On this sweltering summer day, the air is so sticky and hot that it's hard to breathe.
The Martin family is in deep gloom, as if they've been thrown into an ice cellar.
All because the third young master of the Robin family from Ashside is getting married...
Who exactly is this third young master of the Robin family?
It's well known, he is a man who is hideously ugly, incompatible with humanity, unforgivable in character with a horoscope that is as unyielding as rock, and furthermore suffered the early death of both parents...
There are rumors that he was in a car accident years ago. His whole body was burned to a crisp, and even today's medical technology couldn't restore his original appearance. Ever since then, his personality changed dramatically. He becomes violent when angry and has some quirks that ordinary people can't understand.
With these conditions, which lady from a wealthy family would dare to marry him?
However, the Robin family didn't scare the other aristocrats. They directly set their sights on the Martin family, averting a panic among the people.
Aaron has two daughters.
The eldest daughter is Cheryl, 22 years old. She is delicate and charming, well-read and reasonable, one of Ashside's famous ladies.
She's currently studying abroad and already has a fiancé, so she definitely can't be married off.
The younger daughter is Dana, 19 years old this year. She doesn't have a marriage partner yet, and she’s the bride-to-be the Robin family has set their sights on.
But she has no interest in that ugly, hopeless old man!
"If you all force me to marry that old man, I'll die right in front of you."
These days, Dana has been crying and making a fuss, threatening to commit suicide, stubbornly refusing to marry him.
Victoria couldn't bear to see her daughter suffer either. Her daily crying was enough to make the house collapse.
"My husband, I've devoted my entire life to our daughters, Cheryl and Dana. How can you push Dana into the fire like this? If Dana is truly destined to marry that third young master from Huo's family, I don't want to live anymore."
"You guys..." Aaron was instantly at a loss for words.
"What am I supposed to do? The Robin family presented the token my father had given them and asked for a bride! Back when the Martin family was in trouble, the Robin family stepped in without a second thought to help. Can I really refuse them now?"
"Just marry the one who received the token then. I certainly won't!" Dana rebutted loudly.
"How do you do speak to your father?" Victoria glared at her and motioned for her to calm down. Her eyes swept across the figure in the yard, and suddenly she had an idea.
The sorrowful expression she had a moment ago changed instantly —
"My husband, the Robin family said... any daughter from the Martin family will do, right?"
"Yes, I've said it countless times, why are you only mentioning this now?"
"That settles it then. In addition to Cheryl and Dana, we have another daughter in the Martin family!"
Another one? Why didn't he know he had another daughter?
Aaron was confused. Following Victoria's gaze, his eyes landed on a young woman in the yard busily watering the flowers, and his heart sank subtly.
This was his older brother, Jeffrey's daughter, named Ophelia. She was a bit dim and mentally challenged, living with them all this time. She was an unremarkable girl who couldn't be showcased.
"You're planning to marry Ophelia off? No way! She's not bright; the Robin family will surely not agree."
Aaron shook his head in disagreement, even more annoyed.
"If Ophelia is a normal person, this plan would work, but she's a fool. Would anyone want to take her in?"
Victoria, however, disagreed, "Ophelia looks so gentle and quiet when she doesn't speak. How is that foolish?"
"Moreover, wouldn't Roy be contented enough to marry such a beautiful woman even though he's so ugly?"
"Just let me teach Ophelia to talk less when she's outside, so she won't give herself away. Once she's married to Roy and the rice has been cooked, even if they despise her, the Robin family will have no reason to harm our dear Dana, right?"
"Honey, we spent so much effort to raise two such excellent daughters. Can you bear to give them to that Roy? He's just an extra in the Robin family. Once the Lewis dies, he'll probably be kicked out. Do you want Dana to beg with him?"
"I don't want... Dad, please save me."
Upon hearing that this could be her future, Dana was even more unlikely to agree to this marriage.
If someone has to beg... let that little fool go!
