Ch. 11..20

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Marcus, who was on the other end of the line, was silent.

Even through the phone, Josiah could guess that Marcus looked blank and cold. The latter's signature skill was keeping a stoic face. "Z..." Josiah started with a cough. "Don't you have anything to say?"

"What?" Marcus sounded like he could either be smirking or not. "I gave it to her. It's hers. It's her decision what to do with it."

"But that's Le Esse. Your great-grandmother wore it before!"

Marcus stayed quiet and added weight to his dumbbells. His muscles tensed up when he lifted them, his strength overflowing.

"How much did she sell the bangle for?"

"Hmm..." Josiah chuckled. "She didn't!"

Marcus furrowed his brows. He had seen the small woman on pins and needles as she'd kept glancing toward the drawer last night. He had guessed that she would sell the jewelry. After all, Yelena had stolen her 40,000-dollar wedding gift from her, and she was in a hurry to pay the medical bills.

Where would she gather so much money if she did not sell the jewelry?

What Marcus had not expected was that she'd have already entered the jeweler's and come back out with the bangle.

"Z, I happened to be around today, so I recognized Le Esse the moment she took it out. I thought some bold thief had stolen it from you, but it was my sis-in-law!"

Josiah cackled. "She's an interesting one, Z. I thought she was in need of money and asked my guy to give her a high price... Of course, it was nothing compared to Le Esse's value, but it was definitely a good price for her!"

"Hmm, and?"

"And..." Josiah scratched his head. "I didn't expect her not to sell it!"

An unusual feeling struck Marcus. The image of Cordelia looking fraught with worry last night flashed in his mind again.

They were already husband and wife. Did she not plan to be honest with him? She was facing a difficulty yet she had not told him and she insisted on shouldering it herself... Marcus narrowed his eyes with a cryptic smile.

"Whatever," he said in a deep tone. "Keep an eye on that plot of land. I don't want the Jenners getting it! Pressure William Jenner as well. Keep them miserable, basically."

"Isn't that your father-in-law?" Josiah snorted. "Z, what are you trying to do? I don't get it..."

"Do as I say even if you don't get it. No point crapping about it!"

Josiah stuck his tongue out.

The two of them had grown up together, and he had long gotten used to the guy's erratic temper, hoping that a woman would become the bane of his existence one day. It seemed to Josiah that said woman was right in front of them, but...

Josiah frowned. "Z, just one more thing. Do you think you and this Cordelia Jenner... will last till the end?"

Marcus said nothing.

"You're not even Marcus Grist and you won't stay long in that village. You're going back to Centrolis sooner or later. What's Cordelia Jenner going to do then? Will your family be able to accept her?" The man on the other end of the line went silent for a long time before a deep voice spoke.

"Leave the future to the future."

"I'm just warning you. Don't fall too deep..."

"Don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing."

Marcus sounded intentionally nonchalant.

"I don't care about this marriage at all. It's just an identity for me to hide behind."

"Okay." Josiah sighed weakly. "I hope you'll be able to sound as unfazed before you return to Centrolis one day!"

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Cordelia cut some fruit after dinner and brought it with her to sit down next to Marcus.

The man had been focused on his phone, prompting Cordelia's curiosity, so she popped her head over to steal a glance. She had thought that he was gaming, only to see that he was browsing through a foreign language website. The people in the photos were wearing suits and leather shoes, just like successful people.

That stunned Cordelia, and this was when Marcus turned around suddenly. Since she was close to him, she almost came in contact with the tip of his nose.

Both of them stayed there, staring at each other, causing Cordelia's cheeks to burn and her heart to thump wildly.

"What's the matter?" Marcus asked in his deep voice.

"N-Nothing..." Cordelia sat aside awkwardly with her hands intertwined in distress. She tried chatting with him. "Are you reading the news?"

"Mm, the finance news."

"You understand it?"

Marcus turned back to her with vaguely smirking eyes. "What do you think someone who's been in fights and prison should understand then?"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Cordelia was flustered. "I'm just surprised that you know so much."

She went silent, and the atmosphere was soundlessly awkward now. Cordelia was a little nervous, but when she noted Marcus' nonchalance, she felt like her nerves were uncalled for. They were legally married, yet they were so awkward sitting together that even their conversation fell short.

Cordelia inwardly wondered if she was too awkward for this as she patted her head-the entire scene not going unnoticed by Marcus. A flash of a smile that he did not even realize was there tugged at the corner of his lips.

Marcus put down his phone and had some fruit with the fork, asking Cordelia casually, "You have something to tell me?"

Cordelia hummed curiously before she shook her head. "No."

"Oh." He looked at her. "Do you have enough to spend for the household?"

"Why are you suddenly asking?"

"Just chatting," Marcus replied without much emotion. "How do other husbands and wives talk? Don't they talk about casual things like this?"

Cordelia bit her lip and stayed silent.

"Or... we could talk elsewhere?"

The man looked toward the bedroom. His deep voice felt suggestive, and his warm breath was slowly inching closer to her.

