked away from him. Fortunately, he did not do anything to me in the end.

Initially, I wanted to ask Michael's secretary to drive us to the hospital. However, Michael insisted on driving because he wanted to spend some time with me alone. I had no choice but to listen to him.

Ronan was still in the hospital when we arrived there. For some reason, I felt that Ronan had become more hardworking after I drew a line between us.

Before finding out that Ronan owned that hospital, I seldom saw him working there. However, I had been seeing him in the hospital a lot after drawing the line.

I did not plan to tell Ronan that we would be coming to the hospital. Yet, we bumped into him coincidentally in the corridor.

He was startled for a moment when he saw Michael and me. Then, a smile appeared on his face as he asked, “What brought you guys here again today? The next appointment should be two days later.”

Ronan's tone was impassive. As he shifted his gaze onto my face, I immediately lowered my head, trying to avoid his eyes.

“Michael's wound is bleeding, so we have to get it patched up again.” I was reluctant to face Ronan right then, but I could not stop thinking about Michael's wound.

“I thought we've taken care of his injury? Why is his wound bleeding again?” Ronan's eyes instantly fell on Michael's arm. However, Michael was wearing a jacket, so he could not see anything.

“It's not a big deal. Our love-making session was too aggressive, so I accidentally tore my wound,” Michael replied without hesitation before I could come up with an excuse. After all, the reason was embarrassing.

My face immediately flushed red. How can Michael say that in front of Ronan?

Ronan's expression froze upon hearing Michael's response. A hint of sadness flashed across his eyes as he turned to look at me.

I knew that Ronan would be upset to hear that, so I had been thinking of what to reply. After all, I did not want to hurt Ronan again.

 

Chapter 327

I was very sure that I would not be together with Ronan. Hence, I did not want to hurt him with my problems.

Michael stared into Ronan's eyes calmly. His expression was blank, so I had no idea what he was thinking.

“Your wound is still bleeding. We should get it treated first, or it might get infected.”

With Ronan there and Michael being that straightforward, I was worried that Michael might say something more hurtful to Ronan later.

It might just be me being paranoid, but I felt that Michael had said that on purpose. He knew that Ronan liked me, so he must be deliberately doing something mean.

Ronan was Michael's cousin. They were also close to each other. However, Michael was a petty man. There was no way that he would not be bothered by the relationship between Ronan and me.

Michael did not budge, so I tugged his hand lightly. Before walking into the doctor's office, he turned around and stared at Ronan for a second.

I followed Michael into the office silently. Ronan continued to stand right where he was until I closed the door. He looked rather lonely right at that moment.

Feeling sorry for him, I let out a sigh upon seeing that. I hoped that he could forget me quickly so that he would not suffer anymore.

As soon as the doctor removed the bandage on Michael's arm, I noticed that a huge portion of his arm was covered in blood. The sight of it was a little nauseating.

“Mr. Shaw, your wound has opened up due to overexertion. Please take care of yourself better. Try not to overwork yourself. Otherwise, things will be bad if it gets infected.” The middle-aged doctor glanced at Michael before speaking.

Although Michael was the patient there, the doctor talked to him with a lot of respect. Perhaps that was due to the assertive aura around Michael.

“Okay,” Michael replied nonchalantly.

Then, the doctor started to disinfect Michael's wound. All of his movements were very skilled. I guessed that he was an experienced doctor.

I could not bear looking at Michael's wound, so I instantly steered my vision away.

After the doctor finished bandaging the wound, I asked him about the important matters before leaving the hospital.

It was already nighttime when we arrived at Michael's mansion, and we had not eaten anything during the day. Fortunately, the housekeeper was done preparing dinner for us. I gobbled up the dishes before heading to the bedroom.

Too many things had happened that day. I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment I lay down on the bed. The next day, I woke up upon hearing my parents' voice from downstairs.

I thought that I must be hallucinating. However, I saw my mother as soon as I stepped into the living room. Meanwhile, Michael was sitting on the couch with a grim expression.

My heart sank as I sped over to them.

“Mom, why did you come at such a time? Did something happen?” I approached my mom with a confused look.

“Why do you think I'm here? Do you know how worried I was after you got kidnapped yesterday? Look at you. You did not even give me a call or update me that you're safe! Your father and I did not even sleep last night.” Her face darkened as soon as she saw me. Although her eyes were blazing with anger, I felt moved upon hearing her words.

