Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Although Emma had longed to go to school like most people, when the opportunity finally came, she felt scared and somewhat inclined to avoid it. Perhaps it was due to the mindset formed since childhood—Emma always felt the gazes of others were filled with contempt and hatred. The more crowded a place was, the more uneasy she became, her hands and feet trembling with cold.

Her inferiority complex was so intense that she didn’t dare approach or speak to anyone, not even the classmate sitting beside her. Emma began to question whether attending school was truly necessary—or more accurately, whether it was simply beyond the reach of someone like her.

“How have things been at school lately? You don’t seem happy,” Damien asked.

Every time he spoke to Emma, his tone was gentle and full of care, which made her lower her guard. She found it easier to be natural around this father figure, though she didn’t particularly like how overly concerned he was with her.

“It’s not that… I am happy. Just a bit overwhelmed, that’s all,” Emma replied. That was the truth—the issue stemmed from herself. She constantly feared being hated, feared being subjected to harsh words and ridicule. Those haunting memories couldn’t be erased overnight.

Damien didn’t press further and simply nodded, saying, “That’s good. Besides your time at school, I’ve arranged a few evening classes for you as well.”

Emma wasn’t sure how to feel—whether she should be happy or not. A sense of pressure and heaviness crept in. But when she thought about the possibility of truly living a happy life in the future, maybe even traveling abroad like the supermarket owner, her mood instantly brightened.

“Yes, I’ll do my best, Father,” Emma said with a smile.

Damien also smiled. Every time he spoke with her, there was warmth and closeness in his demeanor. For the first time, Emma felt the love and protection of a father, so the advice Hina had given her that night had already faded from her memory.

But May couldn’t be happy. Ever since Damien proposed to make her his wife, she believed he loved her. However, since moving in, Damien had never spoken to her properly—not like he did with her daughter.

May comforted herself, thinking that Damien only treated Emma so well because he saw her as his own daughter. But she failed to realize that the jealousy and resentment inside her were quietly growing.

On the contrary, Emma felt grateful—thinking it was thanks to her mother that she was able to enjoy such valuable things in life.

Time passed. Emma was no longer timid or insecure when facing others; she began to open up and enjoy life more. Like a flower that once hid quietly in the early morning mist, she had slowly started to bloom—embracing the sunlight with all her radiance and confidence.

Yet Emma gradually noticed the growing distance between her and her mother. She couldn’t understand why her mother always looked at her with discomfort, even when she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Her mother would often remind her, “Emma, don’t forget that everything you have now is because of me. If I hadn’t become Damien’s wife, you would never have had the chance to go to school or live such a wealthy life. Don’t forget how much I suffered to give birth to you.”

Emma knew that. Before coming to her father’s house, she had lived in the lowest depths of society—she understood it well. If her mother hadn’t given birth to her, she wouldn’t have had to suffer for all those years. Still, even after being treated poorly for over a decade, her mother had fed her. At the very least, she hadn’t let Emma starve to the point of stealing or scavenging like other children.

But now, the freshness of the outside world had shifted Emma’s focus—she no longer revolved entirely around her mother.

At eighteen, Emma experienced her first crush. Two years had passed since she and her mother moved in with this father, and aside from Damien and the housekeeper Alfred, she had never interacted with any other men—not even the driver, who was also a woman.

Meeting a boy her own age made Emma feel what it meant to have a crush. His name was Logan—the older brother of one of her classmates. She met him by chance while hanging out with her friend.

Love and infatuation painted Emma’s soul in a sweet shade of pink. It was the first time she felt what it was like to be in love. But she didn’t know how to control herself around him, often initiating conversations with Logan. Seeing Emma’s awkwardness, Logan didn’t mock her—instead, he seemed amused and happily responded.

He was also the one who took the initiative and said, “We both have feelings for each other, so why can't we start a relationship? What do you think, Emma?”

Just that one sentence made Emma so happy she couldn't sleep. It was already midnight, and she kept pacing around the room, unsure of how to respond to Logan — how to say yes without seeming too eager.

While she was thinking, her eyes accidentally landed on the large painting hanging on the wall — a painting of a vase of lily of the valley. Emma stared at it absentmindedly for a long time, then suddenly noticed a tiny red dot glowing on the lowest drooping flower.

“Huh? Am I seeing things?” Emma murmured softly before drifting off to sleep.