Cordelia looked up into his deep eyes, and it seemed as if there was a firework display in them. She slipped to the side, only for the man to snake an arm around her waist and pull her into his embrace. Cordelia was frozen in shock while Marcus' gaze grew more heated.

His hand, which was splayed over her waist, tightened without taking further action. Marcus looked at Cordelia. The girl's eyes were screwed shut, and even though she was doing her best to relax, the tremor that ran through her exposed her panic about being with a man for the first time.

A rush of affection rushed into Marcus. He did not want to take her under the circumstances. Something like this should happen naturally.

"You must be tired." Cordelia heard his husky voice. "Go rest early."

While she was still stunned, she felt the pressure on her disappear, and the burning heat in the air slowly cooled off. Cordelia could not put a finger on what she felt.

This man should be the closest person she had in this world, but she had only gotten to know him for a few days. Besides, she was keeping secret the burden of being a substitute-which Marcus must not have found out... She wanted to brace herself and admit to him that she was not Yelena but Cordelia, yet each time the confession rolled to the tip of her tongue, she hesitated.

If Marcus thought that the Jenners had lied to him and kicked up a fuss, who knew how bad the fight would get. He had a hot temper, and it was common for him to fight. What if...

Cordelia glanced at the punching bags and boxing gloves at the front of their house and immediately decided against the thought.

"I asked you to turn in early. What kind of daze are you caught in?" Marcus asked.

Cordelia snapped out of it and headed to the bedroom, only to receive a call from Carter.

"Sis, don't worry anymore. Mom's medical bill has been taken care of!"

"What?" Cordelia dared not believe her ears. "Where did you get the money?"

"Yelena sent it today," Carter answered with a smile, "She sent a diamond necklace over, saying that it's your father's wedding gift to you. It's worth $40,000!”

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Cordelia failed to react in time.

Carter was overjoyed on the other end of the line and said that not only could they afford to pay the medical bills now, but the Jenners had upgraded their mother's hospital ward to a VIP ward with a professional caretaker and the latest imported medication too.

"Sis, your dad's actually still pretty nice to mom," Carter said with a naïve smile. "Alright, I'll stop here. I need to go to my revision session!

"Oh yeah, don't forget about my reference book money. I'm the only one in class who hasn't paid yet!"

"Okay..." Cordelia murmured, not understanding the whole situation even when Carter ended the call.

Had Yelena finally grown a conscience? Did William still hold on to his feelings for her mother?

Recalling the Jenners' attitude toward her when she had gone back to visit, she'd had no hope for the $40,000 wedding gift. It was unexpected that...

Cordelia dashed back to the bedroom and carefully put the bangle back in its box. It was lucky that she had not sold it!

With a smile, she ran her dainty fingers over the gold jewelry in the box and talked to herself. "I'll take good care of you in the future. I won't sell any of you, not ever!"

Marcus was looking inside from the door, drinking in the girl's adorableness. He smiled and felt a gush of warmth spill over his heart. He then looked down at his phone. Josiah's text contained a single word-[Done].

[Not bad. Reward you soon.]

Marcus had always been stingy with words and only replied when he was in a good mood. This was the first time Josiah received a wordy reply from him.

On the weekend, Cordelia cleaned up at home while Marcus practiced with the punching bag at the front of the house.

As Cordelia listened to the rhythmic punches, she chortled. Although she did not get why the man was close to obsessed with this violent activity and insisted on training every day, she had never stopped him. Instead, she supported it. Punching sandbags at home was better than fighting outside.

Cordelia was about to go into the kitchen to cook after cleaning up when her phone rang. Yelena's shrill, enraged voice exploded the moment she answered.

"Cordelia, you're amazing, aren't you?! Hooking up with Mr. Bayer... The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree-or the old wh*re!"

"What kind of nonsense are you spewing this early in the morning?!"

Cordelia chalked being scolded for no reason at all to running into a rabid dog. She was about to hang up when she heard Yelena scowl. "If the Bayers hadn't intervened, how could dad possibly have lost that plot of land? Do you know what Mr. Bayer told dad? He said that he wondered how dad's going to scrimp on the business partner when he was so stingy with his daughter's wedding gift!

"So we lost that piece of land! Gone!

"Do you know how much effort dad put into this project? Its estimated value was $150,000,000! Months of effort gone just like this! You sl*t! It's all your fault!"

"What..." Cordelia was confused.

What Bayer and what land?

"Have you lost your mind? You went to the hospital and gave the diamond necklace to my brother, and you're denying it now and even making up some Mr. Bayer? I don't even know this person!"

"Stop pretending! You wh*re! You act like you're so pure and pitiful, but you're a sl*t who seduces men! You must've slept with countless men in secret, haven't you? Marcus is so lucky he married a cheap wh*re like you!"

"You!" Cordelia shook from fury and flushed red. She had a soft temperament, but that did not mean she was cowardly. She had taken so much of Yelena's provocations and insults that she went from taking it in silence to being forced to fight back.