The reason Mom came here was because of my kidnapping incident. However, too many things had happened yesterday, and I went to bed right after dinner because of exhaustion. I completely forgot to give her a call.

Although she was harsh to me most of the time, she still cared about me when I was in danger. That single fact was enough to make me feel happy.

“Anna, your mom was nagging the entire night. She didn't sleep at all as she was too worried that something might happen to you,” Dad, who had been keeping silent all along, interrupted as he let out a sigh helplessly.

Although he did not sound mad, he looked a little tired and stressed. I could not help but feel touched. He must have been worried about me.

“Dad, Mom, I'm sorry. I promise I won't ever make you guys worry again,” I sniffed and responded with an appreciative smile.

I was happy as that was the first time I realized that my parents did care about me. At noon, I asked them to stay and join us for lunch. Michael did not say anything, but I could feel that he was not in a good mood.

Moreover, I also requested the housekeeper to prepare more dishes for lunch. My parents looked excited. After all, they had never been to such a luxurious mansion.

If I did not end up with Michael, they would never get the chance to visit such a place.

“Anna, since your wedding was not completed, what are your plans now? Will you guys organize another wedding ceremony?” Mom asked tentatively during lunch.

Hearing that, I turned to look at Michael without saying anything. After all, he had planned the wedding on his own. I did not know what he was thinking about after what happened yesterday.

“I'll plan everything again after some time. For now, I have to settle some important matters first. I'll never allow something like the kidnapping incident to happen ever again,” Michael said calmly.

“Great.” My parents let out a sigh of relief in unison.

I was also relieved upon hearing that, glad that Michael still cared about my feelings.

“Anna, are you guys the only people staying in such an enormous mansion?” After a moment of

silence, Mom lifted her head and asked anxiously.

“Yes. It's just the two of us and the housekeeper. It's usually uneventful here.” I turned around to scan the surroundings.

The mansion was spacious and luxurious. Thinking that I had to stay in the house alone when Michael worked made me feel a little lonely.

In all honesty, I liked our previous home better than this mansion.

 

Chapter 328

My mother's countenance changed slightly right after listening to my answer. I wondered what she was pondering in her heart at the moment.

“What's wrong, Mom?” I questioned her in puzzlement while looking at her with furrowed brows.

“I have something yet to discuss with you, Anna,” my mother answered me after remaining silent for quite some time.

While uttering those words, she was also staring at me with a troubled look. That was the expression she would always make when talking about money. Therefore, I could not help but speculate if she was about to ask for money again. Michael gave my family two hundred thousand only a few days ago. There's no way they could spend it all so quickly. Right?

“What is it?” Despite recognizing that my mother would probably make yet another unreasonable request, I still decided to question her calmly.

“As you can see, Steven's leg has almost recovered. Since you've said that you want him to be independent, could you ask Michael to arrange a less-strenuous job for him, Anna?” Even though she was talking to me, my mother's gaze was toward Michael. It was apparent that she was waiting for him to give a response.

I felt a little reluctant to accept my mother's request as I did not want to rely on Michael on everything.

However, I could not say anything since my mother had already made her request known. The only thing I wished for was for Michael to express his stance.

Upon hearing my mother's request, Michael continued having his meal elegantly as if he was ignoring her. Consequently, I frowned in displeasure because of his attitude but refrained from saying a thing since my parents were present.

My mother and I were looking at Michael at the moment while I suppressed the dissatisfaction in my heart. Fortunately, Michael did not disregard us for too long as he placed the cutlery on the table and responded, “I think Steven is probably not suitable to work in operational settings. Fret not, though. He can still work in the security team.”

When I heard Michael's proposal, I was a little unhappy because security was a job that would not bring any development in one's career. Nevertheless, I acknowledged that Michael was a person who would never allow personal relationships to get in the way of work-related issues. Moreover, I was pretty familiar with Steven's actual capability. Michael's willingness to grant him a job was only because of my sake. Otherwise, he would have no permission to even step into Joyful Success in all likelihood.

“Security team? Is he going to be the head of security?” My mother stared at Michael with a thrilled expression, seeing that he had arranged a job for Steven.

Once again, I knitted my brows when I heard my mother's words. It was already a profound act of goodwill for Michael to grant Steven a job, but she still wanted him to be the head of security.