Since meeting Logan, Emma had become more enthusiastic about attending school. Every time class ended, she would linger a bit just to talk to him. Because it was a girls' school, she could only see him after school, and even though the time was short, it was enough to make her happy for the entire next day.

While Emma was still immersed in the joy of young love, her mother was filled with worry. It had been two years since May arrived here, yet she still hadn’t gotten pregnant. Of course, that was because Damien had never touched her. In the beginning, she was busy enjoying the wealth and power he brought, but over time, her anxiety grew.

“What should I do, what should I do…” She wanted to have a child with Damien. Although she was currently his wife, she knew she could be cast aside at any moment.

Only if she had a child with Damien could she feel secure. But in the past two years, although Damien had given May wealth and power, he had never touched her — not even a single finger. She hadn’t even been allowed into Damien’s bedroom, and he had never stepped into hers.

In contrast, Damien’s attitude toward her daughter was completely different. He was gentle and approachable. This stark contrast made her increasingly resentful and uncomfortable toward her own daughter, though she dared not show it in front of Damien.

After two years of being pampered with money and status, May now carried the demeanor of a true lady. She no longer beat or threatened Emma as she had in the past.

“Emma, your eighteenth birthday is coming up soon. Do you want to study abroad?” May rarely spoke to Emma in such a gentle tone.

“Really! But…” Of course Emma wanted to go, but she thought about how studying abroad would mean she couldn’t see Logan often. They had only just confirmed their relationship a few days ago; she didn’t want to part so soon.

May frowned slightly at her daughter’s hesitation. “You don’t want to go?”

Emma pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and then said, “Mom, I want to go, but… I have a boyfriend now. His name is Logan. He’s my classmate’s older brother. If I go abroad, I won’t be able to see him.”

Hearing this, May smiled slyly. She had wanted to send Emma away for some time and was looking for a good excuse to do so. She hadn’t expected her daughter to mention having a boyfriend — even better. All she needed now was for that boy to get Emma pregnant, and she could use that as a reason to kick Emma out of the house.

Over the past two years, Emma had learned many things, but the one area she remained most ignorant about was sexual relationships. In fact, it was the very thing Emma avoided the most. She felt sick just thinking about it, traumatized by her mother’s past.

Instead of helping Emma prepare for studying abroad, May began actively encouraging her daughter’s relationship with Logan. She even helped cover for Emma whenever Damien asked about her, giving the girl more time to date.

To speed up the process, May didn’t hesitate to teach her daughter bedroom skills that would captivate a man. But she didn’t realize that everything related to sex disgusted Emma. Though Emma listened, she couldn’t accept it, and she worried whether love always had to involve sex.

But the meetings with Logan didn’t last long.

One day, Damien unexpectedly returned home earlier than usual. May quickly ran to greet him, playing the role of a devoted wife waiting for her husband. He glanced around the room. Not seeing that familiar small figure, he frowned.

“Where’s Emma?”

“Emma hasn’t come back from school yet. The school’s preparing for exams, so she’ll be home a bit late. Let me help you take off your coat,” May said sweetly, her hand deliberately brushing against his firm chest.

Damien raised an eyebrow and pushed her away forcefully. He turned to the butler and said, “I want to see Emma in ten minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” the butler replied swiftly.

May was pushed away — though she didn’t fall, she felt extremely humiliated. It was Emma again. Just who was truly his wife? Why did he only care about her daughter instead of her? May didn’t want to keep being treated coldly by Damien like this.

Holding in her frustration for days, she finally raised her voice. “Why are you looking for her? I already told you—”

But before May could even finish her sentence, she was met with a sharp, stinging slap. This time, it knocked her to the floor. Her cheek turned red with the imprint of five fingers, and a bit of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. In a daze, she looked up at the man in front of her.

Damien looked down from above, his eyes cold and void of emotion, as if he were staring at a corpse. “May, that’s your name, isn’t it? Do you even know who you’re talking to?”

“Honey… what are you saying? I’m your wife…” May trembled as she met his chilling gaze. The boldness she had moments ago completely vanished without a trace.

Two years of living in comfort had almost made her forget — even though Damien was her husband, he had once been her boss at Nyxeria. His infamous cruelty and twisted nature were known by everyone there.

Damien gestured to the two maids nearby. “Drag her out and cripple her. This bitch is giving me a headache.”