This time, however, she didn't even know where to start. Yelena was simply not making sense!

As she felt helpless, her phone was pulled out of her grip from the back. Surprised, Cordelia turned back to see Marcus' glowering face.

He said into the phone in a deep tone, "I don't care who you are. Show some respect when you speak to my wife!

"If I hear filth like what you said just now again, you might want to think about the consequences you can bear!"

The savageness in his tone was well-expressed through each word he said. Just listening to him was enough to send shudders down one's spine.

The line went quiet all of a sudden. Yelena had been probably scared into muting herself.

Marcus hung up and gave Cordelia's phone back to her before he went back outside to punch the punching bag with a straight face.

It took Cordelia a moment, but she was moved. No one had protected her like that before-Marcus was the first.

Marcus took off his boxing gloves and tossed them aside after punching the bag a few times at the front of the house, breathing harshly with a scowl.

A while later, Josiah received a text from him. [What did you tell William Jenner?]

Josiah thought over his words as he replied with caution, [I did what you said, Z. You said to pressure him, right?]

As soon as the reply was sent, Marcus called him with a voice cold as ice.

"I asked you to pressure him. Did I ask you to talk about the wedding gift too? Hmm?"

"Z, but..."

He wanted to vent on his wife's behalf. What was Josiah supposed to say if he did not mention the wedding gift?

"Josiah Bayer!" Marcus ground the words through his teeth. "It's nice having a brain, but yours still isn't f*cking fully developed!"

The man hung up after saying that, leaving a confused Josiah alone. Lucky for him, he had Fredric Constable, who had also just come from Centrolis, with him.

As his childhood friend, Fredric guffawed after listening to Josiah recount the scenario.

"Z's right about you. You don't have a fully developed brain!"

Josiah waved a fist at him.

"Think about it. You pressured William Jenner with the wedding gift and snatched the land from him. Makes it obvious that you're taking Cordelia Jenner's side, no? What happens now? Even the Jenner heiress thinks that you have something going on with Cordelia. And you think Z'd be happy to hear that?"

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Josiah slapped a hand against his thigh, only now realizing that he had dug his own grave.

"B-Bro... Fredric, you've got to help me!" Josiah grimaced. "I never thought of stealing Z's woman! Besides, my type isn't pure and chaste women like Cordelia! Z probably has a loose screw or something to actually like this type of woman..."

Fredric sipped on some tea with a cryptic smile. Yeah, he had never known that the cold, brutal third heir of the Hamertons, who had always stayed away from women, had not only become Marcus Grist but had actually made an effort for a girl like Cordelia Jenner.

"Didn't Z say that he isn't bothered by the marriage? He's just using it to hide his identity..."

"And you believe what he said?" Fredric rolled his eyes at Josiah. "Just wait and see. I don't think things are as simple with Cordelia. Heh, who knows if Z will want to return to Centrolis when the time comes!"

After lunch, Marcus left, letting Cordelia know he was going out.

The village was not huge. Before Cordelia had come, Marcus had always gone up the hill along the village path. Not many people were there and the air was fresh, so it was a great place to be alone. He often needed some quiet time to meticulously plan for the future.

Today, however, he could not get peace of mind. The filth coming out of Yelena's mouth through the phone kept echoing in his ears. Marcus took a deep breath and decided to go up the top when someone suddenly shouted at him from the back. "Hey, Marcus!"

A young man waved his arm as he jogged up the path below.

Marcus paused and frowned lightly.

"I thought it looked like you from down there! Didn't expect you to be so fast. I had to run to catch up!

"Oh yeah, you're all healed? Do you need me to get you more meds?"

Marcus nodded, answering without much emotion, "Thank you, it's all healed. Thanks for going to the trouble."

"We're bros. Don't mention it!"

The man patted Marcus' shoulder, and the two of them went up the hill together.

Honestly, Marcus was grateful for the man. Seth Stafford was his name, and he came from a decent family, one of the rare few who were rich in the village.

Seth was also the only university student in the village, and he had graduated from med school. The year he had come back after graduating, he had met Marcus, who had been nursing his injury at home. The man was warm and kind. He was the only one who had checked on Marcus every other day, sometimes sending him prescribed medicine, when the entire village had found him too eccentric and hard to approach.

Their unexpected friendship amidst that hard time had given Marcus a sense of warmth... only for it to turn into a burden later.

Who knew how Seth had found out about the relationship between the Grists and the Jenners, but he had actually broadcast the marriage pact between the two families. The whole Jangasas had been waiting to laugh at the Jenners. If they refused to marry their daughter over just because the Grists had fallen, it would turn into another piece of juicy gossip in the business field later on and the Jenners would become the prime example of someone lacking credibility.

Caught in the predicament, the Jenners had been forced to make Cordelia marry Marcus in Yelena's place.

"Oh, right, I haven't asked you about newlywed life!" Seth grinned gleefully as he scanned Marcus. "You look radiant. Having a good time with your wife, huh?

