Jane woke up in an abandoned warehouse north of the city.Because the wedding was tomorrow, Jane had been resting very early recently and even slept in separate rooms with Ethan.Ever since they started having sex, her husband's self-control seemed to evaporate every night, as if he wanted to make up for years of deprivation.It drained Jane of her energy, leaving her unable to wake up the next morning. Ivy had laughed about it at her expense for a long time.However, Jane did not expect to receive a call from the old folks' home the day before her wedding. They had said that her grandmother was dying and wanted to see her for the last time.After careful consideration, Jane decided to grant her request. Ethan had been very busy recently as most of his businesses were conducted domestically now.Now, Ethan had changed and was stepping into new shoes as a new man, so Jane chose to pop down and come back without disturbing him.Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped into the ward, her gra
Standing in front of the mirror in an ill-fitting wedding dress, Jane studied her reflection and felt the corner of her lips twist into a wry smile.“Sign this contract”.Jane caught the document that her father, Peter Harrison, tossed at her. Her eyes traveled to the bottom of the page where her husband-to-be’s signature stared back at her: Ethan Harrington.The handwriting was neat as though in fine print but the pen had been gripped with enough force for the ink to have bled through the other side of the paper. “You’ll be well taken care of as his wife but…”, he warned, “… you’d better behave”.An edge crept into his voice like the hints of a dark cloud looming over the horizon.“Think about what will happen to your grandmother if you ruin everything”.It should have been Stacy in her place, Jane thought. But Stacy didn’t want to marry a man on the verge of death — why would she?She had fled just a few hours before her wedding but to tell the groom’s family would be nothing short
On the surface, Jane was calm but her palms were sticky with sweat. She had never been this close to a man before and now she would have to be the one to lean in, to press her lips to his, someone who was a stranger…Best get it over with quickly.Summoning her will, Jane shut her eyes and planted a kiss on his thin lips before pulling his mask back in place and rising to her feet.Ethan was startled by her brisk, businesslike actions. His gaze narrowed, simmering with unreadable depths. Had this woman really just kissed him so boldly?He had thought she would be scared or at least disgusted by the scars on his face but she had merely glanced it, hardly giving any indication of noticing anything out of the ordinary.As Jane rose, her veil swept off his head but her scent, faint though it was, lingered. He let his eyes slide down, on the inside however, he was filled with a new burning certainty.This woman was not Stacy.Ethan was in poor health and no activities followed the wedding
Before the butler could finish, a feeble voice traveled from inside the bedroom punctuated by a cough. “Is that you Jane? Come in”.Jane arched one brow at the butler who had no choice but to step aside and let her in.Ethan Harrington’s bedroom was sparsely furnished, a stark canvas of black and white that was almost stifling to look upon. He was still in his wheelchair. He coughed several times before turning his gaze to Jane in an unspoken question.“I’ve never been anyone’s wife before”, she explained, “I thought I’d… come and ask what duties are required of me”.The words were poised to leave Ethan’s tongue, to assure her that nothing was needed of her, but then he changed his mind.“The room is a little warm. If you don’t mind… you could help me change my clothes”.He was still dressed in his formal suit from the wedding. Jane nodded, moving to unbutton his suit with deft fingers.As she was removing his jacket, their eyes met. She didn’t resist, allowing him to observe her. On
“Shall I do something, Young Master?”Bruce asked in a low voice as he turned to Ethan. Ethan glanced at Toby’s hands groping Jane’s hips. A glint entered his mild, gentle gaze.“Look again”.Beneath them, Jane took in the sight of Toby’s body trapping hers with visible disgust . With finality she said, “For the sake of your older brother, I’m warning you one last time: Get away from me”.Paying her threat no mind, Toby gripped her chin again, savoring the texture of her porcelain skin. He had had his fun with countless daughters of noble families but never one like Jane whose doe like appearance belied her feisty temper.He allowed himself to contemplate what she would be like between the sheets.“Isn’t a life with me better than one in the kitchen, pretty little thing? The work here gets all dirty and tiring, come with me and I’ll…”Without hesitation, Jane kneed him between the legs, cutting him off.Toby let out a howl of pain, doubling over and staggering back.“How dare you…”, h
Ethan stared at her, slightly dazed. He had planned to present Jane with a challenge and let her take charge of finding a solution, but he hadn’t expected her to be quite so straightforward. Her soft lips pressed against his, and just like that, they were gone, leaving him with no time to react to their flavor.“It is”, he said, helpless to argue.Toby took in the sight of both of them, then the hideous burn scars littering his brother’s face. Disgusted, he lifted a hand to shield his eyes.“That doesn’t seem right, brother. Can a mere kiss prove that this woman is your wife? If I take her to bed, does that mean I can start calling her my daughter-in-law?”In the blink of an eye, Ethan’s expression darkened, his gentle gaze turning dangerous.“What did you say, Toby Harrington?”Bruce had served Young Master Ethan for years and he knew his master was truly enraged. He retrieved the knife Jane had discarded on the chopping board and seized Toby’s arm.“You dare to disrespect my Young
“My room is in the basement”.As she spoke, they had already reached the basement. Jane pushed the door open. The room was wide and spacious, cluttered with a variety of junk.Tucked all the way at the back behind a curtain, was a small corner with a single bed, a worn desk and a flimsy clothes rack.Toby’s eyes widened in disbelief. This was where the Harrisons kept such a beautiful girl? Not only was there not a trace of sunlight here but, it was uncomfortably humid and it was so stuffy that the air seemed to stick to one’s skin.How could anyone be forced to sleep here? Jane must have been worth less than dirt to the Harrison family!Jane had a few belongings so she was done packing in no time. Noticing that Toby was studying their surroundings in shock, she shrugged and said, “Okay, I’m done. Staring won’t make this place any prettier. Let’s get out of here”.Ethan’s expression was more contained than his brother’s. The thin, flat line of his mouth was the only sign of the storm l
Bring Stacy Back?! Jane couldn’t help stealing a nervous glance towards Ethan but he remained as unmoved and silent as ever.She felt a wry, bitter laugh bubble to her lips. She had fooled herself into thinking that Ethan had approved of her. Like a delusional, lovesick fool, she had even been truly fond of him, wanting to be his dutiful wife…It wasn’t that she had truly wanted to marry Ethan Harrington but the Harrisons would never let this slide… to say nothing of what they would do to her grandmother. The thought sent a pang of pain through her heart and she felt her eyes prick with tears.Upon hearing Toby’s pronouncement, the Harrison family’s faces fell. To wed Stacy to that sickly cripple, with his pasty, disfigured face…Stacy herself would never agree, but even all of Ursula’s love for her daughter couldn’t compel her to allow Stacy to come back and face such a match.“That doesn’t seem quite appropriate Young Master Toby”, she objected. “No matter how you put it, Jane alr