CHAPTER 3: Wife

Drew sat in the corner of the bed while Lily cried.

“I understand if you choose to leave me after tonight,” she murmured.

The thought angered him. He knew he was among the most awful individuals in the world, but he never imagined that anyone could be worse than him. Her past upset him. Along with that, he understood why Lily reacted this way. As her husband, he had every right to feel this way, didn't he?

"Lily, you know I already agreed to this, right? I said 'I do,' and I'm not crazy enough to change my mind just because things aren't going well for you." He accepted Lily. There was a reason why his grandfather chose her.

When Drew witnessed Mr. Martin beating his wife with a cane earlier, he had an intense urge to step forward and confront him, to give him a taste of his own medicine, just as he did for Lily. It felt as if his chest were ablaze with anger upon discovering what Kenneth and his friends had done to his wife. He wanted to make them pay for their actions by challenging them to a fight. Drew had a penchant for causing trouble, and everyone was well aware of it. Furthermore, what they did to Lily was absolutely unacceptable.

"B-but I'm not pure. You probably don't want me as your wife."

“Lily, do you think there's nothing wrong with me? You saw me four years ago with a prostitute.” Reflecting on it now, he felt embarrassed. How many women had he been with? “And I'm sorry for my behavior earlier; I'm aware of my arrogance.”

On the other hand, it wasn't Lily's fault that she had to walk through the dark alley where Kenneth was waiting. Drew gently caressed Lily's head, causing her to flinch. He sighed, realizing that he needed to be patient with her, especially now that he knew about her past. Finn was right; as a married man, he was now responsible for her.

In sickness and in health...

"Lily, you do know that I'm your husband now, right? I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. I just..." Drew shrugged his shoulders and continued, "I don't know. You should rest for now. If you need some privacy, I can step out."

As he got up to leave the room, she clutched the hem of his clothing from behind.

"Please, p-please stay."

Drew wasn't entirely sure if leaving his wife here was a wise decision, but it would look bad if anyone he knew saw him outside.

"I'll sleep on the couch. You can take a shower."

His words seemed to trigger fear in Lily again. She clutched her chest, and Drew let out a frustrated sigh. Although he was genuinely annoyed, he realized there wasn't much he could do. Both of them were in a state of confusion, and he had never encountered anyone quite like Lily.

"Lily, I'm your husband, not some despicable person. Now, gather your things and freshen up," he said, as though he were giving instructions to a child.

She followed his directive, avoiding eye contact, and made her way to the cabinet to retrieve the belongings her family had prepared for her.

His rage returned as soon as she left his line of sight. Kenneth and Mr. Martin must bear the consequences of their actions. They misled the Walton Family, failing to take care of Lily.

Even if he didn't yet have a clear plan for himself and his wife, he needed to have a conversation with her and understand what she truly desired. In a marriage, the wife has a say, but did she want to be his wife? If she chose to live with him, he needed to make it clear that she would be living as his wife. Just like the Waltons, she shouldn't be as vulnerable as she was right now.

***  

"Welcome to your new home," Drew said to Lily.

Lily looked around. As soon as she entered his house, she noticed gym equipment scattered around the living area. If it weren't for the large stairs leading up to the next floor and the kitchen not too far away, it would feel more like a gym than a home.

"Oh, shoot! Sorry," Drew scratched his head. "I've been working out here. I'll move those, but let's find a proper place for them."

Despite the limited number of appliances, her husband's home was well-kept. However, for someone like her, who had studied interior design, this house lacked appeal. It was spacious but dimly lit, with weak lighting and dark-hued drapes covering the tall windows. There was a large swimming pool on the side, kept clean, suggesting regular use.

“Just let me know if you want to change something,” he muttered.  

She didn't have the courage to make any changes to this house. What if he became furious and sent her back to her family?

Drew frowned as she didn't respond.

They ascended to the second floor, where she was greeted by a foyer leading to the stairs to the third floor and four spacious rooms. Drew unlocked the first door. "Your room is at the front; this one is mine."

He opened the room he had just mentioned, revealing nothing but a single bed. Drew massaged his temples.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't had the chance to take care of this house because I've been too busy with work. I'll hire an interior designer to fix it. You can let me know how you want your room decorated." Immediately, he took out his phone.

Lily held his arm to stop him. "Can I just fix it?"

She was confident in her ability to do the work just as well as anyone else, so she didn't want to hire a designer. Moreover, she was concerned that the designer would charge them twice the cost of the furniture for the small room, and she didn't want Drew to spend too much on her. She didn't want him to think that marriage was too expensive and consider returning her to the Martins.

"I know how to design. I was taking an interior design course... before."

"What do you mean by 'before'?"

She swallowed, worried that he might be disappointed if she told him she hadn't completed school. "I... I took a design course in college. All I need are pieces of furniture."