"Speaking of which, I'm basically your wingman. When are you taking her to meet me?"

Marcus tried to force a smile through his glower, looking extremely unnatural.

Back when he had come to nurse his injury in this village, he had only taken Marcus' identity after coincidentally finding out that the Grists were gone and Marcus Grist, based on his ID, looked incredibly like him.

He had concealed his real identity so he could prepare himself and get his plan ready. Getting married had not been part of his plan!

It was kind of hard to handle Seth when he got too friendly...

"Right, I heard that the Jenner heiress doesn't have the best temper?" Seth asked, looking at Marcus in concern. "Hah, she grew up being doted on, after all. It's no wonder she'd have a bit of a tantrum. Try to keep it together. Don't try getting even with a woman!"

"Mm, I got it," Marcus answered flatly.

Although the marriage had been unexpected, it was fortunate that the person he had married was not the heiress of the Jenners. If he had married Yelena Jenner, he might have actually wanted to choke Seth to death.

Since the two men had not met for some time, Seth invited Marcus to have a drink at his place. Just as Marcus struggled to find a way to reject the offer, a few older women ran up the path to the hill.

"Gosh, Marcus, you're here? Hurry back home!"

"Your dear wife will be crumbling soon otherwise!"

Gossiping was the favorite activity of older women in the village.

"Gah, your wife's too pretty. The men are all captivated by her with one glance. And you're still in the mood to roam around the hill? Things will be going south if you don't go back now!"

Marcus seemed alarmed as he rushed back home.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Does a pretty woman like you know how to make cookies?"

Several men crowded the door to Marcus' house as they grinned lecherously at Cordelia.

There were plenty of others watching, but the thugs were infamous for being bullies around the area. No one was willing to risk themselves to help. They were just watching without getting involved.

If one had to be blamed, it was Cordelia for being so gorgeous and Marcus for carelessly leaving a beautiful woman like this at home. He was just giving others a chance to take advantage of the situation. Cordelia's heart thumped as her face paled, but she tried her best to remain calm.

"I hear that the new bride is a rich heiress?"

"No wonder! Rich heiresses never go into the kitchen. How'd she know how to bake cookies?!"

"Beautiful, you mustn't know our local custom, huh?”

The thugs' eyes were basically glued to Cordelia.

"Women who get married over here have to bake cookies to bring them to the neighbors! You got married a few days ago, and we haven't gotten any cookies..."

"Excuse me, I didn't know about this custom." Cordelia did her best to make her voice sound less shaky. "I'll bring the cookies over once I make them. My husband is coming back soon. Please " Cordelia was about to close the door when one of the men blocked it with his knee. The other two hooted and cheered. The moment Cordelia panicked and lost her grip, the men broke through the door and into the front of the house. Their gazes on her were greedy and lustful.

"It's really surprising that the Grist fella has such good luck when it comes to women!"

The men were drooling.

Cordelia was repulsed from the bottom of her heart. She wrapped both arms in front of herself instinctively and looked at the men in alert. "This is my house. Leave right now!" She raised her voice. "My husband's coming home very soon! I'm sure you all know what he's like!" The men looked at one another before they cackled.

"Of course we do! He's a coward who needs to use the toilet every time there's a fight!"

"Beautiful, you have no idea, huh? Marcus is a real coward! Each time we fight, he's the one sent to the police as a scapegoat!"

"We shouldn't have missed your wedding! We didn't get to 'congratulate' you then, but we can do it now..."

The men surrounded Cordelia, and some of them began to touch her.

Despite her fear and disgust, she immediately remembered the way Marcus punched the bag at the front of the house. She had never done it she had only seen it, so who knew where she got the courage as she copied what Marcus did and used the thugs as her punching bag, swinging her fists at them.

The men were shocked, but Cordelia fighting back only further triggered their filthy thoughts.

"A feisty one, huh?"

Cordelia picked up one of the sticks at the front of the house, actually looking quite intimidating.

"Get out! Scram!"

"Beautiful, this is useless!" The men cackled. "You might hurt yourself with the stick if you aren't careful. Let us teach you how to use it!"

Cordelia was close to tearing up. Fear, terror, helplessness... All these negative emotions pooled up in her, suffocating her.

The thugs became even more unrestrained. Two of them dragged the girl into the house...

Then, a loud bang came from the door!

Before they could react, their heads took two hard hits.

Cordelia stood rooted in shock as she watched the men who had been brazen moments ago cover their heads as they sprawled on the ground, groaning. With his back against the light, Marcus looked icily on with a sharp gaze, looking authoritative and commanding even without saying a word. Cordelia could no longer hold her tears back when she saw Marcus. She threw herself into his embrace, and the man stroked her hair gently.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"It's okay. I'm here."

Marcus asked Cordelia to go inside and close the door.

The girl followed obediently, but the man did not go in after her. She heard a few dull thuds outside the house before the men's agonized moans and cries were heard. Cordelia looked out the window. Marcus had beaten those thugs down. They were bruised and swollen as they begged for mercy on their knees.