Concerning what kind of person Steven was, I believed Michael knew enough about him to determine the position that suited him the most. It was beyond the bounds of possibility for him to take the role of the head of security. Besides, the wage for a security guard working at Joyful Success was already a lot higher than other places.

“It's not too appropriate for a newcomer like Steven to be the head of security straight away. Others may think that he has used connections. Anyhow, I will observe his performance at work. If he performs well, he will get promoted.” Instead of being upset with my mother's words, Michael gave her a tranquil reply.

Due to the ambiguity of Michael's answer, my mother was at a momentary loss for words. She thought he had already made clear that he would promote Steven if he performed well at the company.

As for me, I knew full well that Michael was only entertaining my mother. In conformity with Steven's personality, it would already be a success if he caused no trouble at work.

“I'll leave Steven's matter to you then.” Although Michael's arrangement was slightly different from my mother's expectation, she was still well-pleased since Steven had secured a job.

Following the meal, the housekeeper cleaned up the dining table instantaneously. Given that he had to deal with lots of work at the company, Michael left swiftly. Conversely, it seemed like my mother had no intention of leaving just yet.

After Michael had disappeared from her sight, my mother sat beside me and looked at me hesitantly.

“Is there something else you want to talk about, Mom?” I took the initiative to ask my mother before she enunciated anything. Judging from her expression, it was evident that she had something to say to me.

“You're right, Anna. There's another thing I need to say.” Rather than revealing what she wanted to say directly, my mother proceeded to stare at me in diffidence. Her reaction made me even more curious about the topic she intended to tell me.

“Cut to the chase, Mom.” Not only did I hate to beat around the bush with my mother, but doing guesswork on others' thoughts was repugnant for me too.

“Steven is about to work in the city, Anna. As you may have already realized, he's unfamiliar with this area. His wage might not be able to cover the rental if he stays outside on his own as well. What if he moves in here and lives with you? Both of you can also look after each other,” my mother answered at long last. Yet, I was baffled by her request.

As a result, I fell into a daze for quite some time, wondering if something was wrong with my hearing. Did Mom say that he wants Steven to live in Michael's mansion? That's impossible!

Based upon Michael's personality, he disliked dealing with strangers. Steven's character was abhorrent to him as well. For those reasons, he would never allow Steven to stay with us.

Furthermore, the owner of the mansion was Michael, not me. That further proved that it was improper for Steven to live there.

“I'm afraid I have to reject your request, Mom. It's unbefitting for Steven to stay here.” I looked into my mother's eyes for a while before refusing her.

I had no choice but to make that decision as I knew Michael would most definitely oppose the idea of Steven staying with us. Not only that, I did not want him to live there too.

The second she heard my refusal, my mother's countenance fell as she looked at me with vexation.

“There are so many rooms in this huge mansion. Steven is only going to occupy one room. That's such a small favor! Could you bear to watch your brother being all alone without support? Do you want to

see him sleep on the streets without a proper shelter?” she reprimanded me with an accusatory tone while glaring at me.

“When you and Dad return home, you can let Steven continue to stay in the house you've rented. Besides, that house is much closer to the company in comparison with this mansion.” Since I did not intend to argue with my mother, I explained patiently after letting out a sigh.

Unfortunately, my explanation had little influence on the matters my mother had determined—she would always assume that I was making excuses. The current incident was no exception.

“No way. I won't be at ease if Steven lives by himself. Other than that, who's going to wash his clothes for him? If he stays here, there are housekeepers to assist him with that.”

 

Chapter 329

Steven had always been a kid in Mom's eyes. She was insecure about leaving him alone here even though she was the one who let him stay here to work.

“Mom, how old do you think Steven is? How can he not be able to do such simple things himself? There is a washing machine and a fridge there. It's not that hard,” I complained once again and looked at Mom in frustration. I didn't know what else to say at this moment.

“You've married a rich man and can enjoy all the luxury alone. Can't you just let your brother stay at your place for a little while? You're his sister, yet you live such a good life with a great house in the city, and your brother is here struggling. What do you think people will think about you if this gets out?” Mom started to vaguely threaten me after I had rejected her request multiple times.

Feeling frustrated, I scowled. Her request was unreasonable from the very beginning. I would have never refused her if the place was mine, but the mansion belonged to Michael. Steven had no right to live here, and even if he wanted to, Michael had to agree to it first. I had no right to decide.