"You studied interior design? That's cool! I'm free today. Let's go visit the shop. Just pick out what you like, and I'll ensure they deliver it today, even if it means staying up till midnight."

Lily was surprised. The quickest way to purchase furniture usually takes three days, right? Then she realized that he owned several large shopping malls throughout the country.

"But before anything else, can we talk downstairs?" he asked.

With her heart aflutter, Lily nodded. She followed Drew into the kitchen, where he asked her to take a seat. While waiting for what he had to say, various thoughts crossed her mind.

Has Drew had a change of heart? Or perhaps he will warn her not to dream of becoming a Walton because she doesn't deserve it? Her body shivered once again as she continued to entertain negative thoughts. After spending a few hours with her husband, her life began to improve. He watched over her all night, maintaining a comfortable distance, making her feel safe.

While she was lost in her thoughts, he interrupted, "Someone has done some shopping for me, so the fridge is fully stocked. Would you like some juice or coffee?"

A voice intruded on her thoughts.

Anything more than water is a luxury, Lily. If you ask for more, you have to pay the price...

"J-just water," she replied with her fingers shaking.  

"Lily?" Drew approached her. She looked up and saw his expression was serious. Her husband's expression changed as she began to cry, making him unhappy. "This is your new home. You are not a visitor, but my wife! So, anything you see in the fridge, or touch, or eat in this home—is yours! Now, do you want coffee or juice?”   

Her lips parted. She wasn't prepared for what he said. As though about to lose patience once more, Drew exhaled and then closed his eyes tight. "I told you, for God knows how many times, I am not a monster. Actually, I'm insulted that you think of me as one."  

Lily was aware of the patience he had in dealing with her.

"I want juice," she said, not wanting to provoke his anger.

"Good." He poured fresh orange juice into two glasses and placed one in front of her, then sat beside her.

"Alright, first, if you're going to live in this house, it means you'll see me as your husband, not as a jerk or an idiot. In return, you'll live here as a wife... My wife. Do you understand?"

A wife... She still hadn't fully come to terms with the fact that her life had changed.

"Speak up, Lily. Because if you're not ready for this and you'll continue to be afraid of me, we can put this discussion aside."

"I will live here," she replied. 

"Good. I'll now describe how I spend each day. It's important for us to be aware of each other's whereabouts. Every morning at seven, I leave this home. Depending on whether I have a dinner meeting, I stay in the office until six o'clock. If I'm ever running late, I'll make sure to call you. How about you?" He gulped his juice, as if the explanation had exhausted him.

"I'm just staying at home."

He frowned. "You don't have a job? Or are you still a student?"

Drew scowled again as Lily's eyes welled up with tears.

"You don't have to answer." It appeared he had anticipated her situation. "You mentioned before that you were enrolled in a design course; does that mean you didn't complete it?"

Lily nodded, avoiding eye contact with Drew. She was overwhelmed by fear due to her circumstances, which were a far cry from her husband's privileged life. He had been living like a prince, after all—he was Drew Walton.

Drew finished all his juice, while Lily still hadn't touched her glass. He let out a heavy sigh.

"Do you want to continue your education?" he asked.

Lily's lips parted in surprise. Drew had been catching her off guard with plans that were far removed from her own thoughts. Her fists clenched. But what about the bullies at school? The events of four years ago still weighed heavily on her mind.

She’s a whore.   

She’s sleeping with the magic five.  

Hey, slut! What does a gangbang feel like?  

I heard she’s pregnant.    

She could still hear those voices, the laughter, the whispers. They had placed the word "S-L-U-T" in big, bold, black letters on her locker.

Lily flinched when Drew held her hand, his gaze fixed on her.

"You didn't answer my question. Why didn't you finish college?"

She wanted to lie, but her past experiences had taught her that lying only led to punishment. "Because Kenneth and his friends were angry with me after the night you saved me. They were furious. One of them spread rumors about me in school."

"Those terrible people!" Drew gritted his teeth. "Let's forget about them, okay? I'll help you find a suitable school."

"But I have no money to pay," she protested.

"You're being quite adorable," he remarked, deadpan. How much is the school tuition? Even if Drew were to serve her ten courses at once, he could certainly cover it.

"Do you know how to cook?" Drew asked after a long silence had settled between them.

"Yes." If there was one thing she was skilled at, it was household chores. If not, her stepmother would undoubtedly scold her.

"We have someone clean this place three times a week, so maintaining the cleanliness of this house won't be a problem for us. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"

Lily swallowed hard, her voice hesitant. Something had been bothering her.

"W-what about your needs as a man?" she asked. Her question wasn't surprising, given that she had heard him admit to using a prostitute.

At that moment, Drew seemed as if he had been struck speechless, staring at Lily as if she had three heads.

"Lily, I'm not sure. I expect you to be cooperative; that's part of your duties as my wife. Do you really think I should just take care of myself? I could easily hire women, but that would make me feel... bad." His gaze met hers, and contemplated.