The ground in front of the house was all bloody now.

In spite of this, Marcus did not seem satisfied. He picked up the stick that Cordelia had used and hurled it down on one of the men's legs.

"Try to harm my wife again and it won't just be your leg that gets broken next time!" Marcus' voice was a deep growl, and each word was oozing with threat.

The thugs ran off in terror, and Cordelia hid inside, trying to calm her thumping heart down even though her panting still gave it away.

Marcus entered at that moment. When she saw the dried blood on him, her lips moved but she said nothing.

"Were you frightened just now?" Marcus went over and put a large hand on her shoulder.

Cordelia shook her head, stretching her arms to hug him and snuggling her face against his chest unprompted.

This soft, dependent side of her hit a soft spot in Marcus.

"You're tougher than I imagined." He chuckled. "You actually chased them away with a stick when they tried to harm you."

"What else could I do?" Cordelia looked up defiantly. "No one around offered to help, and you weren't home. I could only encourage myself..."

"Mm, it's all my fault. I should have been keeping you company at home," Marcus said in a deep tone. "But I don't think those guys will dare come again."

Cordelia buried her face deeper in his chest and giggled lightly.

Her hand unintentionally glided past the man's ripped chest, and his prominent muscles made her heartbeat quicken.

She had not expected him to actually be able to fight and finish the men off so quickly. Why did people call him a coward then?

"Wash up first and get changed," Cordelia told him. "I'll prepare dinner."

Marcus nodded and watched her with a squint.

That took Cordelia aback, so she asked, "Do I have something on my face?"

"No," the man replied with a smile. "I just think that... you're not the way they described you."

"What?"

"Before we got married, people said that the Jenner heiress was spoiled and had a huge temper they said she didn't know how to do a thing either. But you clean up the home very well and you are an amazing cook. You can calmly handle any issue you encounter as well..."

Marcus went closer to her with a vague smirk. "I'm questioning whether you're actually Yelena Jenner."

Cordelia blanched as she stared at him dumbly. The corners of her lips twitched as she plastered on a forced, awkward smile.

"I of course I-I'm Yelena." Her gaze was evasive as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Rumors, right? They're always different from the truth. Don't listen to their nonsense. I am the heiress of the Jenners. You didn't marry the wrong person!"

This time, Marcus actually laughed genuinely. That was fine, he could wait-he could wait until the day she was willing to confess.

As Cordelia hurried back into the kitchen, somebody knocked on their door urgently.

"Marcus, you home?"

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Both Cordelia and Marcus were startled.

Marcus gave Cordelia a look, asking her to wait inside the room while he went to open the door.

Outside, Seth looked anxious.

"Marcus, I heard that you beat someone up..." Before Seth could finish his sentence, he saw the bloodstains on Marcus and could not help gasping. "Oh my god, it's true!"

"It was just a few thugs," Marcus replied indifferently. "I didn't hit them too hard. They won't die."

"Didn't hit them too hard?" Seth pulled him aside and whispered harshly, "You crushed their organs! They have to be sent to the hospital now!"

Marcus raised a brow but kept a straight face. They had been asking for it. How dare they tease Cordelia? It would not have been too much even if they had been beaten to death.

"Right, there's one more man whose leg you broke, right?" Seth was panicking. "Do you know that the guy's father is "

"What does his father have to do with me?"

"Bro, they'll come to get revenge for sure!"

Marcus took off his bloodstained shirt and tossed it aside to change into a clean one. He knew that those guys came from families with some kind of influence. They were the son of the village head, the nephew of the town leader... They were up to no good all the time just because their families were the slightest bit powerful.

He had wanted to teach them a lesson for a long time.

"You know what, why don't you leave with your wife first? Hide somewhere?" Seth suggested. "These people aren't easy to handle. Wise men know better than to fight when the odds are against them. Don't get into a fight with them!"

Marcus found the man noisy. He was about to refuse when he spotted Cordelia, who had been standing by the bedroom door, out of the corner of his eye.

"I think... it's not necessary for us to hide," she said softly.

Marcus paused and asked her curiously, "Why?"

"We're not the ones in the wrong." Her gaze was firm. "Those guys are the ones who harassed me in broad daylight. They provoked us. We were only defending ourselves!"

Marcus looked at her admiringly, not expecting that she would be independent and tough, as well as not afraid to rock the boat, despite her soft exterior. He smiled.

"I know it's not your fault!" Seth replied weakly. "But their families have power and influence..."

"I don't care." Cordelia smiled. "Besides, they can't possibly be unreasonable even if they're influential, right?"

"Well..."

"Hmm, my wife is right." Marcus took Cordelia's side. "This is how my woman ought to be."

Cordelia ducked her head with blushing cheeks.

Seth sighed. "You two..."

"It's fine. Thank you for your kind warning." Marcus patted Seth's shoulder. "Do you want to stay and eat with us?"

Seth quickly waved them goodbye.