“Mom, please get this clear; this mansion is Michael's, not mine. I can't make the decision willy-nilly. What would I do if I agreed to let Steven live here and Michael got angry?” I still tried to control my tone even when my expression showed my anger. I wanted to have a nice conversation with her and not quarrel.

“You and Michael are married now, and what's his is also yours. Plus, the Shaw family is rich, so it shouldn't be a problem to give Steven a house or two.”

Mom still didn't care at all, even when I had already explained the reason to her. She didn't take my words seriously and always had Steven as her top priority.

“Mom, I can't promise you anything, but you can rest assured that I will help him do his laundry and chores for him if he's working properly. However, as I said earlier, it's impossible for him to live here with me.” I knew it would be useless to reason with her, so I simply refused her request. I would still do the same even if she got angry.

“To put it simply, you just don't want your brother to have a better life. You're really selfish! How is it any different from not having a daughter when you treat us like this after getting a husband from a rich family? We truly brought you up for nothing!” Mom looked at me angrily after getting up from the couch.

I had already expected her to say such a thing since it was nothing new, so my expression didn't change much. I had long been used to this anyway.

“Mom, I won't give in and let Steven live with me no matter what you're going to say about me, so you'd better give up. I don't want to quarrel with you, but I also hope that you'd try to think about my situation and not make things difficult for me,” I stated in a serious tone while looking at her indifferently.

There was no room for discussion anyway, and her request was just too much. I was sure that Michael wouldn't agree. Even I felt that it was too much, let alone Michael.

Mom didn't say anything after that and left angrily because of my firm attitude.

I knew she would ignore me for a while after this, but I was also used to her attitude. Thus, I didn't care.

It was currently two days later, and I turned on the TV out of boredom. I saw the news reporting on the financial crisis of Emma's company as soon as I turned the TV on.

The cooperation between Michael and Anna before showed that her company had strong financial resources. So how could it be in a financial crisis in this short amount of time?

I didn't know why but my first thought was that it had something to do with Michael.

Then there was another news, and this time it was about Emma's arrest. The reason for her arrest was my kidnapping.

It should be almost impossible for Emma to be arrested under her family's influence even if she did commit the crime. After all, such rich families had a wide range of contacts, and many things could be settled with money.

Emma was detained under a kidnapping charge, and only then was I sure that Michael had something to do with this. Because apart from him, I couldn't think of anyone else with the capability to lead the police to arrest Emma.

I had not been out for just two days, and so many things had already occurred. Michael must have been really angry this time for him to do such things.

I didn't want to participate in these matters as I was sure that Michael would handle them.

Steven was also sent to Joyful Success to work a few days later, and I thought things were going nicely.

My parents returned to our hometown soon after I refused to let Steven live with me that day and didn't

continue to force me. Although things were a bit unpleasant that day, they forgot about it as time passed.

Since Steven grew up sheltered, I was worried about him even after Mom had left. So I went to his house that day.

I kept a copy of the key when I first rented the house, and Steven, along with our parents, knew this. It's daytime so Steven must be at work. I should help him with his laundry and tidy up the place.

I opened the door with my key and went in. Intermittent panting noises that could make one blush were heard coming from the bedroom once I set foot into the living room.

That noise came from a woman. As someone with experience, I naturally knew what was happening.

I was instantly alarmed. What's going on? Isn't Steven supposed to be working today? And how could a woman be here? I never heard of Steven having a girlfriend.

I quietly walked to the bedroom, and the panting noises became clearer as I got near.

“Steven, faster...”

Hearing his name from the woman made me sure that Steven didn't go to work that day and was at home. That guy was doing this kind of thing with a woman at home instead of going to work. I wondered when he would start to be a little more reliable.

The intermittent pants and groans continued, and I got angrier the longer I listened to it. Michael arranged a job for him, but he didn't work hard and instead brought a woman to do this kind of indecent

thing at home in broad daylight.

My annoyance grew until I could no longer hold it in. In the end, I banged on the door. The woman's frightened voice sounded immediately after.

 

Chapter 330

“Steven, what's going on? You told me that no one would come since you're staying here alone.”

“I-I don't know what's going on. I really stay here alone!”

Steven's voice sounded from the room. It seemed like the knocking sound on the door shook him.

“W-Who's there?” Steven asked from the other side of the door.

