Chapter 3

Claire opened her sleepy eyes.

And her gaze was met with a pair of deep, cold eyes.

The man’s brows were sharp, and underneath his wolf-like eyes, was a well-defined nose with a sky-high bnridge. His lips, so thin that they seemed to have been shaved with a knife, were tightly pursed. Although he was in a wheelchair, he still managed to look intimidating, forming a little bubble around himself that no one was allowed to come near.

“Yvonne Schmidt?”

Claire only froze for two seconds before hurriedly sitting up on the bed. At a loss for words, she looked at the man.

Claire nodded her head nervously.

She had replaced Yvonne in marrying into the Yeich family, so naturally, she did not dare to reveal her true identity.

“Hah!” Another tinge of coolness appeared on the corners of Mason’s eyes. He took an envelope out of his pocket and threw it down in front of Claire. Carefully picking it up to take a look, Claire realized its contents were photos and information about her little sister, Yvonne.

It seemed that he had gathered all the information about the person he was going to marry.

If then, why had he not said anything during the wedding?

Claire’s grip on the envelope tightened. She bit her lip and did not move as she used her shining black eyes to sneak looks at Mason.

“Did the Schmidt family think just because I, Mason Yeich, have a troubled leg, they can just send anyone over?”

Claire’s long veil trailed across the ground as she stood up and said, eyes lowered, “I am also a daughter of the Schmidt family.”

“The daughter who just got divorced? Is the Schmidt family treating the Yeich family as its recycling center?”

His straightforward words nearly made it impossible for Claire to raise her head. She bit her lower lip hard. It was true that women in their second marriage were disliked by many, but it was for this reason that her parents had made her marry into the Yeich family.

Without waiting for her to speak again, the man’s cold voice washed over Claire like a basin of freezing water.

“You have five minutes to explain yourself out there, and then to leave the Yeich family.”

What?

Claire raised her eyes abruptly and made contact with his eyes.

“No!”

She could not leave! If she went out and admitted what had happened, that meant the Schmidt family would have offended the Yeich family. How would the Schmidt family ever gain their place in North City then?

Claire composed herself as she gathered the skirts of her wedding gown and walked over to Mason. Softly, she explained, “My sister has a boyfriend, she won’t want to marry into the Yeich family.”

“So, you took it upon yourself to replace your sister in marrying me?” The corners of Mason’s mouth curled into a mocking smile that stung to look at.

Gathering her courage, Clairy raised her eyes to meet his cold gaze.

“I know this marriage was arranged by our parents. To you, it makes no difference who you marry, otherwise, you would never have agreed to this marriage.”

Claire had no idea if this would convince him.

“Instead of you marrying again, why don’t let me stay, and I promise we’ll stay out of each other’s way.” As she spoke, Claire raised her hands in assurance. Her shiny black eyes were filled with determination and courage, but her tiny pale face had an expression of timidity as if she were afraid that he would not accept.

That look…

Mason narrowed her eyes and sized her up.

In the end, he released a cold snicker from his thin lips. “You think I can’t get women? And that I’ll settle for a woman like you?”

Claire’s face turned white as a sheet. Her lips quivered, but Mason did not wait for her to speak before he turned and wheeled himself out of the room.

Stunned, Claire remained still for a few seconds before she attempted to run after him, but was stopped by his men.

“Miss Schmidt, please have some respect for yourself!”

Looking at Mason’s cold, retreating back, Claire was so anxious that she shouted after him, “If you don’t let me stay, then I’ll tell everyone there’s something wrong with you!”

The grenade had been thrown out, Claire just had to give it a go.

Her words caused Mason and his wheelchair to pause. He did not move his body, but his head turned slightly. His gaze chilly, he asked with a voice that seemed to have risen from the depths of hell, “Who did you say has something wrong with them?”

Mason’s eyes looked like the eyes of a beast on prey at night. If Claire said another word, he would pounce and kill her immediately.

What was going on here? A person with a troubled leg, yet he gave off such powerful vibes?

There was no turning back for Claire.

Teeth clenched, she curled her hands into fists and looked defiantly into Mason’s eyes.

“Unless you let me stay.”

Simon, who was standing at the sidelines, was dumbfounded. Although the Young Madam was petite, she was quite bold, daring to provoke even the Second Young Master.

Mason had adjusted the direction of his wheelchair and was slowly approaching her. Eyes as dark as the night, his gaze did not leave her.

Claire subconsciously took two steps back

Sitting in his wheelchair, Mason was soon right in front of her. His actions were swift as he raised his hand and grabbed her fine, pale wrist.

“Just now, who did you say has something wrong with them?”

“Let… let me go…”

His sudden approach sent Claire into a state of panic. The warm, masculine scent of his body enveloped her wholly.

Domineering, dangerous.

This feeling…

It reminded Claire of that night a month ago.

At that time, the man in the car had an aura just as domineering as the man in front of her now.

Claire’s face paled. Why did she think of that night again?

That night was a humiliation for Claire.

“You’ll do anything it takes to become Mrs. Yeich?”

The male voice ringing in Claire’s ears pulled her back to reality as she stared in awe.

A thin layer of sweat coated Claire’s forehead. “Did you not agree to the wedding as well? You already knew I wasn’t Yvonne, but you didn’t expose me during the wedding.”

“So?”

“Let me go,” Claire said as she pushed against him.

“Hah,” Mason laughed coldly. “You’re a divorcee, why are you nervous?”

Claire stared stubbornly at him.

“Don’t you go overboard with your bullying!”

It was not Mason’s first time seeing women like Claire, who took their sister’s place in marrying into the Yeich family in exchange for glory and wealth.

Face pale, Claire’s lips quivered.

“Can’t do it?” With a brooding gaze, Mason reached out and cupped her chin with one hand, the words spilling slowly from his thin lips. “It seems that there’s nothing wrong with me, and you’re the disgusting one.”

As he finished speaking, Mason pushed her away.

As she stumbled and fell backward against the doorframe, Claire looked at Mason with a wretched gaze.

Mason instructed his assistant to push his wheelchair. Looking at their retreating backs, Claire bit her lower lip lightly.

Had she succeeded?

Could she stay?

Claire reached to touch her chin, which was sore from being pinched, and returned to the room.

She waited for ten minutes.

Nothing happened.

Claire let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that she had succeeded.