Although Marcus was not scared of those men coming to cause them trouble again, he was still considering moving out of the village. After his fight with the thugs today, they must have realized that he was no the Marcus Grist they used to know. The village was filled with gossip, so his identity might be exposed one day. It would be better to leave sooner rather than later.

A few days later, Cordelia moved to the city center of Jangasas with Marcus. She was puzzled when Marcus talked to her about moving, but he explained that there were more opportunities in the city, so she said nothing more.

In addition, she would be closer to the hospital by being in the city, and it would be more convenient for her to take care of her mother.

They rented a small place, and despite its size, Cordelia tidied the place up and bought new blinds and sheets.

The dining table was covered with a checkered apple-green tablecloth, and there were a few stalks of tulips in the glass vase by the window.

Marcus looked around and thought of the life he used to have.

The Hamerton mansion, which was tens of thousands of square meters, had been built along the hill. It was lofty as a castle, with luxury oozing from each corner. Each of the meals he had there used to come from the best chefs from different countries.

Nothing about that could compare to this, though. Those things were nothing compared to this clean, warm nest and the meals Cordelia cooked for him.

"What's up?" Cordelia looked at him with her bright eyes. "Is the food not to your taste?"

Marcus smiled. "It's alright."

"Have more then," she told him. "Oh, Linda got me a job. It's a sales job at the company she's currently working at. I can start tomorrow."

"So fast?" Marcus glanced at her. "Is the company listed? How much is its annual sales volume? Who runs the company?"

The bombarding questions stunned Cordelia. She had not asked so much about the company, as she would be only an entry-level saleswoman who would work on commission. Who cared about the person running the company...

"Uh... I'll ask when I start work."

In spite of this, she had never imagined that her superiors would actually be Jesse Ford and Karine Carmichael.

Jesse was her university senior, who had once pursued her fervently, but she had made her rejection clear. Firstly, her mother had still been ill and she had to take care of her family, so she'd hardly had any time. Secondly, Jesse was too calculative. He used to be a snob back in the student council, and Cordelia did not like that.

As for Karine, she was someone Jesse had gotten together with only after failing to pursue Cordelia. That was why Karine had always resented Cordelia.

It was unexpected that they would actually meet in the same company.

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The morning meeting was incredibly torturous.

Cordelia felt Jesse's suggestive gaze lingering on her, as well as Karine's hostile gaze stabbing her like a knife.

When the meeting ended, before Jesse could talk to her, she smiled politely and left the meeting room by making up an excuse.

Before she went far, she heard Karine's enraged voice coming from inside.

"What's gotten into you? Can't see anything else once you meet that b*tch? Is that it? You're incorrigible!"

Cordelia felt her heart thump.

She told Linda about it at noon, surprising the latter. Linda had not expected such a coincidence either. The company was very big, yet Cordelia had bumped into the two of them.

"Be careful now that you ran into them," Linda said in a lower volume. "Cordelia, I'm not in sales, so it's hard for me to put in a good word for you. And Karine's uncle is a shareholder. She's used to her ways... Basically, life won't be too easy for you in the future. You've got to watch out!"

"Mm, don't worry." Cordelia smiled. "As long as I don't make any mistakes, Karine won't be able to pick on me."

Lo and behold, that very afternoon, Karine specifically gave her a task.

"There's a tea party later. This is the guest list. They're all important clients of our company. Get things ready properly."

Cordelia nodded.

There were about a dozen people on the name list, and the tea party was not large scale-wise. Despite that, they had to do their best to satisfy the clients.

"Right, keep an eye out for Ms. Cloud from Morn-Glo Group." Karine smirked. "That businesswoman is great at everything but she's allergic to peanuts. No peanuts whatsoever when you prepare her food." "Okay, got it."

Cordelia went out with the name list. Although this was only her first day at work, she was orderly and meticulous in everything she did. Soon, she had set up the tea party venue completely. The guests came, and everything went on smoothly.

Cordelia breathed a faint sigh of relief while standing aside, only to suddenly hear a loud cry.

"Ms. Cloud fainted!"

Cordelia jolted and hurried over to check the situation. Ms. Cloud was down on the floor, her eyes were wide, and she obviously had difficulty breathing.

"What happened?" someone cried. "Ms. Cloud is allergic to peanuts! Why does this cake contain peanut butter?!"

Karine came over as well, raising her voice. "Who prepared the cake? I said it time and again-Ms. Cloud can't have anything with peanuts. Why did a mistake like this still happen?!" Cordelia sucked in a breath as she looked up and met Karine's hostile eyes. Then, realization struck her. She had been framed...

"Cordelia, I remember assigning the task to you! Explain this!"

Cordelia bit her lip and stayed quiet.

"Stop arguing!" Ms. Cloud's assistant was panicking. "Please call an ambulance! She'll die otherwise!"

The scene was chaotic.

Cordelia composed herself and squeezed through the crowd to go over to Ms. Cloud. She calmly looked at her face and pulled a small medicine bottle from her bag. "Here, give this to Ms. Cloud!"