"Dad, say something~"
"Alright, let's just have Ophelia marry him."
Aaron didn’t have other choices, it was a gamble.
He urged Victoria, "Teach her not to talk nonsense when she's outside. Then we'll send her to the Robin family."
"No problem, I've got it under control."
Victoria patted her chest to assure him; her constantly hanging heart finally returned to its place.
That was close!
Her daughters are all so outstanding, how can they ever be suitable for a loser like Roy?
...
Two days later.
Victoria took Ophelia to the Presidential Suite of the Coral Hotel. Tonight, Roy would come here for the 'inspection'.
“Ophelia, your husband will be coming in later, no matter what he looks like, you cannot despise him, understand? He has helped our family a lot, and besides, he's the husband your father saw fit to find for you, treat him well, okay?”
Victoria patiently coaxed Ophelia. This silly girl, if you don’t keep reminding her, she’ll breeze by your words, and it would be troublesome if she gave herself away later.
“I understand.”
Ophelia sat by the little table, sipping her drink through a straw between her plump and glossy pink lips. Her clear eyes were exceptionally innocent, an amber hue, yet there was a faint hint of aimlessness and dullness in them. There was a naive look in her brows, like a newly arrived creature unfamiliar with the world.
She seemed unaware of what was about to happen, yet also appeared to have warmly accepted everything.
In any case, she was unhurried and calm, like a bystander.
“Good girl, I’ll go out first, remember, you must be nice to him, use all the things I taught you, do you remember? Or else, I will be angry!” she threatened.
“Okay.” Ophelia nodded, as if she had taken it all in.
It was only then that Victoria was satisfied. As she left, she turned off the lights, making Ophelia promise that no matter what happens, she couldn't turn them on.
Ophelia casually responded with a nod, taking a sip of her juice. Nothing seemed to be as fascinating as her drink.
With the door closing, the room turned pitch dark instantly.
She blinked in the engulfing darkness, sipped on the straw and guzzled down the rest of the juice.
She proceeded to slid open the curtains just wide enough for a hand's breadth, letting the bright moonlight pour in. The room felt less gloomy. Satisfied, she crawled into her cozy bed.
The bed was incredibly soft here, and she fell into a comfortable slumber in no time.
Soon after, a faint sound of footsteps echoed in.
Steadily and slowly falling on the solid wooden floor.
But she was oblivious to it all, sound asleep tucked snugly in her warm quilt.
A chilly finger traced across her porcelain delicate face, and yet it failed to bring her back from her dreams.
It was only until a heavy figure suddenly pressed upon her, making it hard even to breathe, that she woke up.
Prying open her eyes, she saw a dark figure looming over herself, his breath as warm as a caged fire.
"Cough, cough...I'm suffocating, you’re crushing my breath away...," she whimpered.
She wailed, her soft little fists rained down on the man's sturdy chest, making a rhythmic thumping sound as if pounding metal.
In the dark, the man hummed in disbelief.
"Dare you hit me?"
"I...I didn't mean to, are...are you my husband? If you don't get up soon, you might have to become a widower~"
Her little hand stopped on his chest, gripping his clothes pitifully.
Husband?
A widower?
So forthright?
Sure, woman.
In the darkness, the man's thin lips hooked up with interest. His big hand pressed the delicate wrists of Ophelia on both sides of his head.
His upper body slowly pitched forward, a strong masculine scent flooded down. It was like an invisible chain, imprisoning this little bird called Ophelia in the soft bed.
Both sank down together.
This softest bed in the world, any slight movement felt like they were falling through clouds. The two playing together was especially interesting.
"You're calling me...husband?"
"Mm~"
"You must be the husband my father found for me."
Ophelia obediently hummed in agreement, her small mouth purring. Then suddenly, she realized she might be too presumptuous, what if he wasn't?
She was shocked by this thought, she struggled, but his strength was overwhelming, she could barely move.
She grunted in utter grievance, warning him, "If you're not my husband, then you can't hold me like this."