Chapter 1

The next morning, Eileen Weaver had to force herself out of bed just to catch Trevor Durham's Maybach in time.

"Sorry, I stayed up a bit late last night."

She reached for the front passenger door, but the driver immediately stopped her.

"Mrs. Durham, the front seat is…"

Eileen almost forgot.

Trevor had a strict rule. No woman was ever allowed in his passenger seat.

She shut the front door and quietly slipped into the back.

Trevor didn't spare her a single glance the entire ride.

When they reached the airport, a young lady in a white dress caught her eye.

Rebecca Durham clutched a teddy bear, looking up timidly at Trevor. "U-Uncle Trevor."

"Mr. Durham, Ms. Durham has gotten better during her time at the asylum. She… no longer holds those kinds of feelings for you," Dr. Adam Burnett, the asylum director, said respectfully to Trevor.

At that moment, the icy mask Trevor always wore around Eileen finally cracked, though all he managed was a calm, "Let's go home."

Rebecca's vacant gaze shifted slightly. "Go… home?"

A flicker of heartache crossed Trevor's eyes. After a brief pause, he put an arm around Eileen and introduced her to Rebecca. "This is your aunt. She'll be living with us from now on."

In an instant, the gentle, submissive Rebecca went wild. "Aunt? I don't want an aunt! I hate you, Uncle Trevor!"

She spiraled into hysterical screams, clawing at her skin until blood trickled down her arms.

Trevor let go of Eileen and pulled Rebecca into a tight embrace. "Dr. Burnett, what is this? You said she was getting better! Why is she still hurting herself?"

"Ms. Durham's condition ebbs and flows," Adam replied, keeping his head low. "We all agreed that returning to a familiar environment would aid her recovery."

Trevor scooped Rebecca up in his arms, placed her gently into the front passenger seat, and barked at the driver, "Drive!"

The Maybach tore away, leaving Eileen behind as if she had never been there at all.

As she gazed at Rebecca's reflection in the passenger-side window, Eileen felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing her chest, leaving her unable to breathe.

So Trevor's passenger seat wasn't off-limits to women. It was just reserved for Rebecca.

Getting a cab to get back to the estate area was nearly impossible.

Eileen walked the entire seven miles back in a sudden downpour.

By the time she made it home, her knees felt completely shot.

Just as she caught her breath, the sight before her froze the air in her lungs.

"Snowball!"

Her dog of five years lay butchered in the garden, its body raw and bloody.

She collapsed to her knees beside it, trembling.

A figure crept up behind her, making her jump.

Rebecca flashed a wicked grin. "I… don't like dogs."

Looking at her, Eileen completely snapped.

On her way back, she had looked into things.

After Rebecca's father died, Trevor adopted her as her uncle.

Five years ago, as soon as Rebecca turned 18, she confessed her love to him.

Unable to accept her feelings, Trevor committed her to an asylum for treatment. And right after locking her away, he married Eileen.

Everyone said Trevor only married Eileen to prove to the world that he had no improper feelings for Rebecca.

Eileen's emotions were all over the place as she shoved Rebecca away. "Get away from me!"

Right then, Trevor stepped outside and caught the whole thing. "What do you think you're doing?"

Trevor pulled Rebecca into his arms protectively and shot Eileen a cold glare. "Have I been so nice to you all these years that you've forgotten your place?"