"What's this?"

"My younger brother's also allergic to peanuts. I always have these meds in my bag!”

Cordelia pushed the pill into Ms. Cloud's mouth and pressed down on her philtrum.

By the time the ambulance came, Ms. Cloud's breathing had gradually calmed down and returned to normal. The hives on her skin seemed to have faded a little too.

She slowly opened her eyes to look at Cordelia and spoke with difficulty. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Cordelia wiped the sweat on her forehead in relief.

The ambulance came, and the others frantically took Ms. Cloud up to the vehicle. The venue slowly quieted down.

In spite of this, their director summoned Cordelia and Karine to his office with a glower shortly.

Cordelia stayed silent while Karine recounted the entire event animatedly.

"Cordelia..." Karine spoke up, crossing her arms with a victorious expression. "I emphasized this to you previously, and you turned a deaf ear? You are the one who prepared those cakes. Did you want to kill Ms. Cloud?!"

"I've got no grudge against her. Why would I want to harm her?" Cordelia was composed as she glanced at Karine. "I just don't understand why someone would swap the cakes I prepared." "You-What do you mean?"

"Have a look, sir." Cordelia had taken a piece of the cake that Ms. Cloud had eaten when she had left the venue. "This cake was served in a paper cup. It's not what I prepared."

The director's brows were furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I bought the cakes served at the tea party from the bakery across the street. To tell apart those with peanut butter and those without, I reminded them to use foil cups for those without peanut butter. But the piece that Ms. Cloud had was in a paper cup.

"I also went around the venue just now, and none of the treats served were in foil cups, so I'm certain someone swapped them!"

Karine was appalled as she cried in discomfort, "How dare you accuse me?"

"Accuse you?" Cordelia chuckled. "Ms. Carmichael, I just said that someone swapped the cakes. I didn't say it was you. Why are you so flustered?"

"You" Karine glared daggers at her with her fists clenched.

"I did ask for the cakes to be in different cups," Cordelia said clearly. "If you don't believe me, sir, you can ask the bakery workers or check the surveillance footage. I'm new, but I'm not about to sit around and become a scapegoat! I request a thorough investigation!"

Who was in the right and who was in the wrong was clear at this point.

The director was scowling. The culprit was Karine, and Ms. Cloud was fine. However, it was unnecessary to offend the shareholder's niece over a newbie who had just joined the company.

"Cordelia, I know what to do," he told her perfunctorily. "Head out now. I have to talk to Ms. Carmichael."

Cordelia nodded and left.

Karine was about to speak up when the director interrupted her sternly. "Enough!"

"What? You-"

"You think this is glorious? If Cordelia didn't have the medication and something had happened, would you have been able to handle it?"

Karine fumed.

"Don't think that you can do whatever you want just because your uncle's a shareholder. I can take it for now, but I won't tolerate it if you step over the line! You better think it through!" Karine resented Cordelia even more when she failed to get her way and was warned by the director instead. It made her pick on Cordelia whenever she could.

As a result, Cordelia failed to close any sales despite being there for a month and naturally became a negative example during their regular meeting.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"The sales department is one of the most important departments in the company." Karine purposely began to mock her during the meeting. "If certain people genuinely are untalented at sales, it'd be best not to hog the seat and leave the opportunity to more capable people!

"Our company isn't a retirement home. All of you know better. People who haven't closed a single deal and only make the basic salary should really consider a way out soon!"

Cordelia kept her head ducked. The frown between her brows remained there the entire afternoon.

When she went home after a day's worth of exhaustion, she was greeted like a boss by Marcus, who was on his phone on the couch, once she entered. The kitchen was empty, and there was not even a glass of drinkable water.

The grievances Cordelia had held in for some time finally broke through the dam.

"You... didn't make dinner?"

Marcus shifted his gaze away from the phone. The small woman in front of him had a slightly red face as she panted, her chest heaving. Her big, bright eyes were trained on him. Despite that, her questioning tone did not sound interrogating-she was more like a begrudging wife complaining cutely to her husband.

Intrigued, Marcus felt his gaze on her unknowingly turn meaningful.

"What's the matter?" He stood up from the couch with an innocent expression. "Haven't you been the one cooking since we got married?"

Cordelia paused and bit her lip. Marcus' size was intimidating, as he was notches taller than her when he stood up before her. She deflated at first. Besides, she was gentle and tolerant, so she was not genuinely blaming Marcus.

It was just that...

"Mm, that's right," she said softly with her eyes cast down. "I've been cooking all this while, but I'm out working now. You... Shouldn't you share some of the chores? This isn't just my home!

"I got home late today. Even if you don't know how to cook, you could have prepared the ingredients. Are you depending on me for everything?"

Marcus squinted. This was the first time Cordelia showed her temper since they'd gotten married. It barely counted, actually. She was just grumbling. The way the girl wanted to get angry but dared not to made her look adorable as a peach. He suddenly felt like teasing her.

