CHAPTER 2: Frightened

Her husband doesn't like her. That's what Lily thought as she heard the voices talking. She opened her eyes, and it was clear to her ears how her husband criticized her. He desired a woman with a model-like physique as opposed to someone who was thin and frail like her.

After all, who would want someone like her who can't even help her family? A woman of no use? Would she be curious still? Even her own father and his wife, Kenneth, and the maids dislike her.

"I-I-I'm sorry..." she said, sobbing.

Her husband and his friend turned to her at the same time.

"Damn it!" Drew gently touched the tip of his nose bridge between his eyebrows. Lily was startled, and it seemed like she could already feel the man was about to attack her.

"Bro, you're just making it worse," said his friend. The man tried to approach her, but she simply became more frightened and retreated to the corner of the bed. Her body trembled. She had several images of men who wanted to harm her seriously. They were making ominous laughter.

Would Drew Walton do the same to her as Kenneth did?

"Please..." she pleaded to the two men. The man who was her husband's friend stopped approaching her.

“Uhm… We promise not to harm you. I’m Finn. I’m the best man and Drew’s best friend.”  

Her actions annoyed Drew, and then he asked, "What's her problem?"

Someone knocked outside their suite. "That's definitely the doctor I asked for."

Lily calmed down once the other man left, but Drew remained perplexed. He examined her with a dark expression and knotted brows. Finn reappeared in her vision, this time with a woman carrying a stethoscope, a medicine box, and other items. This was most likely the doctor they had called to check on her.

“Please check my wife! She passed out after the ceremony,” Drew stated grumpily.

Lily didn't know how to feel about that. In the Martin household, even if she couldn't stand because of bruising or cigarette burns, her family wouldn't call a doctor because she meant nothing to them.

The woman took her blood pressure and asked what she was feeling at the moment.

"Mr. Walton, her blood pressure was elevated due to her anxiety, probably because of the wedding. You've also heard that she hasn't eaten properly since this morning."

“So annoying…”

She sobbed uncontrollably and then whispered, "Thank you!"

After advising her to eat and take care of herself, the doctor left the room.

Drew sat on the couch and then looked intently at her. Lily averted her gaze, wiping away her tears. However, nervousness still pulsed through her veins. It was the first time she had ever met Drew, someone she didn't know. He seemed ready to unleash his anger at her at any moment. She sensed he was not content with her.

Finn came back with a woman. "I called her because we obviously needed help."

"This is insane!" Drew complained to the two people who had just come in. Standing up, he continued, shaking his head, "I really shouldn't have consented to this marriage! Look at me, and then look at her, Lauren. She's too small for me! She doesn't even have any flesh on her body, and she has been sobbing for quite some time! She's so delicate! I had the impression she was terrified of me."

Her tears started to flow again. Because of her shortcomings, she became even more discouraged.

"You brat! You should be thankful that someone even married you! You're being disrespectful! If you're looking for big boobs, you can add them to your body!” exclaimed Lauren angrily.

Drew winced at what he had just heard.

"It's wrong to criticize any woman! May I remind you that she's your wife?"

"I told you, love. Both of them needed help," Finn remarked, as if he was running out of patience.

"I'm out!" Her husband stormed out."

Her eyes grew wider. It's her fault! Drew must not go away! What if he immediately ended things with her? She became even more tense.

“I will follow Drew. You take care of her first," Finn instructed the woman.

Lauren approached her. Her worry and defenses were partially reduced because she thought the woman was considerate. But Lily did not fully trust the woman.

"My name is Lauren, my husband is Finn, and Drew is my friend.”

“I’m Lily.” 

"Please forgive that jerk because he, too, is unaccustomed to relationships. He struggles to trust women. But don't worry, Drew is a good guy."

She held back tears despite her fear that Drew might not return. She has to trust Lauren’s words, right?

“I have to follow him. We should not have left the event hall.”

"Don't worry about Drew. Even though he behaved like that, he had a sense of responsibility. Although that jackass unquestionably treated you poorly, he certainly wouldn't have consented to this wedding if he didn't like you. He will soon realize that you're his wife and that he shouldn't act rudely towards you."

Perhaps Lauren said it to make her feel better. She had previously heard that Drew enjoys hot and attractive ladies, has large breasts, and possesses a fantastic shape. There was no mention of her physical appearance in any of these.

"Thank you! But I have to go back to the event hall," she said as she calmed down. "It doesn't give a good impression that we aren't there."

"You will definitely get attention if you come back there. Wait a minute! I'll get you a new dress. We can explain that you changed your clothes." The woman exited the room before she could answer.

‘Lily, this is a simple thing to do. Why can’t you do it?’ Before Drew decides to end that marriage, she needs to find him.

Lauren carried a white dress when she returned. Because the sleeves are big and loose, it is unlikely that the guests will notice her almost bony shoulders. She thanked Lauren despite feeling uncomfortable wearing the outfit because it was too much.

Lily asked Lauren for help because she needed to zip up her dress.