I knew that his words were directed to me. Although I was infuriated, I tried my best to suppress the anger in my heart.

“It's me! Your sister!” I responded impatiently before heading straight to the living room.

Ten minutes later, Steven finally put on his clothes and walked over to me frivolously with a frown. It was apparent that he was dissatisfied with my sudden visit.

“Anna, why are you here? How did you get in?” He sat down opposite me and put his legs on the coffee table. His voice was full of frustration.

“If I didn't come, I would have never known what you were doing! Tell me. Why didn't you go to work today? Why are you here?” I got even angrier upon seeing his attitude. How dare he behave like this after doing that?

“Couldn't you tell what I was doing just now? Anna, why can't you inform me before you come? I was so scared just now that I almost passed out.” Steven did not look panicked or apologetic at all. Instead, he began to put the blame on me.

I expected Steven to be more mature after what had happened last time. I did not ask for much—the only thing I wanted him to do was to take his job seriously. I wished he could be more hardworking, but all he did was disappoint me.

“Today is a weekday. You're supposed to be working right now, but you're fooling around in the house instead. Do you think you're doing the right thing?” I glared at him with a stern expression. Steven was my brother. If I did not care about him, I would not waste my time educating him.

“What's the big deal of skipping work? I'm just a security guard anyway. Besides, I don't even have a girlfriend now. You know that men have to gratify their sexual desires from time to time, right? Or did Michael refuse to touch you since you guys have already been together for a long time?” Steven crossed his legs and responded with a smug face. A hint of provocation flashed across his eyes. Obviously, he did not take what I said seriously.

My face flushed red in anger upon hearing his question. What the heck did he say just now? How can he be so shameless? I was so furious that I wanted to smack some senses into him right then. “Steven, I said that for your own good! Can you behave like a man for once?”

I had to admit that Steven was, indeed, a useless jerk. He was just a piece of trash with zero contribution to our society. I was utterly annoyed to deal with a brother like him.

“What do you mean, Anna? Of course that I'm behaving like a man. Didn't you hear that woman's moans just now?” The corners of Steven's lips curled into a disdainful smirk.

I was so furious that my chest heaved violently, unable to suppress my anger anymore. A second later,

I stood up and walked toward Steven, preparing to slap him.

Just as I lifted my hand, someone opened the bedroom door. A woman in revealing clothes and thick makeup came into my sight.

I could tell that she was a filthy woman just from looking at her appearance.

After shooting me a glance, the woman strolled toward Steven and threw herself into his arms, ignoring me. “Steven, who's this? How dare she disturb our good time? Can we go back to the bedroom now? I'm not satisfied yet...”

Her long nails were red in color. As she spoke, she reached out a finger to stroke Steven's chest. I got disgusted upon seeing that.

That woman looked and was dressed like a prostitute. I was sure that she had slept with countless other men before. Moreover, she even had the audacity to say something shameless in front of me.

“She's my sister, and she came here to check up on me.” Steven pursed his lips, looking displeased.

He did not look apologetic at all. Steven is hopeless! I guess my words did not go through to him at all.

“Oh, I see. I thought she was one of your lovers.” That woman did not even look at me. She continued to play with her finger on Steven's chest.

“Anna, are you done here? Can you leave now? I have some important business to settle.”

I was so livid that I could not find any words to retort at that moment. None of them respected me even

though I was standing in front of them. Moreover, Steven did not take my words seriously.

“Miss, how much did Steven pay you for that? It must be nice to earn by sleeping with different men, huh? However, I personally think that women should have more dignity. Are you sure you want to sell your body like that? You might get some awful disease.”

Although I behaved like a gentle, proper woman on the usual days, I could change my attitude anytime, especially when dealing with people like them. They had ruined my mood, so my words were also harsher than usual. How dare this woman seduce Steven in front of me? I should teach her a lesson!

That woman's expression changed drastically upon hearing what I said. She turned to glare at me angrily as her face fell.

“What? You look like a proper woman, but you're so rude!” She stood up, facing me. No woman liked to get described as a slut, which was why I said those words on purpose.

“I'm just stating a fact. Am I wrong?” I scoffed as I stared back into her eyes.

“Y-You...” The woman wanted to say something back, but she was so furious that she could not utter another word.

“How much did Steven pay you? I'll pay double for you to leave the house right now!” With that said, I took out a thousand from my purse and handed it to that woman.