"Oh." He nodded. "You're complaining that I'm not working and I'm becoming a burden to you?"

"I..." Cordelia was taken aback. Then, she explained frantically, "I didn't mean it like that!"

He went closer to watch her with a smirk, a flash of playful affection that he did not notice washing over the bottom of his deep eyes.

"Then what did you mean?"

"Marcus..." she started with a deep breath, looking at him seriously. "Since I got married to you, my mind has been set on spending the rest of my life with you. You're my husband. How could I ever despise you?

"Even if you don't work again in your life, I can take care of you."

The more she spoke, the softer she grew. Then, she began wondering if what she was saying hurt his ego. Men were all egoistic, especially previously convicted men like him, so he must hate that this had been brought up.

"What are you saying?" Marcus tried to hold the corners of his lips down lest the girl caught him trying to laugh. "You'd take care of me?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

Marcus met her eyes. Her beautiful eyes were pure as crystals, sending a jolt right through him.

"Although men are breadwinners and women stay home traditionally..." Cordelia said. "This isn't a conservative society anymore. Women can go out to work too. Who cares whether it's the husband or the wife who earns money for the family? But both of them should contribute. When they work together, anything can be overcome!"

Marcus paused before chuckling. Cordelia was only soft on the outside, but she was more opinionated than anyone else. However, this was the first time the man heard a woman wanting to take care of a man. Since she had said so, he would just play along.

Marcus' smile grew wider, looking a little strange to Cordelia's eyes.

"A-Are you okay?" Cordelia watched him without blinking.

"I'm fine." Marcus recovered his usual aloofness and coughed with a blank face. "Let's go out and eat then!"

Cordelia stared at him wide-eyed. Did the man have a sixth sense that let him know she had gotten paid today?

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Before Cordelia could reject the suggestion, she was pulled out of the house by Marcus. She was silent the whole journey, as she quickly thought about what they could afford to eat on her minuscule salary. She sneaked a peek at Marcus. The man had been broke and impoverished, so he probably had no idea about Jangasas' hotels and restaurants.

Given his budget standard, she might be able to satisfy him with some street food. Some stalls provided limitless staples too, so he would definitely be full.

Cordelia smiled with her head lowered.

She had been frugal since they had gotten married, picking cheap groceries whenever she shopped. Despite that, she had once heard an old servant of the Jenners say that young married couples feared nothing but the disappearance of passion. It would be helpful to romance each other occasionally.

In that case... she thought they could be carefree for once today, so she would buy him a meal outside.

When Cordelia looked up again, though, she realized that she had come to the busiest street and stopped right in front of Regalia Hotel with Marcus.

"We'll eat here." The man sounded as nonchalant as though he had just picked a cabbage at the market.

"What did you say?" Cordelia gasped.

"I said, we'll eat here." Marcus chortled with a squint. "I think it looks decent."

Cordelia could not help feeling her breath catch in her throat as she instinctively clutched her purse. This was the most expensive five-star hotel in Jangasas, and she had never even looked at it once whenever she passed by. Her pathetic salary would hardly pay for an appetizer if they were to eat there!

Marcus tugged her inside, where servers bowed to them politely from both sides. The manager came over to welcome them, smiling professionally. "Welcome."

"Marcus!" Cordelia yanked on the man's arm.

"What's the matter?"

"We..."

'We don't have enough money.'

'Let's eat somewhere cheaper.'

'People like us can't afford to eat here.'

When these words reached the tip of Cordelia's tongue, she swallowed them back down. She looked at Marcus' anticipating expression and recalled that he had given her all his valuable family heirlooms. How could she be stingy to her husband when he did not consider her an outsider?

Cordelia made up her mind and plastered on a smile. "Let's go in."

Marcus was startled. Her answer had completely exceeded his expectations. "We're really going in?"

"Of course!" Cordelia grinned in delight and stayed close to him, acting as though she was snuggling up to him. "Since you like this place, we'll eat here. It's just a meal. Don't worry, your wife can still feed you!' Marcus blinked. He had intentionally chosen this place, knowing that Cordelia did not have a high salary and expecting her to placate him with various excuses. She might even buy some cheap groceries and suggest that they go home for dinner in the end.

He had just wanted to tease her and force her into confessing that she was not Yelena but a substitute. However, he suddenly felt that his prank had gone too far.

"Why don't we-" Before he could finish, Cordelia dragged him in. They got a window seat, so they got to see the night view.

Cordelia ordered two dishes, not very expensive ones, but that was all she could afford. She made it clear to their server that they only wanted small portions, just enough for Marcus to be full. "Why aren't you eating?" He looked her in the eye.

Cordelia smiled, her gaze evasive. "I'm not very hungry. I don't have much of an appetite."

"But you complained about me not making food at home."

Cordelia went silent, her clear gaze obviously looking troubled.

Marcus put his cutlery down. His deep eyes seemed able to see through her. After a momentary pause, he said, "It's been some time since we got married. Don't you have anything to tell me?"