“Oh, my God! You have—” Lauren gasped in terror as she stared at Lily's exposed back. Her lips parted as she took her time, zipping Lily’s new dress all the way up.

Her cheeks were red as she looked away.

“Lily…”

She forced a smile and hoped Lauren would forget what she saw. "We have to go back."

They returned to the event hall. She attracted attention as well because they couldn't see Drew.

"Where is that arse? Have Finn and Drew ever been here?” Lauren spoke to the other woman, who appeared to be quite busy.

"No. I last spoke to Drew when he instructed me to look after guests. That was after the ceremony a while ago."

Lily took a seat at the couple's table, unable to resist the food in the absence of her husband. She was ravenous and needed the energy. When a hotel staff member approached her, she was already halfway through the entrée.

"Ms. Lily, Mr. Martin is requesting your presence in the garden. Please follow me."

Knowing her father's impatience, she instinctively obeyed Mr. Martin's request. She prepared herself for his potentially harsh words, left her seat, and made her way to the garden. As soon as she arrived, she noticed the man gritting his teeth. Her stepmother, with a slight smirk on her lips, stood beside him.

"You, wench!" Mr. Martin slapped Lily, and her frail body tumbled into the bushes. "Where is Drew? I had warned you I'd disown you if you didn't perform well today."

"Honey, maybe Drew won't just walk out on the marriage. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours. Don't tell me he doesn't want Lily anymore.” Her stepmother sneered. She obviously aggravated Mr. Martin's rage. 

Her father's knuckle hit her head. "If Drew ever brings you back home, remember that I won't accept you." Before leaving her, he gave her another slap. "Stupid!"

Lily sat on the bench, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her task had been so simple, yet she had failed to complete it. She had been crying for some time now.

If only she weren't so anxious...

If only she hadn't been so terrified...

If only she were attractive, sexy, or beautiful! Perhaps her husband wouldn't have abandoned her.

She jerked in surprise when someone touched her hair. As soon as she recognized Kenneth, a peculiar feeling of disgust crawled through her skin.

"P-please go away..." Lily whispered. She quickly scanned her surroundings. She had to return to the event hall before he could do anything unimaginable to her because it was already getting dark there.

Kenneth looked at her intently.

"You look adorable in this dress... You should know that I'll always be with you, Lily. There's no escaping me, no matter where you go. Even if Drew Walton hides you at the ends of the earth, you won't be able to escape."

She retreated from him. Kenneth tightened his fist and rapidly squinted his eyes. Here they are again! Is he intending to hurt her?

“Leave. Her. Alone!”  

They both turned to face the person who spoke. She spotted Drew looking at them with narrowed eyes.

Innocently grinning, Kenneth raised his hands as though giving up. "Come on, man. I'm only wishing my sister luck."

Drew gave her a glance. He might have noticed the anxiety in her eyes.

“To me, that is not what it looks like! Lily, come here.” 

She rushed over to Drew. He took her by the waist and gave Kenneth a threatening glare before walking away. Compared to Kenneth or her father, who frequently hurt her, his touch on her waist was gentle. Was she really that foolish to believe her husband? Perhaps. But she would be even more foolish if she stayed with her stepbrother.

"The gathering ended early, so I'm taking you to the suite. Finn and I had a drink in this hotel's bar, and when I returned, you were in the garden," her husband stated coldly.

As they made their way to the suite, Drew had a gloomy expression. He seemed to want to say something, but he couldn't. Lily remained silent when they returned to their room.

When they entered the room, Drew punched the wall, making it clear he was unhappy. Lily felt a shiver down her spine as she met the intensity in his gaze. She wrapped her arms around herself and moved to the corner of the room farthest from him.

"Tell me. You weren't harmed by that bastard and his four friends! I've been trying to recall where I saw you. It was at Hotel 5! You went into my suite and passed out. When I was carrying you out, Kenneth claimed you were his sister, but I didn't believe those jerks. I knew something terrible had happened. So, I called the police to make sure he was telling the truth."

Lily was awestruck. Now she realized she and Drew had met before. Tears welled up in her eyes. Because of that day, she couldn't finish her degree.

"Lily, tell me..." Drew approached her. This time, his voice was less agitated as he asked, "Did they do something to you?"

She could not respond. What happens if his disdain for her grows? The resurfacing of her painful memories brought her tears on rather than fear.

"There won't be any issues between us. Anyone could be in your position as my wife. I just want to understand the source of your fear. Did your brother… rape you?"

She pondered her response carefully, sobbing gently, and then nodded.

Drew clenched his fist, letting out a growl of anger. "With those scumbags?"

"No, but they molested me," she wailed. "I'm sorry," she cried.

He continued to comfort her, saying, "I saw you earlier. I went to the garden after you, and I witnessed your father beating you. Then, before I could approach you, I saw Kenneth. I had a feeling he was planning something awful for you because of the look on his face. What kind of family did you have?"

Lily didn't know how to answer him. She had nothing to compare to her family, having never experienced another one aside from the Martins, if she could even call it a family. She already assumed Drew would leave her too, believing that the wife he had was worthless.